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The purpose of this thread is to clarify questions arising in this adventure.
This thread is a GM Reference thread for Part 3 of the Dead Suns Adventure Path. Links for the individual threads for each part are as follows:
Incident at Absalom Station (Part 1)
Temple of the Twelve (Part 2)
Splintered Worlds (Part 3)
The Ruined Clouds (Part 4)
The Thirteenth Gate (Part 5)
Empire of Bones (Part 6)
PDF Just dropped and started reading. Do I understand correctly that if the characters fight with Rusty Rivets and disable it, they get 2400XP Then if they go to parley and kill the pirates, they get 2400XP more. If they manage to get the info before killing them they even get the 1600XP award for that, so violence and threats can, in best case scenario, award 6600XP?
But, if they diplomatically persuade them to talk, and get the info without any violence, they only get the 1600XP story award? Somehow this does not make sense to me, violent approach gets them 2x-4x more XP?
Gonna start running the book tomorrow (in 19 hours) so have to be quick with my questions :)
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PDF Just dropped and started reading. Do I understand correctly that if the characters fight with Rusty Rivets and disable it, they get 2400XP Then if they go to parley and kill the pirates, they get 2400XP more. If they manage to get the info before killing them they even get the 1600XP award for that, so violence and threats can, in best case scenario, award 6600XP?
But, if they diplomatically persuade them to talk, and get the info without any violence, they only get the 1600XP story award? Somehow this does not make sense to me, violent approach gets them 2x-4x more XP?
Gonna start running the book tomorrow (in 19 hours) so have to be quick with my questions :)
Typically, overcoming an enemy, regardless of means, gives you the same XP award. The encounter says that if the PCs succeed in defeating the Rusty Rivet in starship combat, the captain surrenders. Provoking them into a fight and defeating them a second time shouldn't yield additional XP.
So, defeating the ship/crew in combat or through social skill use generates the same award 2,400 XP. If they manage to do it without fighting them in tactical combat, they gain an additional 1,600 XP story award.
That's how I'd rule it, anyway.
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Typically, overcoming an enemy, regardless of means, gives you the same XP award. The encounter says that if the PCs succeed in defeating the Rusty Rivet in starship combat, the captain surrenders. Provoking them into a fight and defeating them a second time shouldn't yield additional XP.So, defeating the ship/crew in combat or through social skill use generates the same award 2,400 XP. If they manage to do it without fighting them in tactical combat, they gain an additional 1,600 XP story award.
That's how I'd rule it, anyway.
Yeah, this is how I usually play these also and how I'm going to play it here, but the wording made me wonder how it was intended to go. Personally I like it if the players can find a way to avoid solving everything with guns and try to make it as rewarding as the other option somehow, even though diplomacy often means no loot :P
Thanks for starting these, Rysky!
Np ^w^
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Yeah, this is how I usually play these also and how I'm going to play it here, but the wording made me wonder how it was intended to go. Personally I like it if the players can find a way to avoid solving everything with guns and try to make it as rewarding as the other option somehow, even though diplomacy often means no loot :P
Typically, overcoming an enemy, regardless of means, gives you the same XP award. The encounter says that if the PCs succeed in defeating the Rusty Rivet in starship combat, the captain surrenders. Provoking them into a fight and defeating them a second time shouldn't yield additional XP.So, defeating the ship/crew in combat or through social skill use generates the same award 2,400 XP. If they manage to do it without fighting them in tactical combat, they gain an additional 1,600 XP story award.
That's how I'd rule it, anyway.
In some campaigns, I discourage looting by making it clear up front that compensation will be provided in other ways, either through treasure found elsewhere or via other material rewards.
If I'm not doing that, and I'm running a published adventure, I make sure to keep track of the items that the PCs would have received if they'd looted their defeated enemies, then put that equipment or things of similar value elsewhere, just to make sure they aren't falling behind the expected power curve.
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The 3rd book doesn't tell us why Commander Eskolar was on the Acreon in book 1. There's no mention in this book about the "Eskolar situation" being used later in the campaign, either, which means I don't know whether it's okay to make up my own reason for her presence there, or if it will be revealed (and be important) later in the story.
It seems to me that there are really only two option categories that matter: she's either working against the Corpse Fleet (defecting/spying/whatever) or she's working with the Corpse Fleet (which means Ambassador Nor is helping the Corpse Fleet, intentionally or otherwise). It would be really helpful to know which of those two is the real situation. It would be equally helpful to know that such details are not part of any future elements in the Dead Suns campaign, so GMs can come up with their own answers.
This is still reader interpretation, of course, but most signs point to her working against the Corpse Fleet, considering the Fleet attempts to to recover her while she is trying to get to the Embassy. But as you mentioned in the other GM Reference, something we still don't know is how the Corpse Fleet knew to find her there.
I agree, by the way, I honestly would've liked to have this information since book 1.
I kind of assumed she was defecting (or acting as a double agent) and it was put in as a red-herring. It does a good job of playing off most player feelings about undead. But it would be awesome to have an official answer (or at least a clear direction) before running.
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I kind of assumed she was defecting (or acting as a double agent) and it was put in as a red-herring. It does a good job of playing off most player feelings about undead. But it would be awesome to have an official answer (or at least a clear direction) before running.
That's my assumption, as well. The Corpse Fleet's agents could have tracked her to wherever the Acreon last put into port and deduced that she had arranged to ship herself to an Eoxian official she knew she could trust. It would also explain why she will only speak to Ambassador Nor. It's even possible that Eskolar could be supporting Nor with information that will eventually help the PCs in their mission on Eox.
Creative Director, Starfinder
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Commander Eskolar does not have any further role to play in the AP. She is included primarily to create a potential source of conflict with Ambassador Nor, which has its repercussions in this adventure (i.e., he does not inform the PCs about the nihili assassins sent after them on Eox), and to foreshadow the Corpse Fleet's involvement early in the campaign.
Commander Eskolar's fate is not predetermined in Incident at Absalom Station — some groups will take her to Nor as promised, some groups will fight and kill her, and other groups will deliver her container unopened to Nor and never even learn of her existence. As a result, what exactly she is doing on the Acreon and Absalom Station, and her further role in the AP, if any, is left to individual GMs based on what happened in their campaigns.
If she was planned to appear later in the AP, the adventures would have mentioned it so GMs could plan accordingly. Since it's not mentioned, it's up to you! (And the ideas above are all great ideas!)
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Commander Eskolar does not have any further role to play in the AP. She is included primarily to create a potential source of conflict with Ambassador Nor, which has its repercussions in this adventure (i.e., he does not inform the PCs about the nihili assassins sent after them on Eox), and to foreshadow the Corpse Fleet's involvement early in the campaign.
Commander Eskolar's fate is not predetermined in Incident at Absalom Station — some groups will take her to Nor as promised, some groups will fight and kill her, and other groups will deliver her container unopened to Nor and never even learn of her existence. As a result, what exactly she is doing on the Acreon and Absalom Station, and her further role in the AP, if any, is left to individual GMs based on what happened in their campaigns.
If she was planned to appear later in the AP, the adventures would have mentioned it so GMs could plan accordingly. Since it's not mentioned, it's up to you! (And the ideas above are all great ideas!)
Thanks very much for taking the time to answer the question for us, Rob. I had a suspicion that she was a plot device, but I didn't want to run to far with my assumptions.
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Commander Eskolar does not have any further role to play in the AP. She is included primarily to create a potential source of conflict with Ambassador Nor, which has its repercussions in this adventure (i.e., he does not inform the PCs about the nihili assassins sent after them on Eox), and to foreshadow the Corpse Fleet's involvement early in the campaign.
Commander Eskolar's fate is not predetermined in Incident at Absalom Station — some groups will take her to Nor as promised, some groups will fight and kill her, and other groups will deliver her container unopened to Nor and never even learn of her existence. As a result, what exactly she is doing on the Acreon and Absalom Station, and her further role in the AP, if any, is left to individual GMs based on what happened in their campaigns.
If she was planned to appear later in the AP, the adventures would have mentioned it so GMs could plan accordingly. Since it's not mentioned, it's up to you! (And the ideas above are all great ideas!)
Huh... Okies...
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Well, I now feel vindicated in my criticism of "how I know how I should play Ambassador Nor if I don't know his motivation" complaint when I was told "it will be told in later books, you should never run ap without all six books" xD(I do agree on that you should never run ap without all six books, but I didn't like how my criticism was just dismissed)
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seems insane to not clarify that eskolar is unimportant to the written AP until literally half of it has been published. I understand that running an AP without all of it being published has risks, but there have been multiple times in this AP where it has specifically said 'this is not part of the adventure' so that GMs could add to / ignore those sections.
I'm really enjoying Dead Suns, but wow, I feel incredibly irritated to find out that the business with Eskolar is a red herring -- it would've been laughably easy to clarify that earlier than now so that myself and other GMs could have played it appropriately.
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seems insane to not clarify that eskolar is unimportant to the written AP until literally half of it has been published. I understand that running an AP without all of it being published has risks, but there have been multiple times in this AP where it has specifically said 'this is not part of the adventure' so that GMs could add to / ignore those sections.
I'm really enjoying Dead Suns, but wow, I feel incredibly irritated to find out that the business with Eskolar is a red herring -- it would've been laughably easy to clarify that earlier than now so that myself and other GMs could have played it appropriately.
And developed their own storylines regarding Eskolar and Nor.
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Well, since there isn't anything more detailed than what we already have, anything you came up with in those first encounters should work. It's just a matter of taking those details and working them into a broader backstory. Since that situation didn't have anything at all to do with the events on Castrovel, GMs should have time to figure out how they want things to work for their campaigns before they start running Splintered Worlds.
It seems to me that, after "Splintered Worlds," any machinations within the Pact Worlds system will have minimal impact on what the PCs do. I mainly just wanted to know if there was flavor I was missing or if I was free to spice things up on my own.
Admittedly, I'm "fortunate" because my gaming group can't schedule frequent get-togethers, so things are slower for me. We finished our last sessions after the PCs blasted the mysterious Necroglider out of space and sent it crashing into the Drift Rock.
It will be interesting to see if they find Eskolar and what they do about it. They were already very dubious about taking on the task from Ambassador Nor. One PC had a bad run-in with the Corpse Fleet as part of his background, so this could go poorly for them. ;)
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I really appreciate Rob's answer to that question, as I got book three this week and immediately searched it top to bottom about his ties to the Corpse Fleet. It seems very confusing but the info that I have to go on is:
-Eskolar seems to be seeking Diplomatic Immunity
-Eskolar will not acknowledge her connection to the Embassy or C.F.
-Nor will not acknowledge ties to the C.F.
-The ship in AP Book 2 wants to recapture Eskolar.
In my mind, and more than likely how I will be representing it in story is that Nor is trying to turn an agent himself for Eox, without going through the Stewards (as is required under Eoxian law), perhaps he has Diplomatic Immunity for such sensitive intelligence work?
If the C.F. wants to recapture (as opposed to kill Eskolar) then she has information more than likely important to both parties neither has. Perhaps access codes/coordinates for derelict Eoxian ships in a hidden cache in the Diaspora? I love a good mystery, and open ended questions like that one, and the end fate of the Hardscrabble/Astral Extractions litigation I enjoy as a GM.
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Commander Eskolar does not have any further role to play in the AP...
Rob, thank you for this! I was a bit concerned myself, as my PCs are right on the cusp of finishing and dealing with the "package", so knowing that I can determine whether she is a defector or not will help greatly.
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We continued to the Star-Eaters Spine yesterday and I ran into a strange thing on the book.
Veolisks special ability Void Gaze does not specify any action needed, so according to core rules it requires a standard action. However, the effect of the gaze ends on BEGINNING of the victims next round. So basically there is no effect? Since the effect ends before the victim can do anything. And without the possibility to confuse the enemies effectively the Veolisk is not much of a threat to level 5 group I decided to run the power as a passive power that works on anyone who is actively facing the Veolisk. This made the encounter really interesting, especially when a Solarian hit a teammate for 25 damage and a few spore-effected PCs spent half of the fight gazing to the void doing pretty much nothing. They won the fight but this way it was a challenge.
Anyway, any ideas how the power SHOULD work since I could not find any reasonable answer RAW?
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If it’s a gaze I’d figure it’s always on.
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We continued to the Star-Eaters Spine yesterday and I ran into a strange thing on the book.
Veolisks special ability Void Gaze does not specify any action needed, so according to core rules it requires a standard action. However, the effect of the gaze ends on BEGINNING of the victims next round. So basically there is no effect? Since the effect ends before the victim can do anything. And without the possibility to confuse the enemies effectively the Veolisk is not much of a threat to level 5 group I decided to run the power as a passive power that works on anyone who is actively facing the Veolisk. This made the encounter really interesting, especially when a Solarian hit a teammate for 25 damage and a few spore-effected PCs spent half of the fight gazing to the void doing pretty much nothing. They won the fight but this way it was a challenge.
Anyway, any ideas how the power SHOULD work since I could not find any reasonable answer RAW?
From the Universal Creature Rules in Alien Archive (page 154):
Opponents that look at a creature with a gaze ability are in danger of being charmed, being paralyzed, being turned to stone, or suffering another negative effect. Each opponent within the gaze’s listed range must attempt a saving throw (usually Fortitude or Will) at the beginning of its turn. On a successful save, the effect is negated. An opponent can giveitself an advantage against this ability in one of two ways. [followed by rules for "Looking Obliquely" and "Blocking Its Vision"]
So, anytime a creature is within the range of the veolisk's gaze, and especially when it has to look at the veolisk to make an attack, they must begin their turn with a Will save. If they fail, they lose their action and are confused until the beginning of their next turn. At that point, if they choose to look at the veolisk again, they must make another Will save.
The standard action you mention is referring to a piece of the universal ability text that wasn't copied over from Pathfinder. In the Pathfinder rules:
A creature with a gaze attack can actively gaze as an attack action by choosing a target within range. That opponent must attempt a saving throw but can try to avoid this as described above. Thus, it is possible for an opponent to save against a creature's gaze twice during the same round, once before the opponent's action and once during the creature's turn.
So, even if a veolisk's opponent goes first and succeeds on its save at the start of its own turn, the veolisk can force the opponent to make another save during that round by taking a standard action to focus its gaze on them.
Thanks :) So I played it right thanks to my tingling common sense :)
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I am still reading through this but I like a lot of the ideas in it. The concept of artificial flesh factories to make necrografts is a nice touch to make the stuff creepy but still something other living races would not reflexively try to outlaw. Also gives a food source for ghouls and other undead without having to sacrifice living people to do it to allow them to better coexist.
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I'm surprised they haven't done more with that concept in the lore thus far, honestly. With advanced biotech and advanced nanotech, there's no reason they can't be making artificial lab/home grown meat/other food for everyone (along with the medical applications). We almost have that, now.
They did vaguely mention that some parts of the pact worlds are essentially "post scarcity" economies, though. I'm intending to run this kind of technology as a major part of that.
Quick question: Are there any new power armors added in Splintered Worlds? :)
Worth a shot, thanks again. :)
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Been running this for several sessions and next step will be the Marrowblight. However, the story simply assumes that the characters will go find her by foot. I'm fairly certain my players will start to look for a chopper/hovercar or something like that rather than walk (hell, people don't even walk today, why would they in scifi-future?) which will pretty much destroy the coming ambush. Any good ideas to either steer them to walking or getting them to understand why you can't rent a flying vehicle in a scifi-setting? :P
Another near-catastrophy came with Necrografts and the necrotic weapons, since after reading this:
Adding even a single necrograft to a living body causes the
recipient creature to gain the necrograft subtype. Abilities,
items, and spells that detect or identify undead reveal
necrografts (identifying only the augmentations as undead,
rather than the recipient creature as a whole).
Creatures with this subtype are also damaged by spells
that damage undead, and can be subjected to other undead-
specific effects. If a spell or ability that does something
other than deal damage would not normally affect such
a creature, but does affect undead, the creature can be
targeted, but it gains a bonus to its AC and saving throw
against the effect equal to 4 – the number of necrografts it
has (to a minimum bonus of +0).
The players started wondering about weapon-powered temp hitpoints since almost everyone took at least black heart and necrotic weapons say
Undead creatures targeted by a weapon with this property not only
take no damage from the cold but also gain temporary Hit
Points equal to the weapon’s item level. These temporary Hit
Points last for 10 minutes, until expended, or until the undead
gains a larger number of temporary Hit Points from a necrotic
weapon. A creature can benefit from only one source of
temporary Hit Points from a necrotic weapon at a time.
But since the text points that items can detect necrografts but only spells and abilities are said to affect them otherwise. At least I decided to rule it like this until otherwise stated somewhere :)
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Oh, and one more thing: The loot in Star-Eaters Spine in area B6b has a pair of injection gloves that I could not find from the books either by hand or by PDF search. Only similiar thing that came to mind were the Painclaws in AP2. Since those were devourer-specific it seems logical that these are the ones you find, any comments or ideas on this one?
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However, the story simply assumes that the characters will go find her by foot. I'm fairly certain my players will start to look for a chopper/hovercar or something like that rather than walk (hell, people don't even walk today, why would they in scifi-future?) which will pretty much destroy the coming ambush. Any good ideas to either steer them to walking or getting them to understand why you can't rent a flying vehicle in a scifi-setting? :P
The continent in question is a heavily regulated and protected wilderness environment. It's explained on page 14 under section 2. You can't even go to the continent without prior authorization and all flights (other than those of governmental agents) are forbidden.
Another near-catastrophy came with Necrografts
I think your players are reading the necrograft section backwards. I read the part about other affects only happening if the effect doesn't normally deal damage, but that's just me.
Oh, and one more thing: The loot in Star-Eaters Spine in area B6b has a pair of injection gloves that I could not find from the books either by hand or by PDF search. Only similiar thing that came to mind were the Painclaws in AP2. Since those were devourer-specific it seems logical that these are the ones you find, any comments or ideas on this one?
I'm not sure of the page number in the CRB, as I'm AFB, but I found it in the SRD.
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However, the story simply assumes that the characters will go find her by foot. I'm fairly certain my players will start to look for a chopper/hovercar or something like that rather than walk (hell, people don't even walk today, why would they in scifi-future?) which will pretty much destroy the coming ambush. Any good ideas to either steer them to walking or getting them to understand why you can't rent a flying vehicle in a scifi-setting? :PThe continent in question is a heavily regulated and protected wilderness environment. It's explained on page 14 under section 2. You can't even go to the continent without prior authorization and all flights (other than those of governmental agents) are forbidden.
I think you're confusing this with Temple of Twelve. The book simply says that the area with the Marrowblight is outside the environmental dome.
If my players wanted to take a sealed air transport to the Marrowblight's area, I would let them. And on their return, over Skullcap Gorge, anti-air fire drives them to the ground. Perhaps the Corpse Fleet has a few Surface to Air missiles? It's "rail-roady" but it doesn't negate player choice entirely, and creates kind of a neat scene as they are crashing, trying to get on protective gear, etc.
IF they didn't bring protective gear, this could be a TPK, however.
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So I'm a bit mixed on the Eox section of Splintered Worlds. Eox has a sufficiently creepy vibe for an undead world; the juxtaposition of "civilized life" laid over meat-growing factories and workers slaving for a promise of being made undead is what Starfinder should be.
The rest of the section assumes too much, however. The Corpse Fleet's plan relies on too much convenience and I suspect my players will take different routes (one poster already commented that his party will fly when the adventure assumes they'll walk). This is a mystery section in which players - and NPCs - may act in unusual ways.
So I'm going to rework the adventure a bit to free up the players. The Corpse Fleet actors may not strike as described in the book - instead they'll gauge and observe the players and strike when they're vulnerable.
Step 1 is to bolster the Corpse Fleet goal. Zeera Vesh isn't there just to kill the PCs, she's also working to recruit new talent. Nejeor shows up several more times (not just on her computer, but on information given to recruits for a rallying point). She tends to meet with recruits at Skullcap Gorge. The clues left for the PCs are less intentional and more the result of active recruiting.
It also gives Waneda Trux a bit more to do. She's actively sitting on a Corpse Fleet recruiting operation. Whether she does anything with it is up to her.
Vesh hopes to lure the PCs to the Marrowblight's lair. If that doesn't work she'll step in directly. Alternatively, the PCs might confront her at Skullcap Gorge if they can piece together that's where she's operating. Or they may track her down elsewhere. I think regardless, it will be a satisfying conclusion.
Overall, my goal is twofold: Make the clues pointing to a Corpse Fleet action at Nejeor more robust, and make the Corpse Fleet feel like a much more active and connected enemy. It is my hope that this will bolster further books
I have another question for those who have run the adventure about a particular combat.
Why would Xerantha sit inside her shack while Trampleram engages the PCs? I think she'd wait until Trampleram either ambushes or engages them, then try to flank and kill the PCs. Is there a reason she wouldn't?
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I think you're confusing this with Temple of Twelve. The book simply says that the area with the Marrowblight is outside the environmental dome.
You're right, sorry about that. Thank you for correcting me.
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So I'm a bit mixed on the Eox section of Splintered Worlds. Eox has a sufficiently creepy vibe for an undead world; the juxtaposition of "civilized life" laid over meat-growing factories and workers slaving for a promise of being made undead is what Starfinder should be.
** spoiler omitted **
Just a heads up, so you know:
But its really up to you, since its your campaign!
Thanks for all, this forum is great extra pair of eyes for the blind gm :D
The anti-aircraft -missiles were a good idea, last night ended with a cliffhanger as the PCs, their undead Dopinder -taxidriver and the unconscious marrowblight in the trunk of a hovertaxi were shot down and came crashing to the Gorge before the end battle :)
The encounter with the Ellicoth was great, finally an encounter that got the characters scared for their lives, two of them actually had to stabilize and get up using resolve as the beast beat them down. They won and no-one died but still, finally a worthy foe :)
There are a few funny moments here, mostly we were wondering about the 50 foot tall Ellicoth HIDING behind the hut. Also the characters were wondering about a career change if a meat brewer can afford to use 2500 credit grenades to get meat off the vats and even give away 3 of them :D
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Quick question: Are there any new power armors added in Splintered Worlds? :)
There was one new light armor type one new heavy armor type and some necro cryo weapons and a couple melee weapons.
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Been running this for several sessions and next step will be the Marrowblight. However, the story simply assumes that the characters will go find her by foot. I'm fairly certain my players will start to look for a chopper/hovercar or something like that rather than walk (hell, people don't even walk today, why would they in scifi-future?) which will pretty much destroy the coming ambush. Any good ideas to either steer them to walking or getting them to understand why you can't rent a flying vehicle in a scifi-setting? :P
Another near-catastrophy came with Necrografts and the necrotic weapons, since after reading this:
Adding even a single necrograft to a living body causes the
recipient creature to gain the necrograft subtype. Abilities,
items, and spells that detect or identify undead reveal
necrografts (identifying only the augmentations as undead,
rather than the recipient creature as a whole).
Creatures with this subtype are also damaged by spells
that damage undead, and can be subjected to other undead-
specific effects. If a spell or ability that does something
other than deal damage would not normally affect such
a creature, but does affect undead, the creature can be
targeted, but it gains a bonus to its AC and saving throw
against the effect equal to 4 – the number of necrografts it
has (to a minimum bonus of +0).The players started wondering about weapon-powered temp hitpoints since almost everyone took at least black heart and necrotic weapons say
...Undead creatures targeted by a weapon with this property not only
take no damage from the cold but also gain temporary Hit
Points equal to the weapon’s item level. These temporary Hit
Points last for 10 minutes, until expended, or until the undead
gains a larger number of temporary Hit Points from a necrotic
weapon. A creature can benefit from only one source of
temporary Hit Points from a necrotic
This is one that had me raising an eyebrow as well. In theory it should work although to gain the temporary HP but the necrograft subtype does not give you the undead immunities so I believe you would still take full damage from the necrotic weapon. They may also be required to make their save roll to see if the temporary HP boost affects them.
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So I'm a bit mixed on the Eox section of Splintered Worlds. Eox has a sufficiently creepy vibe for an undead world; the juxtaposition of "civilized life" laid over meat-growing factories and workers slaving for a promise of being made undead is what Starfinder should be.
** spoiler omitted **
Just a heads up, so you know:
** spoiler omitted **
Thanks for the heads up!
I see now the note in Incident at Absalom station about the party being tracked in book 5. I appreciate it's my campaign, but you good Paizo folk have put a lot more thought into the story than I have, and I don't want to be changing major beats.
Thinking about it more, my concern is that (1) Nejeor is a clue the party might potentially miss and (2) it's a bit of a tenuous connection to the Corpse Fleet and the Cult of the Devourer. Having played a few sessions, my party loots computers like Pathfinders loot treasure chests, so the first concern is mitigated. The second concern could be addressed by having a few more notes in later encounters regarding the Corpse Fleet monitoring the Cult of the Devourer, and seeing reference to Nejeor in various communications. That way it adheres to the story as written and builds up Nejeor as a hook.
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So I'm a bit mixed on the Eox section of Splintered Worlds. Eox has a sufficiently creepy vibe for an undead world; the juxtaposition of "civilized life" laid over meat-growing factories and workers slaving for a promise of being made undead is what Starfinder should be.
** spoiler omitted **
Just a heads up, so you know:
** spoiler omitted **Thanks for the heads up!
** spoiler omitted **
Sounds great! You know your players better than me, of course! Whatever works to move your campaign along.
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There seems to be quite lot of genuine railroading in this ap ._. "Oh, player's disable Ambassador's camera? Well he had other methods to film pcs". What if party decides to check their ship for bugs regularly?
In my game, one of my players handed me this quite nicely -- he works for Ambassador Nor. :)
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While commuting to work this morning one more thing came to mind for the GMs to think before running:
We handled this through the ministry since they got a warning from there which also made it look better for the characters. But if they were not at good terms with Nor this would really seem like a double homicide to me. Too bad there are no indications on Eoxian laws on the Eox-section in the book.
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There seems to be quite lot of genuine railroading in this ap ._. "Oh, player's disable Ambassador's camera? Well he had other methods to film pcs". What if party decides to check their ship for bugs regularly?
The Eoxian involvement in Book 1 and Book 3 does have too much fait accompli for my taste.
My solution is, as discussed above, to say that the Corpse Fleet is also monitoring the Cult of the Devourer, which is less careful in checking. If the PCs block the Ambassador, or find the tracking device, they might get the drop on the Corpse Fleet, but it won't disrupt the major story beats.
Overall, I've been very pleased with the variety of options in roleplaying and scenarios available to the PCs. With a few certain exceptions, the clues to and avenues for players success seem varied.
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Also the characters were wondering about a career change if a meat brewer can afford to use 2500 credit grenades to get meat off the vats and even give away 3 of them :D
Food's a lucrative business, even to undead!
That being said, with your note, I may change those to "Industrial Grade Vat Cleaners" that just happen to act as grenades, so my players don't change professions mid-AP.
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I fear I am plunging into a topic here which does not appear to be covered... but I am having a great deal of difficulty with the description of the surface of this asteroid. Just because we are playing a Science Fantasy game does not mean that the most basic of physics wholly vanishes. My trigger limit for verisimilitude is clearly lower than perhaps other posters' here.
We have an asteroid barely a mile in diameter, and it has a thin atmosphere? No. No it doesn't. And in the asteroid belt -- the Diaspora -- the surface of this asteroid is NOT going to feature a liquid pool of anything; it is an iceball. No, skeletons on the surface are not going to rot -- but they *will* freeze dry and dessicate, so that's not just similar -- it's *cooler*. Sometimes, science leads to more interesting things!
Anyway, these issues became such a distraction that I had difficulty reading the main narrative. I was simply too distracted by the impossible premise.
Pocket planes are one thing; but a small asteroid needs to at least attempt to BE a small asteroid.