Alright, I'm doing final preps for the start of the AP and I'm considering two fairly significant but primarily RP-related twists. I'd be interested to get other's take on them, advice on how best to execute the idea, cautions on potential pitfalls especially if I might be messing up something I've missed later on in the AP.
The first is that I'm going to change up the Aldern Foxglove's obsession a little and make it a love triangle of sorts... the idea is that one of the hero's (I'm pretty sure I know which one) will rescue Shayliss in the opening goblin raid and then do the same with Aldern as written. Shayliss will become besotted with her rescuer (perhaps even using Aldern in an attempt to make them jealous) while Aldern will fall for the winsome Shayliss and resent her affections for the PC. All of this will result in the PC getting either the 'wrath' or 'envy' side of things once the Skinsaw Murders begin while Shayliss gets the 'lust' side, drawing her and her family even further into the horror that takes place.
The second is that I'm going to make Tsuto's infatuation/obsession be with his half-sister Ameiko rather than Nualia whom I will instead make him terrified of. There is some good backstory in the family that I think I can make use of, as well as the idea that he wants to 'rescue' her from the burning of Sandpoint as she is the only person he's ever loved and certainly the only person in town (to his mind) that doesn't deserve to burn. They share the same blood after all - why shouldn't they be together?
I'm planning on making Ameiko a more involved part of the first two books, but again purely from a RP-angle - the PC's shouldn't need her help adventuring.
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I think the Shayliss angle would work well. It can potentially give the PCs more info about Foxglove so that could make the murder investigation easier, depending on how many other red herrings you toss in.
I think Tsuto being infatuated with his half sister has some interesting flavor and could work out well. I would make sure to modify his journals somewhat to make sure that the party gets hints about what Nualia is trying to do, both the attacks and the transformation.
We also have a female archer in the group... so I'm thinking of replacing Shalelu with Drummond, a Dwarven Ranger (Infiltrator) I designed a while back who's two favorite favored enemies are goblins and giants. I figure I'll introduce him in the parts where Shalelu would have been and I'll have a quiet chat with my player about the possibility of having an estranged relationship with her father, perhaps venturing to Sandpoint looking for him after her mother died. That'll let me work in the Black Arrow subplot and have it feel a bit more near and dear to the party as a group.
I'll post nothing useful, as that seems to be my nature:
Everything you've suggested seems like it will work, and it will be a lot of fun to play out. Ameiko's been a major player (in fact a love interest) in my campaign, and it's going to make the transition from RotRL to Jade Regent even more fun, since we're just going to run through all the sequels in a row.
If you're planning on moving on to the sequels as I am, be a little careful about omitting Shalelu entirely; she reappears in Jade Regent as well. You might want to check that thread to see how major a player she is; I believe she only appears in Book 1 there, so missing her won't be major, but I haven't read all of Jade Regent by any means.
I'll post nothing useful, as that seems to be my nature:
Everything you've suggested seems like it will work, and it will be a lot of fun to play out. Ameiko's been a major player (in fact a love interest) in my campaign, and it's going to make the transition from RotRL to Jade Regent even more fun, since we're just going to run through all the sequels in a row.
If you're planning on moving on to the sequels as I am, be a little careful about omitting Shalelu entirely; she reappears in Jade Regent as well. You might want to check that thread to see how major a player she is; I believe she only appears in Book 1 there, so missing her won't be major, but I haven't read all of Jade Regent by any means.
No, she shows up again in Hook Mountain Massacre I'm pretty sure, to (among other things) resolve some daddy issues. The thing is that since we already have a female archer character, her inclusion seemed a little redundant, so I figured I could accomplish all I needed to with a more suitable character.
At the moment there are no plans for Jade Regent (though I'd love to run it if I can find the money to buy the AP), but if and when we do I don't see why I couldn't just include Shalelu then as I would have if running the AP on its own - or am I missing something?
No; you're not missing anything.
You'd already mentioned the tie-in to the Black Arrows, so I knew you wouldn't need Shalelu there. I am just cackling in glee because my party grew so attached to her they absolutely, positively didn't want to give her up and I had to 'forcibly' remove her from the party, so when she shows up in Jade Regent everyone's going to be ecstatic. So if you omit her, you can introduce her as a brand new character in Jade Regent, it's just one of those things where having her show up in RotRL makes her appearance in Jade Regent a little more 'special'.
No; you're not missing anything.
You'd already mentioned the tie-in to the Black Arrows, so I knew you wouldn't need Shalelu there. I am just cackling in glee because my party grew so attached to her they absolutely, positively didn't want to give her up and I had to 'forcibly' remove her from the party, so when she shows up in Jade Regent everyone's going to be ecstatic. So if you omit her, you can introduce her as a brand new character in Jade Regent, it's just one of those things where having her show up in RotRL makes her appearance in Jade Regent a little more 'special'.
I would consider that a testament to how well you ran her rather than the quality of the character herself - nicely done, sir. There are few things I enjoy more than when a party really comes to LOVE (or really comes to HATE) an NPC I've devoted time to.
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I really love your edits! In fact, I'm doing something similar to your first idea; I've added an NPC who is a childhood friend of one of the PCs and whom Aldern will develop an obsession with. His notes are written to *her* and the whole thing will culminate in her kidnapping, with a not insubstantial amount of circumstantial evidence pointing toward the PC in question. The fact that the NPC is Sheriff Hemlock's daughter is just the icing on the cake ;)
We've already run Jade Regent (we're going back in time for RotR) so Shalelu is firmly established in our setting. But I really love how you're working the PC's backstory into things! As written, Shalelu is just kind of "there" in Jade Regent, so she'd be easy to replace if you do decide to run the other AP.
I really love your edits! In fact, I'm doing something similar to your first idea; I've added an NPC who is a childhood friend of one of the PCs and whom Aldern will develop an obsession with. His notes are written to *her* and the whole thing will culminate in her kidnapping, with a not insubstantial amount of circumstantial evidence pointing toward the PC in question. The fact that the NPC is Sheriff Hemlock's daughter is just the icing on the cake ;)
We've already run Jade Regent (we're going back in time for RotR) so Shalelu is firmly established in our setting. But I really love how you're working the PC's backstory into things! As written, Shalelu is just kind of "there" in Jade Regent, so she'd be easy to replace if you do decide to run the other AP.
Appreciate the kind words.
Yeah, I really want to do something on-going with Shayliss and her father... I can just picture the moment when its discovered that she's missing and Ven holds up the note left by the Skinsaw Man, hand shaking, his voice like someone dead inside as he looks at the PC she's been flirting with... asking 'What have you done to my family? What have you done to her?' Then when they return hber to him safe and sound (remember she's all the family he has left), he'll be overcome with relief and gratitude and finally be won over.
I also think I'm going to do something with the Giants raid on Sandpoint later on, maybe have him get captured along with a few redshirts and have the PC's have to track them down to rescue him - I figure having them rescue Shayliss again might be a little overdone. Or perhaps I'll have him insist on coming along to rescue other villagers... not realy sure yet, but I'd LOVE the opportunity to have him unexpectedly come to the PC's rescue at some point.
Ooops - sorry, this is my 'campaign journal' alias.