DM B's PbP GD5 "Serpents' Ire" (Inactive)

Game Master Beckett

Very interesting flow here. I think that it would be especially interesting at a face to face game, and I like the new take on the aspis infighting. I think that you did a good job bringing the adventure to life, despite the many hurdles faced by this gameday as a whole, and hectic schedules around the table.

Agreed. I really enjoyed it though. Made me want to make a wizard lol

-Posted with Wayfinder

Sandbox type games just don't seem to lend themselves well to PbP so the beginning was a bit all over the place. I would have loved to know more about the experiments and labs, that stuff is always really interesting to me.

I think that's my biggest issue with this one. The entire first part took up over 1/3 of the gaming material in the scenario, and in a lot of ways felt very needless. I also thought it was very poor writing to leave all of the finding essentially unknown, (I really don't even know what you found outside of a secret hidden lab that's experimenting on/with Aliens and Dark Tapestry stuff, all of which I already new from other scenarios). When I say that, it essentially amounts to you finding a bunch of test tubes and research, and also fighting uncommon monsters. I think this could have been handled a lot better.

In part it's because of the nature of PbP, but the other part was that I think that stuff was just far too long for far too little. Half the sites don't even really have anything of value, but partially because it's random and partially because info is literally all over the place, it's difficult to tell just what is where, and there is a hidden mechanic for Evidence Points, (rather than actually finding things).

You all where rolling so well, though, getting Evidence points and minimum "alarm" points, I just decided to skip the last few and move on. All in all I felt this was basically too easy for the players, although on my side it might have been the most extra work and keeping various things in mind I've ever run. Way beyond even the timed special. After actually making it into the house, there are a total of 5 non-optional combats, and I really don't see how anyone could make it through this in a six hour block even face to face. Especially as at least two of them are designed to lock up combat for at least a few rounds (sleep, fog, stuns, etc. . .) And on top of all that, you are playing characters you are not familiar with.

One thing I'm disappointed we didn't get to is that one of the character's secret missions was to essentially say the code phrase that unlocks Zurnzal's Manchurian candidate killing machine behavior and then set him loose.

Zurznals Manchurian Candidate killing machine?? WTH?? Lol.. As his player, may I ask what exactly that is? There was nothing in the character sheet about that! It made a big deal about wanting glory and honor for himself and redemption for getting snookered into the attack on the grand lodge, but nothing led me to believe he would be a "killing machine".

Oh, sorry. It was Falth and not Zurnzal.

There is also another handout we didn't get to;

Experiment #44: Records show this test subject was a tiefling kidnapped from Korvosa. All attempts to “improve” him resulted in terrible complications and fits of screaming. Even psychological treatments appear fruitless, despite hypnotherapy and contingent compliance treatments. #44 escaped following an altercation that left three researchers dead, and he is presumed dead or insane.
Experiment #316: The neh-thalggu is reported understandably upset at initial attempts to extract the brains stored in its body, and its attempts to resist experimentation resulted in more secure confinement. These brains appear to be from a variety of humanoid creatures, but attempts to extract the organs’ stored secrets have been fruitless. The aberration is scheduled for further extractions in one month’s time.
Experiment #322: A report notes that this elf is of particular value due to her inherent connection to cosmic forces, which allowed researchers to begin experimentation immediately. Professor Kramolag took a special interest in the subject and ordered her moved from Slumbersun to the Wingless Rock facility for further training. Initial tests to assess whether the subject’s power is derived from a conventional deity such as Desna or a more esoteric force are inconclusive.
Liavara Project Update: An update notes that the test subjects in this procedure are experiencing increasingly powerful nightmares and that the alchemical preservation techniques allow the nightmares to manifest in the flesh with increasing stability. The adjacent Arkanen Lab is now complete, allowing the creation of even larger creatures.
Formal Reprimand: Lead researcher Kar Zaweeb wrote an official reprimand to his subordinates, insisting that the halfling Joliryn is not authorized to torment test subjects; those involved in Project Liavara have manifested her as their greatest source of fear, much to Zaweeb’s displeasure. He instructs all staff to be firmer with the halfling and report any further incidents of her trying to cut employees.
Serum 16 continues to prove ineffective—not because the formula is flawed but because the test subjects are. Their imperfect immune systems are unable to weather the side effects, causing side effects so severe that they might as well be considered lethal. As you directed, I have continued trials nonetheless. As I hypothesized, the utterly mundane subjects exhibited signs of enhanced cognitive abilities, heightened strength, and other beneficial mutations, but the patients quickly succumbed to complications. I insist we not continue these trials until we have a truly powerful patient who can survive the process. Please provide us additional resources to track down such a subject, and we’ll prove Serum 16’s potential.

=======

Doctor Zaweeb,
We have completed the procedure to subdue Experiment #44 and disable his supernatural outbursts. Initial tests have proven catastrophic; when the trigger phrase is spoken aloud, instead of becoming compliant, he simply begins speaking in tongues, spitting lightning, and snapping his metal restraints. #44 is still valuable for parts and live cultures, so I propose we perform surgery soon to ensure his permanent docility. If you wish to see his response for yourself, do so at your own risk. The trigger phrase is “Thrice sworn by Aroden’s mercy.”
Special: You now know that the tiefling Falth carries a subliminal directive triggered by the code phrase above. If Eramay speaks this code phrase when Falth can hear it, he enters a state of furious destruction for 3 rounds—give the player this handout for reference at that time. His deadly weather domain ability is automatically triggered, and all critical threats in this area are automatically confirmed. Once during this period, Falth can cast shatter (CL 8th, DC 15) as a move action. At the end of this period, these effects and any active judgment he has immediately end.

Ok lol cool! It does make a bit more sense that we walked into an experimental lab, but until your posts here, I really had no idea what was going on.

Basically, (and this might be because I knew stuff from other scenarios), you where "hired" by the Aspis Consortium to go look into the happenings at this Aspis stronghold. How much your employer new and didn't tell you is unclear, but from the way it's presented here, the Aspis has recently found out that they had a Shadow Lodge like secret group working with, but against them (Conference Z), and believed that this plantation held more secrets than they where letting the Aspis Consortium know.

No one really knew what was there, or that there was an entire secret lab hidden well beneath the surface, and the first part is all about collecting clues that lead to it. It's not until page 14 of 30 that you even get into the labs, though. I didn't want to leave everyone clueless though, so I tried to copy most of the relevant information into that last post, (the player's really don't find out a whole lot, it's just not revealed). Instead you just rack up a lot of possible evidence points, which is then basically collected and taken from you before you get a chance to really look into it.

I wonder if this was originally two separate scenarios that got mushed together?

Hmm.. You know, that idea seems like it would hold merit. You could really do a lot if you broke this into two parts or elongated it into a full mod even: infiltration into the camp for part one, and then the lab for part two.
As it is, I agree.. it may go better in face to face, but it still seemed kind of disjointed. I really appreciate all the background info! It does answer a lot of questions and tie up some threads, even if it is OOC post game.

No problem. I've always hated how PFS has handled their seasonal plots. After spending a great deal of time finding and securing Janderhoff, I have no idea what ever happened to or with it. I only recently found out about the Sky Key's relevance. Not sure what happened with the whole Lassala Cult and the various Rune items. They all just kind of became yesterday's news after being on the front page. And while this isn't really the end of the arch, it leads up to it in an odd way.

Anyone else have hidden missions? Shohiraj had a minor one of finding enough evidence to get her a job with the Pathfinders. She was essentially trying to switch sides.

Everyone had their own little side missions and extra sides to the events.

Feel free to share if you want. If I remember correctly, Shohiraj had to secretely make a copy of some of the documents, (which I'd planned on handling off screen if we got further).

Zurznal's only extra focus was all about regaining honor and fame. There was not a specific "look for this" or "do that" it was all about feeling like he had received the short end of the stick all of his life, and he needed the recognition to feel complete I guess. The description even goes out of the way to describe his kind heart and selfless deeds to his community, but he was never looked at as more than a contained monster.

I'm clearly dense. I knew I needed to keep an eye on Falth, but had no idea I could turn him into a weapon. Unless the code phrase was "catch fire or vomit frogs", I can't see what it might have been.

I don't like that part of some PFS scenarios. There's some important piece that you just won't get if the GM doesn't point it out more specifically than the scenario calls for.

You did a great job GM, and I enjoyed playing with you all very much. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to turn on a killing machine. That would have been fun.

Being a killing machine would have been a surprise for me too! The first handout talks about being mistreated by researchers, but the whole Manchurian thing was not included (and rightfully so). That would have been quite the twist XD seems perfect for this kind of scenario.