Maps and illos from adventure five, Cauldron-Born

RangerWickett · Nov 14, 2012

Eric is working on layout now, and it should be ready next week. Though originally planned as a one-level adventure, it grew substantially as Thurston and I realized how many threads we wanted to provide conclusions for. Knowing how many groups fall apart before they finish a campaign, we wanted to make sure this was a grandiose climax for the first third of the adventure path, something that people could shoot toward if they weren't sure they'd make it all the way through 13.

So now, Cauldron-Born takes parties from level 7 to level 9 in Pathfinder, and level 10 to level 13 in 4th edition D&D. (So yes, you get the two first paragon path goodies before the climax.)

I encourage you, if you plan to get the book in print, to also take a trip to your local print shop and make some hand-outs for your players, because there are several.

We'll post some of those later. But now, a scene from the banquet between dignitaries of two rival nations. A toast to peace!

Illo by Eleni Tsami.

RangerWickett · Nov 14, 2012

Other illos. These are spoilers.

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Illos by Eleni Tsami and Shen Fei.

Maps tomorrow.

Hitomi Camacho · Nov 14, 2012

The one with the "goblin" is creepy!

d2OKC · Nov 14, 2012

Those are awesome! Compliments to the artist, and to everyone who has put this adventure path together. It's been a ton of fun, and it looks like that's not going to change any time soon.

Siberys · Nov 15, 2012

Just a note about the Gremlin art and the Pathfinder license;

A friend of mine recently released a PF-compatible adventure with a murderer targeting children, which qualifies as "adult content" per Paizo's licensing. He was asked to either change the adventure, or to release the adventure under the OGL instead of the Pathfinder license. Might be something to keep in mind with Cauldron-Born; the art lacks context, but it wouldn't be a stretch to guess it falls under the same "adult content" clause.

RangerWickett · Nov 15, 2012

I appreciate the heads up, but I would hope that they'd get on our case first for:

* Elven gendercide in the setting's backstory.
* A mass grave in the first adventure.
* Someone dying by being impaled on the top of an iron fence, in the second adventure.
* The party being forced to watch a citizen be stabbed for enjoyment by criminals.
* The chance of dozens of workers burning to death in a factory fire.
* An old man being mauled by jaguars in public.
* A prisoner committing suicide by smashing his skull against a wall.
* Someone being hanged by a belt in the third adventure.
* PCs' dying bodies twitching under the control of an evil serpent demigod.
* Rock Rackus.
* A woman being mind-controlled and sold into sex slavery, adventure four.
* A stadium of people cheering the death of a friendly NPC.
* A prisoner tortured for centuries by hanging from hooks.

I'd give us a solid R rating, but I don't think we ever cross the line into egregious gore, glorifying violence, or presenting the suffering of others as something to cheer.

Not knowing the context of your friend's adventure I can't make a judgment there, but as for us, we've already done stuff far more disturbing for a kid to be exposed to than just imperiling adolescents.

coreydshaw · Nov 15, 2012

RangerWickett said:
* Elven gendercide in the setting's backstory.
* A mass grave in the first adventure.
* Someone dying by being impaled on the top of an iron fence, in the second adventure.
* The party being forced to watch a citizen be stabbed for enjoyment by criminals.
* The chance of dozens of workers burning to death in a factory fire.
* An old man being mauled by jaguars in public.
* A prisoner committing suicide by smashing his skull against a wall.
* Someone being hanged by a belt in the third adventure.
* PCs' dying bodies twitching under the control of an evil serpent demigod.
* Rock Rackus.
* A woman being mind-controlled and sold into sex slavery, adventure four.
* A stadium of people cheering the death of a friendly NPC.
* A prisoner tortured for centuries by hanging from hooks.

If my group wasn't already about to finish Digging For Lies, this list would have totally sold me me on ZEITGEIST. (I'm imagining Billy Mays listing these off on late night TV!)

I love how you have such a great cast of truly dark villains in the campaign - it really gets the party motivated to take them down, and it makes it so much more satisfying when they do. Scooby Doo villains just don't cut it these days.

The artwork is fantastic. Can't wait to get my hands on the finished product!

Siberys · Nov 15, 2012

Oh, trust me, I know what's up in the adventure path

. I've given everything multiple solid read-throughs. That issue just seems to be particularly 'triggery', and was in my recent memory, so I thought I'd point it out - help ya avoid any license chicanery, y'know?

As to my friend's issues with the license; Here is the adventure in question (quick rundown; evil lost twin of a toymaker is murdering the children that buy his brother's toys for revenge). I can't track down the discussions, but Liz Courts' comment on the product hints at what I was describing. From what I heard, someone took issue with the child-murdering and brought it to Paizo's attention, who asked for the change because of their license.

daMoose_Neo · Nov 15, 2012

I wouldn't fret as much as Will; our adventure initially featured (albeit off screen) the direct death of children as opposed to threatening. And, concerns were brought up in the pre-launch review process. Liz usually posts the same/similar message once she sends something live anyway~

Very cool looking stuff!