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I played a character in this scenario, then read it after the game. First, I have a few questions or comments from the player side.
1. Can the PCs use the Aeon Stones?
The Agate Ellipsoid can give the PCs a use of Augury once per day.
The Amplifying Stones' +2 item bonus to Arcana, Nature, Occultism, or Religion checks could help deal with the AEON CONSUMPTION hazard or the THIRSTY VINES.
This came up in the game I played in, but a quick read of the investment rules on AoN, I think, led us to the wrong conclusion of only being able to invest magic items during preparations. (which was fine for our game) but courious if the aeon stones are intended to also be used by the PCs. After reading the scenario, I didn't see anything suggesting the PCs can use them, but also nothing stopping them. Since the functions of the normal aeon stones aren't listed, I can see avoiding this if you're not prepared to look up the normal use of the aeon stones.
2. The Lk on the GM's face when you suggest to the rest of the party.
"What if 4 of us each take one aeon stone and place all 4 at the same time?"
Our GM's surprised look was enough to make us decide this was a bad idea. I'm curious if any party was foolish enough to try that; it wouldn't have been the first time I was in a party that triggered multiple encounters at the same time.
3. Although I'm used to not having provisions in SFS2, I forgot that provisions were removed in PFS2 season 8; since the scenario takes place where it starts, there wasn't time for shopping. I also forgot to ask: is there a healer in the party?
4. Our GM gave us a hand with the Clockwork Compass and the 4 aeon stones on the same page. This led us to be convinced it was a puzzle to be solved, which I think is why we were able to stretch this scenario to 3 hours long. It was one of the most collaborative games I've played in; as the party tried to figure out the puzzle without getting killed, we did survive.
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On the GM side, here are my ideas for making the scenario run longer.
At the start of the scenario.
1. Extended introductions. Give the players the mission handout before introductions. Have the player also tell where they came from or what they were doing in the city before the mission meeting. Also a chance for players to last miniuet shoping.
2. Have the party arrive early to the meeting to find an NPC cleaning up. You can use the NPC to ask the PCs questions to help get them to talk more about their characters. You can ask about past adventures, why they joined the Pathfinder Society, or what they did during their downtime.
At the end of the scenario.
1. If the PCs blow up the lab and survive. Have some skill checks to clean up and rebuild the lab.
2. If the PCs don't blow up the lab and survive. Ella helps the party heal by pointing out some healing potions that were close to being done but just need the final steps.
3. If the party TPKs, Ella tries to help the PCs adjust to their new situation. If the PCs had not found Ella yet, she becomes visible when they die. This doesn't save the PCs or make them into ghosts, but it can be a fun way to make a game last longer than one that ended with an early TPK. I just came up with this idea, so I don't have a lot for it yet, but I think this is going to be my go-to move for TPKs. Courious to see what others think of this idea, and what might make a fun after-death experience.
Extra encounter: Anytime once Ella is found.
Ella is afraid of rats, and there is a ghost rat in the lab. Ella can tell the party how to make a ghost rat cage trap, but the PCs have to do the skill check to build it and then chase the rat into the cage.
GMs must not:
Add new encounters or NPCs with mechanical weight or influence.
I interpret not messing with mechanical weight or influence as.
1: Not using players' resources like consumables, spell slots, abilities that require rest to regain, or loss of HP. Consumable use should be replaced by an NPC or found before the next encounter, and the players should be given time to rest to recover abilities and spells if needed. If an encounter is added at the end of the adventure and the PCs have completed all the tasks in the scenario, then a rest might not be needed, but consumables should be replaced.
2: Doesn't influence NPCs or give the PCs information they need to earn in other ways during the scenario that has an impact on the scenario.
3: PCs can't gain lasting conditions that would affect other encounters or checks in the scenario, or last beyond the scenario, and likly should just end after the extra encoutner.
4: Anything I forgot to mention, don't do that either...
If you have other ideas, please add them.
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Completing all the events without any of the Pathfinders falling unconscious or dying is a bit harsh. Also a bit odd, since not dying is kind of the goal of every scenario. It's a good scenario to have the retail incentive program handy, not sure how if that applies at conventions?
The reward for succeeding the Primary and secondary objective is the same: 2 Reputation with their chosen faction. Also, the secondary objective is what gets reported on the event reporting form, so I think the secondary objective matters more.
Venture-Captain, Germany—Hamburg
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1. Since investing an item takes the same time as activating it (or 1 to 3 actions if it has no activation) and can be done anytime, not just during daily preparations, I would allow the PCs to use the stones with a few caveats:
- They can't do anything to the stone that would permanently change it. (This shouldn't be possible with the stones provided in the scenario. I'm just putting this here for completeness).
- They would have to come up with the idea on their own. I'm not going to tell them this might be an option.
- Obviously, a stone can only be used in an encounter that was not created by that stone.
- In order to gain any resonant powers, the PCs would have to possess their own wayfinder (which is technically easy once the PC has played at least two scenarios, but might be a thing to keep in mind for freshly built characters).
- In order to benefit from the Amplifying Stone's resonant power, the PC must use its regular activation at least once before they intend to benefit from the bonus (shouldn't be a problem if they have cantrips, but again, the player should be the one remembering to do this if they want the benefit).
2. When I ran the scenario, I actually had a player ask about putting in several stones at once. Luckily, I quickly found an answer:
You could indeed see that as a possibility, but if you try it, once the first stone is in place, it would trigger its encounter, at which point you have other problems than slotting in more stones.
Technically, you could slot in a stone in the Ella encounter, but I suppose that would just trigger that stone's encounter in addition.
3. Not really a question, so all I can say is yes, having a healer is never a bad idea. But while there are no more provisions, remember that the scenario still gives the players 4 healing potions (in total, not per player, of course).
4. While I think it is a bit dangerous (concerning play time, not survivability) to just give the handouts and letting the players solve a riddle that doesn't exist, this scenario is indeed quite versatile when it comes to time. Either do it straight forward if you have only a short slot, or encourage larger amounts of roleplaying if you have lots of time.