New PCs Who Don't Know Pathfinder -- First Module Advice

[W E Ray]

I'm struggling finding the perfect Beginner PFS Scenario for a group of Players both completely new to Pathfinder/ RPGs, and the Golarian setting & PFS. (Most of my Sessions have been with Players of [i]at least a little experience -- some of these guys don't even know the dice.)[/i]

Ideally the Scenario should be in Absalom -- City of the Center of the World -- and also really capture the 'PFS-is-sorta-Indiana-Jones-like' essence, with an archaeological quest or something. And is also a really fun 1st Level Scenario!

"The Confirmation" is mediocre at best to play (kinda vanilla) and further, it's only barely in Absalom -- most of it is outside the city. But of course "The Confirmation" is my fall-back.

A Scenario like "Library of the Lion" could be ideal -- urban location, all about the clues in a library in a quest for lost knowledge. But it doesn't really have any, er, 'raw' adventuring (such as fighting a minotaur in a cave at 1st Level). And I dunno, it just seems like a Scenario suited for experienced gamers -- not Players some of who will be learning which of the dice you roll in certain situations and the others learning what their various pre-generated PCs can do.

Meanwhile, the Scenario "Let Bygones Be" is great. VERY archaeological-quest/ very fun-&-adventurous, very good for complete newbies. The only caveat is that it's much better suited to players who know the campaign setting -- all the Cheliax stuff.

So here's my question, and many thanks for all suggestions!:
Is there a good PFS Scenario for complete newbies that both takes place in Absalom (the city) and is very Indiana-Jones-like?

How good, for my situation, are "In Service to Lore" and "The Overflow Archives"? Are there better examples?

Again, many thanks!

[Kate Baker]

I like the Wounded Wisp a lot, and I think it meets your criteria. The quest doesn’t start off archaeological, but it kind of gets there!

[roll4initiative]

The new Quest, What the Helms Hide, is a historical account of the Pathfinder Society. I suggest you take a look at that one.

["Auntie" Baltwin]

well...

First Steps I?

Masters of the Fallen Fortress?

I liked them both:

I realized I'm going to be ridiculed for both my suggestions, but heck, I like both, and have run both many times, and they are my "go-to" scenarios for total beginners. Heck, I'm running First Steps tomorrow for a group that includes 2 total beginners and one pre-teen player, and I chose it because I have total beginners at the table. And I expect we will all have a lot of fun (esp. at the orphanage).

[RealAlchemy]

Wounded Wisp is awesome for brand new L1. I like starting characters with Wounded Wisp, Confirmation, and Consortium Compact (in that order.)
Masters of the Fallen Fortress is also a lot of fun. My only drawback with that one is that it will only award 1 PP. If it had a secondary success condition in would bump out Consortium Compact for me.
House of Harmonious Wisdom is very archeological, though it takes place in Tien instead of Absolom.

[BigNorseWolf]

I like

First steps 1: you are interns running around absolom

Wounded Wisp: you are actual pathfinders running around absolom

The confirmation: you are given your first real field asignment. Chaparone or no, FIELD TRIP!

[W E Ray]

Thanks so much guys!

[Woran]

I think the infernal vault would be perfect. It takes place in absalom. It has a vault to be discovered/reclaimed, and it has a little bit of everything new players would need to learn about (traps, tactics, different types of enemies).

[Tomppa]

Different scenarios highlight different things. If you have a new group, but know that they are going to play a couple of scenarios (say, during the course of a month), something like: Fallen fortress (A basic dungeon crawl), throw in some background how the group is recruited into the pathfinders afterwards, followed up by First Steps: In service to the Lore to showcase some of the central NPC's, and finish 1st level with the Confirmation, to create a background for how the characters joined Pathfinders.

My personal favorite, though, is the House of Harmonious Wisdom. Very flavorful and very fun. With good prep, it can draw in players who are new to roleplaying games, but you should put significant focus on the world and descriptions.
It isn't focused on Absalom or pathfinders, though, which may be misleading for now players considering that most scenarios have a different focus/area.

[NielsenE]

Can you let us know why you consider 'set primarily in Absolom' as a defining/limiting feature? As that seems to limit your choices rather dramatically. Unless you're planning an Absolom specific arc, I don't see how much it buys you in introductory power -- if you're picking fun/thematic missions you're likely to be bouncing all over the map anyways so it doesn't really matter where you start. I'd rather new players get invested in their characters, and their party, and the conceit that 'we go where we're told' rather than getting attached to one home base if you're running 'random' PFS scenarios rather than an AP.

[W E Ray]

The reason I want it in Absalom, other than the trifle of the Grand Lodge being there, is that Absalom — for the whole Campaign Setting — is the City of the Center of the World. It’s The Free City of Greyhawk; It’s Waterdeep; it’s Ptolus. Absalom goes first.

.

I went ahead and did “The Confirmation” first, followed by “The Wounded Wisp” and “Silent Tide.” Three appropriate Scenarios for Venture Captains to give to new Pathfinders — in Absalom — very ‘Hey Newbie, I’m the V.C., fetch me some coffee please, and then, Holy moly, it’s a cool archaeology/ historical adventure’ — worthy of Henry Jones Jr.

Second Level has seen “Mists of Mwangi” and, cuz I love it and couldn’t wait, “Let Bygones Be.”

I’ve come back here for another look and am going to check out “The Infernal Vault” and “The Consortium Compact”!

Thanks again!

[TriOmegaZero]

I'd recommend Silent Tide for introducing a couple great NPCs. (Especially if they get to play the following screwups of Yargos Gill.)