A Pathfinder Society Scenario designed for 1st- through 4th-level characters.
Within Irrisen, Queen Anastasia has spent the better part of a decade testing the boundaries of her rulership and seeing where she can and cannot make change. After enough research and discussion with fellow leaders, she's finally decided full steam ahead on the first of many plans she has to help bring her new home to the forefront of Avistani politics. As an international organization of travelers, she's called upon the Pathfinder Society for their opinions on the platform of her new venture, looking for insights from those who have to cross over wide landscapes, however her meeting with agents and contractors goes off the rails when a group of frost goblins looking to let off some steam launch an attack conducted by a disappointed fey. The Pathfinders will need to catch those goblins and defeat the fey in order ensure that Queen Anastasia's plan doesn't get derailed into the ground!
Written by Dave Nelson
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:
I REALLY wanted to give this adventure higher marks. And from a player perspective, it might well deserver those. But there are just too many problems that are only noticeable on the GM side for me to give a rating higher than three starts.
The good:
- The scene in the beginning with the different groups and different ideas for "trains" is interesting and can be quite fun to run / play
- The final fight, listed as severe, actually felt like a severe fight
- The scenario has a lot of outstanding artwork
The bad:
- The whole chase scene is utterly pointless - the results don't matter in the slightest bit. Players won't notice that of course, but from a GM perspective, it is purely a waste of time / wordcount. In the end that might even be a good thing since there are always just two skills you can roll, so unless you are lucky and have the perfect group, you will probably lose this chase badly!
- There is no scaling for the interaction with the different groups. The DCs and number of successes needed are the same for a group of 4 level 1 as they are for a group of six level 2 (4x3 and 6x4 respectively).
- There just isn't a whole lot of information about the different train ideas to go on. Which materials are needed? What is the cost? How well does it scale? What are the actual specs (speed, capacity, etc.) - Players can and will have SO many questions that the scenario doesn't answer
- It very much feels like someone very badly wanted to goblins to end up employed at the castle. I can find no other explanation about why all of a sudden the group is asked to deal with the obvious thieves without bloodshed - people have been killed for far less in PFS scenarios! Why do those goblins get special consideration?
- The artwork of the trains doesn't always fit the descriptions well
The ugly:
- Once encounter has contradictory information about the number of enemies
- The obstacle the goblins are supposed to start in during the chase does not exist
- (This one is more personal and will not be taken into consideration for the rating) Can't we just forget finally about the whole connection between Earth and Golarion? It never fit well, and I just wished it would be ignored.
All in all a scenario with a LOT of potential, that is held down by bad editing, wasted opportunities and lack of depth behind the artful decor
The table I ran had a great time with this one. The interaction in the first scene (The Contractors) is done very nicely with memorable characters and a good opportunity for role-play and even with some consequences. The scaling for the low tier seemed to work well and gave the players a decent challenge in the final fight particularly.
A shout out to the author and artists - the creativity of the descriptions and provided art really enhanced the experience. Running this with the Foundry module you could hear the reactions from the players as I shared the art. It was great to see how engaged the players got into the game and the decision they needed to make.
While there maybe some scaling issues with the final encounter, the overall scenario was a nice change of pace in tone. At least my table had a great time with the setup and premise. As we are from Earth it was very funny to RP characters not. The story device is what made me give this 4 stars instead of 3.
The encounters were simple enough, the maps open enough, the skill challenges varied enough.
Rather simple scenario, I would run again. I also hope to see this storyline again, maybe even in SF2E lol.
*Hmm* Think there are a few society adventures that I am going to have to get my hands on just so I can read the over all consequences of their actions.
Considering the devastating effects that the railroad industry has had in the real world, introducing trains to Golarion makes me nervous. But I definitely want to play this adventure.
Considering the devastating effects that the railroad industry has had in the real world, introducing trains to Golarion makes me nervous. But I definitely want to play this adventure.
It could have some interesting bits of tension with the neighbors' populace, though, or it could be magical and not have as much of a detriment to the environment.
