A Pathfinder Society Scenario designed for levels 1–4 (subtiers 1–2 and 3–4).
From a ruined theater in the run-down Puddles district of Absalom, a goblin hero and self-styled king rules over the nearby goblins. Shifting foundations beneath the playhouse have revealed ruins from Absalom's early history, and the goblin king has put out a call for explorers to search the area and clear out its dangers. The Pathfinder Society has answered the call. They aren't the only group that is interested, however, and they must prove themselves to earn the right to enter these lost chambers.
As others have mentioned, this is a standout in terms of the mix of encounter types: a skill challenge combined with humourous role-playing, a couple of tough but fair fights (including one with a nonviolent solution), some classic dungeon exploration, and a final encounter that combines social interaction and role-playing.
The only downside is the references to a sequel on the Chronicle, yet no sequel has yet been announced. I'm curious to see if it will show up in Year Three.
A very nice scenario with some elements that weren't in any other scenarios I've played. The final encounter can be a little complicated, but if the GM provides some guiderails, it can be very rewarding.
This scenario is certainly worth playing because it has something for everyone: goblin high jinks for the more lighthearted adventurers, a moral quandary for those who appreciate a more serious adventure, sufficient combat challenges which almost all have non-violent solutions, and some worthwhile loot drops. It really doesn't get much better. The story is fairly linear while still allowing for significant decisions, plus the adventure itself is well written and edited. I would recommend it to most groups of adventurers.
Short version: This is a fun scenario with a little bit of something for everyone.
Longer: The adventure leans in *hard* on its concept of going to explore a location without knowing what's down there or what you're looking for. The downside of this is that there isn't a single coherent plot that you uncover clues about as your explore; rather, you're seeing layers of various stories piled up on each other. It's essentially impossible for players to piece together everything that's happened here, so the GM may need to have the Venture-Captain "speculate" in their debrief about some of the things the party found.
That said, the theme works: the players get a solid sense of exploration and wonder with little hints about what's happened here in the past. The roleplaying bookends provide a fun palate cleanser. The silliness worked well for my group, but I can see more "serious" gamers being turned off.
The editing and presentation of the scenario is pretty good, but I understand there was a fatal typo in the initial version. The current version has a reference to a skill that doesn't exist (Culture, presumably Society); home game GMs can fix this, but it's a problem in PFS.
We didn't get either of boons because we figured out to leave the ghoul in the room and return later with tax officials :'D We did get the full story out of him and everything, but wasn't sure on if it was safe to let guy out of the room
Should have remembered that "let's come back later" is never the correct option in scenarios xD
Just for fun, and since we have it, we used Flip-Mat Theater and some pawns for the first task. It added some suspense, because players think, "Flipmat + pawns = Combat!"
Also, page 8, Undermining the Opposition, skill check should not be Bluff.
Is there still a forum post for listing editing/typos?
Is there a chance that anybody will run this online in the weeks to come anywhere in the world? This is the first P2 scenario I'm going to miss since I can't attend my live group session, and I'd really like to play it. If there's a place on these Forums where one could apply for an online slot, please let me know.
Thanks in advance!
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Krky77 wrote:
Is there a chance that anybody will run this online in the weeks to come anywhere in the world? This is the first P2 scenario I'm going to miss since I can't attend my live group session, and I'd really like to play it. If there's a place on these Forums where one could apply for an online slot, please let me know.
Thanks in advance!
Cottonseed Lodge recruitment here on the forums for a Play-by-Post option.
Org Play Online to play on Discord or find a Virtual Table Top game. Make sure to head to the PFS2 section.
Is there a chance that anybody will run this online in the weeks to come anywhere in the world? This is the first P2 scenario I'm going to miss since I can't attend my live group session, and I'd really like to play it. If there's a place on these Forums where one could apply for an online slot, please let me know.
Thanks in advance!
Cottonseed Lodge recruitment here on the forums for a Play-by-Post option.
Org Play Online to play on Discord or find a Virtual Table Top game. Make sure to head to the PFS2 section.
So I just ran a home game of this module, looked very fun, especially the beginning roleplaying. I had a problem with the Elite Crocodile they had to fight. Not a small problem, I had a TPK for my 1st level adventurers. Any suggestions on how to combat this?