Made my first module (Raven Watch Prison), how long are they usually?

[Zeeky Von Vepermont]

Basically took the map from the GM guide, and modified it a bit. I wrote it so the stairs is where the party enters from, with the caves to the south leading to the surface.

The premise is, after defeating Blackfang and having it fly off, the party is weak, hungry, and trying to get back to Sandpoint by the road, when they're attacked by starving wolves (greatly weakened versions of the wolves in the book), with more coming down from the road towards town. I'll have them roll knowledge local to recall a old prison nearby where they can attempt shelter.

If they stay and fight, I'll basically have them fight 3 at first, but then notice more in the distance and give them options of rushing them, or running for shelter. If they dumb enough to rush em, they're rescued by Shalelu (who they'll meet again in burnt offerings that I plan to play after this.) Then have them go to town, rest, and get sent off here to investigate sightings of blackfang. Either way they're going here.

Anyway, so they go in a semi linear order through the rooms, and trying to have a few perception checks for every room, clubs in closets, and mostly zombies and skeletons with a mimic and doppelganger thrown in. I put traps in several locations, and a small statue puzzel at the end to get into the cathedral (basically 3 types of statues, one praying, one iwth a shield, one with a sword. Stay away from the sword weilding ones or you get wacked.)

There's 4 battles in total (Potentially 5 depending on when the doppelganger turns on them, 3 different possible points), not including the wolves.

The module I wrote up came out to be 6 pages long (or 3 if you back and front em) and was wondering how long do they usually take and how many hours yours usually last for? How long you take making them?

[meatrace]

I dunno. I tend to write my own adventures as well rather than making stuff up on the fly, but they vary. I like having a variety of shorter adventures strung together rather than full AP/module length. Keeps me and the players from getting bored, or so I feel.

I'd say you should shoot for 12 hours of playtime per adventure if they're short adventures, or 18ish for an AP length adventure.

Also the actual page count will likely have no bearing on how long it takes to run through. Combats take more time to run than other things, usually, with the possible exception of roleplaying encounters where everyone participates.

[Ice Titan]

I usually take a handful of hours over 3 days to write out a 20 page module. For one session, 4-5 encounters, 4-5 scenery "encounters" (players interacting with scenery, like climbing a grotto wall or disabling a trap) and 4-5 roleplaying encounters (looking through a ruined treasure room at something interesting or interacting with NPCs) is what I shoot for. They usually last 2 sessions, mostly because I end up with 8 of each at the end of the day.

One thing I'd recommend is that

Quote:

The premise is, after defeating Blackfang and having it fly off, the party is weak, hungry, and trying to get back to Sandpoint by the road, when they're attacked by starving wolves (greatly weakened versions of the wolves in the book), with more coming down from the road towards town. I'll have them roll knowledge local to recall a old prison nearby where they can attempt shelter.

If they stay and fight, I'll basically have them fight 3 at first, but then notice more in the distance and give them options of rushing them, or running for shelter. If they dumb enough to rush em, they're rescued by Shalelu (who they'll meet again in burnt offerings that I plan to play after this.) Then have them go to town, rest, and get sent off here to investigate sightings of blackfang. Either way they're going here.

Your players could fail that Knowledge (local), or die to wolves before Shalelu saves them. Try not to make the adventure hinge on one roll-- a good rule is to just give the PCs the info if they're going there, but they get to make the rolls to remember information about where they're going, like what rumors might be up in the air about it. Also, some PCs might think that running from wolves might be a bad idea and just hold their ground.

Also, as far as the execution of the introduction, you could consider a rainstorm as the impetus to take shelter in the prison. That gives the illusion of choice, with one obviously superior decision, but it gives the PCs the choice to go in or pass by. Also then you can have a creepy rainstorm outside. I'm equally enamored with wolves bursting through windows ala Resident Evil during the exploration of the prison, but it's going to be hard to get the PCs there via herding by wolves without taking a long time.