The gatewalkers’ quest for answers reaches its exciting conclusion when they return to the spooky town of Lepidstadt for a reunion with their cryptic employer, the eminent researcher Dr. Ritalson. The occasion turns sour, however, when the characters discover that matters at home have been far from quiet. The final leg of the party's quest to unravel their memory gaps and fulfill Sakuachi's destiny takes them to the Crown of the World, where ice-rimed temples, dream-devouring monsters, and ancient alien evils await.
Dreamers of the Nameless Spires is a Pathfinder adventure for four 8th-level characters. This adventure concludes the Gatewalkers Adventure Path, a three-part monthly campaign in which a team of paranormal investigators unravel the mystery behind a mass amnesic episode which left them with lost memories and strange powers. This adventure also includes an article about the mysterious elven goddess of twilight, Findeladlara; new rules options perfect for paranormalist adventurers; and strange new creatures to befriend or bedevil your players.
Each monthly full-color softcover Pathfinder Adventure Path volume contains an in-depth adventure scenario, stats for several new monsters, and support articles meant to give Game Masters additional material to expand their campaign. Pathfinder Adventure Path volumes use the Open Game License and work with both the Pathfinder RPG and the world’s oldest fantasy RPG.
Written by: James Jacobs
ISBN-13: 978-1-64078-504-5
The Gatewalkers Adventure Path is sanctioned for use in Pathfinder Society Organized Play. The rules for running this Adventure Path and Chronicle Sheets are available as a free download (1 MB PDF).
Other Resources: This product is also available on the following platforms:
This review, and my reviews of the other volumes of this adventure, will be quite critical. This is not intended to be disparaging towards the creators or anything of the sort, and I'm well aware that a large part of Gatewalkers' problems were caused by a sudden staff shortage during its production. In many ways, it's impressive they were able to even ship Gatewalkers under those circumstances. However, that doesn't change the fact that in the broader fanbase over the past 18 months Gatewalkers has become widely considered one of if not the worst 2E adventure path. (A reputation largely not reflected in the small number of review scores here) My hope is that my reviews will help people know what they're getting into if they choose to run this, and to give constructive critique to Paizo over what worked and what didn't. I will also add for context that I GMed this entire adventure path for my group, and am currently running a homebrew 11-20 sequel to it for them.
Chapter 1 - This is, by far, the best single chapter of the Gatewalkers AP. It's fun, it's shocking, it respects and rewards player agency, and it has one of the best examples of mystery structure I've seen in a d20 RPG adventure. There is 1 caveat: If you ran the adventure up to this point as written, Ritalson's betrayal falls completely flat because you met him for 5 minutes at the start of the campaign and never saw him again. If you wrote in a way for him to keep in contact with the party and actually feel like a character, this can be an absolute gut punch.
This is the moment where unlike anything before or after, the AP truly lives up to its premise. If all 3 books were this good, not only would Gatewalkers not be a bad AP, it might have been my favorite AP. Sadly, this chapter stands alone as an example of what could have been. I nearly rated this book 3 stars for this chapter alone, but there's a couple of major issues below that meant I couldn't ultimately justify doing that.
Chapter 2 - This chapter is dominated by a long trek to the north pole that is done via a subsystem that was untested and does not function. As written, it takes so many checks to arrive that the journey is often advised to be sped up to 7x speed and still takes a while doing that. It's compounded due to a major error with the Osoyo's nightmares mechanic, which was presumably intended to have players start with a low chance of getting a nightmare, reset to a low chance after getting one, and repeating. Instead, as written they have an extremely high chance of getting a nightmare right off the bat, that chance decreases if they're lucky enough to avoid it, and resets to an extremely high chance if they get one. In other words, the entire party will accrue maximum stacks of the semi-permanent debuff almost immediately.
To say this chapter is an unfun slog is an understatement. The temple dungeon has a cool layout and boss at least.
Chapter 3 - As a final dungeon, the last temple of Aqakaru is perfectly functional and contains some fun encounters. Well, almost anyway. On the interactive maps pdf two of the rooms are left unkeyed with the numbers just sitting on the left edge of the page where they were left in photoshop, but at least the map in the main book is properly keyed. The final boss is an incredible setpiece, though it's let down a bit by as written being very easy. When you can use Osoyo's doubts to turn Ainamurren's minions against him and the Protosoul instantly gives you half your success points in bolstering Ruun, in both the fight and the post-fight awakening the party has so much stacked in their favor that if you don't make it harder it'll just feel anticlimactic for most groups.
The adventure then ends, and it does so with something major unresolved. This adventure path never gives the answer to one of the most important elements of the premise: why were the gatewalkers all sent back to begin with? It's one of the central mysteries and it's just completely forgotten, with the book talking about when the characters went back but taking them going back as a given. What purpose did it serve Osoyo to send all these people back and to give them their free will back? The most people have theorized is the gatewalkers becoming harbingers but given that an awakened Osoyo can control the Aiudara anyway why not keep your servants close until your awakening? Gatewalkers has no answer.
Toolbox - The failed ending is one of if not the most dire of any Adventure Path, constituting an unambiguous apocalypse. It feels very strange for level 10 characters to be the ones responsible for stopping something of that scale when the world has so many people much stronger who could be contributing help. Between this and Kanepo's oddly weak nature in book 1, many people have wondered if this would have made more sense as an 11-20 or even expanded into a 1-20 and I strongly agree.
To end on a note of praise, the continuing the campaign section is much more robust than average and has some great ideas for homebrewing a sequel, which I am currently in the midst of doing for my own Gatewalkers group.
Overall - Despite the moment of brilliance that is chapter 1 and some of the chapter 3 setpieces, book 3 struggles under the weight of the mysteries and plot issues introduced by its predecessors, and ultimately fails to bring the tale to a satisfying conclusion as written. Gatewalkers as a whole is sadly a tale of potential unrealized.
I didn't like Sakuachi tagging along and stealing the spotlight. I wish we were able to have a better ending. The first chapter was the best for me, but overall I don't think the themes of cultists and secret societies that interested me in Dark Archive came across well in this book.
[On the campaign, from my review of The Seventh Arch] As advertised, I was expecting Gatewalkers to focus a lot more strongly on paranormal adventures, investigating mysteries, and related horror themes, similar to Dark Archive. However, disappointingly, that feels like its really only a third of the adventure path, where most of it is spent on an adventure that feels like it hops around randomly. While the locales can be interesting and varied, the AP as a whole didn't deliver as much as I'd hoped. So as I've run it (at the time of writing, I've run the first book), I've had to make a lot of modifications, integrating new plot lines and content from other books like Dark Archive.
On Dreamers of the Nameless Spires: I'm torn on this book. It has really high high points, but has some lows and continues with some of the problematic story elements from Book 2. Chapter 1 is my favorite chapter in the whole AP, and I'm very excited to run it when my players get there.
SPOILERS: Chapter 1 is the best chapter in the AP by a significant margin. First, unlike the other books, there's a strong use of the investigation mechanics to uncover more about the main plot mystery, with good pacing of clues and contingencies for pacing out the investigation content to players. This part feels like what the AP billed itself as - a investigation to uncover a paranormal mystery. Its more signifcant because its happening in the lair of one of the major villans of the AP, and the twist is something players slowly uncover on their own, rather than being lore-dumped or having it dropped in their laps. Additionally, the whole dungeon section is very appropriately on-theme with the horror and paranormal vibe of the campaign, with some truly grotesque and spooky monsters. Love it! Really great work here. My only improvement would be the actual fight against Ritalson feeling really... mundane? I'd love to have seen more dreamscape shenanigans like in the Dark Archive adventures.
Chapter 2 starts feeling like a bit of another meaningless diversion, but the reveal about the party's past actions here along with the horrifying part blackfrost elf saves the first part of this chapter. The second part of this chapter is, honestly, a skippable slog of a trek across the ice. I'm also confused about this section, because since the party retrieves the yurt, there's absolutely 0 tension or weight around preparing for this massive expedition? The yurt just handles all their needs... unless I'm missing something.
The remaining parts of this book are unfortunately focused on Sakuachi/Snowy Owl, and while the encounters with the Dreamscrapers, Elder Thing Researchers, and Ogmunzorius are very cool and aren't just straight up combat-slogs, a lot of the end of this chapter is wrapped up in a plotline continued from Book 2 that I think cheapens a lot of the impact of the mystery, investigation, and player's actions ("it was fate that we beat Osoyo!" ...yawn). The choice to keep the powers or sacrifice them is cool, although I wish had a little more impact on the whole end sequence. This is the finale of the AP, I feel like you have more room to go big or go home here, or leave the party and world with big consequences.
Overall, I kind of wish that this was a 1-2 book AP with chapters 1-2 of The Seventh Arch and chapters 1-1.5 of Dreamers intact.
I never expected follow-through on that detail about psychic Erutaki visiting ruins in the north, that's awesome!
Ruwido and the Crown of the World both pretty handily derail my theory that this is meant to be a tour of the Broken Lands, which is super exciting. I'm curious if this one sticks the landing! It sounds super neat.
Findledlara is always great. Here's hoping for some Ilverani goodness?
Well nobody expected North to mean "north pole" huh :D Nice to have finally return to crown of the world, while hungry storm from jade regent has issues as adventure the lore about crown of the world was fascinating and something that benefits from expansion and more adventure content
From the office of expectation management... Ruwido ended up not being a part of this adventure path. It didn't make sense for how the storyline developed, especially considering how the village was presented in Dave Gross's novel, Prince of Wolves (where the village was unnamed until it was given a name by Wes in Ruins of Fear). Instead, It's the town of Lepidstadt that plays a role here.
This one is also very much not a tour of the Broken Lands (although there's a bit of that in the previous adventure, never fear!).
Still... I'm doing my best to try to stick the landing on this one!
In the meantime, I'll see about getting the name change to Lepidstadt in the above text.
James writing a spooky, alien-filled AP volume is great!
It does make it profoundly unlikely that Iron Gods 2 is anywhere on the horizon, though.
Me writing a spooky alien AP volume has no impact on how soon Iron Gods 2 or ANYTHING Numeria related might or might not get done, so don't worry about that.
Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
I'm very curious as to how the article will portray Findeladlara. Her alignment is set as CG, but the lore to date absolutely does not support that. She is very concerned with preserving elven culture, and she favours innovation over the creation of something new. That should put her as Neutral rather than Chaotic. She is also kinda racist, refusing non-elven followers (and the other elven gods explicitly disagree with her on this). That should put her as Neutral instead of Good, at best. It wouldn't be the first time that previously established lore has been invalidated, so I guess we will see.
I'm very curious as to how the article will portray Findeladlara. Her alignment is set as CG, but the lore to date absolutely does not support that. She is very concerned with preserving elven culture, and she favours innovation over the creation of something new. That should put her as Neutral rather than Chaotic. She is also kinda racist, refusing non-elven followers (and the other elven gods explicitly disagree with her on this). That should put her as Neutral instead of Good, at best. It wouldn't be the first time that previously established lore has been invalidated, so I guess we will see.
It's an interesting paradox - she spurns non-elven followers, but her cult among the Ilverani are focused on helping non-elves. Very curious to see how they handle her, not least because my own Elf Psychic is likely to wind up a devotee of hers.
Pathfinder LO Special Edition, Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, PF Special Edition Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Starfinder Superscriber
I'm gonna have to go read Dave Gross's books again. :-)
I guess from the other page's picture for this book, saumen kar aren't down to last member like in monsters of myth anymore :D That or we go to place where they are still alive hmm
I guess from the other page's picture for this book, saumen kar aren't down to last member like in monsters of myth anymore :D That or we go to place where they are still alive hmm
There’s a pretty big Lore discrepancy in Dreamers of the Nameless Spires and I’m posting here in the hopes that James Jacobs can clear it up;
:
According to the entry on Ainamuuren in Monsters of Myth, when Aqakaru sacrificed herself to seal Osoyo underground, the Saumen Kar had their language wiped from existence, bar a single phrase: Saumen Kar, meaning ‘Bound in Ice’ and what they then went on to call themselves.
However, in Book 3 of Gatewalkers the PCs travel to the settlement that was built on top of Osoyo’s prison /before/ Earthfall and before Aqakaru’s sacrifice, yet there is no evidence of the language and in fact the players are able to decipher murals and scrolls in the library; suggesting it is written in a language they have the capacity to understand and Winter’s Favoured continue to be referred to as the Saumen Kar, with not even a hint given about their true name or origin, even from Ruun who remembers Aqakaru.
The backmatter article on Ainamuuren goes so far as to say ‘But the Castrovelian elves underestimated the people known as saumen kar.’ describing an event before Earthfall, when they were not known as that, and had no reason to be, for they were not bound at this point.
Also, the Elder Things are said to address the players in Common, but what is considered Common at the North Pole?
So was the tale of their language being lost simply a fable or is there some kind of ‘Rosetta Stone’ that wasn’t affected that would enable the player characters to translate the scrolls and murals in the library? One of my players is playing a Linguist who’s particular interest is the preservation of languages at risk of dying out, so this is going to be a very important plot point at my table and I’m a little stumped.
There’s a pretty big Lore discrepancy in Dreamers of the Nameless Spires and I’m posting here in the hopes that James Jacobs can clear it up;
** spoiler omitted **
To answer those questions...
Spoiler:
For the context of the adventure, the information in the adventure itself is correct, since that information speaks directly to the GM whereas the information in Monsters of Myth presents some more in-world lore with potentially unreliable narrators.
If you prefer the Monsters of Myth lore, feel free to adjust the adventure as you see fit, but for the story I wanted to tell in the adventure, I made those adjustments. If you want to include a bit of Rosetta Stone lore to let the PCs translate things at the library to lean into the interests of the Linguist PC, that's a great reason to make a deeper dive into that potential element.
The Elder Things address the PCs in Taldane, which is the assumption for Common in this Adventure Path. The point is that the Elder Things speak a language the PCs can understand, and they're super smart too, so if you want them to address the PCs in a different language that's fine... but if they can't communicate with them the encounter will very likely turn into a combat, which is (to me) less interesting.
Pathfinder Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
Prince Setehrael wrote:
Elfteiroh wrote:
GGSigmar wrote:
Waiting for someone to spoil what's in the adventure toolbox!
** spoiler omitted **
Can you tell more about the Star of Cynosure?
Spoiler:
Lvl 10 talisman shaped like a star made out of a whale's bone. Popular with desnan, as they think it protect their dreams.
Trigger: before you roll for a will save vs a mental enchantment spell, if you are master in Will
Effect: + 2 status to saves for [Enchantment][Mental] magic for the next 1 minute. And the triggering save gets fail and crit fail upgraded one step.
There’s a pretty big Lore discrepancy in Dreamers of the Nameless Spires and I’m posting here in the hopes that James Jacobs can clear it up;
** spoiler omitted **
To answer those questions...
** spoiler omitted **
Thank you so much for a swift response! I think I might use Ruun as a sort of translator.
That's an interesting idea, but be wary of taking agency out of the PCs' hands. Consider giving the PCs a way to have first crack at translating, and if they fail their checks to succeed, let Ruun step in to help out, perhaps?
There’s a pretty big Lore discrepancy in Dreamers of the Nameless Spires and I’m posting here in the hopes that James Jacobs can clear it up;
** spoiler omitted **
To answer those questions...
** spoiler omitted **
Thank you so much for a swift response! I think I might use Ruun as a sort of translator.
That's an interesting idea, but be wary of taking agency out of the PCs' hands. Consider giving the PCs a way to have first crack at translating, and if they fail their checks to succeed, let Ruun step in to help out, perhaps?
I think what I'm wary of is
:
cheapening or hand-waving the impact of Aqakaru's sacrifice. The Saumen Kar lore is something I'm very attached to and their language being wiped from existence is a very core part of that lore. For PCs to simply be able to understand a language that was wiped from existence by a God with checks isn't something I could justify narratively; especially as being so far North and separated from other societies would most likely make it a language isolate; so there would be no similar languages to compare it with.
I'll brainstorm some ideas of giving the players agency without clashing with the lore, and again I really do appreciate you responding and for writing this adventure, I'm stressing over this because it's a brilliant story and I want to do it justice and that's thanks to you and the other writers on the AP.
The adventure's resolution does not involve a direct combat against Osoyo. He's a level 27 foe, so at this point, the game's rules don't support generating his stats.
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