Working on home brew material is always a good time for me. I get to make things just how I want them and draw on all the influences that I like. I am working fairly closely with my Serpent Skull Pathfinder characters now. I am building the “what happens next” material and I want this material to be as freeing as possible for the players.
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| Time to break out the old characters as I design for the Serpent Skull characters |
At the end of the Adventure Path (AP) the characters had successfully put down the serpent folk uprising in Ilmurea and the group went their separate ways. Janthir (fetchling sorcerer/rogue/arcane trickster) fled to Absalom with the Skull of Ydersius in a portable hole protected by non-detection spells. He took on another identity and is seeking anonymity until he is able to work out what to do with the skull.
Seleca (Elven Cavalier) stayed in Saventh Yhi to assist the Pathfinders. Finalising their documentation of the quickly decaying ruins and also staying with her partner who headed up the Mercenaries for the Pathfinders. Kaleb (Aasimar monk/cleric) returned to his homeland to build a monastery and ponder the life that he had lived whilst Seroquel (Alchemist/Master Chymist) returned to Smuggler’s Shiv where it all began and has started to build an adventurer’s training ground of sorts.
I have been designing some material that needs to be big enough in scope to bring the group back together. Although the serpent folk were defeated at the Battle of Ilmurea, they were not completely destroyed. Survivors know that Ydersius’ return was in part successful and word has travelled through Orv. Uprisings of serpent folk even still trouble many of the cities of Golarion as they all seek out the skull once more to unite it with the God’s body and bring the serpent race to the surface again to subjugate all other races.
A city in the North has arisen again in the depths of Orv and their leaders have formed an organisation designed to bring the skull to them at all costs. This group is headed by all serpent folk but one whom the organisation has located and convinced to join them. They know the group well and will be able to track them down where they have failed (though they know the skull has left the Mwangi they have found no trace of it).
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| Going over the old modules I found some good twists to add to the tale of the players… |
This threat will rise fairly quickly and the players will be thrown into a new scenario of darkness. They will need to find a way to destroy Ydersius’ skull or eliminate it from being a threat in some way all the while being hounded by this new coalition of Serpentfolk and someone they used to know. This material will allow me to apply broader strokes than the modules allowed and give the players a run in a fantastic climax to the AP. The way it is left is wide open for the players and really feels like there is a lot of work left for them.
Thankfully the material in Mythic Adventures will make this all feel like a new beginning for the players. This opportunity to introduce them to the Mythic rules will pay dividends. After all, it fits with the narrative of the story that if they are going to destroy a God that they are Mythic characters. All the way through Serpent Skull AP they talk about how Savith was a cut above any ordinary adventure, and in that case you could assume that she was indeed not only Azlanti but a Mythic character as well.
I am keen to hear from other players and GM’s of the AP that played on past its conclusion. How did you handle the skull? Did you destroy it or hide it? What would you like in a high level adventure like this (all characters are 17th level)? Is it possible for mortals to kill a God? How would they have to do it? What ridiculous trials would they need do? Hit me with them in the comments please. Until then keep rolling!