To banish the monstrous shadows that stalk Westcrown by night, the PCs go undercover, joining the city’s chaotic theatrical community in an elaborate plot to infiltrate the estate of the decadent lord-mayor. Yet theater life turns deadly when they become players in a spectacle no actor has ever survived. Can the PCs endure their debut performance in a city where an actor’s first big hit is often his last?
This volume of Pathfinder Adventure Path continues the Council of Thieves Adventure Path, and includes:
"The Sixfold Trial," a Pathfinder RPG adventure for 3rd-level characters, by Richard Pett
The Six Trials of Larazod, the complete and unabridged text of that infamously deadly play, by Nicolas Logue
An exploration of the faith of Iomedae the Inheritor, goddess of valor, by Sean K Reynolds
Pathfinder Varian Jeggare investigating death among the aristocracy in the Pathfinder’s Journal, by Dave Gross
Six new monsters by Darrin Drader, David Eitelbach, Sean K Reynolds, and F. Wesley Schneider
A Pathfinder Roleplaying Game adventure for characters of 3rd to 5th level. The Council of Thieves Adventure Path is the first to take full advantage of the new Pathfinder Roleplaying Game rules, and works with both the Pathfinder RPG and the standard 3.5 fantasy RPG rules set.
Pathfinder Adventure Path is Paizo Publishing's monthly 96-page, perfect-bound, full-color softcover book printed on high-quality paper. It contains an in-depth Adventure Path scenario, stats for about a half-dozen new monsters, and several support articles meant to give Game Masters additional material to expand their campaign. Pathfinder Adventure Path volumes use the Open Game License and work with both the Pathfinder RPG and the standard 3.5 fantasy RPG rules set.
I'm impressed by the strength of the plot and writing, and hope someday to run this for my other group of players (all adult except for one mature 16) but I simply cannot run this for the group intended, as we have a 12-yr old and a *young* 16-yr old.
I was drawn by the lure of the very first Pathfinder RPG campaign series, by the strength of Paizo's writing, and by the fascinating idea of enacting the play - which is indeed well carried out but the acts depicted, and emotions portrayed are darker than Call Of Cthulhu - indeed they'd be strong even in a World Of Darkness Vampire campaign.
I won't go so far as to claim it is X-Rated (or R-rated in US?) but I must say it is 16+-rated.
I got The Bastards Of Erebus and Sixfold Trial together, and The Bastards hints at darkness but implies that the heroes (of light) can overcome it - a strong line but true DND - and is true to the Paizo summary.
The Sixfold Trial hints also of darkness, but does not give a fair representation of the level of that darkness.
The embedded theatre play encourages the players to have their PCs become the actors, and have the actors (PCs) work through scenes of torture and degradation, and to simulate what is essentially masochistic/drugged passion.
While it might be possible to bowdlerise the plot to make it PG rated, that's not really possible if the script/play is to be used - not without re-writing said play - which negates the point of using Paizo's fine writing. I want them to write this for me - if I had the time to write homebrew adventures, I would!
Now, I accept that *most* of the Pathfinder fans are (like me) old enough (and typically possessed of the resources to buy/subscribe to pathfinder, which in turn typically implies "employed"), but DND as a whole genre does aim at catching 'em young. I have successfully run games for my friends' family -- Sizfold Trial is my first experience of being caught out unwarned...
I'll be brief here: this adventure firmly establishes Richard Pett as one of the best module writers out there. And this time, he has a support sidekick madman thespian Nick Logue to boot.
The concept is absolutely unique, and the execution is brilliant. The Sixfold Trial is a great way of showing that D&D is something more than a "kick the door open and kill the baddie" game.
The heroes of Bastards of Erebus take the stage in The Sixfold Trial. This installment of the Council of Thieves AP really surpasses almost every other adventure or module I've ever experienced. To date, the only thing that approaches is my brief stint in Castle Amber.
This adventure has everything, and while it might be light on combat it is heavy on content. Great characters by the diabolical Richard Pett, incredible worldbuilding, impressive artwork by some of the best and brightest Paizo can retain and stunning playwright work by the infernal Nick Logue.
This adventure features everything that you'd want to see in an urban adventure: an undercover mission, a heist, opportunities for player tomfoolery, ingenious fights, exploring, a dungeon crawl, and a seven course meal with live snakes.
Even better? It’s ridiculously easy to yoink this adventure for your homebrew campaign: just change the object of the heist. It should also be fairly easy to scale for higher levels.
The plot summary (spoilers ahoy): The PCs need to retrieve something from the mayor’s vault. Fortunately, the mayor’s both decadent and a patron of the arts. A theater is going to put on a new version of a dangerous play, in which the actors face real torments and monsters for the amusement of their social betters. If it’s a hit, the mayor’s sure to host a days-long cast party. All the PCs need to do is get cast by a Gordon Ramsey clone, survive a dress rehearsal in front of a derisive peanut gallery, and then stay in characters while they’re attacked by monsters and tortured by one of their own party. Woe to the wizard cast as the paladin!
Then, there’s the cast party, finding the vault and dealing with the monsters and traps inside. The vault makes this last section of the adventure no ordinary dungeon-crawl. It’s a demi-plane that features logically impossible features, such as looking up a staircase and seeing the back of your head, far away.
Also included is a play, so that if you want to have your players read lines, you can. It’s basically an inverted morality play, so its style is going to be pretty far away from David Mamet. Prepare your players for: characters who are representations of particular vices and virtues rather than people with motivations, characters who issue proclamations rather than dialogue, and a didactic tone to the script. It’s an inversion of an ancient popular form and perfectly fitting for a lawful evil DnD city generally, and Golarion in particular.
If you have a group of players more interested in high adventure, the script is pretty optional. You can run the theater sections easily without intensive role playing too.
Also included: several monsters (hit man devil, scalable death knight, high-CR angel, and bird swarm), four pre-gen characters, and some fiction of interest only to readers heavily invested in Golarion.
Basically, this adventure is a must-buy for its laughs, drama, and adventure.
But I really enjoyed this adventure. The theater aspect is presented as most social encounters are: a series of skill checks. The level to which the DM and players wish to ham things up is entirely up to them, and while roleplaying is certainly encouraged, it isn't necessary. And of course, the "Sixfold Trial" isn't just any old play... it's a murderplay. Which is to say, when actors die on stage, sometimes it's for real. For parties who absolutely refuse to participate in the play, an alternative option is provided.
Richard Pett gives us an intrigue-laden dinner party for the second part of this adventure, and ends with a great dungeon. The dungeon is spooky and filled with numerous cool effects that will keep a party guessing. It also continues CoT's "shadow" theme nicely.
The Sixfold Trial gives plenty of chances to foreshadow future events for the PCs. For example, numerous NPCs introduced in these pages will be reappearing later in the adventure path, granting PCs a great opportunity to form relationships with these individuals early on.
DMs will appreciate the effort made to keep them informed and in the loop. Lots of background information is provided, and perhaps more importantly, the author makes sure to note which NPCs are expendable and which have future roles in the adventure path. The DM is also given an ample head's up on what's coming in future CoT installments.
The article on the goddess Iomedae is solid, and the bestiary has some interesting beasties. I particularly liked Paizo's answer to the death knight, the graveknight. While clearly inspired by the death knight, this undead warlord manages to be a unique and interesting monster.
All in all this is a great adventure, and proof that Paizo is listening to its fans.
I think that the dialogue of the play counts as product identity and hence :
"No portion of this work other than the material designated as Open Game Content may be reproduced in any form without written permission."
means that you are not allowed to print or photocopy. Unless what Vic wrote counts legally as 'written permission'?
I wish we could get a clear statement on printing - if Paizo makes the same profit on a PDF sale as a physical one then it would save me a ton of cash to buy PDF and do my own printing. That's probably 'save' as in 'spend on other Paizo stuff'. :)
While the play is not open content, that doesn't mean you can't photocopy it or transcribe it by hand or whatever for your own personal use. This actually goes for ANY print product, to be honest (although since places like Kinko's have no way of being sure that you're going to use a photocopied document only for personal use they tend to err on the side of caution).
Same goes for PDFs. You can print out a copy for your own personal use, be that because you just want to read the book not on a computer or because you're using the contents to prepare player handouts or whatever.
You just can't mass produce these things or resell them or claim publicly that you created them is all. And "mass produce" does include putting content up on a public website.
Cool, thanks James. Can I take that as the necessary 'written permission' then? If so, I'll print the thread and take it with me to the shop and present it if challenged.
Are you able to comment on profit per PDF sale as opposed to print sale? I understand if this is commercially sensitive information. It's just that there is a large segment of possible purchases that I don't particularly want in hardcopy, but would buy in print if it meant lots more profit for Paizo - and then for the place I buy bookshelves from :)
I *finally* got my copy (feels like it took an eternity to arrive at my FLGS), but it sure looks like worth the wait! Maps are very good (although some of them look hand-drawn?), the plot excellent (I can't wait for the Cornucopia) and in general it seems to be another "hit" for the Monstrous Mr. Pett! :)
I don't think I will have trouble with the players biting the hook... my only issue is with the play; I'd love to act it out with my players, because it's really, really well-written and a rare chance to try something like this. Only... I fear my players would find it a bit weird, awkward and uncomfortable, because English is not our native language; we're all fine with game jargon and using occasional English words, but this would be a whole play, and I suspect they would turn it either into a comedic performance (funny voices and overacting) or monotonously read it out loud.
Damn... I'd really like to play it out with the script and the dialogue, but I don't know how to do it. Translating the text would a huge task, and I fear I wouldn't do the original text justice. I'll have to think about this.
In the description of the Hand of the Inheritor, I was particularly impressed with the line:
Quote:
He enjoys battle hymns and marching music, though his voice is more suited for harmonizing with a true performer than leading a song.
It seems such a trivial throwaway detail, and yet I found it said a great deal about the character of the Hand very concisely. It's exactly this sort of flourish that makes me very happy to remain a subscriber.
I finally got to do this one the other day and my players loved it. The best part is all my players have been playing table top for years now and always hated APs, but they are having a great time with this one. At first they were like wtf a play? But once they got into it they had a blast. Oh and the rogue of the party in the audition for Dentris having to insult Robahl stole his monocle under his nose and wore it.
I finally got to do this one the other day and my players loved it. The best part is all my players have been playing table top for years now and always hated APs, but they are having a great time with this one. At first they were like wtf a play? But once they got into it they had a blast. Oh and the rogue of the party in the audition for Dentris having to insult Robahl stole his monocle under his nose and wore it.
I think traditionally monocles are worn over the nose, not under it.
The opening text in the The Six Trials of Larazod mentions that the "Dramatis Personae and history of this play can be found online." Has this been posted to the web site somewhere? I am hoping to find the enhancements to an already stellar adventure! Thanks.
I am curious to know how other DM's are have run the actual play senario? I am running my very frist adventure path as a Noob DM and I would very much like a little extra input!!
My group just finished Bastards and have now started Sixfold Trial. It was a real change of pace for them after spending two sessions slogging though the catacombs under the old church of Erastus. I am running the game in German using the translation done by Scharlata with the extra lines he added for Farus and Monris. We finished Act 3 so far and my players are having a lot of fun.
