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Pathfinder Adventure Path #26: The Sixfold Trial (Council of Thieves 2 of 6) (PFRPG)
Paizo Publishing, LLC
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Print Edition:
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$19.99
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PDF:
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$13.99
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Chapter 2: "The Sixfold Trial"
by Richard Pett
The Play's the Thing
To banish the monstrous shadows that stalk Westcrown by night, the PCs go undercover, joining the city’s chaotic theatrical community in an elaborate plot to infiltrate the estate of the decadent lord-mayor. Yet theater life turns deadly when they become players in a spectacle no actor has ever survived. Can the PCs endure their debut performance in a city where an actor’s first big hit is often his last?
This volume of Pathfinder Adventure Path continues the Council of Thieves Adventure Path, and includes:
- "The Sixfold Trial," a Pathfinder RPG adventure for 3rd-level characters, by Richard Pett
- The Six Trials of Larazod, the complete and unabridged text of that infamously deadly play, by Nicolas Logue
- An exploration of the faith of Iomedae the Inheritor, goddess of valor, by Sean K Reynolds
- Pathfinder Varian Jeggare investigating death among the aristocracy in the Pathfinder’s Journal, by Dave Gross
- Six new monsters by Darrin Drader, David Eitelbach, Sean K Reynolds, and F. Wesley Schneider
A Pathfinder Roleplaying Game adventure for characters of 3rd to 5th level. The Council of Thieves Adventure Path is the first to take full advantage of the new Pathfinder Roleplaying Game rules, and works with both the Pathfinder RPG and the standard 3.5 fantasy RPG rules set.
Pathfinder Adventure Path is Paizo Publishing's monthly 96-page, perfect-bound, full-color softcover book printed on high-quality paper. It contains an in-depth Adventure Path scenario, stats for about a half-dozen new monsters, and several 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 standard 3.5 fantasy RPG rules set.
ISBN–13: 978-1-60125-196-1
Are there errors or omissions in this product information? Got corrections? Let us know at
webmaster@paizo.com.
Product Reviews
Average product rating:
 
(4.6)
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Without spilling all the beans for the potential would-be participant of the Sixfold Trial, I will do my best to describe how utterly wonderful this module is.
Our group was looking for a change of pace, and I offered to run a Pathfinder game to introduce the players to the system and to give our tired GM a chance to play for a change. I had just received the Sixfold Trial in the mail and on a lark I read through it; that one reading made me instantly think, "I absolutely have to run this module."
To say that the module is RP oriented would be an understatement. While combat is certainly not ignored, the real inspiration and focus of this adventure is the roleplay opportunities present in running the Sixfold Trial itself. The script is utterly fantastic (though as mentioned it is most certainly for the 16+ crowd), and even an amateur group of which no member had any interest in acting found the rehearsal, play, and estate infiltration, found the game sessions some of the most fun we've ever participated in.
Even the crunchy bits (where "adventuring" and combat are involved) are well written, fun, and poignant to the story with more opportunities for the players to find more creative ways to combat the situations than simply, "I pull out my sword". The Council of Thieves Adventure Path is fun enough as-is, but to climax so early with such an entertaining and fun module has all of us wanting more.
I really enjoyed the Bastards of Erebus. My group is now ready to perform the trials of Larazod! After reading the mod I'm really happy to see Paizo giving the game an ADULT atmosphere. Perhaps its just that Cheliax is run by Diabolists, so they have to be extra nasty!
The extra XP for meeting NPC's is probably there so the adventure path has the PC's advancing at a rapid pace so they can survive it. Any thoughts?
I'm impressed by the strength of the plot and writing, and hope someday to run this for my other group of players (all adult except for one mature 16) but I simply cannot run this for the group intended, as we have a 12-yr old and a *young* 16-yr old.
I was drawn by the lure of the very first Pathfinder RPG campaign series, by the strength of Paizo's writing, and by the fascinating idea of enacting the play - which is indeed well carried out but the acts depicted, and emotions portrayed are darker than Call Of Cthulhu - indeed they'd be strong even in a World Of Darkness Vampire campaign.
I won't go so far as to claim it is X-Rated (or R-rated in US?) but I must say it is 16+-rated.
I got The Bastards Of Erebus and Sixfold Trial together, and The Bastards hints at darkness but implies that the heroes (of light) can overcome it - a strong line but true DND - and is true to the Paizo summary.
The Sixfold Trial hints also of darkness, but does not give a fair representation of the level of that darkness.
The embedded theatre play encourages the players to have their PCs become the actors, and have the actors (PCs) work through scenes of torture and degradation, and to simulate what is essentially masochistic/drugged passion.
While it might be possible to bowdlerise the plot to make it PG rated, that's not really possible if the script/play is to be used - not without re-writing said play - which negates the point of using Paizo's fine writing. I want them to write this for me - if I had the time to write homebrew adventures, I would!
Now, I accept that *most* of the Pathfinder fans are (like me) old enough (and typically possessed of the resources to buy/subscribe to pathfinder, which in turn typically implies "employed"), but DND as a whole genre does aim at catching 'em young. I have successfully run games for my friends' family -- Sizfold Trial is my first experience of being caught out unwarned...
I'll be brief here: this adventure firmly establishes Richard Pett as one of the best module writers out there. And this time, he has a support sidekick madman thespian Nick Logue to boot.
The concept is absolutely unique, and the execution is brilliant. The Sixfold Trial is a great way of showing that D&D is something more than a "kick the door open and kill the baddie" game.
Bravo, simply bravo.
The heroes of Bastards of Erebus take the stage in The Sixfold Trial. This installment of the Council of Thieves AP really surpasses almost every other adventure or module I've ever experienced. To date, the only thing that approaches is my brief stint in Castle Amber.
This adventure has everything, and while it might be light on combat it is heavy on content. Great characters by the diabolical Richard Pett, incredible worldbuilding, impressive artwork by some of the best and brightest Paizo can retain and stunning playwright work by the infernal Nick Logue.
This adventure features everything that you'd want to see in an urban adventure: an undercover mission, a heist, opportunities for player tomfoolery, ingenious fights, exploring, a dungeon crawl, and a seven course meal with live snakes.
Even better? It’s ridiculously easy to yoink this adventure for your homebrew campaign: just change the object of the heist. It should also be fairly easy to scale for higher levels.
The plot summary (spoilers ahoy): The PCs need to retrieve something from the mayor’s vault. Fortunately, the mayor’s both decadent and a patron of the arts. A theater is going to put on a new version of a dangerous play, in which the actors face real torments and monsters for the amusement of their social betters. If it’s a hit, the mayor’s sure to host a days-long cast party. All the PCs need to do is get cast by a Gordon Ramsey clone, survive a dress rehearsal in front of a derisive peanut gallery, and then stay in characters while they’re attacked by monsters and tortured by one of their own party. Woe to the wizard cast as the paladin!
Then, there’s the cast party, finding the vault and dealing with the monsters and traps inside. The vault makes this last section of the adventure no ordinary dungeon-crawl. It’s a demi-plane that features logically impossible features, such as looking up a staircase and seeing the back of your head, far away.
Also included is a play, so that if you want to have your players read lines, you can. It’s basically an inverted morality play, so its style is going to be pretty far away from David Mamet. Prepare your players for: characters who are representations of particular vices and virtues rather than people with motivations, characters who issue proclamations rather than dialogue, and a didactic tone to the script. It’s an inversion of an ancient popular form and perfectly fitting for a lawful evil DnD city generally, and Golarion in particular.
If you have a group of players more interested in high adventure, the script is pretty optional. You can run the theater sections easily without intensive role playing too.
Also included: several monsters (hit man devil, scalable death knight, high-CR angel, and bird swarm), four pre-gen characters, and some fiction of interest only to readers heavily invested in Golarion.
Basically, this adventure is a must-buy for its laughs, drama, and adventure.
But I really enjoyed this adventure. The theater aspect is presented as most social encounters are: a series of skill checks. The level to which the DM and players wish to ham things up is entirely up to them, and while roleplaying is certainly encouraged, it isn't necessary. And of course, the "Sixfold Trial" isn't just any old play... it's a murderplay. Which is to say, when actors die on stage, sometimes it's for real. For parties who absolutely refuse to participate in the play, an alternative option is provided.
Richard Pett gives us an intrigue-laden dinner party for the second part of this adventure, and ends with a great dungeon. The dungeon is spooky and filled with numerous cool effects that will keep a party guessing. It also continues CoT's "shadow" theme nicely.
The Sixfold Trial gives plenty of chances to foreshadow future events for the PCs. For example, numerous NPCs introduced in these pages will be reappearing later in the adventure path, granting PCs a great opportunity to form relationships with these individuals early on.
DMs will appreciate the effort made to keep them informed and in the loop. Lots of background information is provided, and perhaps more importantly, the author makes sure to note which NPCs are expendable and which have future roles in the adventure path. The DM is also given an ample head's up on what's coming in future CoT installments.
The article on the goddess Iomedae is solid, and the bestiary has some interesting beasties. I particularly liked Paizo's answer to the death knight, the graveknight. While clearly inspired by the death knight, this undead warlord manages to be a unique and interesting monster.
All in all this is a great adventure, and proof that Paizo is listening to its fans.
Product Discussion
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See all discussion for this product.
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Why's the cover say it's by Michael Kortes?
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yoda8myhead wrote:
Why's the cover say it's by Michael Kortes?
Because the cover's not the final cover yet, and because that's an error on the cover we'll eventually fix.
This adventure is by Richard Pett. The next in the series, "What Lies in Dust," is written by Michael Kortes.
EDIT: We'll have a corrected cover up very soon.
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James Jacobs wrote:
yoda8myhead wrote:
Why's the cover say it's by Michael Kortes?
Because the cover's not the final cover yet, and because that's an error on the cover we'll eventually fix.
This adventure is by Richard Pett. The next in the series, "What Lies in Dust," is written by Michael Kortes.
EDIT: We'll have a corrected cover up very soon.
Soon has come. If you still see Kortes, clear your browser's image cache.
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Looking forward to seeing what Nick Logue has in store for us. I think it's FANTASTIC! that Paizo is having him write an article for the game within his area of specialty and expertise.
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lojakz wrote:
Looking forward to seeing what Nick Logue has in store for us. I think it's FANTASTIC! that Paizo is having him write an article for the game within his area of specialty and expertise.
Not to put a negative spin on things, but actually I am not excited about seeing his name on it. Nick's Sinister Adventures has been a disaster - I don't mind all the delays but it is not cool how amazingly silent he is.
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James Jacobs
(Creative Director),
DitheringFool
(Pathfinder Chronicles Charter Superscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, GameMastery Cards Subscriber),
