Pathfinder Society Scenario #41: The Devil We Know—Part III: Crypt of Fools (PFRPG) PDF

3.90/5 (based on 15 ratings)

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A Pathfinder Society Scenario designed for 1st to 7th level characters (Tiers: 1–2, 3–4, and 6–7).

Another kidnapping spree erupts in Cassomir and the Pathfinder Society sends you to the notorious Swift Prison to interrogate a captured cultist about the recent disappearances. With clues gathered there, you must explore Old Cassomir and find secret locations that lead you to the source of the spree: the long lost Crypt of Fools.

Crypt of Fools is part 3 of the The Devil We Know series. Parts 1 and 2 can be played in any order, but parts 3 and 4 must be sequentially after 1 and 2. Look for part 4, Pathfinder Society Scenario #48: Rules of the Swift, in April 2010.

Written by Larry Wilhelm

This scenario is designed for play in Pathfinder Society Organized Play, but can easily be adapted for use with any world. This scenario is compliant with the Open Game License (OGL) and is suitable for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.

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PZOPSS0041E


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Average product rating:

3.90/5 (based on 15 ratings)

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Much better than its prequels

4/5

After a disappointing part 2 I was worried about what the next part would bring. Thankfully this part easily outshines the previous installments of this series. Compared to the previous pieces, there actually is a good story, featuring some interesting NPCs. They're colorful and actually offer some nice role-play situations.

What also was a vast improvement, was that this scenario made great use of the surroundings throughtout the entire session. In fights they spiced things up, although the map with the final encounter was indeed pretty terrible for reasons mentioned below, and it also provided players with a nice puzzle. I consider said puzzle to be outstanding, but I'm biased due to my urban and regional planning background.

This part so far has been the best in this series and it was a much needed improvement given its prequel. I hope the final part will be similar in nature and quality.


5/5


Okay scenario, but don't overthink it

3/5

I played this yesterday and had a good time. The puzzles and crazy artist were a lot of fun. However, you have to avoid a few obvious questions;

Spoiler:
Presumably, the cultists know the way to their own lair. So as soon as you capture and interrogate a few of them, you could dispense with the puzzles.

Although the puzzles are fun, it didn't really make sense to me, that an evil family goes around planting clues around town to find their secret lair.

The combats were so-so. I think this series suffers from enemies that can best be summed up as

Spoiler:
We're in love with the Darkness spell.

We had one new player, who was the only one without Darkvision. He was useless in half the fights.

The same tactic gets spammed in episodes 1-3 and I presume also in the final part. Either you have one of the obvious solutions, or you get the same annoying effect used on you every time.

Finallly, the map of the last encounter is seriously bad design. It's basically a boss fight in an elaborate 5ft corridor, meaning that only one PC gets to actually do stuff in melee, and the enemy gets cover from everyone else.

It's a flavorful location, but terrible design for an encounter.


Good investigation, but need the unkeyed city map

3/5

This was fun for my home game. The puzzle stymied the group at first, but they solved it after a few run-throughs. The crazy painter was hammed way up and they liked that also.

The scenario really should come with an unkeyed map of Cassomir, which is required to solve the puzzles. I could've gotten a wiped PDF, but didn't realize the hidden location was keyed on the map before we started. That should really be hidden or have a blank map as a handout.

The combats were light, with a touch of challenge at tier 3-4. The final combat was "anticlimactically easy" according to one player. They liked seeing the recurring villain who they thought they had dispatched in part 1.

All in all good, not great, with a technical problem to overcome before diving in as GM.


The best of "Devil We Know"

5/5

I'm a fan of the "Devil We Know" series as a whole, but this one is definitely my favorite instalment. There's a memorable NPC who's fun to play (assuming you have players who are willing to play along and have a good time with it). The puzzle aspect of the scenario is fun, and not too terribly challenging, meaning that players get to think and puzzle a bit, but also that they're unlikely to sit and remain stumped until you drop lots of hints. The combats are varied and interesting as well, and there's a setup for the last part of the series.


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Dark Archive

Parts I and II were well received at Florida New Years Con.


This scenario will go live tomorrow before end of day Pacific time.

Sovereign Court

Pathfinder Maps, Rulebook, Starfinder Maps, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Joshua J. Frost wrote:
This scenario will go live tomorrow before end of day Pacific time.

WOOOT!

Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

Now available!

The Exchange

Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber

I'm curious about the ordering... Does this need to be "played" by the same character? Or is it just ordering of playing between all characters. Also I assume DMing one counts as for playing it?

I'm really looking forward to the continuation of this multipart series though, I think the idea is awesome!


Yes, you can't play this one unless the character you're playing has received credit for parts I and II (GM credit or player credit).

The Exchange

Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber
Joshua J. Frost wrote:
Yes, you can't play this one unless the character you're playing has received credit for parts I and II (GM credit or player credit).

Good to know... Could there be some kind of warning about it in the description so people know not to split up the scenarios? I personally almost had them split up as I was trying to let someone else get closer to my main character's level. Thankfully I didn't.

Sovereign Court

Pathfinder Maps, Rulebook, Starfinder Maps, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

ordered.


Alizor wrote:
Good to know... Could there be some kind of warning about it in the description ...
From the Product Description wrote:
Crypt of Fools is part 3 of the The Devil We Know series. Parts 1 and 2 can be played in any order, but parts 3 and 4 must be sequentially after 1 and 2. Look for part 4, Pathfinder Society Scenario #48: Rules of the Swift, in April 2010.

:-)

It's also mentioned in the scenario itself.

The Exchange

Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber
Joshua J. Frost wrote:
Alizor wrote:
Good to know... Could there be some kind of warning about it in the description ...
From the Product Description wrote:
Crypt of Fools is part 3 of the The Devil We Know series. Parts 1 and 2 can be played in any order, but parts 3 and 4 must be sequentially after 1 and 2. Look for part 4, Pathfinder Society Scenario #48: Rules of the Swift, in April 2010.

:-)

It's also mentioned in the scenario itself.

I should've described myself better. I saw that it was mentioned in this product... but in #29 and #30 it wasn't. I just checked the PDFs that I have for those two and while now I see that it was implied, it wasn't explicitly stated.

#29 Product Description wrote:

When simultaneous kidnappings of Pathfinder and Aspis Consortium agents rock Cassomir's Imperial Naval Shipyards, the Society orders you to join forces with hated Aspis agents to solve the mystery. Can you work together with the enemies of the Society to uncover the source of the kidnappings, or will you perish in the shipyards of Cassomir?

Written by Joshua J. Frost

This product is a Pathfinder Society Scenario designed for 1st to 7th level characters (Tiers: 1–2, 3–4, and 6–7). This scenario is designed for play in Pathfinder Society Organized Play, but can easily be adapted for use with any world. This scenario is compliant with the Open Game License (OGL) and is suitable for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.

#30 Product Description wrote:

The Pathfinder Society dispatches you to the catacombs called Cassomir's Locker to find the source of a rat cult breeding monstrous vermin. After clearing Cassomir's dank sewers and delving into the dirty dungeons below, will you find the artifact that powers Cassomir's Locker or bring about the destruction of Taldor's most important port?

Written by Joshua J. Frost

This product is a Pathfinder Society Scenario designed for 1st to 7th level characters (Tiers: 1–2, 3–4, and 6–7). This scenario is designed for play in Pathfinder Society Organized Play, but can easily be adapted for use with any world. This scenario is compliant with the Open Game License (OGL) and is suitable for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.

Like I said though... I absolutely love these multipart scenarios and want to see more!


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens Subscriber

Totally random question, since I am a little unfamiliar with the whole Pathfinder Society setup: Can you use these scenarios for a general adventuring party, or are they somehow modified to only be used with Pathfinder Society factions? I am looking at building an adventure around Cassomir (I loved the Cities book), and this seems to offer a good way of adding content to that idea.


The scenarios are written in order to be able to be run at conventions or in home game settings in a 5 hour time slot. If you are not going to use them in an Organized Play setting then they can be used in any type of homebrew setting you desire. One way of looking at them is to think of them as modules that can be run in 5 hours or less. There is one concern though, it is the policy that if someone G<'s a scenario then he can never play in a in an Organized Play setting. If you have no intention of ever running them at a Con or a FLGS Game Day ten that should not affect your homebrew. Hopefully, Joshua will be by to give you the official reading.

Just my 2 cp.

EDIT: You might try reposting your question in the Society heading further down the page.

Paizo Employee Director of Brand Strategy

Joshua J. Frost wrote:
Yes, you can't play this one unless the character you're playing has received credit for parts I and II (GM credit or player credit).

What if the character that played parts I & II is now too high of a level to be eligible for this scenario?

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Alex Martin wrote:
Totally random question, since I am a little unfamiliar with the whole Pathfinder Society setup: Can you use these scenarios for a general adventuring party, or are they somehow modified to only be used with Pathfinder Society factions? I am looking at building an adventure around Cassomir (I loved the Cities book), and this seems to offer a good way of adding content to that idea.

You can use them as "regular" scenarios without any problems. In fact, PFS scenarios make excellent sidetreks !


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens Subscriber
silverhair2008 wrote:
The scenarios are written in order to be able to be run at conventions in a 5 hour time slot. One way of looking at them is to think of them as modules that can be run in 5 hours or less.

Sounds like the old TSR "Gen-Con Tournament" Modules like the The Hidden Shrine of Tomacan where you could play them both as a timed-module and regular mode.

Gorbacz wrote:
You can use them as "regular" scenarios without any problems. In fact, PFS scenarios make excellent sidetreks !

Thanks Silver & Gorbacz - I was kind of wondering about the mechanics and guidelines. You have answered both!


Alizor wrote:
I should've described myself better. I saw that it was mentioned in this product... but in #29 and #30 it wasn't.

Ooooh, gotcha. I'll get some language up on those scenarios today.


yoda8myhead wrote:
Joshua J. Frost wrote:
Yes, you can't play this one unless the character you're playing has received credit for parts I and II (GM credit or player credit).
What if the character that played parts I & II is now too high of a level to be eligible for this scenario?

Technically, you're outside of the Tier band and are ineligible for the scenario. This is why starting in August 2010, all series scenarios will be play out in back-to-back months.

That said, if you want to play down to play this scenario and finish the series, that's entirely up to you and your play group.


Alex Martin wrote:
Totally random question...

Glad you like Cassomir!

This 4-part series would be an excellent introduction to the city and a good start for a much broader campaign that deals with some of the hidden secrets below the city. To run this as a non-Pathfinder Society campaign would mean pretty much just one change: your PCs wouldn't be Pathfinders, necessarily, and are likely hired by Hestia Themis, the Cassomir Venture-Captain, to do the work rather than ordered to do the work by the leadership in Absalom.


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens Subscriber
Joshua J. Frost wrote:


Glad you like Cassomir!

This 4-part series would be an excellent introduction to the city and a good start...

Cool...thanks for the suggestions!

The Exchange

Joshua,

I have a problem. I played both # 29 & # 30 (Parts I & II) at Gencon last year. Part one I played with my high level (7) who is now 8th, and I played part II with my low level (2) who is now 3rd. I originally was sitting at a high level table for part II but they need another player for the low level table and asked for vollinteers. I volinteered. It seemed the DMs had no idea that we would need to play one character through all 4 parts.

Now what do I do?

I would like to continue the series with my low level character but I would need your OK.Can you help?


1 person marked this as a favorite.

Continue to play with your low-level, that's fine. :-)

Scarab Sages

1 person marked this as a favorite.

I have run this series a bunch of times and everytime I get to this module I get the same thing from every group.

"We get a map"

The handouts are great but with no map it makes it rather awkward to have the players figure out where they are supposed to go once they have them all. SO ... here is a map of Cassomir as a handout.

Go to the SCARAB Gaming Convention forums to download it.
Scenario 41 Map of Cassomir

Good luck and happy gaming,
DC


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Maps Subscriber

Is there any particular reason when I try and extract the images from this scenario I get a "Bad Parameter" error message?

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