The relatively new Campaign Cards sets from the Pathfinder Cards line include quest cards, which tie directly into the corresponding adventure. So far we've seen Pathfinder Cards: The Dragon's Demand Campaign Cards, which tied in to Pathfinder Module: The Dragon's Demand, and Pathfinder Cards: Wardens of the Reborn Forge Campaign Cards to complement Wardens of the Reborn Forge. We're also going to have sets for the upcoming RPG Superstar module Tears at Bitter Manor, and the hardcovers super dungeon The Emerald Spire!
But if you haven't used the Campaign Cards before, you might be unfamiliar with how the quests and quest cards work. Well, the quests are built to provide more XP to PCs and give them clear goals they can choose to pursue (or not), and they appear in several places in the text.
First off, each module has a list of quests at the start of the book. Let's take a look at an example from Wardens of the Reborn Forge! I've trimmed out some of the text so you won't get spoiled on the adventure's plot, but rest assure the quest list contains all the salient details for the GM.
3. Sabotage!: Acquired: Adventure's start. Quest: Uncover [REDACTED]'s role in sabotaging the Brass Guardians in areas [REDACTED]. Reward: 51,200 XP.
This entry shows when the PCs acquire the quest in the adventure, what they need to do to complete it, and the reward they earn. Often, this reward includes items or gold in addition to an XP story award. The "acquired" entry also shows when the PCs get the corresponding quest card from the Campaign Cards set. Of course, you can have them write it down or make your own cards, but the cards are probably going to look a little cooler than your index card.
Illustration by Matthew Starbuck
The players hold on to this card, which conveniently summarizes the quest's requirements—without spoilers—until they complete it. Each card is fully illustrated and has a summary, but includes none of the reward information the GM knows (though some quests involve an NPC revealing the amount of the reward up front and that sort of thing). The back has plenty of space for taking notes, with a wider note box than you'd see on an item or face card.
The final part of the quest is the story award for completing it. This appears in the section where the PCs get the information they're looking for, defeat the enemy they've been tasked with taking down, or the like. For instance, here's one tied to the quest above. The text appears in the adventure location that's cut out of the quest text above.
Story Award: If the PCs uncover [REDACTED]'s role in the reprogramming of Alkenstar's Brass Guardians, award them 51,200 XP.
And that wraps up the quest! The selection of quests can include both long-reaching quests that take pretty much the entire adventure to complete, or ones that can be acquired and completed within the span of one session. Hope you enjoyed this rundown of how these cards work, and may you complete all your quests!
Logan Bonner
Developer
