Age of Worms advice

[Someonelse]

[spoiler alert for Age of Worms by the way, just FYI]

Between me and the people I usually play with we have tried to run Age of Worms what seems like a dozen times. Now I'm going to try to run it again, but in a new and unique setting.
The problem I'm running into is that we are all familiar with how AoW begins, we know the first chapter really well and a little bit about the second chapter. I don't want to jump right into the 3rd chapter, but I also don't want to spend several sessions playing through material we have played through a couple of times over the last few years.
So I was wondering if anyone had an advice or suggestions for how to compress the first two chapters into a single night?
I've already started going through the first chapter and cutting things, like the puzzles and the ghost, those are interesting encounters that take up a lot of actual play time.
What is really important in these two chapters that I shouldn't cut? Or is there nothing important? should I just cut it all and explain it away with a simple adventure hook leading right into ch3?
What would you do?

[Aharon]

What did your group like at the earlier "let's start the campaign" events? What is their play-style?

Story-wise, I think a lot can be cut out. It starts being really interesting about the time they enter the city with the arena, IMO. I got my group there in about 3 or 4 sessions (but then, we only meet about once a month, so I was forced to condense it a lot - I might have done it differently if we played more often).

[Yora]

Maybe one way could be, that the first two adventures happened to another group of adventurers who failed, but somehow were able to pass on their discoveries to another group. Which is where the PCs come in.
I think at this point, it should already be established that there is something seriously dangerous brewing and the PCs would consider it a task that really needs somebody to look after.

[Someonelse]

The group doesn't have any one play style, we are all very different. I found the ghost encounter tedious, but other people enjoyed it.
I am already running a dungeon crawl I wrote to start the game, so they will be level 2 or 3 by the time they get there.
Find find the map to Whispering Cairn, when they arrive they find Allustan peering inside, waiting for a group of adventurers he hired and sent in there a week ago. As they explore they will find dead adventurers scattered throughout (this also explains who solved the riddles).
I'm going to use the ghost as a tough encounter. The ghost is guarding a door, the door has a tough lock and a trap. Every round the door can use Inflict Light Wounds within 30ft (the door was enchanted as wondrous architecture with the Reach Spell meta-magic feat), anyone who touches the door to unlock or disable the trap gets zapped with inflict, if no one has touched the door by the end of the round it goes to the ghost, who regains hit points from it.
At the end Allustan tells them that he knows of a necromancer who is undercutting his business, since necromancy happens to be illegal he tells the PCs where this necromancer operates and encourages the PCs to bring him to justice.
From there I think I should be able to just run it as written.

[killem2]

[spoiler alert for Age of Worms by the way, just FYI]
The problem I'm running into is that we are all familiar with how AoW begins, we know the first chapter really well and a little bit about the second chapter. I don't want to jump right into the 3rd chapter, but I also don't want to spend several sessions playing through material we have played through a couple of times over the last few years.


While I know you said you do not want to jump into the 3rd chapter (which if I'm remember correctly that is the Three Faces of Evil), it is actually a very easy module to jump into. The best construct of the entire story line is basically, corrupt bad guy doing dirty deeds with an even dirtier foe, which they are both black mailing each other in a way.



So I was wondering if anyone had an advice or suggestions for how to compress the first two chapters into a single night?


If you must do the first two chapters, then I would forgo them starting in diamond lake, and if possible make them a collective group that has been adventuring for a bit and have been sent here on assignment, because they have gotten intel that Balabar has been doing similar dirty deeds in other parts of the region.



I've already started going through the first chapter and cutting things, like the puzzles and the ghost, those are interesting encounters that take up a lot of actual play time.


That's one way to do it, but like I said the Three Faces of Evil is easy enough to just hop into.




What is really important in these two chapters that I shouldn't cut?

THIS HAS SPOILERS

You have to at the very least have the ghost boy, who will lead them to the farmstead, which leads them to bones stolen, which leads them to investigate into Filge



Or is there nothing important?


Its crucial that they make their way to the observatory.





Should I just cut it all and explain it away with a simple adventure hook leading right into ch3?


That's what I would do. Sure, it takes away from the initial stages of meeting, but the module is fun enough that I think they will forget about it.



What would you do?

I would simply put it out there, that they are a semi-pro/elite group of adventurers that Allustan (he's my go to guy this guy seems to be SOOO connected), had sent form. I almost treat him like Albert Einstein warning the president about the Nazis and atomic bombs. Just an important 3rd party who sees a possible need for action, and you have been called upon to deliver that action.