Starfinder Society Scenario #1-01: The Commencement

4.30/5 (based on 23 ratings)

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A Starfinder Society Scenario designed for levels 1-2.

All Starfinders complete their training by conferring with Guidance—a network of uploaded personalities embodying paragons from the Starfinder Society's history. Before receiving the blessing of Guidance, the PCs must meet with and assist critical missions on behalf of key leaders of the Society's leading factions. With the events of the Scoured Stars Incident still fresh in everyone's memory, there's plenty that needs doing to set the Society back on track.

The Commencement is a replayable scenario designed to help introduce players to the factions of the Starfinder Society and areas of importance on Absalom Station.

Written by Eleanor Ferron.

Scenario Tags: Repeatable

Other Resources: This product is also available on the following platforms:

Fantasy Grounds Virtual Tabletop
Archives of Nethys

Note: This product is part of the Starfinder Society Scenario Subscription.

Product Availability

Fulfilled immediately.

Are there errors or omissions in this product information? Got corrections? Let us know at store@paizo.com.

PZOSFS0101E


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Average product rating:

4.30/5 (based on 23 ratings)

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A good start

4/5

Story:
You get four simple missions for being new members to the Starfinder Society and it feels just like you would want it to. The missions are not “critical” missions to the organization, and they feel just like missions you would expect new members to receive. I personally like the role play involving the Dataphiles mission. I have ran this several times and I get more laughs with that mission than most with how I play up Ceren.

Time: (Based on a 4-hour slot):
A well prepared GM with handouts at the ready and will all the random selections do prior to game should be able to accomplish the session inside of four hours.

GM’ing Notes:
You have two premade maps and one customs map. The Acquisitives mission is very roll heavy with how it plays out. It can get drawn out a but if the mission doesn’t go well and players without certain skills can feel a tad left out.

Last Words:
I find the scenario over all a good fit for the kick off of the campaign and I still will run it for new players as it isn’t a very lethal scenario (but be mindful of the Exo-Guardian mission) and over has a good “intro” feel to it.


The Perfect Intro

5/5

This scenario does an excellent job of introducing the Starfinder Society in-story and in terms of what type of mechanical challenges to expect. And, importantly, it accomplishes this will still providing a flavorful and delightful experience that I'm happy to replay. This scenario was my wife's first exposure to tabletop RPGs, and they are still playing regularly now, so I consider it a smashing success.


3/5

This scenario is intended as an introduction to the Starfinder Society and its major factions. As brand new Starfinders, you’ll need to complete a task for each of the faction leaders. These tasks are fun, but quite minor. Although I really enjoyed getting to meet all the faction leaders, and the missions were enjoyable, I found the scenario as a whole an underwhelming introduction to Starfinder. You don't really do anything amazing (which makes sense), but when it's your first time playing a game you really want your players to feel like they did something cool.

As a GM I love how this details in this scenario can change each time you play it, but as a player it still feels repetitive on a reply. I do enjoy this scenario, but not as a players first experience with the game.


Great starting Scenario

5/5

We had a blast playing this scenario. The race turned out to be way more intense and fun than I had initially expected. Heads up to the GMs, prepare that well I’m advance. Pair up the racers and ships and some up with the appropriate stats before hand. It’ll make keeping track of things easier.

The amount of random choices helps make this a repeatable joy


Solid Introduction to Society Play

5/5

This is a solid game with a bunch of great elements and a great introduction to society play. You learn about each of the primary 4 factions, and get a great breadth of the kinds of gameplay (and tropes) available in Starfinder in general. I highly recommend you play it with at least one society character, and it's a solid replay for all of them.


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Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

Yay, I can't wait! So, is Guidance going to be the Starfinder Society version of Futurama's talking heads?

:)

Paizo Employee Starfinder Society Developer

7 people marked this as a favorite.
Ashanderai wrote:

Yay, I can't wait! So, is Guidance going to be the Starfinder Society version of Futurama's talking heads?

:)

No. You'd be amazed how many times I've had to address questions about talking heads / heads in jars. :P


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Starfinder Charter Superscriber
Thurston Hillman wrote:
Ashanderai wrote:

Yay, I can't wait! So, is Guidance going to be the Starfinder Society version of Futurama's talking heads?

:)

No. You'd be amazed how many times I've had to address questions about talking heads / heads in jars. :P

And it won't stop until you give the people what they want! :)

Dark Archive

How many leading Starfinder Factions are there initially?

Are the areas of importance of Absalom Station in here also in the AP #1 article?


Anyone in eastern Quebec intending to play Starfinder Society? Is there another thread for this already?

Dark Archive

1 person marked this as a favorite.

I'd love to play Starfinder Society in KÖLN, DEUTSCHLAND.

Paizo Employee Pathfinder Society Lead Developer

3 people marked this as a favorite.

Maps Appearing in Starfinder Society Scenario #1–01: The Commencement:

  • Pathfinder Flip-Mat: River Crossing
  • Pathfinder Map Pack: Starship Chambers

  • Pathfinder Adventure, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

    Using maps from Pathfinder... Sneaky, Paizo...


    1 person marked this as a favorite.
    Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber
    Marco Massoudi wrote:
    I'd love to play Starfinder Society in KÖLN, DEUTSCHLAND.

    Me too.

    Dark Archive

    Zaister wrote:
    Marco Massoudi wrote:
    I'd love to play Starfinder Society in KÖLN, DEUTSCHLAND.
    Me too.

    We both live in the same city and want to play Starfinder - maybe we should meet and look if this works out?

    I´d be willing to GM too.
    I´ll pm you. ;-)

    The Exchange

    1 person marked this as a favorite.
    Tarren the Dungeon Master wrote:

    Anyone in eastern Quebec intending to play Starfinder Society? Is there another thread for this already?

    When you say eastern Quebec, do you mean Eastern townships or farther east than the Eastern township, like the Chaudière-Appalaches, Bas-Saint-Laurent, Gaspésie?

    I'm from Montreal and plan to Gm in Montreal.

    I pulled the flip-mat I own and am so happy it's the own for that scenario.

    Dark Archive

    I have never before played nor GMed a Society Roleplaying Guild Scenario, but man would i like to.
    I have both the Pathfinder Flip-Mat Classics: River Crossing and the Pathfinder Map Pack: Starship Chambers (which is very beautiful to look at), now i only need someone to provide the the actual scenario. ;-)


    John Compton wrote:

    •Pathfinder Flip-Mat: River Crossing

    •Pathfinder Map Pack: Starship Chambers

    John,

    Is this the correct map?

    Pathfinder Flip-Mat Classics: River Crossing

    Paizo Employee Pathfinder Society Lead Developer

    Justin McKeon wrote:
    Is this the correct map?

    In response:

    It sure is. You'll want the straight river side.

    Paizo Employee Pathfinder Society Lead Developer

    2 people marked this as a favorite.
    Marco Massoudi wrote:

    I have never before played nor GMed a Society Roleplaying Guild Scenario, but man would i like to.

    I have both the Pathfinder Flip-Mat Classics: River Crossing and the Pathfinder Map Pack: Starship Chambers (which is very beautiful to look at), now i only need someone to provide the the actual scenario. ;-)

    Not to worry. This adventure will be available for purchase and download on August 17th.

    Liberty's Edge Contributor

    1 person marked this as a favorite.

    I just realized that Guidance is almost exactly like the bitek personas in Edenist habitats from Peter F. Hamilton's Confederation books. When Edenists die, they upload their personalities into the neural strata of a living habitat, joining their personalities with the others in the habitat and making their knowledge and experience available to current and future generations. Very cool!


    If I was to get the Core Rulebook pawns, would that aid me much in running this scenario?


    1 person marked this as a favorite.
    caps wrote:
    Using maps from Pathfinder... Sneaky, Paizo...

    I approve of this if only because one day a Starfinder map is going to make it's way into a PFS scenario and it's going to be the cantina map and my barbarian is gonna wreck that cantina. Oh you have fancy space lasers and you have the death sentence on twelve systems? A space laser is a machine and a machine is just fancy city people talk for magic and my Kellid barbarian hates magic. Battle ax in yo' face, sucka!


    1 person marked this as a favorite.
    thecursor wrote:
    caps wrote:
    Using maps from Pathfinder... Sneaky, Paizo...
    I approve of this if only because one day a Starfinder map is going to make it's way into a PFS scenario and it's going to be the cantina map and my barbarian is gonna wreck that cantina. Oh you have fancy space lasers and you have the death sentence on twelve systems? A space laser is a machine and a machine is just fancy city people talk for magic and my Kellid barbarian hates magic. Battle ax in yo' face, sucka!

    And you might ask "What if he's wearing fancy space armor?" All that means is I'll have to hit the guy more than once.


    *reads about the Scoured Stars Incident*

    ... thas bad.

    ... thas very bad.


    6 people marked this as a favorite.

    So, the author of this adventure, Eleanor Ferron, is also an artist of no small skill, and she's done a bunch of portraits for the characters in the adventure. Entirely unofficial, but something that others might find useful:

    Commencement Portraits


    I looked at the resource section and I couldn't find out what races are SFS legal. Granted I don't have the core book yet.

    Are Goblins legal?

    Some good art in this. :)


    They are not (yet), the legal races are detailed in the SFS Guide.


    Thanks.

    Why can't I find that! :(

    Liberty's Edge Contributor

    2 people marked this as a favorite.
    Lemartes wrote:

    Thanks.

    Why can't I find that! :(

    If you mean the Starfinder Society Roleplaying Guild Guide, I went ahead and linked it for you. It was linked in yesterday's blog. In general, it's a little tough to find the Starfinder Society stuff, right now.


    Yes! Thank you sir! :)


    1 person marked this as a favorite.
    NeoTiamat wrote:

    So, the author of this adventure, Eleanor Ferron, is also an artist of no small skill, and she's done a bunch of portraits for the characters in the adventure. Entirely unofficial, but something that others might find useful:

    Commencement Portraits

    Those were awesome and have convinced me that I need the scenario.

    Dark Archive

    2 people marked this as a favorite.
    Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

    I want to say "OMG ZIGGY IS FRICKING ADORABLE BEST NPC EVER"


    1 person marked this as a favorite.

    Yes. This is indisputable.

    Grand Lodge

    2 people marked this as a favorite.
    Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Society Subscriber

    I've downloaded the excellent portraits Eleanor made, and fitted them 4 and 3 to a page, to save up on same ink costs for printing them.

    It can be found here.


    Nice!

    Silver Crusade

    @Damanta thank you for putting that together. Planning to run this Sunday and that will be a big help.


    John Compton wrote:
    ** spoiler omitted **

    Do I need the society adventure path books as a player for society play?Or are these geared for GM use?

    Liberty's Edge Contributor

    1 person marked this as a favorite.
    Darth PUGS! wrote:
    John Compton wrote:
    ** spoiler omitted **
    Do I need the society adventure path books as a player for society play?Or are these geared for GM use?

    If you are talking about the Starfinder Adventure Path, the first issue of which is entitled "Incident at Absalom Station." You don't need to purchase that as a player, but it has some good information about life on Absalom Station.

    If you're talking about these scenarios, you should not purchase them unless you plan to run them as a GM or you have already played them and just want to read them, yourself. They are absolutely not necessary for a player to own.

    Grand Lodge

    1 person marked this as a favorite.

    Strawberry Machine Cake, that's all that needs to be said.


    Starfinder Charter Superscriber
    NeoTiamat wrote:

    So, the author of this adventure, Eleanor Ferron, is also an artist of no small skill, and she's done a bunch of portraits for the characters in the adventure. Entirely unofficial, but something that others might find useful:

    Commencement Portraits

    Those are fantastic! I really want to see some of those characters appear again in a future scenario.

    Acquisitives

    spoilers:

    "HEY THERE PRESSURE HEADS, THIS IS PRESSURE TV COMING TO YOU LIVE FROM THE BEEEE-RUTAL AFTERMATH OF TODAY'S JUNK RACE. AS YOU CAN SEE, MOST OF THE OTHER RACERS HAVE EXPLODED! IT WAS AWESOME! STANDING VICTORIOUS OVER THEIR CHARRED REMAINS IS THE STARFINDER TEAM, SPONSORED BY YOURS TRULY, MR PRESSURE. LOOK HOW ATTRACTIVE THEY ARE! TUNE IN NEXT TIME FOR MORE BADASS STARFINDER ACTION, HERE ON PRESSURE TV!"

    Guitar riffs play before cutting to a commercial break.

    Franchisee - Game Kastle College Park

    I want to have music playing when the PCs receive their mission from Zigvigix to simulate

    Music to be playing:
    the newest single off of Strawberry Machine Cake's album Star Sugar Heartlove!!!.

    Any suggestions for what song would be good to play? I'm thinking something with heavy synth, super major key, high energy...

    Liberty's Edge Contributor

    2 people marked this as a favorite.
    Gladior wrote:

    I want to have music playing when the PCs receive their mission from Zigvigix to simulate ** spoiler omitted **

    Any suggestions for what song would be good to play? I'm thinking something with heavy synth, super major key, high energy...

    I've done a lot of googling over this.

    Spoiler:
    The definition of "sugar pop" in the real world seems to fall on groups made up of young singers selected to perform together. Most of those don't fit the theme, very well. It seems Asian groups are getting a lot of attention to fill this role.

    In fact, someone on Reddit made up a face CD case for it:
    Made a prop for SFS-101. Star Sugar Heartlove!!!.

    A lot of folks are going with something from BabyMetal, but that doesn't fit the loose description of "sugar pop" I have in my head.

    I've decided to go with 4Minute, because there are several of their songs on youtube that have a more happy sound. I put together my own playlist of songs that I felt were most appropriate. You're welcome to use it if you like.
    Paris's Strawberry Machine Cake playlist.

    Franchisee - Game Kastle College Park

    Paris,

    This is AMAZING! Thank you bunches. I really, really, really love the CD case!

    FWIW, I went with a Swedish band called The Sound of Arrows, which is a little less anime-ish, but a little more in line with my group's musical tastes while still hitting that saccharine note.

    Liberty's Edge Contributor

    3 people marked this as a favorite.
    Gladior wrote:

    Paris,

    This is AMAZING! Thank you bunches. I really, really, really love the CD case!

    FWIW, I went with a Swedish band called The Sound of Arrows, which is a little less anime-ish, but a little more in line with my group's musical tastes while still hitting that saccharine note.

    Glad to help. I'll have to check out that band.

    If you're interested in putting a little bit of extra lore into the setting, here's something that recently came out of complaints I made to my friends about a voice-to-text mistake. My phone converted my daughter's name "Tatiana" to "That's Yana." My friend suggested that the phrase "That's Yana!" should now mean "Awesome!", "Sweet!", and "Totally Tubular!" I decided I'll be using that in my games. So....

    Paris's Starfinder Head Canon wrote:
    Yana! is the title of the third single released by Strawberry Machine Cake from their album Triaxian Summer Camp Friends. The titular Yana is a fabulously chic girl who has it all. The group’s millions of mega-fans quickly adopted the name as an expression of everything good and fashionable. Teens everywhere are still saying, "That's Yana!" when they encounter something they like.

    Franchisee - Game Kastle College Park

    1 person marked this as a favorite.
    Paris Crenshaw wrote:

    \My phone converted my daughter's name "Tatiana" to "That's Yana." My friend suggested that the phrase "That's Yana!" should now mean "Awesome!", "Sweet!", and "Totally Tubular!" I decided I'll be using that in my games. So....

    Paris's Starfinder Head Canon wrote:
    Yana! is the title of the third single released by Strawberry Machine Cake from their album Triaxian Summer Camp Friends. The titular Yana is a fabulously chic girl who has it all. The group’s millions of mega-fans quickly adopted the name as an expression of everything good and fashionable. Teens everywhere are still saying, "That's Yana!" when they encounter something they like.

    Yaaassss

    This. Is. Happening. At. Tonight's. Session.

    Thank you!

    Silver Crusade

    1 person marked this as a favorite.
    Pathfinder Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Accessories, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber

    I got a mail about this having been updated, but it doesn't appear to have been updated yet?


    1 person marked this as a favorite.
    Pathfinder Maps, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Maps, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

    They did put out a new version, but they don't seem to have made the single change mentioned in the e-mail.

    Liberty's Edge

    1 person marked this as a favorite.

    Same here, I got an e-mail on 4/4/18 stating there was a change made for Subtier 1-2 the credits earned should be 753 but the change is not actually there... ?


    Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Maps, Rulebook Subscriber; Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber

    I've noted the same thing. I forwarded the email to customer service and asked them to verify the updated asset has been released. I'll reply here once I hear back.

    Silver Crusade

    Pathfinder Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Accessories, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber

    Now the download is marked as having been updated on 5 April, but the file can't be found when I try to download it. ^^

    Silver Crusade

    Pathfinder Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Accessories, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber

    Seems to work for me now.

    Dark Archive

    I'm still getting the same incorrect version when I download.

    Silver Crusade

    Pathfinder Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Accessories, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber

    Yep, that's actually true. Sheesh.

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