A Starfinder Society Scenario designed for levels 1–4.
In the aftermath of the Scoured Stars incident, the Starfinder Society has come together like never before. From the Society's ranks, a new First Seeker must be chosen, and several prominent Starfinders have already begun amassing allies. The PCs get introduced to several of the frontrunners to replace the current First Seeker and get a chance to learn what each of them represents for the Society's future.
Four for the First is a stand-alone scenario, but will be part of a global vote to determine the new First Seeker for the Starfinder Society. Players are encouraged to play this scenario and vote on their preferred First Seeker, with more information on the voting coming alongside the release of this adventure.
I GM'd this online. Now I'm willing to accept blame that as someone still new to running society games my preceptions/expectations might be a bit different.
First off, I felt woefully unprepared for the scenario. The fights themselves are simple and straightforward, one of them includes a really cool hazard that, in practice, I immediately forgot about (and really, is easily avoid). There are some parts throughout the scenario where I felt there was information lacking, or not clearly enough presented.
Lastly, and probably my biggest complaint, is the lack of any direction for portraying the candidates. I want to present them as fairly as possible, explaining their views so that the players can make an informed decision on who to vote. I got some excellent questions from the players. Even just a few more points on each candidate about their goals, views, or even answers to possible questions would have been very welcome. We don't get much to accomplish that. We get a little introduction to meet them, a couple of lines about their goal, and boom that's it. Then you go on a mission that's kinda related to them.
I know that the scenario is here to present the candidates, but I felt it could have done it in a much better job. I went into it feeling a little uneasy and unprepared, no matter how many times I read through it. Knowing that how I present them could very well affect the player's perceptions of them, and in turn their vote, well that's some pressure. This scenario felt a lot less like something I can use to engage with my players and facilitate good gaming, both roll-playing and role-playing, and felt more like me going "here's the candidates, here's a bit about them, now go vote."
Also final, final note, not such a fan of the way the initial debriefing is presented. But that's more of personal preference.
----SPOILERS-----
Calder
Spoiler:
A large empty map where you throw a few will save, going "teehee the scream was an illusion it's just an empty room, look dead body oh just kidding". I like the concept, but in execution it was terrible. Keep the gremlins moving through the entire area? When one is spotted do they all jump into the fight? Not to mention that 50% miss chance, man that is rough. Really just drags out the combat.
Ehu
Spoiler:
the hazard is really interesting, but I'll be honest I completely forgot about it after the first players turn. And when is the DC 8 will save supposed to come up? At the start of their turn, the end? Each round?
Tara
Spoiler:
This could be a fault of my reading comprehension skills, but where is the console for the locked doors even supposed to be? We get a bunch of empty rooms with nothing in them. That whole thing is a mess: "players start on the eastern edge", but the map shows them starting in the south. The fight is alright, but you just end up with the boss jinsul staying on the ceiling pelting everyone with magic missile.
First things first - this adventure did the heavy lift that it needed to do and introduced four new characters and established their motives and what their terms as First Seeker might hope to accomplish (though some better than others)
That said the requisite adventures that did that demonstrated that could have been stronger.
Avor's adventure really should have had more avenues to handle that situation aside from combat or a highly niche skill.
Avor:
The decision to have him bad mouth two of the main factions seems to be poison to his candidacy and if anything is like this done again you should really avoid having the candidates badmouth the players.
Calder's adventure features a maddening enemy that honestly soured me and my players on the adventure, so mercifully we did it last.
Tara's was fun but in terms of presentation:
Tara's adventure:
The jinsuls felt as though they were no threat and that they were sort of pathetic which cast Tara in an unflattering light.
and finally, Ehu's adventure was definitely the highlight, the enemies and the setting were memorable and left me looking forward to more from him (tipping my hand he definitely got my first place vote).
Overall very well done, considering how difficult to put together fairly and as timely as it was.
We haven't discussed it but I don't really expect it to. When we've retired scenarios in the past, it's been because of wildly overturned encounters or problematic themes, and this has neither. There's no reason you couldn't play this scenario to meet the four old candidates, especially considering that at least one (other than Ehu) has shown up since this scenario.
Organized Play Coordinator
