[IC - PF] Two possible grand-scale campaigns
For the last few days I have been pondering about what my next game should be. I was able to narrow it down to my two favorite ideas, but can’t decide which one to choose in the end. So I’d like to present both ideas here and see which garners more interest; get some help with the decision.
The first one is the critically acclaimed ‘Zeitgeist Adventure Path’ by EN Publishing. A great mix of fantasy and steampunk, this campaign will take the characters from level 1 all the way to level 20 in a grand and epic story. It has fascinating locales, many different and well-written NPCs, an unusual setting and is enhanced greatly by beautiful maps, portraits and artwork.
The catch is that the story is a very complex one. It focuses heavily on investigation, intrigue and other roleplaying aspects that require players who are actively following the ingame developments, try to piece together clues and newly unearthed information and are overall willing to invest a lot of time and effort into the game. For this one you can’t just jump in and have a good time with having only put some 20 minutes into creating a level 1 character. The 72 page Player’s Guide should be warning enough (even though one does not need to read all of it) that this campaign is a demanding one, that will only be successful if the players have a lot of experience, are very active and are determined to see it through to the end. But if these criteria are met, I’m convinced that it can be an experience that no other published fantasy campaign out there is able to offer! I’m very excited to give it an honest try, but would need players who know what they get into and who are fine with facing a complex challenge.
The other idea is almost the polar opposite, if one disregards that it is still Pathfinder. The newly published ‘Sword of Air’ by Frog God Games is a mega-sandbox. The characters are charged with finding the titular artifact in the vast expanse of this part of the world, while being thrown in an ancient feud between two powerful archmages. They have to brave untamed wilderness, deadly dungeons, and ruined cities during their journey.
Interested players would need to be pro-active. The story does not just involve the characters and keep them moving forward as it is usually the case in an adventure path, they can’t sit around and wait for something to nudge them back on the right track. They will need to explore far and wide in the hopes to find the next clue about the location of the sword, rely heavily on information gathering, divination spells, consultation with sages and reading old tomes before rushing into an area that will spell certain death to the unprepared. Characters need to have strong personal reasons to continue the search, and not giving up because it gets difficult or there is no clear path to follow.
As this is an old school sandbox campaign, the enemies will range from level 1 to level 20 and above, so caution is advised for traversing the harsh lands. Hex-based maps of the different regions will give the characters many options to choose from when it comes to their next destination; they just need to go and do so!
Reading through the massive book, the ‘Sword of Air’ looks great and can be a ton of fun if it has the right players to bring it to its full potential.
I wish I could just run both campaigns, but as each one demands a lot of time and dedication from the GM and its players, it wouldn’t be wise to overextend oneself with trying to do so. Maybe you guys can help me with the decision. I just hope I won’t receive an equal amount of votes for the two ideas; would mean I am no step further in deciding :D
