Hey guys!

I was able to get my hands on the book the day it came out from a FLGS, and I've read through a lot of it already. I think there is a lot to be reworked in here, but there are many ideas that I can't wait to play with.

I think the very starting adventure is very very short and pretty anti-climactic. The fact that they know his name and everything about him, there's no question that he's guilty. It takes away the horror of it. What if the PARTY were the ones being hunted? What if the PC's were the target of Sephek instead of the other way around? What if this was a more drawn out thing that weighed on the PC's? I think with some reworking, it can be greatly improved in this way.

So my Cold Open is going to describe the party en route to Bryn Shander, the most natural place in Ten Towns to first visit. HOWEVER, they lost their way and have spotted specks of light on the horizon: Dougan's Hole.

The first PC the party should meet should be friendly and in need of food or care (I don't wan the very first impression of Ten Town's to be negative - this'll make more sense later on.) The NPC leads them to town and can give them some of the basic info about Ten Towns and Dougan's Hole .

***As an aside, I think I'm going to reverse all of the town's methods of offerings to the Frostmaiden. I think it makes more sense for the smaller towns to be more superstitious and desperate than the large towns. Thus, Dougan's Hole is definitely giving up people to the snow, and has something called "The Draw" that everyone's name is listed on.

When the PC's enter into town, there are probably 2 guards there, very not official-looking. On the road in the center of town, they will demand the PC's sign their names to "The Draw" in order to stay indoors in the town. VERY likely, the party will not agree to sign knowing what it is. However, the guards will likely let this slide since the PC's are more trouble than they're willing to take on. THIS WILL BE A PUBLIC SCENE. Make sure you describe people seeing this event, yelling and making a scene.

Also, make sure that Sephek Kaltro speaks to them after this wondering where they are planning on going in Ten Town, deftly asking them in a subtle way where they will be staying and what they plan on doing. (I'm taking away the whole "he doesn't need any fur" because when he ultimately starts stalking the players, he's going to use heavy furs to disguise himself.)

Torg's might be a great place for the party to buy equipment, so they may interact with them anyway. We want Torg's to be BEHIND the party in their travels, so we're going to say that Torg's dogs in their dog sled need a night of rest and to heal their wittle paws from the snow. Sephek will be very very frustrated that their progress has been halted and has to stay in town. He might even mention how tasty Good Mead's mead is and how much nicer it is, and how it's only 4 hours on foot there. Feel free to add a "I'm sure I'll see you again, we'll be travelling around."

After all of this, feel free to run the Chwinga start quest or the Dougan's Hole adventure in the meantime, or make really anything here.

When the PC's get to Good Mead, THIS is when you drop Hlin Trollbane anywhere in Good Mead. She pretty sure that someone is going around Ten Town and killing people, those who get out of putting their names on "The Draw"s. It's happened in Good Mead, Dougan's Hole, and Easthaven.

The party will probably put this together at this point - if not you can have her drop that things started happening when Torg's started trading in the area. SHe COULD say the same thing, to hire them to hunt him. OR she could suggest they try to turn him over to the Easthaven guard. If she learns that the PC's refused to put their name on "The Draw", she might get really scared and tell them to get away from the east side of Ten Town, to get to Bryn Shander ASAP, that it's the safest place.

I want to drop hints that the PC's are being hunted at this point. Maybe they spot him in Easthaven and they lose sight of him in a crowd of people in giant furred clothing. And then you can let the paranoia set in. Sephek is a real threat if he can crit someone, and I think he should be a BIG threat to the PC's.

I think there are definite ways to play up Sephek's lethality and danger, and I think it should be displayed as much as possible. The whole "hunting and being hunted" is a REALLY cool thing I think.

Let me know what you guys think! And if you have any other ideas :)