Pathfinder Society Scenario #5–22: Scars of the Third Crusade (PFRPG) PDF

I’ve always enjoyed role-playing and investigation more than a series of encounters or a dungeon crawl. I find it to be a better way to actually showcase a character. Dungeon crawls have a tendency to be numbers over character, which is a shame in my opinion. As such I was happy to play this investigative scenario with like-minded players.

This scenario basically boils down to the party having to investigate some murders by visit 8 locations and seeing if a bunch of rumors are true or not, while trying to not agitate the local townsfolk and important NPC’s. Different locations require different skills, so the party will have to be smart about splitting up.

Does that sound complicated? Yes and no. For the players it’s honestly not so bad. The rumors and locations you can go to are straightforward. For the GM, however, it’s a lot of things to keep track off. I can’t stress enough why this should not be run cold. You have to prepare this, or the entire table will have a bad session. Important pieces of information are scattered all across the scenario, forcing you to constantly flip back and forth.

This is also one of those scenarios murder hobos should skip and avoid. Not only can a whole bunch of encounters be resolved peacefully, it is also somewhat mandatory. Personally I have no issues with that at all, but I know others will struggle with having to role-play anything other than a murdering menace.

I would still recommend this scenario to those that prefer role-play over fighting. They’ll have a good time provided the GM is well-prepared. As mentioned, it’s a shame that the information is so spread out and that there are a lot of things to keep track of for a GM. This awkward formatting can result into a loss of immersion. Furthermore there’s a distinct lack of information about the murderer’s victims, which all things considering is really odd. There’s also a minor chance the (false) rumors will derail the investigation a bit too much.

Because of these minor things, I can’t give this scenario 4 or 5 stars. I would have given it 3,5 stars, but that’s not possible. Considering this scenario is not something everyone will enjoy, I’ll round it down to 3 and simply say that role-players should definitely give this one a go, especially if they're small group.

One of my favorite investigation module, almost no combat, and the only ones are not difficult.

The strong point is definately the investigation and hostile atmosphere of Mendev. The crusaders always play as "becon of light" roles, this module can break your imagination.

The main problem is "roll play" in the last judge. RAW, if you fail your roll (our bard roll 3 dices all below 5), then you can't get 2pps or even 1. Punish a role-playing/detective player may be too desperating.

Finally, if you prefer combats, don't play it or may want to leave the table. Need a well-prepared and experienced GM as well, too many works to do.

This scenario is tough to run, and has little combat - that being said, it's a blast to both run and play if the party gets into it. The mechanics, once deciphered (DONT run cold), are well put together, and make for a fun, well paced investigation.

Played this at low tier with a party of 6.

This is only the second investigative PFS scenario I have played, the other being Throaty Mermaid. Compared to that scenario Scars is a far better story. The clues make more sense but you do have to work for them.

The scenario is pretty much all role play with only one combat encounter, and then it is rather too easy. Combat characters will be mostly bored through this so I recommend bringing your diplomats and investigators.

Originally posted at www.throatpunchgames.com, a new idea everyday!

Product- Pathfinder Society Scenario #5-22 Scars of the Third Crusade
System-Pathfinder
Price-$4
TL;DR- Great roleplaying, but nothing for the combat heavy characters. 87%

Basics-Murder is afoot! Pathfinder agents have been arrested, and you are sent to determine if they are guilty or not. Can you prove the innocence of your fellow agents while in a town that already doesn’t trust the Pathfinders?

Mechanics or Crunch-This one has exactly one or maybe two fights scenes in it, depending on how the players proceed. Most of the time, players are investigating the murders. If you have a combat heavy party, they will just be bored. Also, the combats that are present will be somewhat underwhelming to most parties in the level range. The module presents some rules for investigation, misinformation, and events in town. Some of these events are arbitrary as well as the rules for these events being somewhat unclear. It just might need a bit more to keep some people involved. 3.5/5

Theme or fluff-This is where this module shines. You as the GM get to scream at the players if they reveal that they are Pathfinders. Most of the people in town don’t trust the Pathfinders, and players tipping their hands make this module come alive. The town is well described and the personalities in it are fun to run. Everybody here has a story, and the players have to try to figure out who did it over the course of the adventure. I loved what I saw here. If you want a mostly roleplaying module, this is the one to look for. 5/5

Execution-This is a wordy one. To get all the information a GM needs to run the mod, lots of words have to happen in a very short amount of space. I do like that the town has a town map to help you and your players understand all the places they can investigate. In addition, the investigation methods are presented decently as well as providing the GM with a worksheet to help GMs keep track of all the information at hand, but this chart could use another column to help me keep track of what I and haven’t told the players. I’d have liked a few more divides in the words, but the module is set up well. 4.5/5

Summary-I liked running this module. I have no problems standing up at a convention and screaming at the top of my lungs about how I hate the Pathfinders and such. When I ran this at a con with about five other tables, I did get a few stares. If you want to have some awesome roleplaying with your characters, then this is the module to run. If you what a hack and slash fest where lots of things die, then do not even consider this one. I would like some changes to the module, but overall it was a great if you have the right group. 87%