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So I’m prepping to run this in the new year and trying to figure out how the party is supposed to come together.
Are they all expected to have the same patron? If not why is Orcboss judging the merits of the Apis consortium rep in combination with the reps from New Thasalon and a yoski merchant caravaner?
It is weird to me that they are even considered a party by the npcs, who ask them to go hunting as a group. Am I missing something?
Throughout the adventure Ardax, or 'Orc Boss' judges the players as if they are a single group for combined efforts even if they don't don't fully culminate at the torrentmoot, and going further down the AP their patron and representation is mentioned once by him with no guarantee other than his word and no formal agreement in exchange for their complete and unwavering loyalty to him.
The element of unifying the players has to be something they decide for themselves, as the adventure depends on them being a group. It's left entirely up to DM and players if they are from different backgrounds, as the module and player's guide only give options and present the events to be handled. At some point they will realize they can't do it alone, and while NPCs like Dovarr, Kestrel, and Grothlyn are willing to help them the players are the driving force of the narrative.
There is definitely some strong meta-game pressure for the PCs to act as a coherent party instead of a diverse collection of "diplomats" for different nations/groups*. The GM should definitely: 1) Emphasize that the PCs' sponsors want to build better relations with/within Belkzen and 2) hold a "session 0" where the PCs get to know each other (and hopefully build some bonds between characters. The players should definitely take into consideration that the characters are diplomatic representatives and not some random "adventurer" during the creation process.
However, this is something better suited for individual GMs and their players to handle, rather than heavy-handed "railroading" within the AP. The GM/players will know the details of the individual characters much better than an AP written without a specific "party composition" in mind.
The AP does, in fact, supply that "railroading" as the "traditional" diplomatic mission is interrupted by undead hordes and other events. However, the PCs helping save Belkzen is probably the best way to accomplish their original mission of establishing a favorable relationship.
*- although orc diplomacy may include "elements" of negotiation that may not be common elsewhere...
So I’m prepping to run this in the new year and trying to figure out how the party is supposed to come together.
Are they all expected to have the same patron? If not why is Orcboss judging the merits of the Apis consortium rep in combination with the reps from New Thasalon and a yoski merchant caravaner?
It is weird to me that they are even considered a party by the npcs, who ask them to go hunting as a group. Am I missing something?
Orcboss (I'm never referring to him as anything else now) is keeping all his options open until he doesn't have to. If anything that's great for players because it also expands THEIR options. I generally like to keep these things sort of loose at my tables so I made them answer two fundamental questions: where are you from and why are are you here?
I think the idea is that the events of Chapter 2 and 3 lead to a unified goal; a need to survive is a good catalyst for any group to find equilibrium and common ground. Now if the group is TOO disparate in their interests and goals, then it might be a good idea to throw in a prelude combat or something to get the players going in the right direction.
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