4 Tips For Running The "Rise of The Runelords" Adventure Path

It's been a long time, but my group finally finished our run through Paizo's Rise of The Runelords adventure path. The tale starts in Blood and Butterflies, and it's a hefty read if you're looking for something to dig through and you don't care about spoilers.

If you're a game master who wants to run this adventure path for your table, though, I wanted to offer some advice this week. Because while all the components of a good time are present, it's all too easy for this particular campaign to feel like a disorderly pile of stuff that happens, rather than like a cohesive story the PCs all played through. So if you want to really make the game work, I'd recommend keeping the following tips in mind.

Spoilers ahead. Also, if you haven't done so yet, make sure you sign up for my weekly newsletter to make sure you don't miss any of my fresh content!

Tip #1: Build Relationships With Important NPCs

That guy? Yeah, you met him... ugh... a while ago. Really, I'm sure you did.

So many events in Rise of The Runelords require you to have some kind of meaningful relationship with certain characters in order for them to have an impact... but if you just follow the text as it is, a lot of the game feels weightless and disjointed.

A perfect example of this is the Vinder sisters. The older sister Katrine has a reputation for always being on the arm of a new man, and though her younger sister Shayliss is more demure, she attempts to seduce the most charismatic member of the party after the battle against the goblins. Katrine is murdered by a ghoul at the old mill to kick off the second major arc of the campaign, but unless you actually had the party meet her, there's no way for them to know who she is, or why her grisly death should matter at all. She's just random unnamed NPC who didn't really show up before, and now she's dead. If you introduce Katrine as a regular at the Rusty Dragon, or have players actually get to know Shayliss after her attempted seduction, they become a part of the party's lives. They matter, so when tragedy befalls them, it hits a lot harder.

As another example, the party meets Aldern Foxglove, but his presence in the book itself is brief to the point he's nearly forgotten. For his whole face-heel turn to matter when we find out he's become a gast, the players have to really like him (or even remember him, beyond random noble they saved). Actually keeping Aldern around, and putting effort into getting people to like him, pays off BIG when you get to the trouble at his family's manor house.

As a final example, let's talk about Judge Ironbriar. It's supposed to be a big deal that this stern-but-fair city judge in Magnimar is the secret head of a skinsaw cult... but if the PCs never met him, why should they care? How do they even know who he is? All it takes is the Sandpoint sheriff sending a letter of recommendation with the PCs to Magnimar, or asking them to escort some prisoners (perhaps NPCs they captured during the first arc) for trial, and you have a perfect setup for them to meet the grim-faced Ironbriar. Painting him as a reluctant ally who claims to be a firm opponent of such dark cults would make it seem like a much bigger deal when the PCs pull off the mask and find it was him... especially if they were telling him their plans and moves, allowing the cult to stay one step ahead of them.

The campaign gives you all the elements you need to make a good story, but you need to string them together into a complete, meaningful whole if it is going to feel like more than a random collection of happenstance.

Tip #2: Make The Game About The PCs

This can take a bit of work, but is worth the effort.

This is one of the tough tricks, but it's one that really matters when it comes to player enjoyment. This campaign needs to feel like something that is about the PCs and what they're doing, rather than a leash that's dragging them hither and yon across Varisia with no rhyme or reason. To that end, make sure you incorporate the PCs' stories into the greater narrative, and make them feel like this is about them, personally. Don't just rely on, "Karzoug's going to take over the woooooooooorld!" because I guarantee you people are going to zone out as soon as that happens.

Dig through your PC backstories and motivations, find things to pin them specifically to a given part of the adventure, and use it to motivate them. If the fighter wants to become a knight or achieve some kind of status recognition, then consider making that part of what they're given by the lord mayor of Magnimar when they save his life. Tie up loose ends neatly, and transfer the lands and titles that belonged to the Foxgloves to this character, and bam, they now have a major achievement. Not only that, but as a knight, those above him in the social pecking order can say, "It is in our interests that this matter be handled, and we wish you to go as our representative." This gives you an easy way to send at least one member of the party away on plot business, and they can easily bring along other PCs who may not be as interested in the plot personally, but who do want to watch their friend's back.

There's all sorts of ways you could spin things. Is the Kellid looking to achieve great renown and respect? Then give them a following of stone giants after they overthrow Mokmurian, giving them a huge boost to their cred as giant retainers/followers are a massive sign of strength and respect among many Kellid tribes. Note that a following and followers aren't necessarily the same thing, but if said Kellid now has the respect of this tribe of giants, then taking out Karzoug now becomes a priority as the Runelord is enslaving even more of their kind through ancient magics, greed, and pacts, so freeing those giants would catapult the Kellid's name into legend. If a character wants to impress the Pathfinder Society, then writing a chronicle of this unfolding adventure and finding the lost knowledge of the Runelords is certainly a way to impress the society. If the group's retired military scout has a former friend-in-arms who was at Fort Rannick, send them a letter asking them to come, because trouble is brewing. And so on, and so forth.

Whenever possible, make it personal.

Something else to keep in mind is that the reputation of the PCs should grow as the campaign goes on. They're achieving amazing things, and word is spreading, so sometimes they might be called on by name as champions to take on a task that no one else in the region has the skill or strength to handle. I talk about this more in Character Reputation in RPGs: The Small Legend, but sometimes all it takes is a little ego stroking to get the PCs to get off their butts and striding out to the lip of the world... and you could even have the "representative" who needs their help be a servant of Karzoug (such as the lamia in disguise) leading them into a trap if you can't think of another way to get them to the next leg of the adventure.

But when in doubt, make it about the goals, motivations, and personal arcs of the characters, and facilitate them through the upcoming events of the campaign. Whether it's knowledge, money, fame, position, power, or a grudge to settle, hold out a carrot and you'll almost never need a stick.

Tip #3: Make The Monsters Into Characters

Whoa, whoa, I don't want no trouble with you, friend.

Paizo includes big blocks of text with important monsters all throughout this campaign, and it's not just there for flavor; you're supposed to actually use it. Not just to decide characters' battle strategies, but to inject some personality into them, and to make them feel more like organic parts of the story.

This goes double if your players want to use Diplomacy at any point, as well as capture and/or redeem enemy NPCs.

Nualia and the named NPC enemies in Thistletop like Gogmurt are perfect examples of this. Because even at low levels it's perfectly possible to capture them, or to try to talk sense into enemies who are on their back foot and about to be beaten. Alternatively, the ogrekin clan over near Fort Rannick come with a huge amount of text behind them giving them each names, wants, desires, etc. The elder lamia sister has her own history, and she could use deception and guile to put the PCs off-guard, or even try to recruit them to the cause of her masters, recognizing that anyone who slew her sister is not to be trifled with.

Perhaps nowhere in the game is this more evident than in the Runeforge. Every one of the apprentices in the Runeforge have names, histories, desires, etc., but if you just make them wait until the PCs show up and roll initiative then the players are missing something like 90% of what they could glean from that whole arc. So have the wizards take the initiative, and try to figure out what their "guests" are there for, and attempt to turn them to their own devices.

Does the evoker resent the others looking down on her for being blunt, and a little crude, so she tries to turn the party against the others to use as weapons (perhaps trying to use them to get the necessary components to make Runeforged weapons herself?). Maybe the conjurer invites them in, feasting the party, explaining to them a slanted view of the battle between the different schools, and he offers to "help" them get what they want, using them as cat's paws to collect the ingredients (a total Sloth move if ever there was one). Even the necromancer might simply tell them what they wish to know just so they'll leave him to his studies (especially if the party contains clerics, paladins, or others who pose a serious, dire threat to the lich's continued existence).

By making the mini bosses into organic characters, each jockeying for position in an ongoing political situation, you can turn the Runeforge into one of the most interesting parts of the campaign. Just leaving them as traps to be sprung, on the other hand, will make that arc quickly devolve into an intensely boring slog where there's no story, and no one can figure out how to accomplish the goal they ostensibly showed up to complete.

Have the monsters recognize the PCs for who and what they are. Give them a sense of self preservation, and if the players want to talk, or take prisoners, don't punish them for that. And if they want to try to redeem monsters, read through their backstory. NPC attitudes and actions changing is just one more way the players' actions can affect the world, and it will get them more immersed in the campaign as it goes along. And if you show them that talking works, and NPCs can change, it's more likely your players won't just gak them and move on to the next set piece.

Tip #4: Modify The Game For PCs Actually at Your Table

Ahem.

Full disclosure, I have not been part of writing a full-sized campaign (yet, at least). However, even writing small-scale projects like the modules False Valor and The Curse of Sapphire Lake, I know there is only so much you can predict when it comes to the abilities of player characters and the actions they'll take.

And in a game with all the options that Pathfinder presents, it's really easy for the players to absolutely stomp whatever challenges are in the book. Or, if they didn't bring some assumed requirement, to be woefully unprepared for what's coming at them.

Just as an example, Rise of The Runelords is a very clear heroes V. villains storyline, where the PCs are assumed to be the good guys. A majority of your foes aren't just bad, or pursuing their own interests, they're capital-e Evil. This means that putting a paladin in your party basically gives the PCs a tactical nuclear strike by mid levels, and if something like the god squad shows up with divine casters that all have access to good-aligned nonsense, it's lights-out Gracie.

It doesn't even need to be something that extreme to throw a monkey wrench into your problems, either. For instance, the arc where ghouls are supposed to be a big threat can get sort of neutered if a majority of the party is immune to disease. At that point ghouls just become annoying mutants that can do some damage, but their big threat is removed. On the other hand, say that your ranger is always one arc behind with their favored enemies, so they never get to actually use the full range of their class features. Or perhaps your players don't believe in ranged weapons, so flying enemies quickly turn into a massive frustration rather than an engaging battle.

The campaign, as it's written, did the best it could to provide a broad framework... you need to adjust it to the characters actually in your game (and when necessary offer some aid/advice so the players don't get caught with their pants down). This sounds obvious, but it bears mentioning because an adventure path is kind of like buying off-the-rack clothes; you're supposed to tailor them to fit once you get them home.

And if you haven't taken a look at DMs, If You Want To Provide a Tougher Challenge, Alter Your Arenas, I highly recommend giving it a read through. Also, take a look at No, That Class Isn't Broken (You're Just Throwing The Wrong Challenges at It). Lastly, if you find that your players are wrecking too much face, don't immediately just grab bigger CR encounters... add more creatures, and use good strategy. An orc hit squad that uses solid tactics, high ground, lighting, cover, and strategy is always going to be a more dangerous threat than a beastie that has 9 more hit dice, but is still fighting a 1 V. 4-5 battle against the party.

What's Next on Table Talk?

After this one, we're really moving on from Runelords! I've got some stuff planned for the coming months, but as always suggestions and requests are more than welcome for what you'd like to see on future Table Talk posts.

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