1) They stayed longer than I intended as they walked round the whole village asking questions of people (in the "we must be missing something" way that players do sometimes). But there isn't really much reason to be there long.
2) It was my first ever experience GMing so I messed quite a lot up, so the players got an easier ride. I've heard it can be quite deadly though, so you may need to make adjustments as you go. It really depends how your group is made up (both players and PCs) I think.
New FTF group, new campaign. Debating what to do and so far it looks like RoW is topping the short list! So, a couple of quick questions:
1) How much time do your guys usually spend in the first village? I'm thinking not too much, because the village is basically a place to get information and maybe buy a few supplies. OTOH they'll be in the neighborhood for several sessions. Did anyone spend much time here?
My group ended up spending 3 days in Heldren.
But that's not where we began this adventure. I didn't want the players to realize that they were entering the RoW AP when they created characters so I set the game up as a Taldor based political campaign. I had the PCs start as members of Lady Argentea Malassenes' escourt & they got ambushed on the road by Rokars bandits (who had nothing to do with the winter portal). The bandits took the PCs, Lady Argentea, and another noble NPC I added, prisoner. Holding them in the lodge. The other NPCs in the entourage were killed.
The party lv up to 2nd after the ambush resolved.
While the PCs were prisoners (and healing up from negative HP) 2 things happened.
1) That other NPC I added escaped, prompting the bandits to go searching the woods for her. (thus reducing the # of bandits in the lodge down to what's listed)
2) On the 3rd or 4th day there was an almighty explosion somewhere near & over the course of the day the temp started plummeting.
#2 really prompted the PCs to make an escape attempt - despite not having all the HP they'd like. :) They could sit & freeze or try something....
So they & Lady Argentea escaped into a sudden winter wonderland while most of the bandits were away (dead actually by evil fey, but the PCs didn't know that atm)
So my group encountered about 1/2 the encounters between town & lodge in reverse order and pretty much without winter gear. :)
They escaped the winter bubble & reached Heldren. They got to spend 3 days there recuperating, sending out messengers, etc.
Day 1: Normal warm Taldor weather
Day 2: Temp drops throughout the day & frosts towards evening
Day 3: The snows begin.... This allows the PCs an idea of how fast the winter bubble is spreading. They're also actively planning to head back into the hills to find the missing NPC.
Now, better equipped, the party faces the other 1/2 of the encounters between town & lodge, finds the winter portal, & determines they have to enter it in pursuit of the missing noble.
They lv up to 3rd once they reach Waldsby.
2) The first few encounters seem to ramp up quickly from the usual "first module of an AP EL 1 KISS" to some that can be really problematic if the PCs play it stupid. Is this a correct impression? Has anyone felt the need to mess with these? -- For the record, here are the first half dozen or so encounters before you reach the Lodge:
-- 2 zombies
-- log and chest trap
-- tatzlwyrm
-- snowdrift and sprites
-- "talking stag" (atomie)
-- snowman trap + 2 ice elementals
-- crossbow trap at end of trailDid any of you beef up, nerf down, or otherwise change these? How did your PCs manage?
I tinkered with these some.
* The 2 zombies became frozen ghouls. They started out as two of Lady Argenteas ladies-in-waiting, died horribly in the ambush, were re-animated by Rokar & then he threw the still living valet in with them and barred the door. This was all the more horrible because the PCs knew all three of these NPCs thanks to a prior session of RP.* Log & chest trap - I deleted this one. I just relocated the loot to the lodge & the PCs found it while escaping.
* Tatzlwyrm - I kept this & tried my best to kill the PCs with it.
This was the parties 1st real encounter with something not native to Taldor. To this day they don't know what it was.
* Snowdrift & sprites - Again, I did my best to kill the PCs. They learned tiny fey are dangerous. :)
* The talking stag/atomie - This one never became a combat encounter as I was just having fun with the RP portion of it & the PCs weren't hostile. So I figured why ruin a good encounter & just rolled with it. The PCs ended up getting some info that was useful later in book 1 & 2.
* The snowman & ice elementals - this was a fun fight. Especially as I used an Olaf figure from Frozen for the snowman.
The players never thought they'd have to fight Olaf....
* The crossbow trap I left as written.
*The undead Quadirans? I changed those to Rokar Bandits who'd become wights.
Overall the PCs managed well enough. No-one died & the players all agreed that the 1st part of this book had been a real challenge and that the RP was good.