So the party I'm running through STAP have been pretty much non-stop since crashing on the Isle of Dread, and I'm a little worried as we gear up for CoBI that there won't be many chances for breathers, downtime, and following PC-related goals outisde the main campaign if I stick too closely to the path as written.
I'm encouraging a bit of downtime after Golismorga before heading to the plateau, but I think they feel that things are pressing (well, they kinda are) and that bad stuff will happen if they take too long before finding the source of the shadow pearl production. I'm worried that the set up to head to Scuttlecove won;t give them much chance for a rest either
What have other people done to allow their parties to explore more of the world outside the campaign, and work in interludes between steps i nthe adventure path? I'm guessing the trigger for Serpents of Scuttlecove can happen at any time after CoBI, and I'm wondering about the party doing some globe trotting to head to different major cities and find Demogorgon cultist cabals that are guarding their shaodw pearls and awaiting the trigger - alllowing them to head to different terratories and explore their own PC paths, motivations and backgrounds for a bit. But any other thoughts on this? Whilst i like the helter-skelter we're on, a pause for toilet breaks and refreshments might be nice!
Bearing in mind that after TLD I've got only a vague knowledge of the adventure path...
I think between TLD and CoBI is probably an excellent place for a break. The party has cut off the supply of pearls out of the island, saved Farshore, and traveled across the island (not in that order) at breakneck pace, and they are no doubt somewhat winded.
While there is something at the center of the Isle it has remained undisturbed for many years thus far. If the party is pushing hard you can have NPCs play up the danger of the center area however is most appropriate - talk about how other groups that tried to breach the center have never returned, even powerful and well equipped groups. Drive home that the party should take some time. If they are under wealth you might provide a couple of hooks on the island or off that will give the party a chance to pick up on some wealth.
In my game we took a 'breather' between TLD and CoBI to do some other adventures, including some in Sasserine that got us a lot closer to the powers there (including organizations) and let them become a much bigger part of the world.
I think, as you note, the start of Serpents of Scuttlecove is entirely in the hands of the GM if he wants to give the party some time. You could even have years pass in which the party is tracking down leads on the Pearls and doing other things before starting it up. If you wanted to encourage this you could drive home just how dangerous Scuttlecove is to your party. Have people tell campfire stories about it and how even groups of heroes that journeyed their for relatively mundane purposes never returned. Play up that it is a high level playground, not something to be tackled on a whim.
Finally, between Into the Maw and Wells of Darkness I think there is the potential for some time. Play up that Demogorgon is playing a very long game. Again, I think you could fit in even years before the party is confident enough and has enough information to delve into the Abyss.
My group took a two month break between ToD and TLD, allowed them to deal with the aftermath of the battle for Farshore.
Was going to allow them downtime between TLD and COBI, but during TLD they did 'stuff' that forced the foes in COBI into a revenge attack.
This attack was wiping out the Phanatons, and as one of the party is a Phanaton, he's now in a process of trying to get as many raised as possible to save his species... that kinda blew away any downtime there
I've told the party that after COBI they will have as much time as they need before SoS starts... They will need it to clear up anything else they want to do. SOS for me starts the main run in until the end game.
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Let's see. After There is No Honor, there is some time before the Bullywug Gambit. I had my players run Fiend's Embrace during that bit. After the Bullywug Gambit, there is a break.
The Sea Wyvern's Wake and Here There Be Monsters are sort of on a direct line, without a lot of opportunities for a break, but SWW has tons of unscheduled time, so the players can make good use of that or not.
The Tides of Dread is also on a timeclock, but the DM has the ability to adjust it as needed.
After Tides of Dread, there is a chance for a large break. I had my players run The Mud Sorcerer's Tomb and Torrents of Dread before we started The Lightless Depths.
The Lightless Depths, depending on how you run it, can afford opportunities to tackle piecemeal. I personally felt that destroyed the creepy atmosphere, so I incorporated the teleportation blocking concepts that have long been part of the Underdark. I wanted the PCs to feel trapped.
After TLD, our group did the Temple of Demogorgon. That adventure can be done at a player determined pace.
Then, as Pete mentions, they headed to Sasserine, where they did The Freeport Trilogy, interspersed with elements, either wholesale or partly, from The Prince of Redhand, Fall of Greymalkin Academy, The Standing Stone, and The Twice Damned Prince.
Having wrapped that up, they are going to enjoy some Isle based downtime, go hunt some of the Seven (Eight), maybe explore the old Olman Citadel, maybe try to tangle with some of the more dangerous Isle inhabitants, before heading in to City of Broken Idols.
City of Broken Idols is an adventure the players can take piecemeal as well. They don't have to charge from beginning to end, so if they explore it bit by bit, they can use the time between to tackle things they want to do.
As written, Serpents of Scuttlecove affords absolutely zero IC reason not to blow through as quickly as possible, and I want the PCs to spend some time in Scuttlecove. As such, I'm rewriting the hooks so that the players don't feel like asses for taking their time. I hope to let them build some relationships there, with the less unsavory elements, and maybe run some stuff from Razor's Coast while we're at it.
Into the Maw is another one that once they reach the main setpiece, they sort of have to commit. It isn't on a time schedule, perse, but bouncing in and out isn't easy (as appropriate for a prison).
After that, I sort of want to get a chance to tie up some loose ends, before launching the final leg. Once the PCs choose to run through Wells of Darkness > Enemies of my Enemy, they are on their own time line. The final adventure is another one that locks players in. I'm hoping for some truly epic PCs by then, and the opportunity to provide them with a solidly incredible finale to their journey.