Greasitty's page

My gang very much enjoyed this scenario. Unlike some scenarios, most of the backstory actually makes it into the interactive part of the adventure where the players can come to learn about it, and I think that enhanced their enjoyment. I had a player keep a counter for consumable resource, but didn't tell him what it was for, and it jumping by 10 every time it was used made them increasingly tense. The slow ticking away of the curse was very good for engagement, too. Indeed, worth the time to convert to modern pathfinder.

After a rocky introduction to PFS via part 1 of this series, it was this scenario that made me interested in giving PFS a chance. I think for an experienced gamer, this is actually a much better first session, showing off the strong points of pathfinder's modules.

It has fully realized, fleshed out NPC's who could be interacted with in multiple ways. The dungeon actually has a working ecology and sensical microculture, which the simulationist is sure to enjoy. There was moral nuance, room for individual initiative, and hints at the faction shadow war.

This was my personal introduction to PFS and it's modular play style. I was prepared for a little railroading, but although some other scenarios I have played since grease you along subtly, it was particularly obvious in this one. That was a sour taste for me as someone who came from a long form campaign background. The puzzle in particular felt particularly contrived, and I was glad that my character didn't have the spellcraft to realize how much magical resource was put into a very unnecessary test.

That said, the pace of the adventure was good, and I'm sure people without a long roleplaying history would not mind most of the things that put me off. (They certainly wouldn't be thinking about how the puzzle was created, for instance.) It does do a good job of showing you if you will hate any of the featured faction leaders.

Overall, our group enjoyed this adventure. It communicated the environment well, and really feels like a long slog through a desert.

Due to the time it was published and the differences in how faction points were awarded during that season, several of the faction misisons are not clearly communicated on the handouts. In the process of playing it in a season with the extra five factions, we used the doubled up faction situation to clarify the secondary missions when we played it.

This was the first PFS scenario my friends experienced, and they were entertained the whole time. It's easy on the combat due to 3.5 vs PFRPG differences, but if your group is new that's not a terrible thing.