So the group gave it a good shot. We completed 7 sessions, but I was unable to fit the campaign arc in to the game in such a way as to invest the players and their characters. It was a good lesson learned. We didn't just give up at the first hint of issues, but after 7 sessions of 5 hours or so each, there was also no point in beating a dead horse.
So, we are on to a new story, beginning in July. The group will run through our very first adventure path from Paizo: The Mummy's Mask. It will play more to my dm'ing skills of high adventure and "Indiana Jones" type gaming. It will also be much less preparation each game for me, which is a good thing.
Running this game will give me more time to properly think through a new homemade campaign in the future which I can 1) prepare with my strengths in mind, 2) create for the players' personal areas of enjoyment, and 3) better integrate a campaign arc which will allow the players to be grabbed up as opposed to feeling like they are floating with no impetus to attach to the main arc.
We had great success with my first foray into homebrewed with my "Frozen Thunder" campaign. I will endeavor to take the lessons of the successes from that campaign, the issues with "Reflections of Sin", and come up with something new and playable without stressing about whether it will be "as good as" Frozen Thunder felt.
I learn as many if not more lessons from failed attempts as I do from successes. So onward!
