Pathfinder Adventure Path #61: Shards of Sin (Shattered Star 1 of 6) (PFRPG)

3.70/5 (based on 13 ratings)
Pathfinder Adventure Path #61: Shards of Sin (Shattered Star 1 of 6) (PFRPG)
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Chapter 1: "Shards of Sin"
by Greg A. Vaughan

The Shattered Star Adventure Path begins with a thrilling new adventure from fan-favorite author Greg A. Vaughan! In Varisia’s bustling frontier city of Magnimar, the Pathfinder Society’s newest lodge recruits a team of rookie Pathfinders to track down rogue agent Natalya Vancaskerkin—who also happens to be one of the Varisian criminals known as the Sczarni. Yet when these heroes track down the missing woman, they find far more than a Pathfinder on the run, becoming embroiled in a swiftly expanding hunt for a fragmented artifact from the ancient empire of Thassilon—a quest that will take them to some of the most dangerous corners of Varisia.

    This volume of Pathfinder Adventure Path launches the Shattered Star Adventure Path and includes:
  • “Shards of Sin,” a Pathfinder RPG adventure for 1st-level characters, by Greg A. Vaughan.
  • An exploration of the ancient Sihedron artifact and its ties to powerful Thassilonian magic, as well as details on the mysterious skymetals that fall to Golarion, by James Jacobs.
  • Forays into the even seedier underbelly of Riddleport in the Pathfinder’s Journal, by Bill Ward.
  • Five new monsters, by Benjamin Bruck, Craig Campbell, Adam Daigle, Amanda Hamon, and James Wilbur.

Each monthly full-color softcover Pathfinder Adventure Path volume contains an in-depth adventure scenario, stats for several new monsters, and support articles meant to give Game Masters additional material to expand their campaign. Pathfinder Adventure Path volumes use the Open Game License and work with both the Pathfinder RPG and the world’s oldest fantasy RPG.

ISBN–13: 978-1-60125-452-8

Shards of Sin is sanctioned for use in Pathfinder Society Organized Play. The rules for running this Adventure Path and Chronicle sheet are available as a free download (512 KB zip/PDF).

DriveThruRPG: This product is available as print-on-demand from DriveThruRPG:

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Other Resources: This product is also available on the following platforms:

Fantasy Grounds Virtual Tabletop
Archives of Nethys

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Good adventure, even better for grognards

4/5

I ran a group of 4 players through this adventure on roll20 and we had a blast. The excellent maps by bigrin42 over on DeviantArt in combination with roll20 dynamic lighting made this dungeon romp an awesome experience. Without the tedious slowdown of the GM having to sketch down the room you have just entered. The overall flow was excellent and we really got to delve into the scraps of story and lore scattered across the interesting dungeon described in the adventure.

Unfortunately, that's just what they are: scraps of story. There is not much of story going on, but our group had fun regardless. There are a few critters in this book that people probably haven't seen in a long time and the general look-and-feel of the module is very old school.

So if you want a fun time-travel to the good old days of gaming or just itch for a well-made dungeon that is easy on the GM, snatch this one up.

As an introduction to the Shattered Star adventure path, I think it does a good enough job. The major allies are established and the quest becomes clear. It does not go beyond that, but that is all we really needed.


A solid start to Shattered Star

4/5

Greg Vaughn's AP chapters have rarely disappointed me and the starting volume of the Shattered Star is no exception. The first part of the scenario, in Magnimar, is a good way for the PCs to start knowing each other before they move on to tackle the full exploration of the large dungeon that is the meat of this chapter.

Although it sometimes felt a tad long, the dungeon's exploration is varied, and the dungeon's ecology mainly makes sense. The many little touches of Thassilonian knowledge scattered throughout all the great boon to convey more information on Thassilon to the PCs.

My group and I had quite a lot of fun playing through this chapter!


Urban Dungeon Romp

5/5

Not sure what Matt is talking about but Shards of Sin is the type of Roleplaying Dungeon adventure my group is looking for, with a detailed city, home base and roleplaying elements to support the party as they delve the secrets of the dungeon.


The Urban Adventure That Wasn't

1/5

Skip this one. After reading through it, I found a promising urban-adventure prospect that dispensed with the urban part as quickly as it could in order to become a super-dungeon.

Video games handle this style of adventure better than this book does.

EDIT: Reviews that solely act as replies to other reviews are silly reviews. What is this, Metacritic?

-Matt


Pulling my hair out over the maps...

4/5

1 square = 10 ft... really? Since when?

I am not sure of the rationale behind it, but it is wreaking havoc on my ability to reproduce the map in a reasonable way that doesn't undermine what at first glance seemed like some fun and interesting maps...

I haven't made it through all the dungeon levels yet for my group, but I would otherwise probably rate it a 4/5 thus far based on writing and design.


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Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

Announced! Product image is a mockup, and will change prior to publication.

Contributor

5 people marked this as a favorite.

The Vancaskerkins are back! YEAHHHHHH! \m/

Scarab Sages

2 people marked this as a favorite.

Umm, not that I'm not REALLY excited about this AP, but another Vancaskerin???

Liberty's Edge

Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

Yay Greg A. Vaughan! But just like Neil Spicer I have no idea how they put out so much work!

Shadow Lodge

Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Gornil wrote:
Umm, not that I'm not REALLY excited about this AP, but another Vancaskerin???

They breed like rabbits

Paizo Employee Director of Brand Strategy

6 people marked this as a favorite.
Gornil wrote:
Umm, not that I'm not REALLY excited about this AP, but another Vancaskerin???

Turns out some families have more than three people in them.

Scarab Sages

Mark Moreland wrote:
Gornil wrote:
Umm, not that I'm not REALLY excited about this AP, but another Vancaskerin???
Turns out some families have more than three people in them.

I get that, your comment made me smile, just wondering if there was a reason the Vancaskerin family has become the focus of another AP adventure. I would imagine there are plenty of "misguided" Pathfinder's in the Society after all.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

4 people marked this as a favorite.
Gornil wrote:
Umm, not that I'm not REALLY excited about this AP, but another Vancaskerin???

Yup.

Sometimes we put things into adventure paths because lots of our customers ask for them.

Sometimes we put things in because Lisa asks for them.

Sometimes, as in the case of the Vancaskerkins, both of the above are true.

RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32

Liz Courts wrote:
The Vancaskerkins are back! YEAHHHHHH! \m/

I am now excited about this AP. :D


3 people marked this as a favorite.

Can Vaughan write a first level adventure?????

My PCs are frightened already.

Shadow Lodge

8 people marked this as a favorite.

Can we skip the pirate opne and go right to this?

Scarab Sages

James Jacobs wrote:
Gornil wrote:
Umm, not that I'm not REALLY excited about this AP, but another Vancaskerin???

Yup.

Sometimes we put things into adventure paths because lots of our customers ask for them.

Sometimes we put things in because Lisa asks for them.

Sometimes, as in the case of the Vancaskerkins, both of the above are true.

Not trying to be critical, I was just curious. Honestly I've thought about creating a member of the extended Vancaskerin family for PFS, so I'm not one to criticize y'alls decision, lol.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

DaveMage wrote:

Can Vaughan write a first level adventure?????

My PCs are frightened already.

He's done them before, so I suspect that answer is yes.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Beckett wrote:
Can we skip the pirate opne and go right to this?

No.

But when folks tell us they want the new AP instead of the one that's not yet come out before it... that's one way we can tell we're doing SOMETHING right.

Hopefully, by the time we announce what's coming after Shattered Star, you'll want to skip Shattered Star in favor of that new AP.

And by "skip," of course, I mean "buy anyway."


James Jacobs wrote:
Beckett wrote:
Can we skip the pirate opne and go right to this?

No.

But when folks tell us they want the new AP instead of the one that's not yet come out before it... that's one way we can tell we're doing SOMETHING right.

Hopefully, by the time we announce what's coming after Shattered Star, you'll want to skip Shattered Star in favor of that new AP.

And by "skip," of course, I mean "buy anyway."

If its Numeria, I will indeed buy anyway. :D


Curse you, Paizo, for publishing more awesome adventures that I'll never even come close to being able to play through!

Paizo Employee Creative Director

9 people marked this as a favorite.
Macharius wrote:
Curse you, Paizo, for publishing more awesome adventures that I'll never even come close to being able to play through!

Hint: If you just read them, and enjoy reading them, and are inspired to play Pathfinder more because the adventures are fun to read... by my metric, you get your money's worth out of an Adventure Path. You don't have to play them all.

Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 4

James Jacobs wrote:
Beckett wrote:
Can we skip the pirate opne and go right to this?

No.

But when folks tell us they want the new AP instead of the one that's not yet come out before it... that's one way we can tell we're doing SOMETHING right.

Hopefully, by the time we announce what's coming after Shattered Star, you'll want to skip Shattered Star in favor of that new AP.

And by "skip," of course, I mean "buy anyway."

That would be instantly true if the next AP is set in Irrisen!

Looking forward to this one nevertheless!

Shadow Lodge

1 person marked this as a favorite.
James Jacobs wrote:

But when folks tell us they want the new AP instead of the one that's not yet come out before it... that's one way we can tell we're doing SOMETHING right.

Hopefully, by the time we announce what's coming after Shattered Star, you'll want to skip Shattered Star in favor of that new AP.

And by "skip," of course, I mean "buy anyway."

I'm not going to lie, the entire Pirate AP has not appeal for me, and neither does/did the Dragon Empire, leaving me thinking the near future of Paizo products would be rather bleak. This I'm interested in, the Aasimar book I'm been wishing for since 3E, I'm looking forward too with hope. And the Runelords updated hardcover all make me happy. But I'll be honest, the next AP just doesn't have any appeal for me.

With that in mind, yes, you are doing a great many things right.

RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Beckett wrote:
Can we skip the pirate opne and go right to this?

NO!!!


Your not the only one who has been wishing for an Aasimar book since 3E Beckett;)

I will buy this one, just as I buy everyone of the APs, as long as Paizo has new Monsters, magic items, NPCs, articles, etc. in them I will buy them.


James Jacobs wrote:
Hint: If you just read them, and enjoy reading them, and are inspired to play Pathfinder more because the adventures are fun to read... by my metric, you get your money's worth out of an Adventure Path. You don't have to play them all.

I don't have to, no - but I want to! I agree, though, that even reading them is more than worth the cover price.


All right!


James Jacobs wrote:
DaveMage wrote:

Can Vaughan write a first level adventure?????

My PCs are frightened already.

He's done them before, so I suspect that answer is yes.

I know he can - I've just been spending an inordinate amount of time lately in Tsar....

First level characters wouldn't do so well in that setting. :)

Paizo Employee Creative Director

DaveMage wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
DaveMage wrote:

Can Vaughan write a first level adventure?????

My PCs are frightened already.

He's done them before, so I suspect that answer is yes.

I know he can - I've just been spending an inordinate amount of time lately in Tsar....

First level characters wouldn't do so well in that setting. :)

Greg's more than capable of handling more than one project at once.

In any case... This adventure is completely written. It's sitting on my desk at work this very moment, since I had to write its art order today.

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Is Pett in the author lineup?

I'm asking 'cause...

YOU NEVER DO AN AP WITHOUT PETT AGAIN. OR THERE WILL BE DEAD SQUIRRELS IN SEATTLE.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Not yet. But I do have one more to assign...

Silver Crusade

I'm really liking this Varisia-scavenger hunt idea.

I suspect it'll be a light touch, but I'm curious how the post-RotRl/CotCT/SD developments will be touched on in this AP, esepcially if this adventure goes through Sandpoint/Korvosa/Riddleport and any other locations featured in those APs.

It really sounds like this could have everything that makes Varisia so much fun pop up and play an important part.

(wonder if the Sandpoint Devil has some more fight left in 'im...)

Silver Crusade

Also, really really really hoping half-orcs finally get some representation in the AP iconic party this go-round.


2 people marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Adventure Path, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

Well, I'd love to see the developments of prior AP's in Varisia acknowledged here. Then again, I've been asking for some metaplot advancement for a long time now. Golarion is all set-up and no pay-off. ;)

Sovereign Court

1 person marked this as a favorite.
magnuskn wrote:
Well, I'd love to see the developments of prior AP's in Varisia acknowledged here. Then again, I've been asking for some metaplot advancement for a long time now. Golarion is all set-up and no pay-off. ;)

I'm sure there is a group out there who:

Spoiler:

Failed to stop the starstone
Released Mhar
Failed to kill Kharzoug
etc.

Paizo can't advance the metaplot without invalidating their game, which I do not support.


Cool, there can never be enough AP's for me!

But first the (to me better sounding) pirates AP!

My question is: The pirates have mostly water-based monsters in them, what will be the theme of monsters for this one?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Mikaze wrote:

I'm really liking this Varisia-scavenger hunt idea.

I suspect it'll be a light touch, but I'm curious how the post-RotRl/CotCT/SD developments will be touched on in this AP, esepcially if this adventure goes through Sandpoint/Korvosa/Riddleport and any other locations featured in those APs.

It really sounds like this could have everything that makes Varisia so much fun pop up and play an important part.

(wonder if the Sandpoint Devil has some more fight left in 'im...)

With the exeption of Magnimar, we won't be revisiting any locations in Shattered Star.

And no half orcs in the iconic lineup; this one'll be a cleric/alchemist/ranger/barbarian group.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

magnuskn wrote:
Well, I'd love to see the developments of prior AP's in Varisia acknowledged here. Then again, I've been asking for some metaplot advancement for a long time now. Golarion is all set-up and no pay-off. ;)

Shattered Star is all about that. It assumes Runelords, Crimson Throne, AND Second Darkness have all played out. It's sort of a first for us to do something on this scale that assumes anything like that, so I'm eager to see how folks react...

Paizo Employee Creative Director

GeraintElberion wrote:
magnuskn wrote:
Well, I'd love to see the developments of prior AP's in Varisia acknowledged here. Then again, I've been asking for some metaplot advancement for a long time now. Golarion is all set-up and no pay-off. ;)

I'm sure there is a group out there who:

** spoiler omitted **

Paizo can't advance the metaplot without invalidating their game, which I do not support.

Actually... the MAIN point we don't do this more often is that we don't want to "obsolete" our products. If one can only really "start" an adventure path on the month it is published, and then after that there's an implication that you're "behind the times" or something like that... that's really bad for us.

It's MUCH better to set things up so that you can play Adventure Paths in any order.

Shattered Star will be messing with that assumption, so we'll see how that pans out in about a year, I guess...

Paizo Employee Creative Director

7 people marked this as a favorite.
Sincubus wrote:

Cool, there can never be enough AP's for me!

But first the (to me better sounding) pirates AP!

My question is: The pirates have mostly water-based monsters in them, what will be the theme of monsters for this one?

There really isn't a "theme" for Shattered Star. It's really a "back to the basics" type AP, to help celebrate the fact that it's the 10 year anniversary of Paizo and the 5 year one for Pathfinder. So... I guess the theme could be:

"Varisian stuff"

or

"Classic Fantasy RPG stuff."

After doing so many heavily themed APs (horror, jungle, Asia, pirates), I suspect folks will be happy to see a "back to basics" AP.

Liberty's Edge

1 person marked this as a favorite.
James Jacobs wrote:
Macharius wrote:
Curse you, Paizo, for publishing more awesome adventures that I'll never even come close to being able to play through!
Hint: If you just read them, and enjoy reading them, and are inspired to play Pathfinder more because the adventures are fun to read... by my metric, you get your money's worth out of an Adventure Path. You don't have to play them all.

While I agree, I would still want to have enough lives to play in all of them and GM all of them.

You think it is possible to create a few simulacrum of myself and develop a "share memory" spell so I can experience all of them?
:P


James Jacobs wrote:


After doing so many heavily themed APs (horror, jungle, Asia, pirates), I suspect folks will be happy to see a "back to basics" AP.

Completely on board with that. It's a nice touch for the anniversary year - I wouldn't have to think twice about running this, whereas with a themed path, there's always going to be someone in my group who isn't so keen on it.

Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 4

2 people marked this as a favorite.
James Jacobs wrote:
magnuskn wrote:
Well, I'd love to see the developments of prior AP's in Varisia acknowledged here. Then again, I've been asking for some metaplot advancement for a long time now. Golarion is all set-up and no pay-off. ;)
Shattered Star is all about that. It assumes Runelords, Crimson Throne, AND Second Darkness have all played out. It's sort of a first for us to do something on this scale that assumes anything like that, so I'm eager to see how folks react...

No matter how they react I am pleased to see the attempt made.

Scarab Sages

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Maps Subscriber

I am not sure if I am starving for back to basics, but give me some Runelords is what I say.

I look forward to knowing a lot more about the Runelords.... Give me stats.


Beckett wrote:
Can we skip the pirate opne and go right to this?

Absolutely NOT!

I'm geeked about this AP, but I'm just as geeked about S&S! Been looking forward to that one since I first heard about it (kinda like this one), and my friends and I have been wanting to do a pirate campaign for quite some time . . .

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Shem wrote:

I am not sure if I am starving for back to basics, but give me some Runelords is what I say.

I look forward to knowing a lot more about the Runelords.... Give me stats.

In the "managing expectations" department... while there'll be bits of info about SOME of the runelords in "Shattered Star," the runelords are NOT the focus of the adventure path at all. It'll CERTAINLY not have stats for them.


Love the Vancaskerkin tie, Love Varisia, Love Magnimar, hate that I have to wait long for this. :)
In my Burnt Offerings playthrough, I had the femme Rogue PC's background tied to a Magnimarian job gone wrong with her ex-partner/lover Orik. The reunion was interesting to say the least.

Most anticipated AP for me since Kingmaker.


What ideas are you guys planning to take the place of the gods articles you put into the other APs?


2 people marked this as a favorite.

Back to the basics= good.

We could use a good Underdark AP ala D1-3 and Night Below for the next AP btw. <---- not too subtle, am I? :)


I got one question: who the heck are the Vancaskerins?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Starglyte wrote:
What ideas are you guys planning to take the place of the gods articles you put into the other APs?

More god articles.

Once we do all the core 20, we still have dozens and dozens of other deities and demigods to play with.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Eric Hinkle wrote:
I got one question: who the heck are the Vancaskerins?

A family based in Riddleport—a different member of the family played key roles in the first adventure of Runelords, the first adventure of Crimson Throne, and the first adventure of Second Darkness.

By having a Vancaskerkin play a key role in the first adventure of Shattered Star, we help to thematically make Shattered Star a sequel to all three of those.


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
James Jacobs wrote:
magnuskn wrote:
Well, I'd love to see the developments of prior AP's in Varisia acknowledged here. Then again, I've been asking for some metaplot advancement for a long time now. Golarion is all set-up and no pay-off. ;)
Shattered Star is all about that. It assumes Runelords, Crimson Throne, AND Second Darkness have all played out. It's sort of a first for us to do something on this scale that assumes anything like that, so I'm eager to see how folks react...

Thanks, I really love to hear that. :) At this time, I am supposing that you'll only mention the results of the other AP's obliquely, but maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised on that aspect, too. :D

Paizo Employee Creative Director

5 people marked this as a favorite.
magnuskn wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
magnuskn wrote:
Well, I'd love to see the developments of prior AP's in Varisia acknowledged here. Then again, I've been asking for some metaplot advancement for a long time now. Golarion is all set-up and no pay-off. ;)
Shattered Star is all about that. It assumes Runelords, Crimson Throne, AND Second Darkness have all played out. It's sort of a first for us to do something on this scale that assumes anything like that, so I'm eager to see how folks react...
Thanks, I really love to hear that. :) At this time, I am supposing that you'll only mention the results of the other AP's obliquely, but maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised on that aspect, too. :D

We won't be oblique at all. We'll assume that all three APs ended successfully, first of all. That means, among other things, things like...

Spoiler:
1) Runelords are common knowledge, and the people of Varisia are nervous about the possibility of more of them waking up—if just ONE wakening is bad enough to cause an entire AP... well, a lot of movers and shakers in Varisia are very nervous, let's say, and are eager to find powerful magic or learn more about Thassilon in order to defend themselves from future Runelord arisings.

2) Xin-Shalast's location is no longer secret. The vast amount of wealth there is still hard to get to and dangerous to loot and transport... but it IS happening, and as a result, many factions in Varisia are scrambling to be the first to get super rich. The infusion of wealth from Xin-Shalast may well be the primary thing that eventually moves Varisia from a frontier to a fully functioning nation in a very short amount of time.

3) Queen Ileosa has risen and fallen. Korvosa is now ruled by a redeemed and eager to make up for her crimes Queen Sabina. The Gray Maidens have been disbanded... mostly. Some still exist, and these remnants may be more dangerous than ever.

4) Drow are no longer a secret hidden by the Winter Council. Furthermore, the drow themselves, having been somewhat "riled up" by recent events, may just have a much more visible presence in parts of Varisia...

And so on. There will be more developments as well—those should serve for now as pretty juicy teasers though.

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