Key scenario's to the meta story arch

[Saladin Eyubi]

So I have started a new PFS and have run five scenarios so far, but I am a bit daunted as to picking scenarios from the five seasons available. Beyond the ones that are fun or have a novel aspect to them, of which there are a number of great threads devoted to, which scenarios are key to telling the stories of each of the five seasons? Just as in many tv shows, there are stand alone episodes and myth arch episodes. Which scenarios do you recommend to get a group up to speed?

[Nathan Lindy]

First welcome to PFS and thanks for organizing and GMing.

Before I can suggest specific scenarios, I suggest that you first pick a particular season of scenarios that you wish to play. Each season typically has one overarching story with two or three set of main plot lines. The last three seasons (Seasons 3-5) have scenarios that have lead up and introduced the overarching plot for the next season.

The main overarching plots for each of the seasons are as follows:

Season 0: Introduction to the Society and Inner Sea Setting
Season 1: More Introductions / Rise of Shadow Lodge
Season 2: Year of Shadow Lodge
Season 3: Ruby Phoenix Tournament (Before and After the Tournament)
Season 4: Year of the Waking Rune (Cult of Lissla)
Season 5: Year of the Demon (Worldwound Crusade)

My suggestions for scenarios that introduce and progress the story for each of the seasons are as follows

Season 0

Spoiler:

00-01 Silent Tide, S00-04 The Frozen Fingers of Midnight , S00-05 Mists of Mwangi, S00-13 The Prince of Augustana , S00-14 The Many Fortunes of Grandmaster Torch, and S00-22 Fingerprints of the Fiend.

Season 1

Spoiler:

S01-29 The Devil We Know, Part I: Shipyard Rats, S01-30 The Devil We Know, Part II: Cassomir’s Locker, S01-41 The Devil We Know, Part III: Crypt of Fools, S01-48 The Devil We Know, Part IV: Rules of the Swift, S01-45 Delirium’s Tangle S01-35 Voice in the Void, S01-51 The City of Strangers, Part I: The Shadow Gambit, and S01-52 The City of Strangers, Part II: The Twofold Demise.

Season 2 Year of the Shadow Lodge

Spoiler:

For shadow lodge scenarios:
S00-14 The Many Fortunes of Grandmaster Torch, S01-45 Delirium’s Tangle, S01-51 The City of Strangers, Part I: The Shadow Gambit, S01-52 The City of Strangers, Part II: The Twofold Demise, S02-04 Shadows Fall on Absalom, S02-06 The Heresy of Man, Part I: The First Heresy, S02-07 The Heresy of Man, Part II: Where Dark Things Sleep, S02-09 The Heresy of Man, Part III: Beneath Forgotten Sands, S02-15 Shades of Ice, Part I: Written in Blood, S02-17 Shades of Ice, Part II: Exiles of Winter, S02-19 Shades of Ice, Part III: Keep of the Huscarl King, S02-20 Wrath of the Accursed, S02-21 The Dalsine Affair, S02-23 Shadow’s Last Stand, Part I: At Shadow’s Door, S02-24 Shadow’s Last Stand, Part II: Web of Corruption, S02-26 The Mantis’s Prey, S03-First Steps, Part I: In Service to Lore, S03-01 The Frostfur Captives, S04-14 My Enemy’s Enemy, and S04-23 Rivalry’s End.

For General Plot Line:
S02-01 Before the Dawn, Part I: The Bloodcove Disguise, S02-02 Before the Dawn, Part II: Rescue at Azlant Ridge, and S02-11 The Penumbral Accords.

Season 3 Ruby Phoenix Tournment

Spoiler:

Before the Tournament:
S03-03 The Ghenett Manor Gauntlet, S03-04 The Kortos Envoy, S03-09 The Quest for Perfection, Part I: The Edge of Heaven, S03-11 The Quest for Perfection, Part II: On Hostile Waters, and S03-13 The Quest for Perfection, Part III: Defenders of Nesting Swallow.

After the Tournament:
S03-12 Wonders in the Weave, Part I: The Dog Pharaoh’s Tomb, S03-14 Wonders in the Weave, Part II: Snakes in the Fold, S03-19 The Icebound Outpost, S03-20 The Rats of Round Mountain, Part I: The Sundered Path, S03-22 The Rats of Round Mountain, Part II: Pagoda of the Rat, S03-21 The Temple of Empyreal Enlightenment, S03-25 Storming the Diamond Gate, S03-26 Portal of the Sacred Rune , and S04-16 The Fabric of Reality.

General Plot Line:
S03-03 The Ghenett Manor Gauntlet, S03-07 Echoes of the Overwatched, S03-16 Midnight Mauler, and S03-24 The Golden Serpent.

Season 4 Year of the Waking Rune

Spoiler:

Waking Rune Arch
S03-25 Storming the Diamond Gate, S03-26 Portal of the Sacred Rune, S04-08 The Cultist’s Kiss, S04-10 Feast of Sigils, S04-12 The Refuge of Time, S04-20 Words of the Ancients, and S04-26 The Waking Rune.

Blakros Arch (Major Plot Line through all seasons and still ongoing):
S00-05 Mists of Mwangi, S01-35 Voice in the Void, S02-11 The Penumbral Accords, S03-07 Echoes of the Overwatched, S04-09 The Blakros Matrimony, S05-03 The Hellknight’s Feast, S05-14 Day of the Demon, SP Ruins of Bonekeep-Level 1: The Silent Grave, SP Ruins of Bonekeep-Level 2: Maze of the Mind Slave.

General Plot Line:
S04-07 Severing Ties, S04-09 The Blakros Matrimony, S04-11 The Disappeared, S04-13 Fortress of the Nail, S04-17 Tower of the Ironwood Watch, S04-18 The Veteran’s Vault, S04-19 The Night March of Kalkamedes, S04-21 Way of the Kirin, S04-22 Halls of Dwarven Lore, S04-24 The Price of Friendship, and S04-25 The Secrets Stones Keep.

Season 5 Year of the Demon

Spoiler:

Worldwound/Sky Citadel [ongoing]:
S02-08 The Sarkorian Prophecy, S04-17 Tower of the Ironwood Watch, S04-19 The Night March of Kalkamedes, S04-22 Halls of Dwarven Lore, S04-24 The Price of Friendship,S04-25 The Secrets StonesS05-02 The Wardstone Patrol, S05-09 The Traitor’s Lodge, S05-10 Where Mammoths Dare Not Tread, and S05-13 Weapon in the Rift.

Helping the Crusade (ongoing):
S03-03 The Ghenett Manor Gauntlet, S05-01 The Glass River Rescue, S05-03 The Hellknight’s Feast, S05-04 The Stolen Heir, S05-05 The Elven Entanglement, S05-06 You Have What You Hold, S05-07 Port Godless, and S05-11 Library of the Lion.

Destiny of the Sands/Other Faction Goals (ongoing:
S00-14 The Many Fortunes of Grandmaster Torch, S01-51 The City of Strangers, Part I: The Shadow Gambit, S01-52 The City of Strangers, Part II: The Twofold Demise, S02-23 Shadow’s Last Stand, Part I: At Shadow’s Door, S02-24 Shadow’s Last Stand, Part II: Web of Corruption, S04-13 Fortress of the Nail, S04-14 My Enemy’s Enemy, S04-18 The Veteran’s Vault, S04-23 Rivalry’s End, S05-06 You Have What You Hold, S05-07 Port Godless, S05-12 Destiny of the Sands Part 1: The Bitter Bargain, S05-15 Destiny of the Sands Part 2: Race to Seeker’s Folly, S05-16 Destiny of the Sands Part 3: Sanctum of the Sages.

I may be missing a few scenarios, but that should give you a good start on trying to figure of the plot of PFS. My advice is to try to with a few of the older seasons and get some of the background information, before playing the newest scenarios such as Destiny in the Sands.