What are the great campaign arcs in PFS?

[Mazlith]

As a store coordinator I plan out all of our upcoming games. Most of the time I plan out the games according to what is new and what has not been played recently. I've found the latter to be a little inferior. Instead I think it would be better to plan to have ongoing stories from week to week.

What are your ideas for PFS campaign arcs? And what scenarios would you put together for a great experience?

Here is what I got so far:

GOBLIN ARC: We Be Goblins > Frostfur Captives > Rise of the Goblin Guild > We Be Goblins Too! > ?

Some other ideas for arcs:
Kaer Maga
Blackrose scenarios (I don't know the order on these)
Linnorm/Irrisen/Mammoth
Taldor scenarios > Devil We know i-iv > ?

[GreySector]

PREPARATION FOR THE RUBY PHOENIX TOURNAMENT
Quest for Perfection Part I (1-5)
Quest for Perfection Part II (1-5)
Quest for Perfection Part III (1-5)
The Ghenett Manor Gauntlet (5-9)

HAO JIN TAPESTRY
Temple of Empyreal Enlightenment (1-5)
The Icebound Outpost (1-5)
Wonders in the Weave Part I (5-9)
Wonders in the Weave Part II (5-9)
Rats of Round Mountain Part I (7-11)
Rats of Round Mountain Part II (7-11)
Storming the Diamond Gate (3-7)
Portal of the Sacred Rune (7-11)
Fabric of Reality (5-9)

BLAKROS MUSEUM & FAMILY
Mists of Mwangi (1-5)
Voice in the Void (1-7)
Penumbral Accords (1-5)
Echoes of the Overwatched (1-5)
The Blakros Matrimony (3-7)

[Jelloarm]

I've been running nearly all of the Season 5 scenarios, and I gotta hand it to PFS, they make a pretty compelling arc for characters that pay attention. If you have multiple level characters, it's easy to do, and the seeming emphasis on low-level scenarios makes it accessible. Mix in dealing with the Blakroses and you're really set for a good romp.

[Mazlith]

I've been running season five for the last 5 weeks. In the weeks between new season 5 scenarios being release I've put in Finger Prints of the Fiend > Fury of the Fiend > Day of the Demon

[Mazlith]

Michael Eshleman wrote:

[b]BLAKROS MUSEUM & FAMILY
Mists of Mwangi (1-5)
Voice in the Void (1-7)
Penumbral Accords (1-5)
Echoes of the Overwatched (1-5)
The Blakros Matrimony (3-7)

Thank's Michael. That rocks! I have some suggestions for continuing the Blakros arc.

BLAKROS MUSEUM & FAMILY
Mists of Mwangi (1-5)
Voice in the Void (1-7)
Penumbral Accords (1-5)
Echoes of the Overwatched (1-5)
The Blakros Matrimony (3-7)
Day of the Demon (3-7)
The Hellknight's Feast (5-9)

[Harley Quinn X]

While not a "great" arc, it was one I certainly enjoyed keeping up on. The arc would need some Chelaxian flavored scenarios added in before tackling the 3-7's though. Hydra's Fang Incident and/or Infernal Vault could work.

The Lovers and Haters of Zarta Dralneen
First Steps, Part 1 (Level 1)
Goblinblood Dead (1-5)
Storming the Diamond Gate (3-7)
The Blakros Matrimony (3-7)
The Disappeared (1-5)
Fortress of the Nail (5-9)
The Immortal Conundrum (5-9)

[Avatar-1]

These scenarios have a running theme, but are they really considered arcs?

We Be Goblins and the other goblin scenarios surely don't go together, except that they both contain goblins? I might be missing something.

[Iammars]

This thread might be helpful.

[KestlerGunner]

For David's list, please ensure you turn on the faction missions for Goblinblood Dead.

[Rogue Eidolon]

Linda and I are working on a PFS flowchart of all connections, and we haven't heard anything from anyone to whom we showed it so far, so might as well show the beta here:

link here

[Iammars]

Here's some connections you're missing:

Race for the Runecarved Key/Fortress of the Nail:

Field-Maralictor Elixia Makorios shows up in RftRK as the one potentially backing Doctor Landis

Fortress of the Nail/Veteran's Vault/Port Godless:

If you've played FotN or VV and can report as to what happened with Sasha, it helps out with Port Godless as it turns out the person she was helping was Eando Kline

Price of Friendship/Port Godless:

Both involve the travels of Eando Kline

Also probably worth putting the whole Torch storyline on there as well.

[Rogue Eidolon]

It doesn't have Season 5 in it I think (oh I guess it does have Glass River--that was the only one we were aware of when making this beta chart, which came out before Gencon, since somebody told me the connection, and I didn't know who he was (now that I've played it, I'd quibble he's isn't actually recurring per se) so it'll be missing everything in S5 except that).

Also, I told her the Runecarved Key-FotN one, she must have thought it was too cameo. She also told me the Deckland in Siege of the Diamond City was too cameo to be connected to Infernal Vault.

We didn't put in co-occurrences if they were too common, such as Venture Captains and Faction Leaders. Torch was in enough of them that he qualified, though a chart of the high occurrence VCs and faction leaders could be an interesting add-on.

[Iammars]

Ah - see I assumed that since you put Glass River in, you had put in all the Season 5 connections you knew of already. Fair enough.

I would argue that the RftRK-FotN one is actually noteworthy. Whenever I run those scenarios now, I check to see if the players have played the other one since that should temper how the NPC reacts to the PCs. I didn't know about Deckland in Siege/Infernal Vault though. That's a pretty cool connection I didn't notice before (although I agree that it's a really small connection).

Eyes of the Ten:

I wish I had a listing of all the scenarios Adril Hestram gave out. I should probably go do that...

[Rogue Eidolon]

Yeah I immediately noticed when I played Citadel that I had met her before.

@Eyes--I put together such a list at some point. I don't know where it is.

@Season 5--Some day! Maybe at the end honestly, and we can put them all in at once, or halfway.

[Marie]

Mark Seifter wrote:

@Eyes--I put together such a list at some point. I don't know where it is.

You sent the list to me before I ran Eyes of the Ten, and I still have it.

Eyes of the Ten List--Thanks to James and Jason for catching a couple we missed:

Silent Tide
Mists of Mwangi
Murder on the Silken Caravan
Frozen Fingers of Midnight
Perils of the Pirate Pact
King Xeros of Old Azlant
Fingerprints of the Fiend
Lost at the Bitter End
Sniper in the Deep

[Iammars]

Linda Zayas-Palmer wrote:

Mark Seifter wrote:

@Eyes--I put together such a list at some point. I don't know where it is.

You sent the list to me before I ran Eyes of the Ten, and I still have it.

** spoiler omitted **

I think that's only Season 0, because it's missing

Spoiler:

Sniper in the Deep

[Rogue Eidolon]

I think it's actually missing that because it's one of about 5 older non-retired scenarios I have never played or GMed. Which also means Sniper might have a connection that isn't on the chart. Others on that list are Drow of the Darklands Pyramid and Flesh Collector off the top of my head. There's a few more.

[Mystically Inclined]

Eyes of the Ten:

I haven't played Eyes and so don't understand the relevance, but Adril is growing to be a major father figure for a group I'm doing a PFS legal home game for. We started at 0-1 Silent Tide (which Adril also gives out) and went from there, so he presided over the group's confirmation and has since begun molding them into his semi-personal team of trouble shooters. Clearly I need to run them through Eyes of the Ten when they get that high. It sounds like it should be a good plot impact!

I'll do my best to run them through the other scenarios Adril gives out, too. Thanks for the list!

[Rogue Eidolon]

Jason, Without Actual Spoilers:

Do this! I did this for a home group and got them all the way to level 12. It pays off big time, especially if you can then have them play a lot of Shadow Lodge Arc scenarios in order. Without spoilers, I will say that the scenario literally assumes that Adril is a father figure who often sends the PCs on lots of missions, particularly their first ones, and that's one of the top reasons they ask for your PCs in particular to come along on Part 1.

[Iammars]

Mark Seifter wrote:

I think it's actually missing that because it's one of about 5 older non-retired scenarios I have never played or GMed. Which also means Sniper might have a connection that isn't on the chart. Others on that list are Drow of the Darklands Pyramid and Flesh Collector off the top of my head. There's a few more.

Sniper and Drow don't have connections to other scenarios. (I just flipped through them and none of the NPC names or place names ring a bell.) I can't help you with Flesh Collector - I'm in the same boat on that one.

[Mystically Inclined]

My Thursday Night Group - Stay Out:

Sounds good! I was mentally collecting the scenarios together into a campaign. Do you have a suggested playing order? So far the group has done:

Level 1
1. Silent Tide
2. First Steps
3. Murder's Mark (Module)

Level 2
4. Mists of Mwangi

Level 3
5. Undecided (next week's game)

I've introduced a slowly developing plot around an underworld figure known as Spyder. I remembered facing a villain named Spider when I played Rivalry's End and thought I could conclude the group's buildup with that. I didn't realize when I started that Spider appears to be a reoccurring villain in The Shadow Lodge season. The Richmond Lodge has been going through a season 2 trilogy (the frozen north series- the name escapes me at the moment) and I noticed there is a reference to Spider. If you know of any others, I can include those for the group as well.

My current thoughts:

Level 3
5. Black Waters (open to change but it looks fun)
6. Murder on the Silken Caravan
7. Frozen Fingers of Midnight

Level 4
8. Perils of the Pirate Pact
9. Hydra Fang Incident (important for sub plot)
10.

Level 5
11. The many fortunes of grandmaster torch?
12.
13.

Level 6
14.
15.
16.

Level 7
17.
18.
19. Rivalry's End

[Mystically Inclined]

Bump

[Rogue Eidolon]

Here's what I did (ish), it's basically following the Shadow Lodge arc:

Spoiler:

Silent Tide
Mists (MUST RUN FOR SEEKER TABLE)
Frozen Finger (EVEN MORESO MUST RUN FOR SEEKER TABLE)
City of Strangers 1 and 2
Shades of Ice 1, 2, 3
4 scenarios you like (including maybe YotSL special if you can)

This hits level 5. At this point, to do the whole S2 Shadow Lodge arc, you need to be VERY careful.
Heresy of Man 1, 2, 3 (Amenopheus betrays the Society)
from 1 to 4 scenarios you like
Shadow's Last Stand 1 and 2 (Spider is at the end of this, but they only go to 1-7)

Now you are at least 7 even if you only took 1 scenario when I said 1 to 4. You can do:
Shadows Fall over Absalom (this should theoretically have happened slightly earlier, but it's the soonest you can run it)
Sarkorian Prophecy
Wrath of the Accursed
The Mantis's Prey

This finishes out the entire year of the shadow lodge arc and leaves your guys at 9.1. Intersperse other stuff (No Plunder No Pay and Lost at Bitter End are two 7-11 Adril ones) to put Mantis's Prey not long before they go to Seeker arc and end with an Adril one like No Plunder or Lost.

Then run the Seeker Arc.

Then...profit! You are now awesome, having leveraged the maximum emotional value out of the Seeker Arc!

[Mystically Inclined]

Thanks loads, Mark!

[Mazlith]

Bearded Ben wrote:

The only modules set in Absalom that I could find are U1: Gallery of Evil, U2: Hangman's Noose, and Master of the Fallen Fortress. There are also several scenarios set there.

EDIT: The scenarios are:
#01: Silent Tide (Levels 1-5)
#04: The Frozen Fingers of Midnight (Levels 1-5)
#05: Mists of Mwangi (Levels 1-5)
#06: Black Waters (Levels 1-5)
#08: Slave Pits of Absalom (Levels 1-5)
#20: King Xeros of Old Azlant (Levels 7-11)

#31: Sniper in the Deep (Levels 5-9)
#35: Voice in the Void (Levels 1-7)
#40: Hall of Drunken Heroes (Levels 7-11)
#45: Delirium's Tangle (Levels 1-5)
#55: The Infernal Vault (Levels 7-11)

#2-04: Shadows Fall on Absalom (Levels 7-11)
#2-11: The Penumbral Accords (Levels 1-5)
#2-22: Eyes of the Ten—Part IV: Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained (Level 12)
Special: Year of the Shadow Lodge (Levels 1-11)
#2-26: The Mantis's Prey (Levels 7-11)

Intro 1: First Steps—Part I: In Service to Lore (Level 1)
Intro 2: First Steps—Part II: To Delve the Dungeon Deep (Level 1)
#3-02: Sewer Dragons of Absalom (Levels 3-7)
#3-06: Song of the Sea Witch (Levels 3-7)
#3-07: Echoes of the Overwatched (Levels 1-5)
#3-18: The God's Market Gamble (Levels 1-5)
#3–24: The Golden Serpent (Levels 5-9)
Special: Blood Under Absalom (Levels 1-11)

[OptimancerMax]

So, I'm working on a long arc made out of PFS scenarios that aims to take PCs from level 1 - 12. Here's what I have so far.

2-11 The Pathfinder Trials 1
99-1 The Second Confirmation 1-2
99-2 United in Purpose 1-2

03-01 Year of Shattered Sanctuaries 1-4
03-02 The East Hill Haunting 1-4
03-05 Inheritor's Rite 1-4

2-19 Enter the Pallid Peak 1-4
3-10 Delve the Pallid Depths 1-4
3-98 Expedition Into Pallid Peril 1-6

02-01 Citadel of Corruption 1-4
02-03 Catastrophe's Spark 1-4
02-05 Balancing the Scales 1-4

03-06 Struck by Shadows 3-6
03-09 The Secluded Siege 5-8
3-14 The Tomb Between Worlds 5-8

2-14 Lost in Flames 3-6
2-18 The Fanciful March of Urwal 3-6
1-13 Devil at the Crossroads 3-6

2-20 Breaking the Storm: Bastion in Embers 5-8
2-10 In Burning Dawn 5-8
02-07 The Blakros Deception 5-8

04-07 A Most Wondrous Exchange! 5-8
3-17 Dreams of a Dustbound Isle 5-8
3-19 Mean Streets of Shadow Absalom 7-10

04-06 Signal from the Electric Laboratory 7-10
4-11 Prisoners of the Electric Castle 7-10
4-17 Trapping the Hag's Claw 7-10

2-22 Breaking the Storm: Excising Ruination 7-10
2-24 Breaking the Storm: Parting Clouds 7-10
5-11 Equal Exchanges – The Hidden Current 7-10

3-15 Cavern of the Sundered Song 9-12
4-15 In Glorious Battle 9-12
5-18 Equal Exchanges – Tapestry of the Mind 9–12

I would love any feedback to this idea - and flags of any issues with cross-cutting meta plots across original seasons (specifically the 02-01 and 03-01 metaplots combined with the 4th and 5th season metas)

[Jason S]

For me, the best campaign arc was in season 4, with Runelord Krune. Excellent high level play.

Next comes season 5, with the demons. Also excellent.

Season 6 features technology but I didn't really like that.

With either season, you can mix in the best scenarios from the other seasons.

We Be Goblins, you play a pregen goblin. Where Frostfur Captives, you're moving captured goblins from point A to point B. They don't work well together. The We Be Goblins series work together and you'll probably have the group wanting to play goblins after.

I'm not sure Blakros museum scenarios really have a theme besides the location. They are dungeon crawls and I think would be boring if too many were stringed together.