I've seen a few threads debating which of the 3 APs is the best, so how about this...
If you had to build a campign out of 12 adventures from the 36 of the APs, which would they be? You can alter CR if you want more flexibility with the order they are played.
I've seen a few threads debating which of the 3 APs is the best, so how about this...
If you had to build a campign out of 12 adventures from the 36 of the APs, which would they be? You can alter CR if you want more flexibility with the order they are played.
This is an interesting concept. The paths are all so solid and build off from each other so well i don't know if this would really work. What might work better would be to attempt to build an adventure path from other adventures. That might be more rewarding.
Okay. So let's say any 12 published adventures.
Okay, the mention of story models has brought out the english major in me. Interestingly enough, this is how I tend to build long term campaigns. I have also been known to use 16 or 20 chapters as well. Anything that divides by 4 evenly works well for a 3-4 act model.
If we assume a 3 Act model and 12 adventures we can see the following structure. Act 1, levels 1-5, 3 chapters. Act 2, levels 6-15, 6 chapters. Act 3, levels 16-20, 3 chapters. Here's what we have so far and feel free to update this list.
Act 1 [Lvl 1-5]
Chap 1: The Whispering Cairn, #124
Chap 2
Chap 3
Act 2 [Lvl 6-15]
Chap 4: Tammeraut's Fate, #106
Chap 5
Chap 6
Chap 7
Chap 8
Chap 9
Act 3 [Lvl 16-20]
Chap 10
Chap 11
Chap 12
What else would fit in with this to create an overall story? We can fudge story details later to make it mesh but let's put together 12 great adventures for now.
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Challenge accepted.
Because it's a very long document and contains spoilers for all three Adventure Paths, I've put it in the spoiler dimension:
Life’s Bazaar (1)
In the streets of Sasserine, the PCs are drawn together by a call for help and get involved in rescuing kidnapped citizens.
There is no Honor (1)
Because of their heroics, the PCs are called to Lavinia’s house to help her with her problem. One outcome from this adventure is that the murdered harbor master is replaced by a newcomer, Lord Vhalentru.
Whispering Cairn (1)
Lavinia’s adventuring parents left clues of a possibly untapped Olman tomb in the jungles surrounding Sasserine.
Three Faces of Evil (3)
The discovery of the worm in the necromancer’s lair leads the party to explore where the worm was found.
Bullywug Gambit (3)
Art found in one of the evil temples helps the PCs identify the artist girl that Vanthus hooked up with. Tracking her down leads them to the pirate cove where the two are planning on robbing the pirates.
Flood Season (4)
A priest from neighboring Cauldron had come to Sasserine to buy wands of water control. Attacked on the way back, he calls his mother church for help. Saracem would have to be the only priest of Cuthbert in Cauldron, explaining why he has to call on the Sasserine church for help, but I’m okay with that. I’m also prepared to make Saracem’s church that of a PC to better ties the characters into the call for help.
Blackwall Keep (5)
After helping Cauldron with their rain problems, a resident of that city recognizes the green worm as something he’d heard of from one of the forts along the Thunder River. Following the lead takes the PCs to a local lizardfolk lair.
Zenith Trajectory (6)
A famous dwarf hero of Sasserine has gone missing! The PCs are called upon to help track him down.
Sea Wyvern’s Wake pt 1 (5)
Lavinia has finally managed her affairs enough to be able to follow up on her parent’s colony on the Isle of Dread and asks the PCs to come along.
Hall of Harsh Reflections (7)
At one of the supposedly friendly forts the Sea Wyvern stops at, one of the PCs’ many enemies takes the opportunity to get revenge by sicking a local ilithid agent on them.
Sea Wyvern’s Wake pt 2 (6-ish)
The PCs continue their cruise to the IoD.
Here there be Monsters (7)
PCs arrive on said IoD.
Tides of Dread (9)
PCs deal with pirate attack on their colony.
Champion’s Belt (9)
Monsters found on the IoD would make GREAT combatants in the annual Champions Belt Games back in Sasserine and the PCs are asked to bring some back.
Demonskar Legacy (8)
It turns out Raknian was managing the Games only because the person who SHOULD be officiating, a famous local paladin, has gone missing. Last seen heading into the jungle in search of the Demonskar.
Test of the Smoking Eyes (10)
Follows on directly from their quest to the Demonskar, of course. The Smoking Eye will prove important in the war on Kyuss later on…
Gathering of Winds (11)
PCs return to Sasserine from Occipitus to find the city under attack from a black dragon. This heir of Zelkarune is seeking the PCs for revenge. The battle leads the PCs to another ancient Olman temple loosely related to the one they explored way back when.
Lightless Depths (11)
Expected trade ships from Farshore aren’t arriving like they’d hoped. Contacting Lavinia at the IoD reveals the fear that a legendary dragon turtle is stopping shipping. Locals say Emraag can be bought off, so Lavinia asks the PCs to gather up some “tribute” from her mansion back in Sasserine to give to the Glutton. While talking to the turtle monster, the PCs learn of the pirates’ deal with him and explore the caves where the shadow pearls are being produced.
City of Broken Idols (13)
Back on the IoD, the party follows up on some news that things are going south at the central plateau. They put a stop to the production of Shadow Pearls, but learn that a bunch have already shipped. One, they notice, has been sent to their home town of Sasserine.
Secret of the Soul Pillars (12)
Tracking the pearl back to Sasserine, the PCs find the city turning darker by the day. While not connected to the pearl, the PCs search for it makes the Cagewrights aware of their return and they try another assassination attempt to get rid of them. This time, they’re able to track down the man who gave the order, all of which leads them to the Spellweaver Ruins and the Soul Pillars.
Spire of Long Shadows (13)
Following hints at the Soul Pillars as to the importance of Spellweaver artifacts, the PCs travel to the Spire of Long Shadows. Visions they receive there teach them of the history of Kyuss and his imprisonment in the stone. Remembering what they’ve learned of the prophecies, it appears that Kyuss’s return is imminent except that his prison stone has been taken by a powerful dracolich.
Lords of Oblivion (13)
Back at Sasserine, the city continues to fall to darkness as the newly returned Lotus Dragons and their allies push their domination. As the PCs work to find out who the dark master is behind it, they unmask Lord Vhalentru and defeat the Lotus Dragons once and for all. Comments overheard at the meeting suggest that the Cagewrights have been waging a war with the cultists of the Ebon Triad, giving the first hint that there are different factions at work.
Foundation of Flame (15)
A meeting with the rest of the Dawn Council erupts in chaos when a cagewright invades to capture the last person they’d earmarked for being a shackleborn. This could be anyone, really, but whoever it is leads the party on a rescue mission to Cauldron where he was taken. Arriving at the mountain city, the PCs discover the place in chaos as the sleeping volcano awakens. Particularly ominous is the encounter with Hookface that has the dragon spying the party for the first time and recognizing them (no doubt from Dragotha’s description).
Thirteen Cages (16)
After evacuating Cauldron, the PCs are able to travel to the heart of the volcano to see what’s causing the disruption.
Prince of Redhand (15)
The near-destruction of Cauldron is one more step along the prophecy of Kyuss and the players are pushed to deal with it before it comes to pass. As such, they’re directed to follow the research of Balakarde and follow his route to the neighboring Hold of the Sea Princes to speak with the last person Balakarde is known to have visited. While at the dinner, the PCs receive a sending telling them that they’re former companion Lavinia Vanderboren has been abducted by her brother.
Serpents of Scuttlecove (15)
Missing their chance to talk to Lashandra, the PCs race to rescue Lavinia from Scuttlecove.
Into the Maw (17)
A direct follow from Serpents of Scuttlecove. It’s important to note that the PCs will re-encounter Saureya, the fallen angel from Smoking Eye. What that means is up in the air, but it’s worth mentioning.
Library of Last Resort (16)
Wherever they return to, the party is contacted by Lashandra who heard they wanted to speak to her. She confirms that Balakarde did speak to her. She explains Dragotha’s connection to Kyuss and how her phylactery was stolen. To help the PCs recover the phylactery, she directs them to the Library of Last Resort. While drinking from the Library, the PCs discover that the druids who defeated Dragotha before are the actual founders of the Cagewrights. Kyuss’s ascendancy is partly fueled by the void left by Adimarchus’ disappearance. After defeating Kyuss’s armies on the field, they made contact with Adimarchus. The PCs can deduce that they were perverted over time by the Mad God.
Strike on the Shatterhorn (18)
To access the vault where the phylactery is kept, the PCs need to recover a key from the surviving Cagewrights. Tracking them down uncovers their hidden lair in the Shatterhorn. During the fight, one of the PCs is abducted to Carceri.
Wells of Darkness (18)
Adimarchus’s prison is just one cell in the Wells of Darkness. The PCs must make their way through them to find Skullrot. On the way, they encounter someone who teases them with knowledge of what’s really going on.
Asylum (19)
Following their friend to Carceri, the PCs fight their way through the prison. The encounter with Adimarchus reveals that it is the smoking eye itself that acts as the key to the vault. If no PC has it, he informs them that only by defeating him can one of them inherit it. Even then, he explains that Kyuss has been drawing power from Adimarchus since his imprisonment. By slaying him, the PCs can weaken the Worm God. Adimarchus admits this freely because the good side of him wants to be killed. It’s the evil side that fights back.
Kings of the Rift (18)
Possessing the knowledge of the smoking eye, the PCs make their way to the giant city where the phylactery is kept. During their absence, though, Dragotha has learned of its location and sent a fleet of dragons to recover it.
Into the Wormcrawl Fissure (19)
With the phylactery in their power, the PCs are free to hunt down the dracolich.
A New Dawn (20)
Leads directly from Wormcrawl Fissure.
Enemies of My Enemy (19)
With the death of both Adimarchus and Kyuss, the balance of the Outlands has been broken. The Abyss now reigns high as the powers of the gods and the Nine Hells have been weakened by the two deaths. Igwilv herself seeks out the party responsible and fills them in. This, she said, was all part of Demogorgon’s plot. By setting Kyuss and Adimarchus against each other, and arranging for their deaths, he is ready to receive the full power that will come from releasing the Savage Tide. Igwilv sends them on a mission to find allies against him.
Prince of Demons (20)
And then it’s WAR!!
Most of this was from memory, so I make no guarantees of the name spellings.
It's also up to the DM to adjust XP appropriately to stretch out advancement over the whole grand event.
Have fun!
Wow! That looks great. I want to play it now!!!
Holy crap, that does look awesome.
Good job.
A wonder to behold.
That would make an awesome, awesome, awesome campaign.
New challenge round for the next RPG Superstar contest?
"Combine the four recent Pathfinder series into one big adventure."
What I've used in my current campaign so far:
Meenlock Prison
The Muster at Morach Tor
The Distraction
Parts of Red Hand of Doom
Tammeraut's Fate
There is No Honor
The Sea Wyvern's Wake
Here Be Monsters
(note that these were all levelled differently to suit my campaign, and inserted among this were elements of my own campaign world)
I intend to add:
City of Broken Idols
The Lightless Depths
Tides of Dread (with elements of Serpents of Scuttlecove thrown in)
Challenge accepted.
Bravo! I post in order to congratulate you, as well as mark this for my perusal later. This is *exactly* what I would like to run when it's my turn at the bat.
Too bad WoTC won't let Paizo publish hard covers of ST and AoW.