So, we finally finished Skinsaw Murders (after 5 sessions, just like Burnt Offerings took us 5 sessions. I wonder if Hook mountain will also will take 5 sessions) and asking for a few ideas to spice up the travel to Hook Mountain. Not just combat encounters. Some things to play up the still new world (its our first campaign in Golarion).
Any ideas? My players have yet to decide which way the go - so feel free to insert any ideas. I think they will use the river til Wartle and then through the Sanos Forest. Another route would be further up the river til Whistledown, over Lake Syrantula and then up the Skull river (mostly on boots or barges I think).
So, we finally finished Skinsaw Murders (after 5 sessions, just like Burnt Offerings took us 5 sessions. I wonder if Hook mountain will also will take 5 sessions) and asking for a few ideas to spice up the travel to Hook Mountain. Not just combat encounters. Some things to play up the still new world (its our first campaign in Golarion).
Any ideas? My players have yet to decide which way the go - so feel free to insert any ideas. I think they will use the river til Wartle and then through the Sanos Forest. Another route would be further up the river til Whistledown, over Lake Syrantula and then up the Skull river (mostly on boots or barges I think).
First of all, how much Experience Points do you want them to gain along the way?
Enough that they hit level 7! Which is the starting level for this adventure. 5000 xp or so.
I had my players stop in Wartle and get wrapped up in a local dispute that required them to participate in the local 'judicial combat' system to resolve. Essentially, they chose a champion (they could have hired one of the locals, but - wisely - chose to do it themselves) and were assigned an area roughly on city block in size and told that they had three hours to catch snakes. (This was made possible by my interpretation of Wartle as a town built on stilts, with raised streets and rope-bridge side streets/alleys stand, to avoid the constant flooding)
The one with the highest point value of snakes was considered the winner. Standard snakes were one point. Poisonous snakes were three points each. Goblin snakes were five points each. No magic was allowed to summon or contain them. The locals caught them with snake sticks (sticks with loops of rope suspended from one end that could be pulled tight), but the party won by discarding the snake-stick they were given and having the fighter just snatch them up with her bare hands.
Did no one else play out the journey? My only idea so far is an encounter with boggards...
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Actually, after dinner with the Mayor of Magimar(sp?), I had the church of Abadar approach them, since the local priestess was on X's hit list.
Basically I introduced them to the "Seven Swords of Sin" module, therefore giving the PCs a choice of what they wished to do, or what they wanted to do first...
So, we finally finished Skinsaw Murders (after 5 sessions, just like Burnt Offerings took us 5 sessions. I wonder if Hook mountain will also will take 5 sessions)
Well, it took my players 13 sessions to finish Burnt Offerings...so I can't imaagine how long HMM will take. I imagine they will spend at least 2 sessions playing around in Turtleback...
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I used Witching Season, while they travelled along the Yondabakari River, on Othlo's boat (the halfling captain, from the Pathfinder Journal in Skinsaw Murders). The adventure is for four PCs of 6th level, and I hooked my PCs on it while they made a short stop in Wartle.
My party took barges all the way up the river, and they were a little behind on XP cos they hadn't encountered a faceless stalker or Xanesha at all.
I had Xanesha in human form on the barge too, watching the PCs and learning their tactics. Also, I put four faceless stalkers disguised as Korvosan Sable Company men on the barge as well, once they got to stop off in one of the villages on the way, they managed to abduct Shalelu, took her form and try the same on the party druid.
The odd other encounter on the way included seeing a local man being attacked by crocodiles, and a bandit attack.
It also allowed me to include the idea that the party to spot the sihedron rune on one of the ferry men. They queried him on it, but it never led anywhere.
Maybe they can give you a few ideas. :)
@dryder: Great suggestion. But don´t you think thats too many hags? In HMM they encounter hags again...
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@dryder: Great suggestion. But don´t you think thats too many hags? In HMM they encounter hags again...
Yes, I had the same thought!
Therefore, I let one hag escape during Witching season, whoSeeing her, made my players jump at her immediately. One of my players even said:"Damn, I told you we should follow her - now there you have it!".
And, you could also make them Witches from the playtest for the APG...
Hm, is the hag circle not expected to summon rains for the last few weeks?
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Hm, is the hag circle not expected to summon rains for the last few weeks?
Yes. I explained it that way, that the rains increased dramatically, when the pcs reached Turleback Ferry. Before that, the weather was just bad. That might not make total sense even in a fantasy world, but it was enough to satisfy my players.
While this might take them off the beaten path...
Shelelu also appears in Second Darkness: Armageddon Echo.
I plan on taking my players to Celwynvian between SSM and HMM. It should be a great romp.
Do any of the PCs have stuff built into their backgrounds that you could introduce or develop? Anybody have a dark past that could catch up with them? Anyone have outside interests (other than killing bad guys and taking their stuff) that could be expanded upon?
No. They mostly use the iconics (background and picture). We have a Valeros, a Merisiel and Ezren (all level 6). The only one without an iconic is the cleric of Sarenrae: Tarik Al´hadre (who has noch background at all). :(