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Rise of the Runelords #1
Pathfinder Adventure Path #1: Burnt Offerings
We Be Goblins—You Be Food!
The Rise of the Runelords Adventure Path begins here, in the small coastal town of Sandpoint. Five years after a tragic fire and spate of brutal murders, the people of Sandpoint eagerly anticipate the Swallowtail Festival to commemorate the consecration of the town's new temple. At the height of the ceremony, disaster strikes!
In the days that follow, a sinister shadow settles over Sandpoint. Rumors of goblin armies and wrathful monsters in forgotten ruins have set the populace on edge. As Sandpoint's newest heroes, the PCs must deal with treachery, goblins, and the rising threat of a forgotten empire whose cruel and despotic rulers might not be as dead as history records.
This volume of Pathfinder Adventure Path launches the Rise of the Runelords Adventure Path and includes:
- "Burnt Offerings," and adventure for 1st-level characters by James Jacobs.
- An exploration of your PCs' new hometown of Sandpoint, by James Jacobs.
- A history of the ancient empire of Thassilon, by Wolfgang Baur.
- The first installment of the Pathfinder's Journal, by Erik Mona.
- Six new monsters by James Jacobs, Richard Pett, and F. Wesley Schneider.
Cover art by Wayne Reynolds
The Rise of the Runelords Adventure Path begins here, in the small coastal town of Sandpoint. Five years after a tragic fire and spate of brutal murders, the people of Sandpoint eagerly anticipate the Swallowtail Festival to commemorate the consecration of the town's new temple. At the height of the ceremony, disaster strikes!
In the days that follow, a sinister shadow settles over Sandpoint. Rumors of goblin armies and wrathful monsters in forgotten ruins have set the populace on edge. As Sandpoint's newest heroes, the PCs must deal with treachery, goblins, and the rising threat of a forgotten empire whose cruel and despotic rulers might not be as dead as history records.
This volume of Pathfinder Adventure Path launches the Rise of the Runelords Adventure Path and includes:
- "Burnt Offerings," and adventure for 1st-level characters by James Jacobs.
- An exploration of your PCs' new hometown of Sandpoint, by James Jacobs.
- A history of the ancient empire of Thassilon, by Wolfgang Baur.
- The first installment of the Pathfinder's Journal, by Erik Mona.
- Six new monsters by James Jacobs, Richard Pett, and F. Wesley Schneider.
Cover art by Wayne Reynolds
92 pages, Paperback
First published August 29, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 24, 2019
Basic Plot: Goblins are attacking Sandpoint and heroes have to save the day, even when they discover the threat goes way farther than just goblins.
Note: This is a review of the original adventure as published (under D&D 3.5 rules), before Pathfinder had its own rules system.
As a person who has played many, many games of D&D, I have been hesitant to step "behind the shield" as it were and run a game of it. I've run other systems: Werewolf, Vampire, Call of Cthulhu, Paranoia, etc. but all of the systems I like to run are very heavy on the role-play and light on rules. They are very fly-by-the-seat-of-the-GM's-pants kinds of systems where you make calls as issues come up and there is no real need to spend hours looking up obscure rules on how to do a particular action.
Running D&D's rules TERRIFIED me.
Pathfinder is such a rich world, though, that I forgot all about that. After reading this book, with its comprehensive backstory (yay roleplaying!!!) and inclusive rule sets and encounter descriptions, there was very little worry for me. The rules were largely laid out for me, and I had only to really familiarize myself with the book before running. I'm running this adventure path for three different groups right now, and I'm really looking forward to moving through the whole series. Even running through the series with three different groups, it's different every time with all of the role-play opportunities. This is probably one of the best roleplaying supplements/games I've ever experienced as a player or GM.
Note: This is a review of the original adventure as published (under D&D 3.5 rules), before Pathfinder had its own rules system.
As a person who has played many, many games of D&D, I have been hesitant to step "behind the shield" as it were and run a game of it. I've run other systems: Werewolf, Vampire, Call of Cthulhu, Paranoia, etc. but all of the systems I like to run are very heavy on the role-play and light on rules. They are very fly-by-the-seat-of-the-GM's-pants kinds of systems where you make calls as issues come up and there is no real need to spend hours looking up obscure rules on how to do a particular action.
Running D&D's rules TERRIFIED me.
Pathfinder is such a rich world, though, that I forgot all about that. After reading this book, with its comprehensive backstory (yay roleplaying!!!) and inclusive rule sets and encounter descriptions, there was very little worry for me. The rules were largely laid out for me, and I had only to really familiarize myself with the book before running. I'm running this adventure path for three different groups right now, and I'm really looking forward to moving through the whole series. Even running through the series with three different groups, it's different every time with all of the role-play opportunities. This is probably one of the best roleplaying supplements/games I've ever experienced as a player or GM.
August 13, 2020
I would give the story 2 1/2 stars (it's good enough for what it is, but certainly isn’t exceptional), but the production values (this is a full cast audio drama) I would give a 4 1/2. In that respect it’s very well done.
April 10, 2020
Summer 2007. Wizards had decided to move away from print media and yanked the license for Dragon / Dungeon magazines from Paizo, so the company decided to use the open game license to make its own adventure path rolling everything into one monthly release. I had been very eagerly awaiting the launch of the first issue, and strolled into a game store asking for this new-fangled thing called "Pathfinder." The guy who ran the local shop had no clue what I was talking about, and assured me I must have the wrong name, because if it was a serious new monthly RPG release, he'd know about it. Needless to say, that store ended up lining the shelves with Paizo material not too long after.
Onto the book itself, its kind of hard to rate because I've got some serious rose colored glasses going on here. I made some life long friends and memories that will stay with me to my dying days playing this adventure path.
On the book itself, Paizo was trying to pull out all the stops while still offering something familiar to cast a wide net and bring in a big new following. Long story short, it worked. Yes, this is an adventure about goblins attacking a sleepy town, but damn they immediately started pushing the boundaries as soon as they were off the Wizards of the Coast leash. There are some very strong horror and sexuality themes here that Wizards wouldn't have allowed, but it doesn't go so far overboard as to alienate people like something along the lines of Lamentations Of The Flame Princess.
This first issue isn't perfect -- its trying to be too many things at once, cramming in a ton of different cultures and concepts into one small town to introduce the world of Golarion, but it gets so much right its hard to find a fault there. In fact the in-depth description of every building and denizen of Sandpoint is probably the highlight, because it allows you to make a living, breathing town where 1st level characters can get into all kinds of trouble (or become heroes, if that's your thing) by doing so much more than repelling goblin invaders.
This is also where Paizo's obsession with hilarious / horrifying goblins really began in earnest, with goblin songs and tribes here you will recognize if you wait for the yearly We Be Goblins release every summer at Free RPG Day.
From staving off the advances of star-struck local farmer's daughters (or dealing with their angry fathers if give in to temptation) to untangling deadly family threads while handling insane creatures trapped under the town for thousands of years, there's just so much to do here, and Burnt Offerings kicks off the adventure path with a bang. My group of players ended up hating Sandpoint more than the villains trying to destroy it by the end, but your group might love and strive to protect it.
From the new monsters like the Sandpoint Devil and Attic Whisperer to the world-building sections and adventure itself, Burnt Offerings was an absolutely killer first issue to start the Pathfinder legacy, and I look forward to running this path for my son one day down the line for a new generation of Sandpoint Heroes.
Onto the book itself, its kind of hard to rate because I've got some serious rose colored glasses going on here. I made some life long friends and memories that will stay with me to my dying days playing this adventure path.
On the book itself, Paizo was trying to pull out all the stops while still offering something familiar to cast a wide net and bring in a big new following. Long story short, it worked. Yes, this is an adventure about goblins attacking a sleepy town, but damn they immediately started pushing the boundaries as soon as they were off the Wizards of the Coast leash. There are some very strong horror and sexuality themes here that Wizards wouldn't have allowed, but it doesn't go so far overboard as to alienate people like something along the lines of Lamentations Of The Flame Princess.
This first issue isn't perfect -- its trying to be too many things at once, cramming in a ton of different cultures and concepts into one small town to introduce the world of Golarion, but it gets so much right its hard to find a fault there. In fact the in-depth description of every building and denizen of Sandpoint is probably the highlight, because it allows you to make a living, breathing town where 1st level characters can get into all kinds of trouble (or become heroes, if that's your thing) by doing so much more than repelling goblin invaders.
This is also where Paizo's obsession with hilarious / horrifying goblins really began in earnest, with goblin songs and tribes here you will recognize if you wait for the yearly We Be Goblins release every summer at Free RPG Day.
From staving off the advances of star-struck local farmer's daughters (or dealing with their angry fathers if give in to temptation) to untangling deadly family threads while handling insane creatures trapped under the town for thousands of years, there's just so much to do here, and Burnt Offerings kicks off the adventure path with a bang. My group of players ended up hating Sandpoint more than the villains trying to destroy it by the end, but your group might love and strive to protect it.
From the new monsters like the Sandpoint Devil and Attic Whisperer to the world-building sections and adventure itself, Burnt Offerings was an absolutely killer first issue to start the Pathfinder legacy, and I look forward to running this path for my son one day down the line for a new generation of Sandpoint Heroes.
October 17, 2022
I am not finished with the entire season yet but episode one gets off to a great start. It reminds me of the HP Lovecraft Historical Society Dark Adventure Radio Theater where they have sound effects and production values, similar to graphic audio or any other Big Finish productions (they do Dr Who stuff!). It's vibrant, chaotic, imaginative, and brings a focused narrative with great central characters (using Pathfinder's Iconic Characters) to an already amazing campaign. In game, Rise of the Runelords is widely recognized as one of the best pen and paper campaigns of all time, next to other Pathfinder adventures such as Kingmaker or the new Abomination Vaults.
Honestly the cost is pretty high on audible so if you can get it directly from Big Finish they sometimes have a sale or bundle in which you can get all three seasons. I have this and the third (Curse of the Crimson Throne!) but not the Mummy's Mask, middle season. As far as I have seen this is a five star experience through and through. The voice acting and characterization is spot on. Although all characters fit a very familiar mold--a dwarfy dwarf, a wizardy wizard, an elfy elf, a cocky... warrior--it all adds to the quick paced and pure fun narrative. I will not review each episode but having listened to a couple I wanted to say how much I was enjoying it. The only complaint I could see someone having is that the action can be a bit confusing with lack of narrative description, but I see things differently. I think it pulls out the imagination and forces the brain to fill in the gaps, which is easily done for me when I have sounds to conjure images.
Another annoyance is the drawn out music at the start and end of each episode that serves no other reason that I can see than merely to pad out the minutes, so be aware of that little hiccup.
All in all, highly recommended heroic adventure.
Honestly the cost is pretty high on audible so if you can get it directly from Big Finish they sometimes have a sale or bundle in which you can get all three seasons. I have this and the third (Curse of the Crimson Throne!) but not the Mummy's Mask, middle season. As far as I have seen this is a five star experience through and through. The voice acting and characterization is spot on. Although all characters fit a very familiar mold--a dwarfy dwarf, a wizardy wizard, an elfy elf, a cocky... warrior--it all adds to the quick paced and pure fun narrative. I will not review each episode but having listened to a couple I wanted to say how much I was enjoying it. The only complaint I could see someone having is that the action can be a bit confusing with lack of narrative description, but I see things differently. I think it pulls out the imagination and forces the brain to fill in the gaps, which is easily done for me when I have sounds to conjure images.
Another annoyance is the drawn out music at the start and end of each episode that serves no other reason that I can see than merely to pad out the minutes, so be aware of that little hiccup.
All in all, highly recommended heroic adventure.
December 26, 2021
Reread: April 2020 - 5★
Can You tell I never get tired of these, the first two are spectacular 🤌🏻
Reread: Feb 2019 - 5★
2012/13 - 5★
I listened to this over and over this year, I don't even know how many
Can You tell I never get tired of these, the first two are spectacular 🤌🏻
Reread: Feb 2019 - 5★
2012/13 - 5★
I listened to this over and over this year, I don't even know how many
December 29, 2008
This adventure is a good kick-start to a low-level Pathfinder campaign. (Or it can be used in any campaign setting with some tweaking.) It offers a good start for the campaign, and it is a good introduction to Pathfinder since it was among the first modules written and assumes little to no existing knowledge of the game world. There is also a downloadable pdf player's guide for this module specifically that has some details on characters, the country where it is set, etc, which can help your players make characters without having to buy alot of Pathfinder source materials if you are just trying it out. I was very impressed with how this was written and its mix of combat, puzzles, mystery, and roleplaying situations. It is not your typical all-hack-and-slash, but it has plenty of that to keep sword-slingers happy while also entertaining everyone else.
July 10, 2008
THis is in no way a book to just sit down and read. It is however a finely crafted tool to use in Dungeons and Dragons. I am the DM in my group and this starter adventure was great. My players loved the base (Sandpoint) and the NPCs (the priest, sherrif, ranger, etc). They were immediately sucked into the game. I like the supplmental information, so I suppose the information on the city and such could be considered fictional non-fiction.
Its a great source for D/D
Its a great source for D/D
December 27, 2008
A fantastic adventure that will renew your love (re: your players' fear) of goblins.
Some of the NPCs get only a stat line (i.e. Human Male Level X Class Y) and that can make for some awkward encounters, but the story is very good.
Some of the NPCs get only a stat line (i.e. Human Male Level X Class Y) and that can make for some awkward encounters, but the story is very good.
April 26, 2012
A great first adventure. Some humour and some horror. There are some errors with one of the maps, but those are easily rectified.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews