A Starfinder Society Scenario designed for 1st- through 4th-level characters.
After a malfunctioning freighter stalled out in the Vast and threatened to negatively affect the shipbuilding industry, Multifold Industries puts out an automated call for troubleshooters to locate and repair the ailing ship. A group of Starfinders answers the call and boards the ship with the aim of discovering the root of the problem and solving the ongoing shipping crisis.
Written by: Diego Valdez
Scenario tags: None
[Scenario Maps spoiler - click to reveal]
The following maps used in this scenario are also available for purchase here on paizo.com:
Precious Cargo is a tier 1-4 scenario that engages with a well-trodden but interesting concept in Sci-Fi: The concept of artificial intelligence. Set aboard an automated cargo freighter, the scenario offers a heartfelt and poignant story that is left open-ended enough that groups do not feel rail-roaded toward a particular conclusion. As much of the scenario’s strengths are roleplay-based, it would be impossible to discuss them in details for risk of spoilers. That said, the antagonist of the story is an interesting and sympathetic one, which I very much enjoyed playing.
Mechanically, Precious Cargo is a mixed bag. Although the rules are fairly straightforward, several situations possess murky details about how to resolve them. Furthermore, the flip mats selected for the combat encounters do not feel as well-matched to the scenes as they could have been, and a general lack of direction about where characters should begin, and where NPCs should appear, makes setting scenes difficult. That said, the combat encounters are well-designed and imaginative, easy to scale, and fun to narrate. Better still, each encounter has multiple ways to resolve it, which rewards clever or thoughtful groups.
Overall, Precious Cargo is a fun, if somewhat quick, scenario that works equally as well as a set piece or side story in a larger campaign (such as the Fly Free or Die adventure path). Sci-Fi enthusiasts will enjoy this telling of a familiar story, and some players may just enjoy the opportunity to punch a finicky 3D printer shooting junk at them.
I'm running this tomorrow. Does Paizo have an official word on how souls are made, where they come from, what constitutes a soul? You know, the easy questions.
TIA
The very very short answer is that souls originate in the Positive Energy Plane, then are naturally drawn to any creature with a sufficiently complex mind.
Thank you for the kind words! I’m really touched that so many people have enjoyed this scenario! I do want to give credit where it’s due so I need to point out that that final handout isn’t by me and I think it’s important it gets proper credit. The others are but that last one is by my developer for the scenario, the amazing Jenny Jarzabski. She’s wonderful to work with and has made everything I’ve turned in to her better!
Thanks again for all the kind words and reviews! I get teary eyed every time I read them.
