I'm still enjoying running D&D4E but the sheer quality of Paizo's products for Golarion (and WotC's inability to produce adventures or adventure paths that do not suck) means that I am really wanting to start a campaign set in Golarion --BUT-- I want to set the campaign up to run from 1st to 30th level.
How would you do this?
Starting with Rise of the Runelords as a base, what things would you include (such as the other six runelords) in order to expand RotR into a larger campaign?
What would you use as the final adventure? (I often find thinking about the final adventure can help shape the preceding adventures. YMMV.)
I'm not looking for stat blocks, maps or any of those "crunchy" sort of things, more ideas for adventures and for building the heroic, paragon and epic tier arcs. I hope some others are interested and want to throw some ideas into the mix.
Thanks in advance!
I'm still enjoying running D&D4E but the sheer quality of Paizo's products for Golarion (and WotC's inability to produce adventures or adventure paths that do not suck) means that I am really wanting to start a campaign set in Golarion --BUT-- I want to set the campaign up to run from 1st to 30th level.
How would you do this?
Starting with Rise of the Runelords as a base, what things would you include (such as the other six runelords) in order to expand RotR into a larger campaign?
What would you use as the final adventure? (I often find thinking about the final adventure can help shape the preceding adventures. YMMV.)
I'm not looking for stat blocks, maps or any of those "crunchy" sort of things, more ideas for adventures and for building the heroic, paragon and epic tier arcs. I hope some others are interested and want to throw some ideas into the mix.
Thanks in advance!
Scott's conversion is heading for 24th or so. One idea would be to use his conversion up until somewhere near the last adventure and then break off and start adding things. The whole Spires of Xin-Shalast could very easily be very heavily expanded. An entire mythical city is pretty much covered in about 12 pages or so in the original version. Taking this local and fleshing it out a lot would be an easy way to take the players up some more levels.
Scott's conversion is heading for 24th or so. One idea would be to use his conversion up until somewhere near the last adventure and then break off and start adding things. The whole Spires of Xin-Shalast could very easily be very heavily expanded. An entire mythical city is pretty much covered in about 12 pages or so in the original version. Taking this local and fleshing it out a lot would be an easy way to take the players up some more levels.I'm still enjoying running D&D4E but the sheer quality of Paizo's products for Golarion (and WotC's inability to produce adventures or adventure paths that do not suck) means that I am really wanting to start a campaign set in Golarion --BUT-- I want to set the campaign up to run from 1st to 30th level.
How would you do this?
Starting with Rise of the Runelords as a base, what things would you include (such as the other six runelords) in order to expand RotR into a larger campaign?
What would you use as the final adventure? (I often find thinking about the final adventure can help shape the preceding adventures. YMMV.)
I'm not looking for stat blocks, maps or any of those "crunchy" sort of things, more ideas for adventures and for building the heroic, paragon and epic tier arcs. I hope some others are interested and want to throw some ideas into the mix.
Thanks in advance!
Once I reach the end of the conversion, I'll try to include a few ideas on where the campaign might head if you want to take it to 30th. The one I like the best is included in Spires of Xin-Shalast. Once the city is uncovered and made accessible, the Pathfinder Society organizing a massive expedition is a good opportunity to introduce the group, give the PCs a charge to protect, and throw complications and new ruins to explore at them.
You'll have to come up with something more incredible than the campaign's climax, however, for them to discover in the ruins, or the added adventure will feel anticlimactic.
Jeremy & Scott, I am sorry, I really should have made mention of Scott's work in my post.
I can see, Scott, where your conversion is going. I think, too, that Xin-Shalast is the perfect place to end the campaign and, Jeremy is right, 12 pages is not enough for such a great location. edit I would love to have the final battle involve all seven Runelords with the party being assailed by all seven sins.
I love the idea of including yakfolk as inhabitants of Xin-Shalast and having them manipulate things during the course of the campaign.
Are there any other sites or adventures that you would include in an expanded RotR?
Do you know where I can find information about the other Runelords? If I do this I would also like to include their machinations as part of an expanded adventure path.
Jeremy & Scott, I am sorry, I really should have made mention of Scott's work in my post.
I can see, Scott, where your conversion is going. I think, too, that Xin-Shalast is the perfect place to end the campaign and, Jeremy is right, 12 pages is not enough for such a great location. edit I would love to have the final battle involve all seven Runelords with the party being assailed by all seven sins.
I love the idea of including yakfolk as inhabitants of Xin-Shalast and having them manipulate things during the course of the campaign.
Are there any other sites or adventures that you would include in an expanded RotR?
Do you know where I can find information about the other Runelords? If I do this I would also like to include their machinations as part of an expanded adventure path.
I can't help in expanded material as I take the APs and convert them to 4E and to my homebrew. However your question regarding more information on Runelords is not really about 4E. I'd ask about expanded info in the RotR section of the message board. I bet some one can point you either to official material in Pathfinder or to a thread that discusses the other Runelords.
Thanks, Jeremy. You are right: this is not about 4th edition, per se, but about expanding the adventure path itself. Having read up on what I can about the Runelords this weekend I would now like to run a campaign involving all seven of them... plus Xin, the First King, who engineered his disappearance and the rise of the Runelords and is now engineering their return as part of his scheme for apotheosis and an Eternal Empire of Thassilon.
Thanks, Jeremy. You are right: this is not about 4th edition, per se, but about expanding the adventure path itself. Having read up on what I can about the Runelords this weekend I would now like to run a campaign involving all seven of them... plus Xin, the First King, who engineered his disappearance and the rise of the Runelords and is now engineering their return as part of his scheme for apotheosis and an Eternal Empire of Thassilon.
The only point of caution I'd raise is that trying to squeeze what amounts to six other villains who themselves have enough flavor and potential backstory to weave an entire campaign around into six levels of play doesn't give you a lot of opportunity to do them justice.
I like the idea of something involving Xin, since that's obviously a "next step" beyond dealing with one runelord, and six levels is enough time to develop a nice thread of adventuring around Xin's rule, fall, and return.
Actually I was thinking about having the Runelord of Gluttony, a necromancer, be responsible for awakening and animating the other Runelords thus reducing them to mummies or similar. Actually, the Runelord of Gluttony would make for an interesting devourer when he returns.
Anyway, this would reduce the other Runelords to powerful monsters but nothing compared to Karzoug, the Runelord of Gluttony or Xin. While that reduces some of the story potential from the other Runelords it does allow them to be included without having to craft major arcs around each one.
It also allows for the Runelords to serve the same purpose as a multi-part McGuffin. Maybe the potential of Xin's return is revealed so each of the other Runelords must be found and confronted to end Xin's scheme.
Anyway, I realise that sounds a bit weak now but it does have potential for expansion using the original six adventures as a framework. (Hmmm, what if Mammy Graul is a servant of the Runelord of Lust?)
Actually I was thinking about having the Runelord of Gluttony, a necromancer, be responsible for awakening and animating the other Runelords thus reducing them to mummies or similar. Actually, the Runelord of Gluttony would make for an interesting devourer when he returns.
Anyway, this would reduce the other Runelords to powerful monsters but nothing compared to Karzoug, the Runelord of Gluttony or Xin. While that reduces some of the story potential from the other Runelords it does allow them to be included without having to craft major arcs around each one.
It also allows for the Runelords to serve the same purpose as a multi-part McGuffin. Maybe the potential of Xin's return is revealed so each of the other Runelords must be found and confronted to end Xin's scheme.
Anyway, I realise that sounds a bit weak now but it does have potential for expansion using the original six adventures as a framework. (Hmmm, what if Mammy Graul is a servant of the Runelord of Lust?)
If you do decide to go with a story arc on Zutha's return, start early. His reawakening (if it can be called that) is already established in this web supplement detailing the Gluttonous Tome a three-piece artifact that, if brought together, will eventually consume its owner and transform the unlucky character into the reincarnation of Zutha, Runelord of Gluttony.
I suggest spreading the three parts of the tome across the last few adventures; one in the Ancient Library of Thassilon, one in Runeforge, and then one in either the Scribbler's lair or Xin-Shalast - the former will give you more time to develop the curse.
Thanks for those ideas about Zutha. I think I will incorporate those too.