Starfinder Adventure Path #43: Icebound (Horizons of the Vast 4 of 6)

Announced for December! Product image and description are not final and may be subject to change.

Aliens threatening an Ice Planet, besieged terrified scouts/researchers huddling in the cold from an alien monster.

If there isn't a scene or three channeling John Carpenter's The Thing meeting Ridley Scott's Alien to produce a Swarm lovechild, I am going to be disappointed Jason! [Spoilers: I do not expect I will be disappointed].

I'd like to see a branching adventure path sometime.

Tier 1 - low level adventure to get to know the PCs

Tier 2 - Introduction to powers that be and make a name for themselves (2-3) different versions of this should be enough. The Tier 1 adventure should have "hooks" included for each path along with relevant NPCs.

Tier 3 - Things get serious with engaging on a large scale with true impact to many beings. Identify their true nemesis. There can be 2-3 versions of this adventure Introduction of their Nemesis's boss (leading to level 20)

Tier 4 - Defeat their Nemesis and learn that they answer to a higher power and their Nemesis was just a pawn to them. Tightening of the plot back down to apex with just one path as all of the previous 3 paths were managed by the Nemesis.

Tier 5 - Big Bad and Universe altering event. Full on 20th level

It would be fun to allow the PCs to decide which NPC they like or distrust and then pick the path for them to follow based on these choices.

Tier 2 - Introduction to powers that be and make a name for themselves (2-3) different versions of this should be enough. The Tier 1 adventure should have "hooks" included for each path along with relevant NPCs.

Tier 3 - Things get serious with engaging on a large scale with true impact to many beings. Identify their true nemesis. There can be 2-3 versions of this adventure Introduction of their Nemesis's boss (leading to level 20)

I'm not drawn to this approach, because it means that for any given playthrough, half or two-thirds of the contents of those volumes would not be used.

I am really liking the range of different elements of the Starfinder setting involved in this AP, it feels like it could really well play up existing as one small part of a large and complex universe.

Delayed but almost a given these days sadly but it is what it is with shipping these days.

Still in mod 1 myself as a player but getting there, session 16 this saturday!!

So the delay is no prob and the 2 other games I've been GMing of this I had to put on hold for holiday work schedule. Stopped both around session 5 and will pick em back up in Jan 2022.

Very excited to see how this module will work out!!

Tom

Back cover text:

A DIFFERENT WORLD

A distress beacon from the desolate tundra sends the PCs on a mission into the biting cold. Once they rescue the survivors of a crash from an off-world menace, the PCs trace the threat to the gas giant Weydana-6, where a Swarm colony slumbers amid the icy clouds. Can they defeat the waking creatures before they contact the larger hive mind?

This Starfinder Adventure Path volume continues the Horizons of the Vast Adventure Path and includes:

-“Icebound,” a Starfinder adventure for 7th-level characters, by Jason Tondro.

-A look at the Veskarium’s military intelligence agency Directive 9, by Christopher Wasko.

-A toolbox featuring equipment to traverse the upper atmosphere, a catalog of Swarm-based biotech, information on how to create new Swarm components, a collection of creatures ready to ambush the unprepared, and a glimpse at the swirling frozen clouds of an icy gas giant, by BJ Hensley, Jenny Jarzabski, Jess Nevins, Jim Seals, and Jason Tondro.

-Statistics and deck plans for a sleek and stylish espionage vessel by Jason Tondro.

BAKE6969 wrote:

Tier 2 - Introduction to powers that be and make a name for themselves (2-3) different versions of this should be enough. The Tier 1 adventure should have "hooks" included for each path along with relevant NPCs.

Tier 3 - Things get serious with engaging on a large scale with true impact to many beings. Identify their true nemesis. There can be 2-3 versions of this adventure Introduction of their Nemesis's boss (leading to level 20)

I'm not drawn to this approach, because it means that for any given playthrough, half or two-thirds of the contents of those volumes would not be used.

I am really liking the range of different elements of the Starfinder setting involved in this AP, it feels like it could really well play up existing as one small part of a large and complex universe.

Starfinder could do a multi-branching AP that still uses all of its content only because of its multiverse and time manipulation stuff. Like, you get to start different paths, but ultimately there are reasons why you'll still try the other paths.

Would be a nightmare to edit down all the extra information and sidebars to make it all fit, though.

I like branching plotlines in video games, where you can always go back and play again to experience the paths not taken.

But in TTRPGs, my gut reaction to seeing branching options (aka, the PCs can go here or here but not both) in published adventures is to sigh and ponder which encounters the players will end up never getting to experience.

Actually, I want to clarify that I mean to distinguish between two kinds of "branches."

Version A: The AP leads the PCs to location X. Earlier in the AP, the PCs took one of several actions, and the actions they took back then determines how the denizens of X react to them.

That's good times.

Version B: The PCs need to choose whether to turn left or right. Possibly as a coin flip. If they go left, they have encounter A and gain lore or loot X. If they go right, they have encounter B and gain lore or loot Y. Whichever path the PCs take, they can't backtrack to the other path and will never encounter it.

That's bleh, in a published adventure. For me.

Players don't miss what they don't experience.

But I, the GM choosing what adventures to purchase, do. And not just in the sense of "aw, would've liked to have seen that play out," but also in terms of wasted prep time. Which, when working with a VTT, ain't nothing.

Will we see the final cover soon? Mod 5 has it updated but not 4 as of yet??

Thanks

Tom

Hey Subscribers, I noticed the Codex of Worlds is Weydana 5 in my PDF. It should be Weydana 6. The print copy is correct. I’ll work internally to get the PDF corrected. :)

Hey Aaron anything yet on an updated cover for this product yet please??

Thanks

Tom

Hey Aaron anything yet on an updated cover for this product yet please??

Thanks

Tom

That’s not within my power. I’ll check in with those who can, but getting the the Humble Bundle ready has taken their time

Got it, thanks

Tom

In the PDF, the starship detailed on this month's inner covers is incorrectly labeled as an "Umbral Eveskiper" but looking closer at the text, and noting next month's starship is the "Umbral Eveskipper," this appears to be a typo; it is actually an Amber Mariner.

Oh, also, in the PDF the Codex of Worlds features Weydana-5, not Weydana-4. An identical entry for Weydana-5 appears in its proper place in the next month's installment.

Just noticed that the table of contents contains a different but parallel set of errors, listing the inside-covers starship as a Thunderstone and the Cortex of Worlds entry as Weydana-6. Both lifted from AP #45: The Culling Shadow, I suspect.

Just noticed that the table of contents contains a different but parallel set of errors, listing the inside-covers starship as a Thunderstone and the Cortex of Worlds entry as Weydana-6. Both lifted from AP #45: The Culling Shadow, I suspect.

KIndly report product errors to customer service via email.

Oh, also, in the PDF the Codex of Worlds features Weydana-5, not Weydana-4. An identical entry for Weydana-5 appears in its proper place in the next month's installment.

I believe it should be Weydana-6. See my comment above. The correction is is process.

Enjoying seeing more Swarm bioforms creatures! :D

John Mangrum wrote:

Oh, also, in the PDF the Codex of Worlds features Weydana-5, not Weydana-4. An identical entry for Weydana-5 appears in its proper place in the next month's installment.

I believe it should be Weydana-6. See my comment above. The correction is is process.

Correction is here, added to my digital downloads yesterday.