A Pathfinder Society Scenario designed for levels 1-5.
Less than a decade ago, the Pathfinder Society established a lodge in Nirmathas, an act that infuriated the nation's expansionist rival Molthune. The latter outlawed the Society soon after, and ever since Pathfinders have relied on smugglers like the Varisian entrepreneur Guaril Karela to slip supplies past the Molthuni blockade for both the lodge and the Society's war-torn neighbors. Something has intercepted those shipments. Can the PCs uncover the culprit and save the Society's reputation in Nirmathas?
Content in "Trouble in Tamran" also ties into a special metaplot element from Pathfinder Society Special #6–98: Serpents Rise. Players who have completed that special event are encouraged to bring its Chronicle sheet when playing this adventure.
Written by Benjamin Bruck.
This scenario is designed for play in Pathfinder Society Organized Play, but can easily be adapted for use with any world. This scenario is compliant with the Open Game License (OGL) and is suitable for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.
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I've played it and run it. It isn't exactly first-time GM friendly as the investigation of part one can be tricky if your players start going out of the box. However, the scenario felt like it not only allowed but encouraged that sort of thinking. In that, I applaud it.
The fights also get progressively harder, with the final fight being actually quite hard. But while it is hard, it isn't unfair, and provides the right amount of punch against players, especially those jaded ones.
My only complaint? Guaril feel almost like an extra. He is not well integrated into the scenario.
I played this months ago, but frankly it was one of those nights and I don't think many of us recall exactly how the adventure panned out, except for the thing about the Halfling.
"You mean I can stop?"
I recently had the pleasure of running it though, and this is one of my new all-time favorite low-tier adventures. It's a really solid mix of a well designed "investigation" and then a more combative "adventure" from what you discover during the investigation. The part that made it really shine for me though is that player decisions mattered. Even the hook itself felt pertinent to being a Pathfinder; help a Lodge recover their reputation and supply lines.
The investigation
The set-pieces for the investigation were really tight, detailed enough for a GM to have a starting point, but open enough for a GM to take a group interested in role-playing to the next level. What really impressed me though was that it required the players pay attention and think about what was happening. It didn't feel like a "throw away" investigation where A->B->C-D, it felt like you piecing together a puzzle (not a complicated puzzle, but a puzzle nonetheless. The encounters aren't tough, but they're meaningful and have impact to the story as well, which I enjoyed.
The Adventure
I absolutely love that the result of the investigation has a mechanical effect on the second half of the adventure. I like how listening and paying attention quietly help the party without being obvious about it. Finally, the end set-piece and encounter really felt like a climax. Too many adventures set up an ending that never has the punch it deserves. Both the lead-in, and final encounters were memorable and exciting for me as a GM (and I think the players as well).
I mean it, easily one of the best adventures in the season. I hope to see more like it.
I enjoy the first half of investigation part, although I played a barbarian that can't really make impacts :)
There are three great and challenging combats which shows some ACG classes foes, but I would suggest tier 4-5, the low tier can be too easy.
The downside is the sniper ending. When finishing the investigation, we just don't know much to do... then delve into a dungeon, kill everything. I don't like the dungeon setting either, not as good as the first half.
Good scenario, varied "scenes", feels like a sandbox
This scenario presents itself as a fairly good urban investigation. There's clear places to go and you feel like you have the freedom to do them in any order (you really do). Each locale has its own varied interest to it, feels appropriate and could present interesting strategy/roleplay that you might not have gotten a chance at in another scenario.
When you get outside of Tamran, it feels almost like you're doing a Part II scenario and the players will actually be surprised that they're only at the halfway point. Once again, each encounter feels fresh, somewhat unexpected for where they occur. The scenario provides a surprising sense of depth for being fairly easy to prepare. For providing this depth without being overtly complex, this makes it one of the gems of Season 7 (or any season where you're looking for a scenario like this).
Played this at the low tier. Party was Cleric, Unchained Barbarian, Sorcerer, Monk, Fighter and a Ranger.
Most of the scenario is an investigation with multiple leads and locations, with plenty of opportunity for role play. The problem is that there isn't enough clues given and it led to us coasting from one encounter to another. Combat is few and far between but suitably challenging.
Having not played or GM'ed the scenario to which this is a sequel I found the plot somewhat awkward and confusing. That was the only downer really for me.
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Correct. It would be impossible for a character to have the Serpent's Rise chronicle before they play this one, as the first is a 6-8 chronicle and this is a 1-5 scenario.
It kind of sucks that the blurb mentions tie-ins to previous scenarios, but they're all unavailable. PFS aren't the only ones that run scenarios from time to time. :(
The map for the interior of the fort in the scenario is not listed as being from any particular Map Pack. Does anyone know where it is located? It doesn't seem to be in the GameMastery Ruins Map Pack (at least from what I can see on the Paizo website).
The map for the interior of the fort in the scenario is not listed as being from any particular Map Pack. Does anyone know where it is located? It doesn't seem to be in the GameMastery Ruins Map Pack (at least from what I can see on the Paizo website).
I believe it's a custom map; in my experience, most scenarios have at least one.
