"Masks of the Living God": Impressions?

[Steel_Wind]

Hi all,

As you might have read on another post, I'm one of the hosts of Chronicles: The Pathfinder Podcast. Starting early next month, we'll focus of reviewing Golarion products and, in particular, in reviewing, deconstructing (and sometimes reconstructing) Paizo modules, Adventure Paths and Pathfinder Society Scenarios with a spoilerific zeal.

Masks of the Living Gods is up for an early review on the podcast.

I've played through the module and read it through and I have formed my own views on MotLG. I am, however, greatly interested in the opinions of other players and GMs on your own group's experiences with Masks of the Living God. Right now, there are not too many posts on the module, fair or foul -- and a relative dearth of questions too, for that matter.

I expect the main reason for that is that the module is relatively new. Still, sometimes some further prodding in necessary to provoke a response:

What did you think of the module as a player or GM? Did you play it as part of the Immortals trilogy? Anything in particular that you liked -- or disliked about the module?

I'd be very pleased to get your views on your own group's experiences with "Masks of the Living God".

[Mikaze]

Having only had the chance to skim through the book, I will say that I love the possibility of going undercover being given full support, along with the focus on non-linearity for this adventure.

I'm eager to hear stories from folks that have run this one too.

[Pygon]

I've also only skimmed through it. But I found it interesting that the first part of the adventure outlines the plot, and the second part details the maps in which it takes place, allowing you (and challenging you), the GM, to play things out as they may.

[Alex Martin]

*Please excuse my mis-spellings in this commentary - I don't have the module in front of me. Also, for the sake of anyone playing, please be aware that there may be spoilers.*

Probably of the three modules, to me it is the most mixed bag. This module's success depends on what kind of group you have and how they want to broach it.

Unlike either Crypt of the Everflame or City of Golden Death, this module is probably the most open of the three. Whereas the others in this series are dungeon-crawls with a set mission, this one has a mission but there's not as much of a direct guideline.

Yes, the idea is to infiltrate the temple, but how you manage it and survive it is kind of open-ended for your players. If you have a play group that has been used to a more direct approach (go here - do this along the way), this style of adventure may be more difficult to accomodate if they aren't up for greater role-playing or strategy.

As a DM, I think the challenge is the setting. While Tamran could be generically described, compared to the level of detail we got for Kassen, it seems pretty sparse. You could be putting a lot more work than expected for a module (as opposed to an Adventure Path, which usually gives more reason to flesh this out). Again, it depends if you have players who want to explore the whole city or just "get on with it."

Finally, and I think this has been discussed on the boards, is how do you handle the "infiltration" of the cult. Honestly, the module kind of implies: you must go under-cover to get the information and help the city. While this can make for great role-playing chances, I think you invite character issues that not every player can accept that approach. While rogue or fighter characters may not have an issue, I can see players arguing their paladins, clerics or druids can't/won't make convincing "recruits."

While I have reservations, there's still lots to like and the module is creative in its approach. I like the build up they are making for the nation of Nirmathas - certainly it creates a base for characters to spend their time around the Lake Encarthan region. In the context of just being a stand-alone module, that openess is great.

I guess gist of it is that compared to the other two modules in this trilogy, this one seems a little less directed and out of sync with the feel of the others.

[fray]

Got a link to the podcast?

[Steel_Wind]

fray wrote:

Got a link to the podcast?

I will when it's up. That's the "starting early next month" part. The subject and nature of podcast is discussed here if you missed it.

We're planning release of Episode #1 during the first half of June. Episodes will follow thereafter bi-weekly.

[fray]

Oh, cool.
My bad, I missed that part...
Looking forward to it.

[Anewor7]

Well I GMed this module, and I'd say that my group had an interesting experience with it.

(Spoiler contains a few kingmaker details as well as Masks of the Living God)

Spoiler:

To begin with I decided to GM it as a start in to Kingmaker (I've heard some other people mention they used crypt of the everflame as a kingmaker lead in, but this is what I had to work with) - these modules take place relatively nearby to where kingmaker starts so it's easy enough to convert the Tamran into becoming Restov - Which had me taking 5 1st level PC's through a module designed for 3rd level PCs. In a move that shocked me my PCs co-operated almost perfectly with the cultists (there typically more of the kill it to resolve the problem types). My Pcs did know that they would be in over there heads if they got into anything too seriously though. My PC's managed to make it through an entire week of pretending to be cultists without getting into combat apart from the 1 PC who didn't eat anything at the inn and got pummeled into unconsciousness in 1 round by sap wielding cultists, and the PCs attack rolls on a Baker's counter they were trying to intimidate. At the end of the week they eventually explored their way down to the treasure room - where they eventually caused enough noise to alert the rest of the temple - half of the PCs escaped through the tunnel to ultimately be whacked into unconsciousness with saps by cultists who had run to the inn - while the rest of the party escaped using a potion of invisibility and potion of gaseous form out the front door. Said unconscious characters were rescued by Forest Marshall Gavrik when he raided the temple based on the information contained in the ledger they found in the treasure room, which I conveniently made also contain all the information in the upstairs (which my PCs never explored) ledger, since by then Kingmaker had come out and it was time to get on with Kingdom Building. My PCs are currently 5th lvl and I'm giving the option to do the City of Golden Death stuff by expanding Hex O, Candlemere Lake in AP 32 Rivers Run Red. I personally had a very good enjoyable time with this module and it worked great for what I was using it for, but I can hardly see playing it without making modifications to it (oh btw, I also made Reginar into a Restov Noble instead of a Pathfinder in order to make the PCs receiving a charter to explore the stolen lands more natural, and also used Reginar as a helper npc to explain how to start the PCs kingdom once they defeated the Stag Lord.)

[Stebehil]

There are really not much posts about it, so I thought that I might as well post my question here: I happen to have a player using a Greataxe as main weapon. Now,

spoiler:

Krant uses a greatclub +1 as a weapon. While I can easily see that this is probably meant to reinforce his image as a hulking brute (it is nearly ogrish to wield a greatclub IMO), I was thinking about changing this into a greataxe to give a +1 weapon to said player. Do you think that would change the image Krant has (not to mention that greataxes are much more dangerous than greatclubs)? Would you change it or not in the same situation?

Stefan

[feytharn]

I think, it's save to change that.

Spoiler:

if you want to keep up the image of the brute, make the greataxe be of a crude design (doesn't need to be beautyful to be enchanted...) or have him adorn the axe with cruel totems like bones and (animal?) skulls on leather strings

[Stebehil]

Cool ideas, thanks. I guess I will go with the first one.

Stefan

[Steel_Wind]

A heads up that we have released an in-depth spoilerific review of Masks of the Living God in the latest Episode of Chronicles: The Pathfinder Podcast. You can find the podcast here.

The podcast also features a lengthy interview with the module's author, Jason Bulmahn, where we discuss the process of designing the module, behind the scenes considerations and other details in the adventure as well as the module's predecessor, Crypt of the Everflame.

I took into account the comments concerning the module in this forum (as well as comments on the ENWorld forums) in the review of the module -- and wish to thank all who posted here for their thoughts and contributions.

[Elorebaen]

Thank you for the head's up! Listening now.

[SunKing]

Will be running this tomorrow, so would appreciate general advice and input from more recent experiences with ‘Masks...’.

I played through it in PFS and enjoyed it thoroughly...

[Warped Savant]

I really like the set up in Masks but the idea of the PCs joining the cult and putting up with so much abuse it difficult.
I had the pathfinder at the end of Crypt of the Everflame suggest they talk to one of the leaders in the main town that Masks takes place in. (I don't remember which leader). The leader had sent people in earlier to try to infiltrate the cult that way the PCs would get some information and understand what they'll go through in order to prepare themselves. I thought that would fix it so that I could run the module mostly as written. (Honestly, I'm not a fan of the degradation and abuse the PCs go through as written and didn't really want to run it the way it's presented.)

Then one of the PCs asked the town leader "Can we talk to one of the people that tried to infiltrate?" and I saw my chance to change things.

They met with one of the agents, who was very paranoid and was constantly thinking the cult was watching but knew it was worth the risk. The NPC described some of the things that happened to them which allowed the PCs to plan and make it so they didn't have to put up with the abuse. They went in, snuck around on the first night to find their gear and what was hidden in the basement, and attacked the church from there. It became much more of a stealth dungeon crawl and, while not great, was better than running it as written.
(And, that being said, the combat was a lot of fun when the entire cult was trying to get at the PCs and the players used creative ways of preventing people from entering the areas they were in, while still being surprised by some of the traps and not knowing where everyone was.)

[PFRPGrognard]

It's worth checking out the podcast above as it does offer some good advice on running this module.

I gave the players extra incentive to go along with the "captive" scenario by having them go to Tamran searching for their college Arnama, the elven ranger from Kassen's Hold. This gave them more incentive to actually get inside the compound and go along with things until they could figure out where Arnama was being held and then enact their escape.

It was a fun adventure and the PCs really enjoyed getting some payback on the Razmirans after being abused while in captivity.

[The Diplomat]

This was one of the first PF1E games I ever GM'd. I ran it as the immediate sequel to Crypt of the Everflame.

I have to say it was lots of fun. The PCs really struggled with having to fight each other, etc. and it made them enjoy breaking cover and beating the Razmirans all the more.