Tips on Running Race to the Ruins

You want to give players the illusion of as much choice as possible but with a One Shot Adventure, you will need to direct them to key plot points. Let them be creative in how there get there but the ruins are always where the story ends up leading.   Don't let the players get stuck in the tavern for more than an hour. Have Vlad move them along, trying to convince them to leave early or knocking on their door in the early morning. If the players want to just stay in the tavern, have an encounter with Bartholomew in the tavern. It could escalate into combat where he traps the party giving himself a head start. The party may give chase as soon as they are available. Hint that something bigger is occurring.   Another option would be to have a wandering undead encounter with zombies sneak up on the inn. It followed them from Thorngage Manor if they played that one-shot. Or Bartholomew sent it to delay them.   If they still don’t leave, have a forest animal that one of the party members would feel attached wander into the inn. It can try to lead them to the ruins with the opening already cleared by Bartholomew.   If the party won't enter the ruins there are several suggestions in the adventure to move them along. If they travel to Etonia as many were already planning instead of entering the ruins. After an entertaining time or once business is complete in Etonia, they return to the road. The caravan stops for its first night back at the Red Lion Inn and they can continue with the other party already in the ruins. Vlad likely did not survive and could be found in the ruins.   Most important be flexible and most of the story will get told plus the party will get to make it their own story.