I've made no secret of the fact that Sandpoint, the scene of the action in the first Pathfinder Adventure Path adventure, Burnt Offerings, was based in large part on my hometown of Point Arena, California. Some elements, such as the town dump consisting of "just throw your trash off the cliff into the ocean," huge cliffs surrounding a perfect little cove, the presence of a large theater in a relatively small town, or the mirror posted just outside of town that sports a sign asking visitors to see themselves as the townsfolk see them first are from Point Arena's real-world history. And then there's the fact that the town's original name translated roughly into "Sand Point"... although time and the tides have long since washed away the point bar of sand that once protected the harbor.
But most of Sandpoint came from my imagination, and that includes its diverse cast of citizens. In Burnt Offerings I was able to explore several of these characters and locations, but for many of Sandpoint's locals I was only able to scratch the surface. I never had room to go into full detail about the extent and dangers found in the old smuggler's tunnels below town, who's been leaving birthday presents for Rynshinn at Vernah's Fine Clothing, or exactly what drove Jervis Stoot to become a relentless serial killer, but that doesn't mean I didn't have an idea even at the time what was going on.
With Sandpoint: Light of the Lost Coast I can finally pull back the curtain and expose some, but not all, of Sandpoint's secrets. It was a blast finally getting to set these mysteries down on paper for others to explore, and just as fun to make my own discoveries along the way. I'd never given any thought as to what danger might lurk near the headwaters of the Turandarok River, for example, or figured out exactly why a ghost haunts Biston's Pond in the hinterlands. As I got to these locations and more while writing about them, their stories seemed almost to write themselves.
In fact, I wrote a lot more than I could ever fit into even a 96 page book. There's plenty more to find out about Sandpoint, and in time, and if I can pester the right folks to help make it happen, I'd love to present the nearby complex known as "the Pit" in the format of a deluxe adventure. I've already run this adventure once for several folks here at the office in my old Shadows Under Sandpoint campaign. Many of the elements of that campaign, from the Red Bishop to Pillbug Podiker's antics are direct results of that campaign.
Anyway, here's hoping that you all enjoy your upcoming visit to Sandpoint as much as I enjoyed setting the place up for you to explore! Have fun, enjoy the curried salmon and raspberry ale, and keep watching out for that pesky Sandpoint Devil!
PS: Check out what might be one of my favorite pieces of art we've ever published—a bird's eye view of the town itself! I can totally see my house from here!
Illustration by Roberto Pitturru
James Jacobs
Creative Director
