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As the title says, I've just (at the gentle age of 30) only a year ago found Pathfinder (or any real RPG for that matter) and a month ago I found roll20 and finally a way to connect with my childhood geek friends living in different parts of the country.
I've obviously made many mistakes on the way, one being to start off with RotRL as our first campaign, but we've learned as we go and so far only one of the 5 players has shown dislike for the story.
I try to embrace my players creativity in game to push our limits to learn the mechanics and how to bend them and so I try to keep it open minded, but two issues have come up. One minor, one major.
The first obvious mistake was to pick the story for them without asking and now I feel it would be wrong for the other 4 to start another campaign to satisfy the 1.
What I was trying to figure out is how to inject some twist in to the plot. One great example is the "Lovecraft take" on Brodert that I'm definitely going to use even if he drops out.. I'm searching high and low, but figured maybe straight up asking might do the trick?
Long post short: Thanks for reading!
Combine this with Wrath of the Righteous. They find a portal to the Worldwound that is being investigated by some Mythic Heroes. They then learn that the Demons are working to free Karzoug as part of their plot to suck Golarion into Deskari's Abyssal realm.
The Mythic Heroes need the PCs to continue working on this end and stop the plot to free Karzoug. Meanwhile, they're working to retake Drezen and from there they'll be eventually going into the Abyss and the like.
Tie Nualia into this - her quest to become a half-fiend includes opening a hole to Deskari's realm and create a second Worldwound. She's nowhere near ready to do this... but in learning this and in working to help on this end while the Mythic Heroes storm the Gates of the Abyss.
The heroes are doing something important. But it is part of a greater plot in which other heroes, truly Mythic heroes, are also involved.
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That's actually inspired problem solving, so I'd be willing to work with them on this solution. While the rank and file goblins will be overjoyed with the beer that Gogmurt has "stolen" from the longshanks, Ripnugget would probably have some questions on the wayward druid's return. He and a few select guards might abstain (mostly), but the rest of the goblins will probably get drunk. Bruthazmus will probably take a large quantity for himself and the goblin-wives, and Orik will probably take some as well - he probably had a pint or two of the Two Knights brew when last he was in Sandpoint. Lyrie doesn't strike me as the sort that cares about drink, and Nualia's too distracted to care.
I'd apply significant penalties to Perception for the goblins that are active in Thistletop when they travel through it, but they likely won't be able to get past Ripnugget without a fight. Since they won't have to waste resources on fighting the goblins on the way to him, they should have an easier go at it.
That said, if they go back on their promise to restrain from killing too many of the goblins, Gogmurt might turn on them, sending his companion at them.
I'd tell the PC that it's not that the world is doing nothing - the world isn't aware that there any problems right now. Sandpoint's a small town, and while there's a number of higher level NPCs around, many of them are busy with other stuff other than adventuring. Some of them, like Ameiko, have personal reasons why they're not taking a more active role. They're doing the job in Sandpoint because there's really nobody else there that can.
I'd introduce them to Shalelu, sooner rather than later, preferably with the active introduction that's been worked on here on the boards. She is active in the region, fighting goblins and keeping the countryside as safe as she can, but the focus isn't on her - it's on the PCs. I think he might be missing the point, honestly. It's not that they're the only ones that do anything; it's that they're the ones that the narrative follows. It's like complaining that any given episode of Star Trek is unbelievable because it seems like the crew of the Enterprise are the only ones that do anything in Star Fleet. There are other people in the world, and they are doing stuff. Some of it's good, some of it's bad. But as for the heavy lifting, the major plot stuff, that's got to come from you guys. Otherwise, the story would be about the people actually trying to prevent the Runelords' rise.
Obviously, this gets worse as time goes on and the PCs get to be higher levels, so they are suddenly the only ones who can deal with things. But that's a more generic problem with fast xp.
Otherwise, find something to wrap his PC into it. What can you tell us about him?
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To help make it feel a little less (on the surface) like the PC's are the only major players in the world I've set one of the players as a member of the Pathfinder Society and had the Shattered Star AP going on at the same time. So periodically as the campaign has progressed they will get updates on how that AP is going. Further, My plan is to have the group of Pathfinders fail at either the final book or next to final book, so the PC's will have to rush in to save the city.
So yeah, they aren't the only players, just the only successful ones in Varisia.
Sorry for being away over the weekend, but I've kept reading and am thankful for all the replies!
Now I only have to figure out how much they should pay for the kegs..
Thank you all for your input on that! :)
He is the sort of guy who enjoys old western movies with renegades and vigilantes living on the edge of "right and wrong" and most of all he hates the set up of "good vs evil" and always gets philosophical about it. He is playing a Barbarian cast out by his tribe and now attempting to find his place in civilization, so the player does fit the PC. He is at times playing a bit toon with it, but in general being good sport and just following others when expected.
Plenty of good thoughts you guys gave on this. I just keep trying to make them all feel smaller in the world. Introducing them the Pathfinder Society is something I'll think I'll give a try. Also adding in events as described by Mudfoot. Cheers!
I have the following suggestion.
The modules of the Ap you are playing are bounded by the fact that pcs are the heroes of sandpoint and that, for one reason or another, return there to visit the place or defend it. This is, for many reason, a bit difficult to convey since Pcs are gonna grew in level and would like to explore the region of Varisia without always returning there. Sandpoint is a cool village, but offer little fun per se. My idea is to mesh it up with other things and shift the attencion somewhere else.
Good places near sandpoint to have fun are Riddleport, the Windsong abbey and, of course, magnimar. It's easy to shift the campaing there after the Nualia story.
About your complain about "only my pcs care to save the world", let's change it! Here some suggestion:
1) Give a good reason for the isolation: goblins are actually making sure that the news of the attack does not reach Magnimar throught ambush along the streets. People of sandpoint can actually see their fires in the night. this is why magnimar is not coming.
2) Upper the ante: Nualia is trying to unite all the goblin tribes throught the liberation of the barghest inside the thrisletop. Also, she's trying to recruit one of the black dragons near the place!
3) Sandpoint is not alone: many npcs are helping, but offscreen. Make Shalelu actually trying to assassinate each goblin chieftain by herself to avoid they unify. make people from windsong abbey come to the rescue (on giant eagle, if possible!)and actively engaging threats while pcs are away (though, avoid to steal their thunder)
After that, i suggest you to shift the focus and change a bit the story.
You could emphazise on the horror theme, and make the demon cults around sandpoint way more relevant. there is a lot of stuff about the cult of lamashtu but also Pazuzu and many other demons worshipper there around. poor foxgloves may be used not by the norgober church but by the ghouls of kabriri (which, in turn, are being used by xadesha)
The sihedron of Nualia may well lead to an investigation for what cult was helping her. Instead of Norgober, you could shift to the returned cult of Lissala and place some adventure scenario form season 3 and 4 (like, one in riddleport where lissalans are trying to kill every greedy person at the casinò. all you have to do is make the wizard with nualia a lissalan, then take something form second darkness ap, first module, then from scenario 3.26. after that pcs could be asked to investigate the cult of lissala.
Nualia have in his possession a strange sword and an odd shard. pcs needs to go to magnimar to discover what they are. the first may be the sword of wrath, an the other the shard. then shift to shattered star, with the peril of "runelord mormukain" awakening (he's not a runelord, but buff him enough and can be a well threat), or use the zutha connection.
You can, of course, mesh all the elements you like. I've so much suggestion. what are your pcs anyway?
Pnakotus, they are all first timers as am myself, and studying the game each at our own pace in between of sessions.
PCs are: Spell-less Half-Elf Ranger (seemed fair so I ruled it ok), Elemental Sorceress Human, Half-Orc Wildshape Druid, Dwarf Cleric of Iomedae and the Barbarian Half-Orc.
The Barbarian player (the one with hatred for generic fantasy) is taking some time off and so they are lacking their biggest steamroll damage, but on the other hand everyone else got to shine a bit more.
I think I'll try to deepen the world for them after Burnt Offerings with some side quest to Riddleport/Magnimar, and hopefully I can describe a setting where they ain't nothing but a punch of travelers. On that note, is task from Ameiko to look for buyers for Glasswork bit too "lame"? I'd really like to have a sort of red herring side quest, with minimal combat and more social encounter, just to have us all practice some of that too. I have noticed Choppers Island being popular side track at this point, but feel like we could use some "world building" exercise with a bit of travel and exploration. Being tasked by their new friend Ameiko, they'd eventually return to Sandpoint where Belor could then welcome them with start of next chapter.
They'll need to go to Magnimar to spend any kind of significant money on gear anyway; I would suggest things like getting them tangled up in a Sczarni turf war while they're there, to give them something less world-shattering to worry about. Plus if they get on the bad side of some Sczarni groups, it will add some extra tension when they have to go back there in the next volume, so they'll be worried about Sczarni hunting them down while they hunt down the murderers.
I used Ameiko's trip to Magnimar to sell the family stuff in the middle of Skinsaw, after they had already explored the haunted house.It was intended to give them a friendly contact in Magnimar while they were there and worked well for that.
I actually had the group go to Magnimar prior to Skinsaw - Ameiko wasn't selling the Glassworks. She was hiring on a new glass smith to help train new people seeing that the Glassworks personnel were all dead. While there, they ran into a Skinsaw Man who was trying to kill the glass smith. Thus they had their first encounter with the Skinsaw Cult (except without trying to carve a sihedron into people) and also make a couple minor contacts with the Magnimar Guard which played into the next time they went while in pursuit of Xanesha... and got sidetracked into the Dawn of the Scarlet Sun module.
Then what about the ghost of Ameiko father going around for the glassworks?
He's not haunting the place. Unless you want him to in your adventure, but then there'd be no getting rid of him because what's needed to put him to rest is forcing Ameiko to be a 'proper' daughter who admits she was wrong and he was completely right and fully justified.
Then what about the ghost of Ameiko father going around for the glassworks?
Hmmm. Lonjitsu as a ghost has possibilities. Hard to argue given his life and death he doesn't have unfinished business or bitterness that reaches beyond the grave.
If Tsuto is still alive, he thwarts any rebuilding efforts until given proof that his killer is dead. Maybe he wants to be reconciled with his daughter, he thwarts any rebuilding efforts until she confronts him. He makes it impossible for any new buyer to consider purchasing it. Maybe he acts as a positive force, influencing new artisans or helping with the reconstruction. If Ameiko has been in the Glassworks that day, Craft - glass checks are made at +2. Maybe this is the outcome after he is convinced Tsuto is dead.
I'd be careful though, the next adventure has a haunt/undead theme don't want to overwork it. On the other hand, you could argue it's a theme that runs through the entire AP.