I'm considering buying the first part of the JR AP, as it looks very interesting. But I'm not that interested in Tian Xia and the Asian tropes.
So, is it possible to end the JR AP prematurely at the end of books 3 or 4? Are there any built-in options which allow the party to pass Ameiko on some responsible locals (who will help her) and then return home?
(I realise that it's possible to get Ameiko killed, but that's a bit of a downer for an AP and I would like to avoid that kind of ending.)
Eh... not really. I mean, if your party accompanied Ameiko across the Crown of the World and into Tian-Xia, one would be hard pressed to find a reason they would just abandon her to some random folks they just met and then make the dangerous crossing a second time (for no reward). You could rework the story completely, but as written I don't think it would make much sense to cut things off at part 3, and even moreso at the end of part 4.
I'd recommend giving the whole path a shot, personally. Even if one is not a fan of Asian tropes, the latter half isn't that bad. If it excessively grates on you, you can just replace Tian-Xia with Cana-Dia and run things as written. Replace the Katanas with Longswords and make the Ninjas throw away their black pajamas and nobody will be the wiser.
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Cutting the AP short would be weird. You might be better off grafting the travel bits onto an campaign of your own design. Except for the caravan combat, which is terrible, Book Three is extremely cool, and I'd pick it up regardless; other than that, most of the path is building up to the party's arrival in Tian Xia, and it wouldn't be recognizable without it.
Hmm.. Give it a shot at least until you you reach Tian Xia, if everyone is still stoked to continue, keep going.
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If you're not interested in "Tian Xia and the Asian tropes", Jade Regent is not the Adventure Path for you.
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That's a little harsher than I intend, but the whole focus is reclaiming the throne of "Fantasy Japan". There's Asian tropes everywhere. BUT, if you're looking to mine something from the early volumes AP, I have a few suggestions (mild spoilers).
Cut out Ameiko as a major NPC. Focus on Sandru (and his desire to be the best merchant in Varisia), Koya (and her desire to see the far ends of the world before she dies), and Shalelu (and her...motivation). Or cut them entirely . Remove the oni from volumes 1 and 2, and instead focus the plot on the caravan's trade routes (cut the caravan rules though, they won't work for this thought experiment).
Find a reason for the party to travel to Brinewall, and change the tale of an empire in dire need of an heir to that of a trade route gone unclaimed for generations. From here the party can travel to the Lands of the Linnorm Kings and deal with the evil manipulations of Goti Runecaster and his clan of hired assassins.
Then, the Crown of the World. I'll be honest, you could take The Hungry Storm and run it as a mini-campaign in itself. The information on a fantasy arctic is fascinating and rarely touched on in roleplaying. It would require a good bit of work and expansion (the guide to the Crown of the World in the same issue provides ample hooks). I could have spent months here, had my players not been at wits end to escape the endless white plains. It's a terrifying environment, where lack of preparation can kill, nightmares of indigenous folk lurk the hills, and strange structures from before history stand.
TL,DR: There's not a lot in Jade Regent that's not "Asian tropes", but you could use the Hungry Storm to run an entire arctic campaign.
Thank you all for your replies. They've certainly given me some food for thought.
Heck, I'm the opposite of you in that I designed an adventure of westerners visiting the orient, and I skipped the part about getting there other than you got in a ship and sailed a month or so reaching it. The rest of the adventure, all 3 modules, occur in that oriental place.
Regarding JR, I just as soon only do the portions in Tian Xia, and skipping everything else. For me the end justifies the means, but of the means of getting there, I could certainly care less about that. To me crossing the crown of the world is the boring part of this AP.