November is upon us again, which means it's time to release a new evergreen mission for the latest crop of wide-eyed Pathfinder Society agents. These low-level, replayable scenarios are designed for new players and veteran players alike. For new players, they include context and pointers for the PCs on a level that would feel out of place in a 1-5 scenario, with 5th level characters receiving advice meant for trainees. They are evergreen, tied to the Pathfinder Society's mission as a whole, so they stay relevant and focus on the information that is useful background regardless of the season. For our most prolific players, replayable scenarios are a way to bring characters through level 1 without expending the limited resource of scenarios they have not yet played. We expect that some people will play an evergreen scenario many times, and so it's important that we make sure that the scenario has surprises in store for people on their 5th playthrough. The replayable scenarios have randomized elements and other GM options to introduce variety and support multiple approaches that the PCs might take. With each replayable scenario (including this month's new release), we've increased the number of ways that the GM and players can customize their experience. My favorite part of evergreen scenarios is the way that they bring new players and experienced players together. Anyone can grab a first level pregen, pull up a chair, and join in.
People often ask how the "replayable" part of replayable scenarios works. If you were wondering that too, check out the spoiler below.
A player can play a replayable scenario an unlimited number of times with 1st-level characters, and once with a 2nd-level character. Similarly, a GM can apply credit for a running a replayable scenario multiple times to as many of her 1st-level characters as she likes, and she can apply credit to a 2nd-level character once.
Our first replayable scenarios were the scenarios of the First Steps trilogy. With the shake-ups to the factions that have happened since then, the First Steps trilogy became a bit dated, and there was widespread sentiment that three scenarios was a bit long for our spotlight introduction to the game. That being said, we have heard the feedback that people would like to see First Steps Parts 2 and 3 unretired, and we are looking into that idea as a team.
Two years ago, we released The Confirmation, a mission that takes trainee Pathfinders out of the heart of Absalom on a journey to prove themselves that is far too dangerous for one agent to handle alone. The following year, we released a new 1-2 evergreen scenario, The Wounded Wisp. In the Wounded Wisp, the PCs travel all over Absalom to unlock a mystery from the Society's earliest years. In the process, they uncover information that is particularly relevant to a story arc in Season 6.
The update is to the secret journals that the PCs uncover at the end of the adventure, which reveals some of the secrets of an upcoming Season 7 scenario. We know that some people may prefer to use the existing handout to foreshadow events in Season 6, so rather than replacing the handout in the scenario itself, we've added a new file to the scenario download that includes both the Season 6 information and the Season 7 information. We will be updating this handout each season with more secrets for your beginning Pathfinders to discover.
This month's new evergreen, the The Consortium Compact, pits the PCs against one of the Society's time-honored rivals—the Aspis Consortium. With the help of insider information, the PCs have the chance to pull the rug out from under the Aspis and stop them from carrying out a reprehensible plot.
In the comments below, tell us about your favorite first introduction of a new character to the Pathfinder Society! Be sure to include spoiler tags as needed.
Linda Zayas-Palmer
Assistant Developer
