I have been GMing for about 10 years now and I have played Rise of the Runelords three times now though I never finished the whole adventure path from front to back. I always stopped at The Hook Mountain Massacre because of work or other things happening in my life or the lives of my players.
That being said, I am playing RotR again with a coworker in a 1 v 1 sessions. We made it to the Hook Mountain Massacre and the future looks promising. We have been gaming for about 70 hours now (we play every Thursdays for 5 hours) and it looks like we could finish the story in about 3 to 4 months.
I have decided to play on the slow progress because it gives me more freedom to build up some quests and characters. I’ve included most of the quests from Sandpoint, Light of the Lost Coast and some Pathfinder Society missions. I also added factions and characters not found in the original version of the adventure path. If you would like a darker version of RotR, let your GM read my post or if you are a GM, you are more than welcome to use my story and message me for questions. I present to you, A Bundle of Rods.
There is talk about another civil war near the Lost Coast. The king is dead and a new ruler governs Korvosa with a bundle of rods and with help from the Order of the Nail, he has brought eastern Varisia under his shadow. The Lord-Mayor of Magnimar, too distracted with luxuries, refuses to take the Eastern Frontier seriously. The shoanti are all gathering to elect the new tlatoani and making a great migration towards the Grand Mastaba yet on their travels they tell tales of sleeping giants rising and enslaving shoanti people. Can Adam Smith III unite two cities or will he rule Varisia himself?
SPOILERS:
Factions:
The Free Party:
The party's leader is the Lord-Mayor Haldmeer Grobaras. He is a veteran who served several campaigns that bought some of the territory Magnimar holds now. A shell of his former self he is now bought off by the captains of industry in the city of Magnimar, so he has the support from most of the owner class in the city. His plan to bring Varisia under the Magnimarian flag is a success so far. He has managed to bring a couple dozen small communities and villages to swear loyalty to Magnimar; many are expected to also be absorbed by the empire by will or force. Though the Lord-Mayor isn't the worst candidate to run, he isn't a fair and kind ruler either. He usually lets the staff (his staff are probably advisors from the owner classes) with all the work and uses the time to indulge in human pleasure. His debaucheries have led to many rumors yet the people in Magnimar have mixed feelings about him but generally support him despite the rumors.
The New Coalition of Varisia:
Running second in the Magnimar elections is the New Coalition of Varisia. This political movement wants things like they were in the early days of Korvosa; they also try to rewrite the civil war into a more justified and necessary one. They worship a god who they refer to as "The Quartet", "The Father of the Flames", "The Rightful King" and many others. Worshippers of the Father of the Flame preach, abstinence, racial purity (chelish purity), virility in men and passivity in women, distrust of other races and has hatred for barbarism, and total devotion to the Father of the Flames.
The United Daughters of Cheliax:
The United Daughters of Cheliax are a group of wealthy Korvosian princesses who push chelish culture in Magnimar.
The Eastern Frontier:
The Eastern Frontier is an extremely far-right political party in Korvosa. The party's aim is to bring all of Varisia under the control of the Eastern Frontier and unite "racially desirable" Korvosians as national comrades while excluding other peoples as political dissidents, physically or intellectually inferior or as a foreign race. They are against the idea of unions and guilds and want them to remain illegal. They believe that the city government is only there to protect private property from barbarians, undesirables and enemy city-states. They believe in eastern culture hegemony. They are against the use of magic and certain substances like Fayleaf, God's Mind, and other native plants the shoanti and varisian people use and uses of these may be punishable by death.
The Black Cloaks:
Established during the civil war almost 107 years ago, the black cloaks now serve as security for the roads, businesses in the west and most importantly is to protect Turtleback Ferry from the ogre attacks. The Commander of the Black Cloaks is a man named Lamatar Macklin.
The Conquest of Bread:
The conquest of bread is led by a woman named Andrea Lord. The group's aim is to keep Varisia independent and have the citizens of Varisia lead their own lives. They want to abolish the wage system, abolish private property and by implementing democracy in the workplace can democracy truly take place.
The Nahau:
The nahau people are a group of tribes that emerged from the Kaer Maga. Seven tribes in total, the Mexica, Xochimilco, Acolhua, Huexyacac, Chalco, Tepaneca, Mixtecs and the Xoloitzcuintlis.
Lexicons:
The West:
The west represents all land west of the Ilsurian and Lake Syrantula. The cities and towns include Magnimar, Sandpoint, Ravenmoor, Wolf’s Ear, Galduria, Nybor, Wartle, Whistledown and Turtleback Ferry. Usually refers to the holdings and claims of Magnimar.
The East:
The east represents all the towns and cities east of Lake Syrantula. The cities and towns include Biston, Melfesh, Abken, Sirathu, Baslweif, Palin’s Cove, Harse, and Korvosa. Usually refers to the holdings and claims of the King of the East, King Eodred of House Arabasti, the First of his name, King of the Azlanti and the Chelaxians and the Varisians, Conquer of savages and Defender of the Realm.
The Green Triangle:
The Green Triangle refers to the Sanos and Ashwood forests and are protected by a nymph named Myriana.
