Kol Korran
2014-12-08, 12:04 PM
I'm running the Wrath of the Righteous AP, and my party is in the process of overtaking the Drezen Citadel. I've began preparing for the 3rd part, and few questions came to mind:
1) What role should the PCs take in the leadership of the city of Drezen? The module suggests the downtime mechanics, which I've only half read, but they look mostly like bookeeping, with very little actual roleplay involved, and worse- they downgrade the PCs role to that of high citizens at best, not the leaders. Or as Alleran put it in a much earlier thread:
Originally by Alleran: Per the book, the special NPCs (basically the ones that have been woven pretty inextricably into the adventure path) get put into the positions of authority in the city while the PCs go around taking and completing quests. I would advise pulling that out entirely and putting the PCs in those positions of authority (as mythic heroes and the effective leaders of the Crusade who just retook the city, the idea of it being taken off them and handed over to NPCs who haven't done half of what they did might rankle). You could partly use the Settlement rules from Ultimate Campaign if you feel obliged to include mechanical elements, or you could freeform it.
Either way, I'd have them in charge, but also have them lead sorties out into the Worldwound. If there has to be somebody in charge of Drezen and it can't be a PC (or PCs), then at least have one of the group - or more - take Leadership and then get their cohort to take the reins. It ties it closer to the players that way. If you like, you could even have the players play as their cohorts for a session as they deal with stuff in and around Drezen (while presumably the mythic heroes are off somewhere).
so I've been thinking, and I've asked the players about it, giving 4 basic ways I see of doing it:
Just focusing on adventuring and leaving management of the city in the background.
As per the module- with the downtime rules.
Using the kingdom rules, which I haven't fully read yet. (The heroes need to be 1 week a month in the city for that.
Whatever options we choose, I may put some "leadership encounters" with difficult situations such as a trial, fueding populations, a crisis of faith, a marauding monster (There is that dragon there, right?), and all kind of other stuff that will require leading judgement of them. A bit more of a roleplay effect?
I need to read the rules more, as I think neither of the systems fully fit the situation. I was wondering if you have run the module, or planning to- what are your thoughts on the matter? How did you handle the responsibilities of running the city, and incorporating adventures into it?
2) The exploration of the Worldwound- It seems like a lot of mindless wandering to me, while seeking to stumble upon a place of importance. I hope to focus the module on dealing with their histories (I've done quite a bit of different things with the campaign traits), but I wonder how did you find the exploration? From a first looks it looks somewhat tedious and boring, but I my be wrong- What was your experience?
3) I love time pressure as a driving force. The module hints that the Xanthir Vang is close to perfecting his method of purifying the Nyhadrian crystals. I want that to be an actual threat, an actual time limit that the party might fail. (As the module seems to work at a very leisure pace). How much time did it take your parties to find and take the Ivory Sanctum? How much do you think is adequate?
4) This is less of a focused question- any specific encounters you found especially difficult? Especially easy? How was the encoutner with the Woundwyrm? Saving Arulashee?
Thanks in advance,
Kol.
1) What role should the PCs take in the leadership of the city of Drezen? The module suggests the downtime mechanics, which I've only half read, but they look mostly like bookeeping, with very little actual roleplay involved, and worse- they downgrade the PCs role to that of high citizens at best, not the leaders. Or as Alleran put it in a much earlier thread:
Originally by Alleran: Per the book, the special NPCs (basically the ones that have been woven pretty inextricably into the adventure path) get put into the positions of authority in the city while the PCs go around taking and completing quests. I would advise pulling that out entirely and putting the PCs in those positions of authority (as mythic heroes and the effective leaders of the Crusade who just retook the city, the idea of it being taken off them and handed over to NPCs who haven't done half of what they did might rankle). You could partly use the Settlement rules from Ultimate Campaign if you feel obliged to include mechanical elements, or you could freeform it.
Either way, I'd have them in charge, but also have them lead sorties out into the Worldwound. If there has to be somebody in charge of Drezen and it can't be a PC (or PCs), then at least have one of the group - or more - take Leadership and then get their cohort to take the reins. It ties it closer to the players that way. If you like, you could even have the players play as their cohorts for a session as they deal with stuff in and around Drezen (while presumably the mythic heroes are off somewhere).
so I've been thinking, and I've asked the players about it, giving 4 basic ways I see of doing it:
Just focusing on adventuring and leaving management of the city in the background.
As per the module- with the downtime rules.
Using the kingdom rules, which I haven't fully read yet. (The heroes need to be 1 week a month in the city for that.
Whatever options we choose, I may put some "leadership encounters" with difficult situations such as a trial, fueding populations, a crisis of faith, a marauding monster (There is that dragon there, right?), and all kind of other stuff that will require leading judgement of them. A bit more of a roleplay effect?
I need to read the rules more, as I think neither of the systems fully fit the situation. I was wondering if you have run the module, or planning to- what are your thoughts on the matter? How did you handle the responsibilities of running the city, and incorporating adventures into it?
2) The exploration of the Worldwound- It seems like a lot of mindless wandering to me, while seeking to stumble upon a place of importance. I hope to focus the module on dealing with their histories (I've done quite a bit of different things with the campaign traits), but I wonder how did you find the exploration? From a first looks it looks somewhat tedious and boring, but I my be wrong- What was your experience?
3) I love time pressure as a driving force. The module hints that the Xanthir Vang is close to perfecting his method of purifying the Nyhadrian crystals. I want that to be an actual threat, an actual time limit that the party might fail. (As the module seems to work at a very leisure pace). How much time did it take your parties to find and take the Ivory Sanctum? How much do you think is adequate?
4) This is less of a focused question- any specific encounters you found especially difficult? Especially easy? How was the encoutner with the Woundwyrm? Saving Arulashee?
Thanks in advance,
Kol.