Pathfinder Adventure Path #79: The Half-Dead City (Mummy’s Mask 1 of 6) (PFRPG)

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Pathfinder Adventure Path #79: The Half-Dead City (Mummy’s Mask 1 of 6) (PFRPG)
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Chapter 1: "The Half-Dead City"
By Jim Groves

The Mummy's Mask Adventure Path begins with "The Half-Dead City," an exciting new adventure in the pyramid-laden realm of Osirion, Land of Pharaohs! In the city of Wati, the church of Pharasma holds a lottery allowing explorers to delve the tombs of the city's vast necropolis in search of the nation's lost glories. In the course of investigating dusty tombs and fighting their ancient guardians and devious traps, the heroes encounter a group of rival adventurers intent on keeping one tomb's treasures for themselves. At the same time, the heroes learn that a dangerous artifact has been stolen from the tomb. Can the adventurers defeat their rivals, or will they fall to the undead defenders of the city's necropolis?

This volume of the Pathfinder Adventure Path launches the Mummy's Mask Adventure Path and includes:

  • "The Half-Dead City," a Pathfinder adventure for 1st-level characters, by Jim Groves.
  • A double-sized gazetteer of Wati exploring both parts of this vibrant city dedicated to the dead, by Crystal Frasier.
  • A rough welcome to Wati in the Pathfinder Journal, by Amber E. Scott.
  • Five dangerous new monsters, by Jim Groves, Will McCardell, and Michael McCarthy.

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.

Cover Art by Tyler Jacobson.

ISBN-13: 978-1-60125-588-4

The Half-Dead City 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 (595 KB zip/PDF).

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

Fantasy Grounds Virtual Tabletop
Archives of Nethys

Note: This product is part of the Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscription.

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A thematic start to an Osirion AP

5/5

So let's start with a full disclosure - I am a massive fan of Ancient Egyptian history and also the 1999 The Mummy film (which I know are only transcendentally linked). If you asked me what I wanted to be when I was around 10 years old, I would have said an Egyptologist.

This was the first AP I bought when it first came out many years ago having only planned/run my own games in the past. I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to read and run this one! Reading through it was great fun (I've read through it at least 4 times in the last 6 years). The organisation is great, the gazetteer is fun and also useful; in my opinion the best gazetteer I've seen.

The game itself starts assuming all the PCs are already in a group signed up to the lottery, so it's important to get your players talking before you start.

Now a lot of people seem to say this first book is just dungeon crawling not roleplaying and they would technically be right. BUT there are so many opportunities for roleplay as there is no time-limit on this competition per see. I've GM'd it irl and the roleplay opportunities were second to none if you try to make the most of Wati. The right role-playing group will absolutely rise to the challenge.

Some of the encounters in this can be pretty deadly for a party of 4 but managed right work well. If you have a slightly larger party, they will do well.

Overall, this is one of my favourites and I absolutely recommend if you're looking for a good atmosphere.


Part 1

5/5

I thoroughly enjoyed GMing this chapter of the campaign. Partly because it is set in Osirian and I am really intrigued by the fantasy Egyptian lore.

The party I am running for is (at time of completion) a human cleric of Nethys, human occulist, dhampyr sorcerer (undead bloodline), elf fighter/bard (archaeologist), dwarf unchained monk, and a human alchemist.

As for the scenario:

The good:

* The premise works. Adventuring parties come together because the tombs of Wati are being opened to explorers. It gives a decent explanation for the players to form their party. No sitting in a tavern this time.

* Three different locations each with it's own distinct feel and set of challenges. Felt very old school to me so it gets a thumbs up.

* Although I have noticed many didn't like it, I love how this has nothing to do with the actual campaign plot until the very last minute of the book. Not every campaign needs to start off face first into the plot.

The Bad:

* This book is basically three dungeon crawls. By the time my players had finished the book I was bored of describing corridors and rooms.

* There are role-play opportunities but not enough. This chapter is very heavy on the combat and the dungeon crawling.

The Ugly:

* Nothing.


Review

4/5

The good thing about THDC is that is set in Ossirion, the land of the exotic and the hot. The bad thing is that THDC starts slow, very slow in fact - the first third of this adventure felt more like a training session for the beginners - few monsters, few traps and some treasure. The speed began to pick up in the second third, but even then the action was uneven, and in the final third THDC did feel like a proper RPG game, but the problem was that there was little connection between the three parts. Yes, it did give us plenty of time to play-act various scenes...but this situation works only when players want to play-act; otherwise, it is just a waste of time. THDC feels more like three different adventures combined into one, and this isn't the best of feelings.


Please Paizo, improve the book binding

4/5

First, I need to comment on the book binding. These are very nice, magazine style paperback books. But, after paging through the first third or so several times prepping for the first session, the pages are falling out. I'm very careful with the book, nothing got pulled on, and I don't flatten the book open nor strain the binding in any way. The glue binding just starts falling apart and now a whole section of pages has fallen out completely. This is incredibly disappointing for what otherwise is a great looking book. It makes me limit how many times I dare crack open the other volumes I've received.

As for the adventure itself:
The other reviews here are right on, the adventure/encounters are good, and if you do some flavor work-up around the theme of tomb-raiding, it can be interesting - but yeah, the whole first couple adventures into the Necropolis just seem to be completely disconnected to the actual story.

I would have liked to see one or two encounters based on exploring outside in the necropolis on the way to something, running into more unexpected troubles (other than the ambush already there, I mean). It does provide some good suggestion-type details on the necropolis to make this on your own. I would suggest cutting the second adventure site in half (both the layout and number of encounters) and having the party deal with two other encounters out in the necropolis based on where they say they go.

It does, however, lend itself well to a group that isn't very experienced in a table-top rpg, and maybe that's what Paizo had in mind here. The distinct chunks of tomb exploration are a great "intro to dungeon delving", if you will. The dungeons, traps, treasure, and random encounters are all there without the risk of being away from town. That can really help a new group. And if you're a GM that makes traps more interesting than default, those fit in pretty well.


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Dragon78 wrote:

Nice cover.

She isn't Osirioni because she is an archeologist who isn't supposed to read from a particular book that will awaken the mummy;)

I see what you did there. Well done.


Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Pathfinder Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Maps, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
zergtitan wrote:

*wearing gas mask*

"Are you my mummy?"

:)

The write up says "...potentially capable of animating the dead..."

So allow me to respond with...

"Just this once! Everybody Lives!"

Muh-waaaa-haaa-haaaaaa!


Dragon78 wrote:

Nice cover.

She isn't Osirioni because she is an archeologist who isn't supposed to read from a particular book that will awaken the mummy;)

Of course, you have to be a librarian for it to actually work.


Definitely not keen on the cover. Doesn't feel appropriately Osirion/Egyptian/mummy/pharaoh-like at all.

Looks pretty "generic", actually (well, other than the wacky hat).


1 person marked this as a favorite.

I'm not a really big fan of the cover myself, but i'm probably a big fan of what is inside of this AP!

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Who drew the lady on the cover?


With her book and the decorations/colors of her crossbow she looks like carrying Christmas presents...

@Gorbacz: sorry, no idea.

Ruyan.

Paizo Employee Developer

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Gorbacz wrote:
Who drew the lady on the cover?

The cover artist for the Mummy's Mask Adventure Path is Tyler Jacobson.


Ummm, yeah that's not the greatest cover ever folks.

Really not.


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

Well, I like it!

Silver Crusade

4 people marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

I count three completely rad hats on the cover, so I like it.


4 people marked this as a favorite.
DM_aka_Dudemeister wrote:
I count three completely rad hats on the cover, so I like it.

Agreed. MOAR FABULOUS HATS!

Silver Crusade

Quite frankly, awesome hats are one of the things I fully expect from this AP, considering this is Osirion. :D

Regarding the art style, I like it. It's like it exists in some place between most Pathfinder artwork and Team Fortress 2, and that's awesome. :)

Now there may be some disappointment that the art isn't in a more realistic style for the Osirion-centric AP, but c'mon, there's going to be a lot more art than just the covers, and quite a lot of it'll likely be in line with the covers of the forthcoming Osirion book and People of the Sands.


3 people marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
Tinkergoth wrote:
DM_aka_Dudemeister wrote:
I count three completely rad hats on the cover, so I like it.
Agreed. MOAR FABULOUS HATS!

Sadly,no one is wearing a fez. Fezes are cool. ;)


(Shoots the fez with a laser pistol.) ;)

That cover is great! The heroine is not Osiriani because most heroes of raid-the-pyramid type adventures aren't Egyptian. Makes sense to me. But who is she? Taldan? Only looking more forward to this than I was before.

Silver Crusade

5 people marked this as a favorite.

Honestly, I hope this AP has a lot for Osirioni heroes rather than selling it mostly as "go plunder this culture's heritage".

That and this cover lady might very well be one of those rivals mentioned in the description. :)


Pathfinder Lost Omens, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

*Puts new Fez on Feros's head*

Never waste a good Fez.


I don't have a problem with the art style at all, suits the Paizo's other artwork and it is beautiful.

I just don't really like the Skeleton enemy picture, been there done that.


And yet the skeletons are the only ones dressed in Egyptian style garb;)

I can't wait to see what new monsters are this one.


The egyptian-styled skeletons worry me a little bit, I wouldn't like one of the spots in this small bestiary to be wasted on just another skeletal-humanoid undead creature...


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

They're probably just skeletons, but if not, I wouldn't consider an interesting new skeletal creature a waste.


I do because there are enough of those around to use instead, Gaki, Gashadokuro, Baykok, Skeleton, Skeleton Warrior, Gallowdead, and many, many others I forgot about probably.


Jim Groves wrote:
DM Crustypeanut wrote:
Quandary wrote:
Will this be like Crypt of Everflame, i.e. geared to locals getting their toes wet in the mythos, or is it more like Serpent's Skull/Indiana Jones-style i.e. more geared towards outside interlopers/adventurers? That just sets up some of the assumed motivation/interest in the surrounding NPCs, although players can and will take contrary approaches to any of that.

Considering that the Ruby Prince has opened Osirian's doors to foreign archaeologists, I'm betting its the latter - outside interlopers/adventurers. I know from previous modules that Cheliax and the Pathfinders both have their fingers in Osirian, and it is likely the Aspis Consortium does too.

And considering that there seems to have been a 'lottery' for who gets to delve into the tomb, its even more probable that they are foreigners they're getting to go adventuring in the tomes - not only does Osirian bring in foreign gold to help its economy, but those who die - as tomb raiding is not the safest of jobs - are foreigners, not natives - and who cares about foreigners as long as they buy stuff before they go adventuring?

Or... It is not an "either/or" choice but a "both/and" situation where you can choose to be a foreigner or be a local and either option is valid. There's no reason a native citizen couldn't see these foreigners arriving and decide to take their own chances, right?

And adventurers don't just buy stuff, they sell stuff. Of course, they reinvest in good adventuring gear, but many antiquities are sold- usually at the first available location that can afford to absorb items of value into their economy. Which attracts wealthy buyers, collectors, and special interests with money to spend from all over the Inner Sea. This in turn churns the local economy nicely on every level, because it's not just the adventurers that require goods and services. and when local people have an influx of money, they have the ability to spend more. It becomes like a localized...

Makes sense!

I am definitely in agreement that it stimulates the economy, which is likely the reason the Ruby Prince did it, aye? In my Road to Damnation campaign, the players started out in Eto, where I attempted to feature that sort of stimulus, though they eventually embarked as one of the many expeditions (mostly foreign) heading off into the desert for shenanigans.


Also.. that woman.. calling it right now she's an Ustalavan Osirionologist who is part of the Esoteric Order of the Palatine Eye. Maybe a bard? An Archaeologist Archetype? Doesn't look like she's wearing armor (or light armor at best), and she looks to be carrying either a wand or a rod.. and I don't see any religious symbols.

So I'm betting Bard. :D


Looks like a wand with a snake motif, looks too small to be a rod I think.


DM Crustypeanut wrote:

Also.. that woman.. calling it right now she's an Ustalavan Osirionologist who is part of the Esoteric Order of the Palatine Eye. Maybe a bard? An Archaeologist Archetype? Doesn't look like she's wearing armor (or light armor at best), and she looks to be carrying either a wand or a rod.. and I don't see any religious symbols.

So I'm betting Bard. :D

She's also carrying a book with a big ol' scarab on it, which are sacred to the church of Pharasma - maybe its the Osririon Book of the Dead?


Mikaze wrote:
Now there may be some disappointment that the art isn't in a more realistic style for the Osirion-centric AP, but c'mon, there's going to be a lot more art than just the covers, and quite a lot of it'll likely be in line with the covers of the forthcoming Osirion book and People of the Sands.

"C'mon"?

You'd think the first book of a certain AP would sort of do it on the cover. *shrug*

No biggie. Just personally not too interested in the cover, and I won't be showing it to my players, as they would be pretty disappointed and would run counter to their expectations (which can affect how invested they are in the campaign).

Sovereign Court Developer

Part of Osirion's theme is foreigners coming to Osirion to plunder its tombs and history (much like foreign explorers did in Egypt), and the cover character represents those people. While people can of course play native Osirian characters in the campiagn, we also wanted to make it clear that non-Osirian characters are just as valid choices.

We also tend to illustrate major characters, often villains, on the covers, and since this adventure involves an NPC adventuring group as rivals to the PCs, that informed the choice of this volume's cover figure. She's not Ustalavic, and she's not a member of the Esoteric Order of the Palatine Eye, but she's got her own story and loyalties...

Rest assured, there's plenty more Osirion-themed art to appear, both within the adventure itself and on upcoming covers. It would be boring if all six covers had pyramids, pharaohs, and mummies, after all! :)

Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 4

Oh wow!

Just seeing this now!

I like the cover! Beyond that, Rob McCreary has said anything I would say on the matter. HEY! Since he's the Developer, that's probably a good thing!

I did that right for once!


Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Mikaze wrote:

Honestly, I hope this AP has a lot for Osirioni heroes rather than selling it mostly as "go plunder this culture's heritage".

If I can talk the other GM in our gaming group into running this, I plan to play a half-Chelaxian Osirioni Wizard. I'll plunder my own heritage, thank you very much. :)

Or maybe I should keep trying to make characters that are a little less like myself.... :P


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Lost Omens, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Shadar Aman wrote:
Mikaze wrote:

Honestly, I hope this AP has a lot for Osirioni heroes rather than selling it mostly as "go plunder this culture's heritage".

If I can talk the other GM in our gaming group into running this, I plan to play a half-Chelaxian Osirioni Wizard. I'll plunder my own heritage, thank you very much. :)

Isn't that Evelyn "Evie" Carnahan O'Connell from the Mummy movies? Part british, part egyptian, with the book of the dead(Necromancer spellbook).

Great now I have the urge to stat the entire cast as Pathfinder characters....

Evie:Wizard(/fighter in past life)
Rick:Gunslinger
Jonathan:Rogue
Ardeth Bey:Cavalier

Imhotep:Mythic Mummy Necromancer


Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
zergtitan wrote:
Shadar Aman wrote:
Mikaze wrote:

Honestly, I hope this AP has a lot for Osirioni heroes rather than selling it mostly as "go plunder this culture's heritage".

If I can talk the other GM in our gaming group into running this, I plan to play a half-Chelaxian Osirioni Wizard. I'll plunder my own heritage, thank you very much. :)

Isn't that Evelyn "Evie" Carnahan O'Connell from the Mummy movies? Part british, part egyptian, with the book of the dead(Necromancer spellbook).

Apparently, yes. Man, it's been a long time since I saw those movies.

Well, my character concept is completely different, because...um...it's a guy?

EDIT: And apparently the picture I had in my head for this guy was Ardeth Bay. I guess my character will be a very confused ripoff of The Mummy.

Webstore Gninja Minion

zergtitan wrote:

Great now I have the urge to stat the entire cast as Pathfinder characters....

Evie:Wizard(/fighter in past life)
Rick:Gunslinger
Jonathan:Rogue
Ardeth Bey:Cavalier

Imhotep:Mythic Mummy Necromancer

I approve—now get statting.


3 people marked this as a favorite.

Very much looking forward to this volume and the kick-off of this series. Jim Groves will be exceptional as always.

I especially look forward to an adventuring party (preferably all-Shoanti) making sure the Half-Dead city stays only half-dead.


Ask a Shoanti wrote:

Jim Groves will be exceptional as always.

Man, those last three words sure are redundant.

You just need "Jim Groves will be."

And it will be known.

Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 4

5 people marked this as a favorite.

Cheapy, "will be" is very passive language.

Jim Groves is exceptional.

;)


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Rulebook Subscriber

I like the cover art! Somehow the style of that lady reminds me very strongly of the later Monkey Island titles.


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber

I dig the cover. It has flair, style, and I totally get the female character.


Do we know if this is still on track for a February release or is this getting pushed back to March?


Pathfinder Lost Omens, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

It would work well for February as it is the first volume of a new AP so it shouldn't conflict in marketing during the same month as the last volume of the other AP. It would also help getting thier AP schedule back on track.


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Rulebook Subscriber
Aaron Scott 139 wrote:
Do we know if this is still on track for a February release or is this getting pushed back to March?

It is listed in my subscription shipment for February 21, if that is any indication.


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Rulebook Subscriber

Apparently there was a little New Year's cleaning in the subscription shipment schedule and now the Mummy leaves its sarcophagus on March 21.


Darn got pushed back to march:( must be those darn demons from the current AP causing this delay;)


Even though it as been pushed back a bit it still is getting close.So because it's original start date was in February do you think that the other two iconics can be revealed now?


Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Jim Groves wrote:

Cheapy, "will be" is very passive language.

Jim Groves is exceptional.

;)

I think we can cut that down to just "Jim Groves is".

Maybe even "Jim Groves".

That says it all, I think.

Sovereign Court Senior Developer

Nick O'Connell wrote:
Even though it as been pushed back a bit it still is getting close.So because it's original start date was in February do you think that the other two iconics can be revealed now?

I'll give you one:

Spoiler:
Kyra

There is a pattern emerging - any guesses as to the last iconic?


Rob McCreary wrote:
Nick O'Connell wrote:
Even though it as been pushed back a bit it still is getting close.So because it's original start date was in February do you think that the other two iconics can be revealed now?

I'll give you one:

** spoiler omitted **

There is a pattern emerging - any guesses as to the last iconic?

Thanks! :)

Dark Archive

Rob McCreary wrote:
Nick O'Connell wrote:
Even though it as been pushed back a bit it still is getting close.So because it's original start date was in February do you think that the other two iconics can be revealed now?

I'll give you one:

** spoiler omitted **

There is a pattern emerging - any guesses as to the last iconic?

All divine casters So uh Lini maybe?

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Balthazar the iconic summoner or Lirienne (sp?) the iconic gunslinger.

Since they are from around the right region.

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