10-06: Treason's Chains Questions

[CanisDirus]

Given that I am unexpectedly prepping this to run in about 12 hours, I'm not super hopeful for replies, but I at least want to put the question(s) I have out there in case they can be of help to other GMs.

1 - Wulessa Yuul has appeared in at least one scenario prior to this one (I distinctly remember #7-01 but thought there was another one too). Has Phlegos Dulm ever appeared in any PFS scenarios before?

2 - If the PCs do "break through" in area A2, do the Pikes simply ignore them entirely, barring them setting things off in area A3? The scenario doesn't provide guidance for what the Pikes do in any other situation except combat breaking out. In other words, if the party avoids combat in A2, do they risk the Pikes joining in should a fight break out in A3?

3 - Four player adjustment for A3 - removing one creature from the low tier encounter, as written, effectively removes the trap's summoning entirely. Is this intentional? Apologies for asking, but if that is the intent, the language used is not what I'm personally used to seeing in scenarios for that kind of alteration.

4 - In the event that the PCs don't ask (or refuse, etc.) for goblin agents to accompany them to Area C, and the optional encounter is skipped, are there any recommendations for how to "narrate" that? My thought would be that a team of agents would arrive independently, but I wanted to toss this question here in case insight from the author/developers had things in mind that didn't make it into the final draft of the adventure.

5 - Are we permitted to know what scenario will have the Goblin Patronage boon (referenced on #10-06's chronicle sheet) in it?

I'm still giving the scenario my second read-through, so I might ask more as I come across things. Thank you very much in advance!

[Michael Sayre]

Mike Bramnik wrote:

Given that I am unexpectedly prepping this to run in about 12 hours, I'm not super hopeful for replies, but I at least want to put the question(s) I have out there in case they can be of help to other GMs.

1 - Wulessa Yuul has appeared in at least one scenario prior to this one (I distinctly remember #7-01 but thought there was another one too). Has Phlegos Dulm ever appeared in any PFS scenarios before?

Answer 1:

He appears at the very beginning of 7–01: Between the Lines. Mostly in a paragraph describing why he's a terrible venture-captain.

Quote:

2 - If the PCs do "break through" in area A2, do the Pikes simply ignore them entirely, barring them setting things off in area A3? The scenario doesn't provide guidance for what the Pikes do in any other situation except combat breaking out. In other words, if the party avoids combat in A2, do they risk the Pikes joining in should a fight break out in A3?

Answer 2:

If the PCs do anything that sets off the traps or otherwise raises an alarm, the Pikes will attempt to imprison them for Phlegos.

Quote:

3 - Four player adjustment for A3 - removing one creature from the low tier encounter, as written, effectively removes the trap's summoning entirely. Is this intentional? Apologies for asking, but if that is the intent, the language used is not what I'm personally used to seeing in scenarios for that kind of alteration.

Answer 3:

That doesn't really match up with how I remember the encounter working, so I suspect something got juggled without the sidebar getting updated. For the purposes of this encounter, instead of reducing the number of dretch to zero in the lower subtier, instead reduce the duration of the summoning to 3 rounds.

Quote:

4 - In the event that the PCs don't ask (or refuse, etc.) for goblin agents to accompany them to Area C, and the optional encounter is skipped, are there any recommendations for how to "narrate" that? My thought would be that a team of agents would arrive independently, but I wanted to toss this question here in case insight from the author/developers had things in mind that didn't make it into the final draft of the adventure.

Answer 4:

If the goblins don't accompany the PCs and they skip the optional encounter, you can have either an independently operating group of goblins sent by Yigrig, the original three Pathfinders who have recovered enough from their poisoning to try and follow up the leads that brought them down to Katapesh and arrive just after the PCs, or another group of Pathfinder agents following up on the bards' leads who arrive to rescue the former slaves. Ideally we'd like the goblins to have an opportunity to rescue the former slaves, since the pro-money, anti-slavery goblins making up Yigrig's extended "family" will likely be adopted by the Pathfinder Society as one of the goblin groups serving as an appropriate source of goblin Pathfinders going forward.

Quote:

5 - Are we permitted to know what scenario will have the Goblin Patronage boon (referenced on #10-06's chronicle sheet) in it?

Answer 5:

Goblin Patronage is a lower tier GM boon given out at GenCon. It may be reappearing in other venues where we offer similar boon support.

Quote:

I'm still giving the scenario my second read-through, so I might ask more as I come across things. Thank you very much in advance!

You're welcome!

[CanisDirus]

Michael - thank you tons for the quick answers! I didn't get to post here before GMing, but I saw them in time to make use of a couple!

[thistledown]

How are Guaril and the Exchange not all over these goblin counterparts?!

[Kashcheyevna]

Running this later this week + wanted to clarify a few points of confusion I had at the Kotargo Lodge when prepping. As I am a relatively inexperienced GM, so I appreciate any insight, thanks!

The Party:

Do the PCs make a single job check for the party? Same for diplomacy rolls? I was envisioning it would look like having players roll initiative (or going around the table) making job checks (and providing colourful narration of the results, often incorporating Zig), and allowing them a diplomacy roll if they'd like for information. Should they have time to do anything else during the party or should you then go into the staredown, followed Roderick encouraging the PCs to talk to the Captains to get them headed to Kotargo?

The Records:

The PCs head to the Kotargo Lodge to recover records of Phlegos's misdeeds. On pg 7, in area A1 (The Storefront) PCs can convince Lobda to "give up the records the PCs are looking for" with a skill check or bribe. How do these records differ from the books that are in area A3 (The Office) with Snide? Specifically, if the PCs get the records in the storefront, what encourages them to enter the warehouse to seek out the book?

The Warehouse:

I know this was already asked but I'm still a little unclear. If the PCs get the password from Lobda + respond to the tough's hail, does that mean they let their guard down + begin to talk to the PCs? The text implies they'd be suspicious as they weren't expecting anyone. Does it just buy the PCs a round or two to prepare for combat/bluff/etc?

Pike's Headquarters:

In the southern building, which part of the building are the slaves kept? I assumed it was the SW corner. Bonus question, could the PCs feasibly approach the Headquarters via a boat + enter from the dock side?

Thanks again for such a fun adventure! Excited to run it.

[Doug Hahn]

Here is how I ran it, zkzk.

Party:

Treason's Chains wrote:

At least one PC must be assigned to each task (except translating and performing with the bards, which are optional), and every PC must be assigned to at least one but not more than two tasks. Multiple PCs can perform the same task, but there isn’t time for anyone to supply each other with aid another checks.

Each player rolled once on one task. The players strategized on who was rolling what ahead of time (Dougle "assigns" them tasks based on their strengths, so I let them be a little metagamey here. It's not like the skill check behind "tending the animals" needs to be hidden behind smoke and mirrors). If they are having a hard time after the first time around the table as a group, they can try a different task just once.

For order, we just went clockwise from whoever volunteered to start. Zig will try to aid on every check, which can lead to interesting results and some fun time in the spotlight for each PC. He's really the highlight of this scene — and I would highly recommend bringing the goblin silliness with you.

For diplomacy at the party, the group should be able to work out their own best way to gather info, like any other standard check.

They might be able to enjoy the scene a little more and do other things (e.g. roleplay), time permitting. However this scenario might go a little long at some tables as-is.

Records:

Lobda has been secretly keeping secret tabs on Phlegos’s debt; I assume those are somewhere near at hand and what she will hand over. It's just more evidence against Phlegos.

Warehouse:

The passcode just prevents them from attacking outright; if the PCs decide to bluff with a far-fetched lie, or do something ridiculous, it might end up going badly anyway.

Headquarters:

Treason's Chains wrote:

The building looks like any other bar except for the dozen or so men and women who lie on cots at the southern end, manacled to weights.

The room in question is described as a bar, with the slaves in cots to the South. So I put them along the South wall of the room with the bar in it. They're non-combatants so it probably doesn't matter much anyway.

Hope that helps.

[GreyYeti]

I have a question regarding the boons:
According to the text on page 17, players gain the Katapeshi Underground boon by fulfilling the secondary success condition and the Well-Connected boon if the fulfill the Liberty's Edge faction part.

But according to the chronicle sheet Katapeshi Underground is the Liberty's Edge faction boon.

Which one is correct?

[Michael Sayre]

Nils Janson wrote:

I have a question regarding the boons:

According to the text on page 17, players gain the Katapeshi Underground boon by fulfilling the secondary success condition and the Well-Connected boon if the fulfill the Liberty's Edge faction part.

But according to the chronicle sheet Katapeshi Underground is the Liberty's Edge faction boon.

Which one is correct?

The text on page 17 is correct; Well-Connected should have the Liberty's Edge tag.

[CanisDirus]

I totally missed that in my read-through.

Will the scenario be updated to reflect this error? I'll start tracking down local players I know who've played this to re-issue chronicles in the meantime.

[Bashkinator]

Michael Sayre wrote:

Nils Janson wrote:

I have a question regarding the boons:

According to the text on page 17, players gain the Katapeshi Underground boon by fulfilling the secondary success condition and the Well-Connected boon if the fulfill the Liberty's Edge faction part.

But according to the chronicle sheet Katapeshi Underground is the Liberty's Edge faction boon.

Which one is correct?

The text on page 17 is correct; Well-Connected should have the Liberty's Edge tag.

So Katapeshi Underground shouldn't? Everyone gets it if they fulfil the secondary success condition, right?

[TriOmegaZero]

Whoops, guess my table got assigned incorrect boons.

We did appreciate the party being introduced to the 'Gobfather'. If only I had a ring for them to kiss.

[Michael Sayre]

Steven Schopmeyer wrote:

Whoops, guess my table got assigned incorrect boons.

We did appreciate the party being introduced to the 'Gobfather'. If only I had a ring for them to kiss.

I was a little concerned that Yigrig might stand out as too different from a standard goblin, but I really liked the idea of him serving as an aberrant but largely beneficent (at least for Katapeshi goblins) force in the city. Plus when the art showed up of him in expensive robes, a fine chain shirt, a jeweled dagger, and no pants, I just thought "Yeah, that seems right."

Not really much of a spoiler, but just in case:

We've joked that if we use him in a scenario again, he's going to be dealing with the woes of having lost a bunch of his merchandise and a fair swath of his adopted family to an unfortunate warehouse fire. Yigrig, and maybe Zig, are definitely aberrations as far as goblins go. Most of the rest of "the family" are pretty par for the goblin course. I think Lobda is the only other one willing to read. Which actually makes the goblins fairly attractive for certain other jobs (with Yigrig's firm hand on the reins), since they can't reveal what they can't read.

[Keven Simmons]

Another question regarding party skill checks. In the description of the tasks it says:
"The PCs must succeed at two or more of the following tasks through the course of the night; if they don’t manage this, Dougle docks their compensation"

Then in the "Rewards" section at the end it says:
"If at least half of the PCs (rounded up) do not successfully perform the available tasks, reduce each PC’s gold"

Any advice on which success criteria is the right one? One PC succeeding on two tasks, or two PCs succeeding in a table of 5 or 6 would meet the first criteria, but not the second criteria.

I also assume only one check per PC per task is allowed (no retries or double-ups)?

[Matthew Morris]

Steven Schopmeyer wrote:

Whoops, guess my table got assigned incorrect boons.

We did appreciate the party being introduced to the 'Gobfather'. If only I had a ring for them to kiss.

Having just played this tonight, we were calling him the Grand Nagus. I'll need to work on my Wallace Shawn imitation when I run it. I shared the info about the boon with our local group.

Also perils of running it this time of the year.

Spoiler:

Me: So with the goblins on her side, support is swinging Yuul's way?
GM: Yes.
Me, so we can say the Yuul Tide is turning.

Yes I went there, and got comfortable.

[thistledown]

Matthew Morris wrote:

Steven Schopmeyer wrote:

Whoops, guess my table got assigned incorrect boons.

We did appreciate the party being introduced to the 'Gobfather'. If only I had a ring for them to kiss.

Having just played this tonight, we were calling him the Grand Nagus. I'll need to work on my Wallace Shawn imitation when I run it. I shared the info about the boon with our local group.

Mine was definitely Marlon Brando.

[Ferious Thune]

I went more Wallace Shawn, too. Though I generally equate him with Drandle Dreng as well for some reason.

[GeoffA]

Is there some subliminal messaging in this mod that makes players want to split the party? I have run it twice, and twice had to threaten and cajole my “ducks” back into line.

Session 1 - The party jumps out a window with Tistin. Half the group goes to find him a safe location to lie low, and half goes to report back to Roderus.

Session 2 - Half the party goes to investigate Phlegos’s shop/lodge and half stay at the party “so it doesn’t look suspicious that we all left at the same time”.

In both cases, it was low tier and there were, and there were some combat capable level 3s in the right place to avoid half the party getting wiped. I try not to tell the players “no, you can’t do that”, and players are usually pretty good about staying together. I’m just kind of amused that this happened twice with the same module.

[Ferious Thune]

When I played it, one character followed Zig to where they were holding him and was left out of the next section. When I GMed it they stuck together.

[NielsenE]

Yeah I had Roderus intervene when the party tried to have a few sneak out to deal with the warehouse and the rest cover the party, since they were sending the least combat capable, the least diplomatic, and only borderline stealthy people..... And the players of the combat focused characters were acting extremely bored.