I played this scenario recently despite all the negative reviews I had read beforehand — and honestly, I wish I hadn’t ignored them. Let me explain why (Spoilers Ahead).
The premise is shaky from the very start. You're sent on a mission to steal from a woman who hasn’t actually committed any proven crime, beyond a vague accusation of attempted theft and conspiracy. No real context, no moral clarity — just "go rob this person." For a Pathfinder Society mission, which is supposed to hold its agents to ethical standards, this immediately felt off.
The adventure begins with what seems like a good idea: a choice between two paths — one combat-focused, one skill-based. However, the skill path features a hazard that makes four area attacks per round. That’s extremely dangerous if players roll poorly on initiative or if the encounter drags on.
Once inside the mansion, you expect to find creatures who are supposedly trying to remain unnoticed or on watch... but they’re either partying or sleeping openly. Worse still, when you try to interact with them, they're immediately hostile. There’s no room for negotiation, diplomacy, or creative solutions — just forced combat. Another missed opportunity for interesting roleplay.
The design of the map adds to the confusion. There's only one real way forward in terms of advancing the plot, but other paths are left open without any clear restriction, which feels misleading. On top of that, the map itself doesn’t match the written descriptions, making it frustrating to navigate or run.
Once you murder the party guys and explore the next room, a teleport trap sprungs. This drops players into a tight room with four statues. The floor itself becomes a hazard that attacks you every time you touch it — but what if you fly? At levels 7–10, that’s a completely reasonable approach, and it essentially skips the entire encounter. On the other hand, if you don’t skip it, one of the statues can blind you indefinitely — the adventure literally forgets to include a duration.
Another room that’s described with potential ends up boiling down to robbing or attacking sleeping people — again, not exactly in line with the Society’s moral compass. There's even a dreamlike room full of illusionary smoke that could have made for a great sensory exploration or roleplay scene. Instead, it just hands out status penalties — minor if you leave quickly, but devastating if you stay longer. Of course the adventure requires players to spend time there searching for clues on, almost guaranteeing that they leave with Drained 4, a brutal condition.
Speaking of clues — in the mansion's library, there's a locked cabinet that requires a check far too high for the party level. What’s inside? Not evidence — just the owner’s personal belongings. So once again, you're encouraged to steal for no real reason. And if you decide not to rob her? You get fewer Treasure Bundles at the end.
As a final cherry on top, many of the enemies are weak to Holy damage... but they don’t have the Unholy trait, which goes against how post-remaster rules are supposed to work. It feels like the author either didn’t keep up with current rules, or blatantly ignored them.
This scenario had potential — a morally gray mission, an eerie dreamlike mansion, strange magical creatures — but it squanders all of it. There’s no room for player agency, no reward for creative thinking or ethical behavior, and multiple design decisions that feel rushed or outright broken.
Play this only if you’re a completionist, or if you want to see just how bad a Pathfinder Society scenario can get.
