A Pathfinder Society Scenario designed for levels 5–8 (subtiers 5–6 and 7–8).
In the depths of Ustalav, a nefarious doctor conducts foul experiments on creatures both living and dead from his stolen abode in an ancient keep. Now, the parliament of citizens who own the land the keep is built on wish to be free of the grim shadow that waits just beyond their doorstep, and they've offered the Pathfinder Society the ancient library in the keep's vaults as payments for removing its current occupant. Will the Pathfinders liberate the keep and protect the townsfolk from the terrors lurking within its corridors, or will they join the ranks of the undead dancing to Dr. Velshen's grim symphony?
Written by: Eleanor Ferron
Scenario tags: Grand Archive
[Scenario Maps spoiler - click to reveal]
The following maps used in this scenario are also available for purchase here on paizo.com:
Symphony is a combat scenario with several unique and gimmicky combat encounters.
I want to like Symphony, but I found that the scenario lacked story, there was no roleplay, and that made it bland and flavorless. Our mission is to "search and destroy" whatever exists in the fortress. We didn't know what was there, so we had combat without knowing who or what we were destroying. The combat encounters could be too tough for some groups.
I don’t believe too many groups will be solving the puzzle, and quite frankly GMs don’t give you enough time to do so, or a hint.
Several treasure bundles were behind skill checks, and some of the skill checks needed a master level in the skill, which was only available to a few classes. Technically, quite a few groups should not be gaining maximum treasure bundles.
”Detailed rating”:
Length: Medium (4 hours).
Experience: Player at subtier 7-8 (20 challenge points).
Sweet Spot: ?. I read that subtier 7-8 is more challenging.
Entertainment: Combat encounters without context. (5/10)
Story: The story was never explained to the players. Maybe the story was better for the GM? (3/10)
Roleplay: None. Some exposition from the boss? (2/10)
Combat/Challenges: Unique. The puzzles had thought behind it as well. (9/10)
Maps: Good use of flip maps. (7/10)
Boons: Maybe too good IMO, although only hardcore players will know how to access it. (10/10)
Uniqueness: The combat encounters were unusual. (8/10)
GM Preparation: TBD.
Overall: Unique and tough combat encounters with minimal story. (7/10)
Overall a solid scenario and one I'd recommend most players find time for.
The boss fight in particular is a standout, though it does have a couple things I'd nitpick.
Spoiler:
A haunt activating with the boss fight is... potentially really, really bad. Haunts are not nice. Not sure if this is just how it was run though, considering point 2.
Sanctuary is a bit of tricky spell - though I think this is more a lack of an explicit "this is the definition of a hostile action", and I think this definitely ends up more an issue of how it was run vs written for my experience. But why sanctuary is on an enemy who is going to take hostile action every turn once people get anywhere near him confuses me.
Now, that aside? The dancing zombies are great. I absolutely love the mechanic of them all stepping in sync. I also like how their size works against them here - it's easy for them PCs to be in the entryway where they end up with a couple unable to fit in. And too dumb to do anything about it. I like the pipe organ being weaponized against the party (the free action may have been too much).
But despite the issues, it's definitely something to point to as an example of strong encounter design.
Written by society veteran Eleanor Ferron, Grim Symphony is an amusing and odd, yet paradoxically straightforward, adventure. Set in Ustalav, Grim Symphony is fully aware of its gothic horror themes, but eschews the horror in favor of a more whimsical tone. You could also call it gothic comedy, if such a thing existed, since the adventure thrives not on a sense of foreboding, but strangeness. Whereas other authors might have channeled horror classics such as Dracula or Frankenstein, Ferron instead invokes Young Frankenstein--right down to a not-so-subtle Igor (pronounced “Eye-gore”) reference.
Grim Symphony’s strength lies in its creative writing and interesting encounter design. While the scenario does not offer much in the way of skill challenges or extensive roleplaying, it does provide a variety of interesting combats that are as much a puzzle as a swordfight. Each combat has its own unique hazards and dangers in addition to enemy combatants that must be addressed, making for a series of engaging set pieces that really emphasize the weird science of the scenario.
Each set piece by itself is creative and unique. When played together, however, often with little buffer in-between, the emerging story becomes repetitive. Fight the monster, deal with the trap, find the door to the next zone, repeat. The adventure settles into a gameplay loop which is ill-suited to the collaborative storytelling exercise that is tabletop roleplaying, and could have benefited from a little more diversity between its scenes.
If there is a word to describe Grim Symphony, it’s “clever.” The setting, likely inspired by the Winchester Mansion, is clever. The encounter designs, with their strange hazards and colorful characters and tactics, is also clever. The puzzles, some of which hide treasure bundles, are clever as well (and let you earn rewards through cleverness alone). The trouble is, because the scenario is clever all the time, it is also predictable.
Overall, Grim Symphony is a fun, if somewhat repetitive, scenario that presents a refreshing take on a popular fantasy adventure archetype. The expertise of both the designer and the author is on full display here, and the overall experience is certain to leave a lasting impression on most players. I would definitely recommend playing it.
specific critique:
With regards to encounter design, I have a specific gripe: The final boss’s free action to play the pipe organ, while producing an interesting combat mechanic, feels a bit too efficient. I would have much preferred the villain either use the organ or cast his spells, as the ability to make both a discordant blast and cast a damaging attack spell can be extraordinarily punishing. I would avoid giving boss enemies too many actions in the future, especially since he has so many minions accompanying him.
This scenario had reasonably challenging fights, with a very exciting and deadly fight at the end. They were interesting – with tactical possibilities and decisions there to be exploited, which is always an improvement over “I try to hit, I roll damage, lather, rinse, repeat.”
The tone was beautiful. I find that RPGs aren't the medium for horror – but they can convey gothic tone. And this scenario did so.
It is uncommon, but players have access due to being a member of the Pathfinder Society. And since it is a level 5-8 scenario and the item is level 6, we already have access to the item anyway. It should have not been written in at all, or it should have been given out early so the players could use it, or it should have been added to the chronicle at a slightly reduced price to reflect it being an awarded "prize" from a Venture-Captain for having done such a great service. As written, it serves no purpose.
