My group (here) are currently playing through Skinsaw, but have taken a little bit of a tangent away from the expected path.
Being a mix of Sandpoint and Magnimar residents, they are all currently 4th level and had managed to capture both Tsuto and Nualia in Burnt Offerings and take them to Magnimar for trial. Both were sentenced to death by Justice Ironbriar, but using the idea suggested on these forums, Ironbriar sprung both of them and has been using them for his own schemes.
The group were working through Skinsaw as expected, all signs pointed to Aldern as normal, and they headed to the manor, experienced a couple of haunts, and decided to hightail it out. (Using entangle to hold off the Ravenstorms long enough to get away)
Back at Sandpoint, they decided to go to Magnimar to try and find out more about Foxglove. They did, found the townhouse, broke in and with a good search roll, found Alderns cache, and they broke in. I could have simply said that they found nothing, but I'm all for rewarding my group if they show some intelligence to investigate instead of barging in.
This led them to the Sawmill, which they managed to raid when most of the cultists were out, including Ironbriar. Some strongarm tactics later and they were searching his office, and swiped his journal. They reported all this to the watch who clamped down on the place, and as you would expect, Ironbriar got wind of this very quickly.
I then judged that Ironbriar discovered that his journal was missing, and knowing what was in it, his first priority was to get it back. So, he sent Tsuto and Nualia (levelled up a bit) and a few cultists after the group. As we finished last nights session, the group had killed Nualia and drive off Tsuto. Also, they'd used some magic to decipher the journal, so they were aware of Ironbriar and the link to the Shadow Clock.
So, my query is what to do next, the group is still 4th level, and going straight to the Shadow Clock is going to be almost certainly fatal to them. I don't want to weaken any of the enemies, as that would seem like a cop out.
So, I'm thinking that Ironbriar, fearing the worst would retreat to the Shadow Clock, with Tsuto and the two of them could be the first encounter there, maybe the Scarecrow wakes up halfway through that fight. Also, Aldern is still on the loose in Sandpoint, so I'm tempted to get Hemlock to get a message to the group saying there had been three more murders, and he'd sent a few men to the manor and they'd not returned. Hopefully this pleading from Hemlock will get them back to the manor to get some more XP before heading to the Shadow Clock.
I was also thinking on swapping Xanesha and Lucretia too (as suggested), but more likely having Xanesha fleeing once discovered and her trying to ambush the party on the way to Turtleback Ferry in the next adventure (by then they'll have some more cash to buy some better gear)
Does anyone have any other ideas to get the party running around a little more before heading to the Shadow Clock?
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If they don't stop Aldern, he will keep killing citizens of Sandpoint. All of the clues pointed to Foxglove Mannor before, and that hasn't changed. There was all but a giant neon sign pointing to to the haunted house, it should still be glowing. Have Aldern kill some more people in Sandpoint, while stonewalling their investigations in Magnimar.
Thanks, I think that I'll need to make the neon sign a bit bigger to get them back, as they seem to getting carried away in Magnimar. I've not got a problem with them finding out the clues in the city (as I don't want to stonewall their investigations now, and suddenly allow them to find out more a week or so down the line, as it seems inconsistent to me)
I think that I'll have them get a plea from the Sheriff to return to Sandpoint to deal with Aldern, I already had an idea for who Aldern will murder next, I can make it a but more personal by knocking off a family member. (The party rogue is on Xanesha's list, I can get Aldern to kill his cousin in Sandpoint in error)
Either that, or the next ambush will be some Faceless Stalkers, maybe them trying to set up the party. :)
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I am a bit puzzled as ... By the time they reach Foxglove, they should be level 5 already ... I think it was hinted by Sean Mahoney and approved by Lisa Stevens herself.
From my experience it looks great on RotRL
So that should be one level more.
EDIT : Take a look there
Obviously you have fantastic or unusual adventurers who decided to go the short way.
First of all I would reward them for that. They have been smart ... Give them additionnal XPs (I'm surprised to see they are not lvl 5 yet as they have been fighting the most of the cult). Since they are really late, give them quite a lot.
A wand of dispel magic could turn out to be very useful against Xanesha.
Some other magic items could also be.
Now for the murders, bear in mind that Magnimar suffers many more murders than Sandpoint as the Skinsaw are many more. So the Chaos and Mayhem should be even bigger in Magnimar.
Now you could send them a message from Hemlock but I wouldn't push them too much towards Foxglove. It looks too much like a "Deus Ex Machina". You are pushing them to what YOU want, not what they want.
May be some guards could tell the players that they saw the strange Half Elf (Tsuto) and his team walking around an important merchantman... Who's well known to be tight-fisted.... If they attack him, make sure Tsutoescapes to one hideout (=small dungeon"). that will make it for the XP.
Your players have been inventive, the only way to reward them is to be inventive too. But please do not push them back in the right tracks. That feels very bad for a player (Personnal experience as a player in another campaign).
I can't see how they would've got to level 5 before the manor, the XP doesn't seem to pan out for me. There are 5 of them (so the XP is spread a little thinner) and they lost one to Malfeshnekor, so they started Skinsaw just at 4th level (with one just shy of 4th)
With the XP for the farms and the Sanitarium, I can't see how they were going to get to 5th. Wasn't a problem, the Manor would have brought that back in line. And with them checking out the townhouse ahead of time, Ironbriar didn't have the chance to board it up or post two stalkers there. Also, hitting the mill when the night guard was on duty meant they got XP for several cultists.
But you're right, I'm ignoring the rule that they should be getting XP for achieving goals, not defeating foes, and they're certainly completing the goals ok. I'll get them to 5th before they go any further.
Eventually they're going to have to deal with Aldern then, he's too much of a liability left loose, so they'll get back to the Manor at some point. (it also helps that one of the players loves the idea of whats going on at the manor, and I'd be a bit miffed for the rest of the group stopping him going back there)