Pathfinder Flip-Mat Classics: Town Square [RPG]

Town Square is double-sided flip-mat, but only one side meets the brief.  That side is perfect, with clear (and prettily) drawn market stalls, wagons, a stage, a well, and surrounding houses with clear roads winding away.  There's a tremendous amount of detail, down to individual pieces of fruit on one of the stalls!  This side is the scene for a memorable encounter in Sandpoint in the Rise of the Runelords Adventure Path, with the stone steps leading up to the front doors of the Cathedral.  I have no complaints about this side, and wish I would have had it back when I ran that part of the AP.  However, the other side of the flip-mat has nothing to do with a town square: it's part of a stone town wall (going across the width of the map), with a large open area on one side of the wall representing the path into town and and a mostly large open area on the other side of the wall with little but a few trees and part of one building.   The included side belongs in a "City Wall Flip-Mat" and, even putting that to one side, it's poorly done: the wall should be lengthwise so that much more of it is visible  (it's easy for a GM to handle the relatively blank space on either side of the wall, and the present version devotes too much space to it).  It would have been great as well if a way were found to better represent the gates and other features of the wall.  There's still some detail (trapdoors in the tops of the towers, individual crenelations, etc.), but I'd much rather see another representation of a (different style) town square (think of the possibilities in a fantasy world as unique as Golarion!).

All in all, I have to say that one side of Town Square is a definite win and the other side is a miss.  I'm going to sum the two together and pronounce this flip-mat as average.

RealmsToowoomba Recap # 71 [RPG]

[20 Flamerule 1372]

In Longsaddle, Mellia contacts Gideon magickally and learns that he plans to arrive at her position once he's had a chance to scry her surroundings later in the day.  Anxious to avoid confusing his divination, Mellia plans to teleport to Silverymoon and return with Markus and his new friends quickly.  Before leaving, she tells Cain and Ralkin about Gideon's impending arrival and adds that they need to keep their precise plans for Nesme secret from Gideon, Markus, and any other arrivals.  Ralkin asks how they're going to explain things when the city is on fire, and Mellia replies that they'll just have to say it was an accident.  The others notice that Ralkin has been spending several hours each day alone, locked in his room, but he avoids answering their questions about it.

In Silverymoon, Markus stores several thousand gold pieces in a secure money-lender's vault, leaving his and Mellia's names as authorized users.  Once he, Rufus, Wrex, and McBronzebottom are in the same place, the quartet set off for the rendezvous point where they're to be picked up.  Mellia is waiting for them at the spot, the lightning-blasted crater a few hours west of Silverymoon.  Mildly annoyed that they're late, she's introduced to Rufus ("a halfling who can turn into a tree!") and becomes reacquainted with Wrex.  A problem arises, however: Mellia's teleport spell cannot carry everyone back!  After a scheme involving Rufus transforming into a raven and flying into a bag of holding fails, the decision is made for Mellia, Wrex, Markus, McBronzebottom, and Rufus' dog, Sheila, to teleport to Longsaddle.   Rufus promises he has other means to reach the village.  Once the others are gone, he walks back to Silverymoon, tracks down some information on the flora around Longsaddle, and then seeks out a particular species of tree in Silverwood.

Meanwhile, the others arrive in front of the ramshackle inn run by "Trappy" Snulgers.  As the others go into the inn, Markus stays outside and has a rousing game of fetch with Sheila.  Inside, Wrex is introduced to Cain and Ralkin and then finds himself accommodation.  Mellia takes Ralkin aside and tells him, bemusedly, that she noticed he cast a spell on her to make her glow just before she teleported for Silverymoon.  The kenku acknowledges that he picked up a connection to the arcane during his time spent in Myst's body on the group's sojourn to Thay.  However, he says, his knowledge is too slight to significantly change the battle plan for Nesme.  As he talks, Mellia notices Ralkin's pet rat, Emikris, floating through the room while wearing a strange harness.  Minutes later, Cain joins them and the three adventurers talk about the newcomers.  Cain expresses concern that Wrex, who is also looking for the Crown of Horns, will betray them once the artifact is found.  Mellia says that's a problem they'll need to be prepared for once they delve into Startop Mountain.  She says she's more worried about Dolcetto getting in their way, and goes to find Markus to find out what happened to the tiefling.  The swordsman explains how Dolcetto was killed by undead in the Evermoors, and even shows a spot on his map that he has marked "Dolcetto's Last Stand."  He explains that he had no choice but to run away, as they were foolish not to bring a cleric with them into such a dangerous situation.  Mellia mentions that before returning to Startop, a short detour to Nesme is needed to liberate the town from an evil cult.  Markus seems happy to go along, and says he'd rather fight worshippers of a frost goddess than more undead.  He also tells Mellia about the money left in the vault in Silverymoon.  The diviner notices the flecks of gold, sharp teeth, and elongated, almost clawlike nails on the swordsman, and inquires about whether he's okay.  Markus explains that he's going through a transformation that reflects his heritage, and Mellia surmises he must be a descendent of the dragonborn.

In the common room of The Gilded Horseshoe, Wrex has a confusing conversation with Trappy and then finds himself an unobtrusive corner in order to hear what the ranchers, farmers, and travelers within are talking about.  A overheard conversation about a plot to steal treasure from Ivy Mansion on Harpell Hill piques the svirfneblin's interest, as the conspirators plan to dig a tunnel underneath the invisible force shield that protects Harpell Hill and then sell the loot to a fence at the Horn and Hoof Tavern.  Wrex decides to learn more about the Harpells, and asks Trappy for information.  The innkeeper explains that Ardanac Harpell is the public face of the wizardly family and looks after the village, while the others are more reclusive.  However, Trappy says, even Ardanac doesn't drop by very often unless there's an emergency.

Soon after lunchtime, Mellia realizes that she is being scried and knows that Gideon will be arriving soon.  She and Cain hurry to their room, and some minutes later a slash of blue energy cuts through the air and Gideon steps out, looking exhausted and holding a scroll.  However, he's not alone!  Mellia's hated rival, Procul Hilberry appears, as does Liliath the Spell-Wracked.  While Procul looks dismissively at Mellia with his arms crossed and Liliath immediately rushes to a corner of the room and begins scratching the wooden floor with her dirty, sharp nails, Gideon smiles, nods, and then strides over to a table.  He pulls out maps of Darkvale, the first level of Darkhold, assorted sketches, and more, and starts laying out a strategy to rescue Allia, adding that Hestia, the old potion-maker, has successfully infiltrated the Zhentarim stronghold!  Mellia is taken aback at the temerity of his laying all of these plans in motion without telling her first, and angry that he obviously divulged Allia's kidnapping to Procul and other members of the Oracle's Circle.  She calls Ralkin in and asks him to escort Procul away so that she and Cain can talk to Gideon alone (Liliath is obviously oblivious).  She tells Gideon how upset and betrayed she feels by his actions, but he seems surprised that she *doesn't* want to go after Allia immediately.  "After all of this adventuring in past months, are you any closer to rescuing her?"  He tries to justify his actions, explaining that although a direct assault on Darkhold would be suicide, a quick and subtle incursion to find Allia and escape might just work.  Mellia tries to explain to him that not only does she think that would be too risky, but that she needs to find the Crown of Horns so that she has a bargaining chip with the mysterious dark figure behind this entire scheme.  She has the situation well in hand, she says, and never asked Gideon to step in.  She says that it's not like she's been gallivanting around Faerun on a lark; everything she's done has been in pursuit of her ultimate goal of getting her daughter back.

While they talk, Ralkin leads Procul down to the common room.  When asked why he's come if he holds such a low opinion of Mellia, Procul says that although his fellow student is spoiled and lazy, he would never want harm to come to her daughter.  Gideon persuaded him, he explains, that the Oracle's Circle is like a family, and although family members might not always like each other, they support each other in times of crisis.  Procul is obviously dismayed at the sight of the common room and sniffs in disdain.  Still, he agrees to have a drink with the kenku, a decision he soon regrets when he spots a clawed hand trying to remove his coin-purse!  "Thief!" shouts Procul loudly, pointing an accusing finger at Ralkin.  Everyone in the common room quiets and turns their excited gazes to the new entertainment.  Ralkin tries to explain that he was only stopping the purse from falling on the floor, but Procul has obviously already made up his mind.  He demands justice and suggests amputation of Ralkin's hand, a punishment he says is quite common in lands to the south.  Wrex, witnessing the entire scene and desirous of meeting the mysterious Ardanac Harpell, starts murmuring and gets the crowd into calling for Ardanac to intervene.  Trappy pulls out a rusty shortsword and tells Ralkin and Procul to stay put, and then sends a patron to run for Ardanac to resolve the dispute.  The sound of shouting below draws the attention of those talking upstairs.  Mellia tries to talk Procul into dropping the matter, but the male diviner is insistent that justice be carried out.  He softens his cries for corporal punishment, however, and says that he will accept an apology and a display of humility from the kenku.  Ralkin gives an equivocating apology and kisses Procul's boot, leading the man to retract his demands for justice.  When Ardanac arrives the inn, he learns that the situation has already been resolved.  Wrex introduces himself, and mentions overhearing a plot to steal from Ivy Mansion.  Ardanac expresses his appreciation, and says he'll consider Wrex a friend.

Elsewhere, on the outskirts of the village, Rufus Greenleaf suddenly steps out of a tree!  Markus, still playing with Sheila, notices and seems impressed.  Markus tells Rufus that the plan is to make a stop at Nesme to fight an evil cult.  Rufus asks if there's any money in it, and, receiving an affirmative answer, say's he's in.  He explains that he owes a land-debt to some elves in the High Forest.  He pulls out a pipe and begins smoking.  Later, when he sees Wrex nearby, he offers to take the deep gnome on a "safari" of the nearby flora and fauna.  As they walk, Rufus mentions that, apart from gold to pay off a debt, he's interested in Startop Mountain as he's heard a story that somewhere within there exists a portal to Far Haven, a legendary demiplane that contains the divine essence of nature itself.  If he can find that portal, Rufus says, it would help him get back into the good graces of his clan, as they kicked him out.  Wrex is unsure about the idea of stopping at Nesme first.

Mellia decides to take a long walk with Gideon to explain things to him.  After Gideon realizes that she has no interest in his plan to travel to Darkhold to rescue Allia, he offers a more startling option: he'll trade himself for her, as who better to find the Crown of Horns than a master diviner?  Mellia says that she appreciates Gideon's desire to help, but what she needs are battle-hardened adventurers like her current friends, not scholars of divination.  She says that over the past months, she has been tested and purified, and needs to continue on the course she's chosen.  Gideon notes her repeated use of religious phraseology, and confronts her about Cain.  "Why would you travel all the way to Thay to rescue him, but not to Darkhold to rescue Allia?"  "He's my most loyal companion," she responds.  "And I need him for the next step in my journey."  Unsatisfied but realizing that she's made up her mind, Gideon returns with her to the inn, saying he'll leave in the morning.  That evening, before supper, Wrex finds Gideon alone at the bar.  Wrex gets Trappy to bring them drinks, and starts up a conversation.  Gideon repeats his explanation that slipping into Darkhold could work and goes into various details about the information they have.  The diviner is obviously not used to strong drink, and quickly becomes maudlin.  "When you really, really care about somebody," he says, "you want to do anything for them!"  When Mellia comes down to invite everyone to share a common meal, Gideon apologises for his state and receives a hangover cure from Trappy.

In a "private" dining room curtained with old quilts and sheets, the adventurers and members of the Oracle's Circle sit down to eat together.  Gideon tells a wistful story about young Allia accidentally breaking an expensive mirror he had bought as a graduation gift for Mellia, while Mellia tells of being struck by lightning.  "Too bad it didn't shock some sense into you," Procul mutters.  For the first time, Gideon speaks to Cain, asking the cleric to explain why he's joined Mellia on her quest.  "I gave her my oath of aid because she was in desperate need," Cain explains.  Mellia then surprises everyone by mention that she, herself, might train as a cleric of Kossuth.  As the meal wraps up, the adventurers set a time to talk about plans for their quest the next day.  Markus asks to be excused from the session, but Mellia tells him to bring something to amuse himself with.  Later, alone in their room, Mellia tells Cain that she thought that, all in all, things had gone well with Gideon.  Cain asks if she's kidding, stating that her former headmaster had done nothing all day but try to get Mellia to change the plans she had decided on.  Mellia responds that Gideon hasn't shaken her commitment to Nesme or Startop.  "He's also not impressed with the woman that you have become over the last few months, nor your new devotion to fire.  I think he blames me for this," Cain adds.  Mellia says that Gideon's opinion will not sway her conviction, and that she no longer has plans to return to the Oracle's Circle after rescuing Allia.  "I know that you can help me find the true path," she says.

Next Recap

Pathfinder Flip-Mat: Hill Country [RPG]

Hill Country is a standard-size Paizo flip-mat (24x30 inches).  One side depicts a path leading between a couple of ridges and into a cave, while the other side shows a high rocky-outcropping and a narrow path leading to the top of a bluff.  I've used the mat a couple of times (as both a player and as a GM), and my verdict is that it's okay, but not great.  It's very pretty (especially the side with the winding path leading to the hill top) with great texture and colour for the ground, boulders, hillsides, etc.  As always, the ability to use any kind of marker is fantastic.  However, one problem I have with some of the Paizo flip-mats is that the scenes they depict are almost too memorable! I want to use them again and again without players joking about how they've come to the exact same distinctive hilltop or next to (yet another) group of rune-etched standing stones.  I also don't like how both sides of the mat have paths cutting through them, because sometimes I like my wilderness adventures to be track-free and it's not as much fun to have stuff like difficult terrain if a path nicely takes the PCs around it (plus, I can easily draw a path on any map).  Still, depending on your needs you might get more out of this than I have.  I will suggest that GMs sit down before an encounter and mark elevations (and Climb DCs) of features on the mat--it will save a lot of time during the session when PCs try to scale cliffsides, ask how tall a boulder is, etc.

Pathfinder Flip-Mat: Bigger Basic [RPG]

Bigger Basic is one of those flip-mats that sounds (and is) incredibly boring but is almost indispensable.  I've made do for years with homemade grids (permanent marker squares on large whiteboards), but since I've picked up a couple of copies of Bigger Basic, I rarely need to use the old ones.  The mats are rectangles 39 squares long and 27 squares wide, so a couple of them side by side cover my entire gaming table.  As usual with Paizo flip-mats, they accept wet, dry, or even permanent marker, and I've put them through their paces over the past several months and have never had any problems.  One side is "smooth stone" and the other side is "fine dirt", but honestly the light tan or light brown (or whatever--don't ask me about color) fades nicely into the background of whatever is being drawn on it.  They also fold up nicely into a book-sized package for easy transport and display (and finding) on a shelf.  All in all, sometimes boring is good when it's done well like this.

Starfinder Society # 1-10: "The Half-Alive Streets" [RPG]

NO SPOILERS

I ran this at Subtier 1-2 using the four-player adjustment. All in all, I think I'd say it was about average.  There's a good mix of investigation, role-playing, and combat, though the plot, NPCs, and encounters aren't particularly memorable.  It definitely runs towards the short side of things (my group, which I think of as pretty good at role-playing, finished it in just 3 1/2 hours).  It might be a good one to use for relatively new players so the GM can take the extra time getting everyone up to speed.

SPOILERS

The Half-Alive Streets, written by Mara Lynn Butler, takes place entirely on Absalom Station.  The gist of the plot is that the PCs are drawn into an investigation of how strange, unstable bio-tech augmentations have come onto the market.  They soon learn that the augmentations are killing people and then resurrecting them as cybernetic zombies!  It all gets traced back to some shirrens holed up and trying to contain a malfunctioning assembly ooze.  I tend to think there's a lot of potential in the scenario, but it falls a bit flat in execution.

The briefing is with Venture-Captain Arvin, an NPC I still haven't gotten a good read on how to role-play in an interesting way despite his appearing in a few scenarios now.  Accompanying Arvin is a much more fun NPC, the vesk pawnbroker Julzakama that some players will remember from Into the Unknown.  I'm on the record of saying how much I appreciate the reusing  of good NPCs from scenario to scenario, as it helps give the illusion that what happens in one scenario is meaningful for others.

The first main act of the scenario has the PCs sent to the Freemarkets, a multi-level shopping complex run by AbadarCorp.  The PCs should (fairly easily) come across several leads to narrow the list of five possible biotech firms responsible for the dud augmentations to just one: Renew-You.  It's frankly pretty hard for the PCs to fail in their "investigation," but I liked some of the little role-playing opportunities like the gossipy elderly shirren, the vesk barber, the ysoki pawnshop owner who is far more prone to talk to someone if they buy something first, etc.  Another NPC from a past scenario can play a major part in this one: Philt, the shirren AbadarCorp representative from Fugitive on the Red Planet.  (those boons do come in handy!)

In a bit of forced plot development, the PCs will find Renew-You frustratingly closed and out-of-business only for a halfling child to lead them to his home where his mother is sick with a botched lung augmentation.  The idea here is that the PCs can help the halfling by either removing the augmentation or helping the family obtain a new one.  If they do, they get a lead on the "acquaintance" who first told the family about the clinic that installed the augmentation.  I thought the writer did a good job portraying the close-knit nature of halfling society and that this was a good role-playing opportunity.  In what's become a bit obvious now, successful handling of this situation allows for the player to earn a halfling PC boon on their Chronicle.

The "acquaintance" lives in a rough part of the station that provides free housing.  I'm really glad I had the flip-mat for this, because "Urban Sprawl" is so cluttered with stuff that it would take ages to draw by hand!  And I will say one thing for Starfinder: traps are appropriately nasty!  There's one on the front door that will wake up any players that found the going a bit slow so far.  Inside the residence is a classic set-up: a body is underneath a sheet, and (after a few rounds in the room) will suddenly lurch to life and attack!  It probably won't surprise experienced players (especially if they got the clue foreshadowing the augmentations' quasi-resurrection ability from examining the halfling), but I'm okay with the classics.  There's only one of the cybernetic zombies, so it's not a hard encounter.

An address found on a computer in the residence leads the PCs to the last section of the scenario.  Here, the shirrens responsible for activating the malfunctioning assembly ooze that created the dangerous augmentations have holed up in a barricaded house as zombies try to batter their way in from the outside.  The PCs have to deal with the zombies (a few small waves of them, in fact) and then fight their way into the house because the shirren are willing to talk but definitely not willing to surrender. If the PCs breach the house and start winning, the shirren get desperate and release the assembly ooze from its containment unit.  When I first read the scenario (and remembered the awesome pic of an assembly ooze in the Alien Archive devouring an android) I thought this would be an awesome "oh crap!" moment for the players.  But when I did my prep and actually looked at the assembly ooze's stats, I realized it actually presented very little threat--probably less than one of the cybernetic zombies.  And indeed, when I ran the scenario, the assembly ooze was destroyed easily and it was a bit anti-climactic. The biggest threat to the PCs, actually, was one of the shirrens (a technomancer who could automatically do damage with magic missile a few rounds in a row).

The scenario ends with a conclusion that is a bit abrupt, like many Starfinder Society scenarios.  I think it would be worth paying as much attention to the conclusion/epilogue as is paid to the Getting Started section in terms of narrative or dialogue support.

I don't have a great explanation for why the scenario left me feeling a bit flat, but I can throw a few ideas out there.  First, I think part of the problem is that the premise is something that could be easily transposed to Pathfinder (just have a botched alchemical remedy accidentally killing people and turning them into zombies instead of botched augmentations) with hardly any changes.  In other words, the scenario doesn't make full use of the science-fantasy setting to tell a new and original story.  Second, it's one of those scenarios that gives the illusion of "investigating a mystery" but that doesn't actually require any thinking or puzzle-solving by the players.  It takes real skill to hide the rails in a published adventure, and in this one they're just a bit too obvious.  Last, the final encounter has so much potential to be awesome if there was a plot change that led to the PCs being trapped in the house trying to do something time-consuming (like broadcast a certain frequency to shut off the augmentations) while wave after wave of cybernetic zombies started bashing their way through various windows and doors in the house.  Then, you'd have a classic Night of the Living Dead/race against time ending that would be far scarier and more memorable.

But, all that speculation aside, The Half-Alive Streets is certainly a competent scenario and I'm sure most players will have fun with it.

Rise of the Runelords Recap # 45 [RPG]

[17 Kuthona 4707 continued]

After the violent suppression of the ogre raid on the farmhouse, the adventurers cross the river to secure the scene.  Kozen utters some healing magic to revive the unconscious landowner, and he thanks the adventurers profusely, expressing surprise that ogres would strike this far south.  The farmer, Jonas, exchanges pleasantries and local gossip would Tillia.  Kang whispers to the others that they should ask for a reward, but the decision is instead made to continue on.

Another hour’s march north reveals a tiny thorp located on a rocky promontory overlooking a large lake.  “Turtleback Ferry, I presume,” says one of the adventurers, but Tillia laughs and shakes her head.  “That’s Pendaka!  Turtleback Ferry is on the far side of the lake and is much larger.”  The adventurers discuss whether to press on, but the cold, rain, and approaching darkness convince them a night’s rest in Pendaka would be wise.  Standing in the middle of a cluster of small houses, the only building of any size in Pendaka is a large inn and trading post called the Walleyed Wife.  Tillia notes that they’re in time to catch the last ferry across Claybottom Lake, but the others have had enough of boat travel, so she makes the last leg of the journey alone while the others get rooms for the night.  They leave Briza’s body (shrouded in a bedroll) and the unconscious Captain Othlo in the stables. A heavyset man named Olam Keecher, covered in flour and berry juice, treats the travellers to his “famous” cranberry turtle egg pies while lamenting the lack of trade along the Skull River in recent months.  The adventurers manage to purchase a few supplies from Olam and then turn in for the night as the cold wind wails outside.  Shalelu, true to fashion, sets up her own campsite away from the settlement.

[18 Kuthona 4707]

Over breakfast, Kang and Goragar ask Olam if he’s heard any interesting rumours lately.  He says that a fishing boat was torn in half last week in the middle of Claybottom Lake by Ol’ Pinkeye, and that if the constant rain doesn’t let up soon, Claybottom Lake and the Skull River could flood their banks like they did one time years ago.  Olam is pleased to hear that the adventurers plan to discover what happened to the Order of the Black Arrows, since the rangers were a steady source of custom for the inn.

After several hours walking, the adventurers finally reach the end of a journey that started over two weeks prior: Turtleback Ferry, a small village of about 30 buildings perched on the north shore of Claybottom Lake.  Peopled primarily by farmers, hunters, and trappers, the rural village can be seen to sport a small trading post, an inn, a tavern, a smithy, a small one-room schoolhouse (Tillia’s), and a temple to Erastil.  Few residents are out on the streets even though it’s early afternoon and, although not unfriendly, they look gloomy and hurry to get out of the unceasing rain.  The adventurers decide their first order of business is to see that Briza receives a respectful burial, so they walk to the temple. 

Father Maelin Shreed is both the spiritual
and political leader of Turtleback Ferry.

 Inside, they find the local priest (and, as it turns out, mayor), Father Maelin Shreed, talking with a rather unusual figure: a goblin wearing clean, well-maintained clothing who speaks with a middle-class accent!  Kang draws an explosive, but halts as Father Shreed welcomes the visitors and introduces the goblin as “Sir Roderick, a brave knight.”  Father Shreed explains that “Sir Roderick” is something of a local hero.  When told by the adventurers that they’ve been sent from Magnimar to investigate the loss of contact with Fort Rannick, Father Shreed is relieved and explains that he’s been struggling to keep Sir Roderick from setting out to solve the matter all by himself.  Sir Roderick prepares tea for everyone and explains with a dignified bearing that he desires to be a duly-deputized law enforcer someday, and that, although Turtleback Ferry has no organized constabulary, he plans to set a sterling example.  Artemis invites Sir Roderick to come with them to Fort Rannick and, despite Kang’s repeated provocations, Sir Roderick agrees.  With a plan to leave first-thing in the morning, the adventurers go on to explain to Father Shreed what happened to their fallen companion, and he promises to quickly organize a service at dusk.

Outside, with a few hours to spare, Goragar asks what should be done with the captive Captain Othlo.  As the nearest jail is back in Ilsurian, the decision is made to let fate deal with the obsessed halfling.  Goragar pushes the bound figure off his horse and into the mud before riding away.  The visitors, along with Sir Roderick, visit the schoolhouse to tell Tillia about the service for Briza.  She promises to attend.  A visit is made to the local smithy, Irontooth’s Metal Goods, a business named after the forged metallic false teeth worn by “Irontooth” Jorveni.  Jorveni reluctantly turns down an offer to purchase a beautiful suit of  mithral breastplate (seized from Othlo), and the adventurers get the first hint that there’s a real limit to how much wealth a small community like Turtleback Ferry has to offer.  When asked by Artemis whether he’s able to defend himself, Sir Roderick brings forth an unusual object composed of twin metal barrels with a wooden stock: a type of alchemical-driven projectile launcher called a “musket.”  Kang is impressed at seeing what he calls a “veritable explosion machine,” while Artemis is dismissive—“clunky, loud, and very easy to see.”  Later, at the local general store, Kang persuades an old maid named Wenda Leenee to part with a healthy part of her life savings in order to buy a rare bottle of wine.  Artemis notices some unusual items on the dusty shelves, and realizes some of them are enchanted—something Wenda explains as the clever purchases of her “dearly departed”.

The Sihedron was a rune of major occult significance
 in the ancient empire of Thassilon.

During their errands around town, Artemis saw a resident bending over a water trough and noticed a surprising tattoo on the man’s calf: the Sihedron rune!  Rather than confront the man immediately, Artemis decided to wait and try to find the man later.  In the late afternoon, the adventurers decide to have a drink prior to the funeral.  At a tavern called Bottom Ups, they see the two halfling proprietors (a husband and wife named Yads and Berthandy Kesker) partaking in what the locals know to be a regular habit: a heated argument that involves hurled expletives and hurled bottles!  After the fight ends (as it always does) in apologetic hugs, Artemis asks Berthandy if she knows of anyone with a seven-pointed star tattoo.  Berthandy suddenly pulls her sleeve down and looks nervous as she explains that she’s never heard of such a thing.

The funeral for Briza takes place at the local graveyard, and is attended by dozens of locals as word has spread of the warrior’s sacrifice on a mission to help the village.  Maelin gives a short but heartfelt eulogy, while Kang says that Briza taught him humility, wisdom, and patience.  Tillia tries to speak but sobs keep her from being understood.  After Briza’s remains are lowered into place and the service concludes, several residents offer to help the newcomers in any way they can.  Artemis asks for, and receives, good directions to Fort Rannick.

That night, Artemis accepts Father Shreed’s invitation to stay at the temple, while the others walk to a nearby inn called The Turtle’s Parlor.  The innkeeper, Cesten Orlandi, is clearly in a foul mood and tries to make up for weeks of vacancies by punishing the travellers with an exorbitant rate for rooms.  Sir Roderick, who has walked with the adventurers to make sure they’re taken care of, intervenes and negotiates something somewhat more reasonable.  Kozen is refused entry because of her dog Taz, as the spiteful innkeeper seems to derive perverse pleasure in turning away the very customers he so desperately needs!  Fortunately, Sir Roderick offers to let Kozen stay at his home (a converted outhouse) despite his innate fear of dogs.

[19 Kuthona 4707]

Before dawn, a dense fog rolls into town, shrouding creatures and objects that are more than a few feet away in a swirling gray mist.  When he awakes, Sir Roderick exclaims to Kozen that it’s far too dangerous to leave for Fort Rannick in such conditions.  When the adventurers regroup, Artemis says that, as someone reliant with a ranged weapon himself, he shares Sir Roderick’s concerns, but that every day they delay is another day that lives are in danger without the protection of the Order of the Black Arrow rangers.  Artemis notes that his own cousin, Fillias, is one of the rangers and could need help.  Sir Roderick seeks the advice of Father Shreed, who tells the goblin to trust his own instincts but that, in such fog, travel could actually be safer because threats could pass right by the adventurers like ships in the night.  Sir Roderick is persuaded, and even reluctantly accedes to riding on a horse in order to emulate the common practice of noble knights.

Shalelu rejoins the group as they follow the road north, expressing surprise and distaste to discover that a goblin is in their company.  After about an hour’s journey, the adventurers come to an old wooden bridge and cross over to the west bank of the river, which borders the notorious forest of Kreegwood.  Artemis hears the sound of a large cat yowling in pain in the nearby woods, and shares what he’s heard with the others.  As they talk about what to do, they hear the sound of dogs barking in the same direction, and an off-key voice singing “going to eat some kittens today, going to eat them in a stew in every way.”  The adventurers discuss the matter backwards and forward, until they hear the sound of a large cat fighting with the dogs and the grunts of battle.  Deciding that it was probably just a hunter, the adventurers decide to continue following the road north.  Two hours later, they see the promised sign indicating the direction of Fort Rannick.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Director's Commentary (May 13, 2018)

My usual random weather generator wasn't needed for this part of the adventure, as the AP was very clear what was on the forecast day in and day out: rain.  The idea is to foreshadow the rising levels of the river and the eventual flooding of Turtleback Ferry when the damn partially bursts.  I thought it was really effective, and helped lend a gloomy atmosphere to the area.

The replacement character for the player who ran Briza is introduced in this session: a goblin gunslinger named Sir Roderick.  Sir Roderick was definitely very different than a normal goblin in Golarion and in the character I can see some of the concerns about the inclusion of goblins as Core races in Pathfinder Second Edition--that is, how far can you stretch "the norm" before it undermines the setting?  Still, Sir Roderick was a fun character.  As we'll see, also an effective character because firearms target Touch AC--so, like Kang, he almost never missed.  Rise of the Runelords was definitely not designed with alchemists or gunslingers in mind, because the vast majority of creatures have high AC only because of their natural armor bonuses, which are bypassed by touch weapons.

I had fun role-playing the NPCs in Turtleback Ferry.  It was challenging because so little information is given about them compared to those in Sandpoint.  But I gave Father Maelin a Russian accent, had Wenda be a senile old lady, and had Cesten be a bitter self-sabotager.  It's always good to have some opportunities to stretch one's creative muscles even in the middle of a planned adventure.

The stuff about hearing the animal in distress while the PCs were crossing the bridge was actually the hook to the main first part of the chapter, where the PCs come across a homestead of ogre-kin (depraved, deformed hillbillies) named the Grauls who have imprisoned a trio of survivors of Fort Rannick.  The PCs didn't bite (probably because the players assumed it was just another random encounter), which meant all that prep work went for naught!  I had to scramble to get Fort Rannick ready before the next session.  It's too bad, as there were some great (and memorable) encounters, traps, and monsters in the Graul house.  Not having the Fort Rannick survivors also rendered the Shalelu/step-father subplot kaput.  On the other hand, I was happy not to have to run a trio of friendly NPCs in every battle.

RealmsToowoomba Recap # 70 [RPG]

Session # 70 Recap

[flashback to 17 Flamerule 1372]

As Mellia and Fargrim walk back to The Gilded Horseshoe, Mellia casts a spell to communicate with Cain at a distance.  She tells the cleric that Fargrim is planning on leaving and even actively opposing their plan to recover the Crown.  Further, she says, he has the idea that Cain is becoming inhuman and that she herself is being selfish.  She asks the cleric for ideas on how to convince Fargrim to stay, and Cain suggests saying that he, Cain, must defeat the heathens in Nesme to retain his mortality and that Mellia is being selfless by helping him on this quest.

When Fargrim and Mellia reach the inn and find Cain, the dwarf demands to know the real plan for Nesme and says he doesn’t want to be lied to this time.  Cain replies evenly that Fargrim hasn’t been lied to; the plan is and always has been to destroy the heretics there and free the people by removing any hopes they have of staying.  The three adventurers argue about whether it would be best for the residents to stay in Nesme or face the wilds of the Evermoors.  Fargrim proclaims that “I will not burn the homes of children . . . it is as simple as that!”  He again asks how travelling to Nesme assists the task of rescuing Mellia’s daughter.  She retorts that she and Cain are magickally bound to travel to Nesme before Startop, and again says that Fargrim will be an oathbreaker if he abandons her.  Ralkin arrives and joins in the attempt to persuade Fargrim to stay, stating that Fargrim has been led astray by evil spirits before and is being led astray again.  Fargrim acknowledges Ralkin’s point, and says that his best course then is to return to Silverymoon where he has always been free of the malevolent nightmares that plague his sleep.  There, and after a journey to Mirabar, he plans to assemble an army to help him guard Startop Mountain and make sure no one seizes the Crown and unleashes the great evil it holds.

As the others talk, Ralkin hears a strange voice in his head.  The speaker identifies himself as “Gentleman Jack,” and says he’s an old friend of Dolcetto.  Jack says he hasn’t been able to get in contact with Dolcetto today, but that Ralkin’s the one he really wants to talk to anyway.  Jack explains a proposition to the kenku, whom he calls “the best trap-finder in the North”: a contest involving traps is being held at an undisclosed location, and the reward for coming in first place is over 153,000 gold pieces.  Jack says he’s willing to disclose the details in exchange for a 15% finder’s fee.  Ralkin is suspicious that the offer itself is a trap, and flatly turns it down.

Meanwhile, Mellia dismisses the likelihood of Fargrim finding others who would join him in such a task.  Cain adds that the dwarf need not bear the weight of the visions alone, as he himself is also burdened by the curse.  The best way to deal with worshippers of Myrkul, they  argue, is to have a god like Kossuth on their side!  Fargrim, however, remains unconvinced.  He places hundreds of platinum pieces on the table so that the trio can hire mercenaries to replace him, adding that his departure is only temporary.  He says he still respects the others, and will rejoin them when the time is right.  In time, he says, they will understand.  Mellia maintains an angry silence but then bursts out “Your name will go down in history as ‘Fargrim Oathbreaker’ as a warning to young dwarves about disloyalty!”  “If I must be an oathbreaker to save this realm,” Fargrim replies, “then so be it.”  He heads out of the inn, planning a trip to Mirabar and then Silverymoon to recruit followers to his cause.  Before he’s out of sight, Cain tries to compel him to stay through a paralysing spell, but the dwarf’s inner fortitude and willpower resists the enchantment and he leaves Longsaddle.

The trio of adventurers who remain discuss their prospects in Nesme, now that their strongest warrior has departed.  Ralkin volunteers to see if there are any mercenaries for hire in Longsaddle.  He returns with an elf named Euphrosyne, who claims to have both fighting and magickal ability.  Mellia interrogates the newcomer about his magickal prowess and, unimpressed, gives him a polite brush-off.  The trio then discuss whether they should reach out to Dolcetto and Markus and see if the pair have changed their minds.  None of the three adventurers are enthusiastic about the idea, but the consensus is that something must be done to bolster their depleted ranks.  Mellia says she’ll send a message to Markus once she’s able to memorize the necessary spell.

That night, Mellia tries on the new clothing she had altered in High Hold—it’s a different look than anything she’s worn before, with a bolder cut and stylized flame motifs throughout.  She talks with Cain, and expresses her disappointment with Fargrim leaving and her hope that he won’t stand in their way.  Cain offers solace by stating that he would stand by Mellia’s side, even he weren’t bound to do so.

[18 Flamerule 1372]

In Longsaddle, Mellia, Cain, and Ralkin spend the day taking care of errands and discussing strategy for Nesme.  Plans are made to contact Markus in the evening as a way to get reinforcements.

In Silverymoon, Markus’s spate of good luck continues.  Not only did he somehow survive the Evermoors, but he receives good prices when selling some of Dolcetto’s possessions, manages to track down some new magickal items, finds coins in the street, and even avoids an accident that otherwise would have befallen him.  As he’s returning from a bout of shopping and selling, he notices a heavily-armoured halfing walking in the distance, bearing the distinctive adornment of the reclusive ghostwise subrace of halflings.  Assuming that it must be Syd, Markus catches up to the halfling and greets him.  When the halfling turns around, however, Markus realizes it’s not Syd at all!  Still, Markus makes friends easily and soon learns that the halfling’s name is Rufus.  Markus’ luck continues, as it turns out that Rufus was looking for Dolcetto, whom he had heard was forming an adventuring party for Startop Mountain.  Markus explains that Dolcetto died, but says Rufus can still hang out with him.  He explains, however, with the backing of his Marauders, that anyone travelling with him should have a more magnificent name then simply Rufus.  The two agree on “The High Rufus Greenleaf,” and the halfling also introduces Sheila, his large riding dog.

Escorting his new friend back to Wayward House, Markus sees a bald, beardless gnome with dark brown skin looking at the handbill that Dolcetto had attached in the entryway prior to her death.  After an inquiry, it turns out that the gnome, named Wrex, had once met Dolcetto and another friend of Markus’, Mellia.  Wrex explains that he came to Wayward House to find Dolcetto, as, like Rufus, he had also heard she was planning an expedition to Startop.  Markus says the only way he’s going to Startop is if they can figure out a way to get there that doesn’t involve travelling through the Evermoors, and he tells the story of his recent venture there.  The three adventurers, accompanied by the Marauders and McBronzebottom, decide to share a drink and pipe-weed in the inn’s common room.  Rufus explains that he is actually a druid, and has the ability to change into the form of animals.  He demonstrates by turning into a baboon, much to the dismay of the chamberlain, and shares the secret that he communicate mentally with those nearby!  After the excitement, he leaves, promising to return in the morning to see if the others have come up with a plan for getting to Startop.

That evening, Wrex and Markus share another drink in a room upstairs.  Wrex confides that he was born far, far underground in a city of deep gnomes.  He explains that he spent years there, and hated every minute of it.  After finding himself imprisoned, Wrex says he learned a few tricks on how to survive—such as telling if someone is lying, disguising himself as someone else, etc.  Most importantly, Wrex says, he’s looking for a hidden object called the “Crown of Horns.”  He says he needs the Crown because a mysterious figure has been kidnapping people and holding them hostage until he gets the Crown.  As they’re talking, Markus’ luck breaks again: he hears Mellia’s voice in his head, inquiring whether he’s sure he won’t join her, Cain, and Ralkin, and suggesting a meeting place outside Silverymoon where she can come collect him.  Markus mentally replies that he’s interested and can’t wait for them to meet his new friends.  He says it’ll take some time to get everything ready, and a plan is made to meet on the morning of the twentieth.

[19 Flamerule 1372]

In the morning, Rufus returns to Wayward House.  Wrex tells him about Mellia’s offer, and says she can teleport them directly to Startop Mountain.  Rufus likes the idea, and explains that he’s hunting for treasure, as he has to pay off a land debt to some elves.  When Markus joins them, the swordsman says that the one thing he most wants before returning to Startop Mountain is a rare and exquisite type of sword that elvish metal-smiths make known as a courtblade.  Having failed in a previous attempt to obtain one weeks ago, Markus asks if Rufus and Wrex would be willing to try.  The two agree, and Wrex disguises himself as a wealthy weapons collector before the pair walk to the imposing tree-tower forge of Du’ael Trakin.  However, they have no more luck than Markus did, as Trakin is insistent that his finest works are for the good of his people, not for collectors or common adventurers.  After hearing the news, the adventurers discuss other—illegal—means to obtain the sought-after sword, but in the end, they take no further action.  Markus’ luck seems to have run out, as he also learns, after applying, that he is considered unqualified to become a Fellow of the Lady’s College; instead, he’s offered a position as a novice, which he turns down.

Back in Longsaddle, after another day of errands and planning, Mellia spends the evening going over spells and organising her possessions.  When Cain enters the room they share, he remarks on the change in her wardrobe.  Mellia says that she hasn’t always dressed in diviner’s robes.  She was once even a tavern-maid in the Dalelands!  The memory puts her in a more introspective mood, and she explains to Cain that it sometimes seems inconceivable that, once upon a time, she knew nothing of magic and that life centred on her work in the tavern.  She loved waitressing, she tells Cain, until one day the local lord’s son found her alone and assaulted her.  “That was the first time I ever burned anyone,” she reveals for the first time in her life, describing how magickal fire poured through her veins and consumed her attacker.  Out of that terrible night, however, Mellia says she gained two things: a realisation of her link to the eldritch world, and her daughter.  She thought that the Oracle’s Circle, the school of divination in the Dalelands, would be a safe place to learn to control her abilities.  But now, she says, she’s learned to embrace the power of fire and flame.  “There has been sacrifice, and purification,” she concludes.  “And I’m not going to hide anymore.”

Blood of the Elements [RPG]

Blood of the Elements, a 32-page entry in Pathfinder's Player Companion line, focuses on a collection of races that are pretty new to me even though I've been playing RPGs for a couple of decades now.  "Geniekin" are five different races in Golarion descended (as their name implies) from genie and human blood, and each has strong ties to particular elemental forces.  Ifrits are passionate and impetuous humanoids with links to elemental fire, Oreads are strong and stoic creatures linked to elemental stone, Sylphs are slight and willowy people linked to the element of air, Undines are the cold but perceptive links to the element of water, and Suli are . . . well, I'm not quite sure.  They're kind of the odd race out, and even after reading the book I still didn't get a good read on exactly how/why they relate to the other four beyond having genie ancestry and (I guess) a balance of the four other elements.  I'll get into the details in a second, but as a quick overview I'll say that 1) I think the artwork and layout for this book is fantastic--it has a very cool, unearthly feel that fits the theme perfectly; 2) The book has (to me) a good balance of flavour text and rules mechanics, but readers expecting character options covering every single page will be a bit disappointed.

The gorgeous cover speaks for itself.  The inside front cover concisely summarizes the racial traits of each of the five races.  It's good to have them here, as otherwise a player would have to find them online in an unofficial source or get the hardcover Advanced Races Guide where they first appear.  Next up are three pages that you'll probably skim over quickly (a table of contents, an index of new rules options, and an admittedly more useful "For Your Character" page that tells you what classes the book focuses on).  Usually the inside back-cover of books in this line just reprint the cover art, but here its devoted to a table listing spells with elemental descriptors from hardcover sourcebooks; it's a really nice way to help find spells for a geniekin PC that fits their theme.

The book proper starts with a two-page introduction that talks about the origins of the geniekin races.  It also has a terminology section--usually I find these unnecessary, but as I'm pretty unfamiliar with this whole area, I found it surprisingly useful.

Each of the five races then gets a two-page overview, with the first page consisting of description and lore and the second page presenting new player options that include at least a couple of race and regional traits in addition to something else.  The traits are interesting and original, without being so awesome that they become mandatory.  Many of the new player options are thematically-linked to the race, but broad enough that PCs of other races could take them as well.

* The section on Ifrits introduces a new cavalier order: The Order of the Flame (an order devoted to members achieving personal glory).  It sounds really fun as a role-playing choice, with some potentially crazy results in big combats.

* The section on Oreads introduces the idea of "gem magic," which allows them to modify (usually in a pretty minor way) the effects of spells by adding a valuable gem as a material component.  It's an interesting idea, but frankly pretty weak in most cases considering the cost.  I think it's a system that would require a full elaboration somewhere, not just a one-column entry.

* The section on Suli introduces the concept of Elemental Totems for barbarians, with the rage powers granted depending on the particular element the barbarian is devoted to.  I'm not an expert on barbarian rage powers, but some of them at least sound pretty cool, like an Earth element one that would likely result in enemy weapons shattering against their skin.

* In the Sylph section, two new arcane spells appear:  "Enshroud Thoughts" and "Storm Step," the latter of which sounds really fun (the PC turns into a lightning bolt and can zap opponents in order to change positions on the battlefield).

*The Undine section introduces two new bloodlines for the "Wildblooded" sorcerer archetype in Ultimate Magic.  One of the bloodlines has to do with elemental water (of course), while the other is tied to Marid ancestry.  The granted powers are pretty high-level, and I'm not familiar enough with the norm for sorcerers to say how desirable they'd be.  Thematically, they're interesting at least.

Each section has an "On Golarion" sidebar that discusses (geographically) where the race might be concentrated, and I thought this was great for integrating character backgrounds.

 The middle of the book is a two-page map titled "The Inner Sphere of the Great Beyond."  It's done in the style of an in-game artist's rendering of how the different planes relate to each other.  I think it's pretty cool and would be something I'd use in a game to explain the relation of planes to players.

Next up is a series of two-page entries on each of the four elemental planes.  The first page describes the plane and what adventures might be like there, while the second page introduces some new equipment and regional traits.  Apart from the description of the Plane of Earth (which was a lot of name-dropping with very little information), I thought these were nice (if necessarily cursory) overviews of the planes.  Most of the magical items and traits didn't really stand out to me, but two did: first, a "Planar Alchemical Catalyst" piece of equipment that modifies normal alchemical items in some really interesting ways to (in part) make them more useful at higher levels; second, a "Thoughtful Wish-Maker" regional trait for the Plane of Fire that allows a character to (probably) avoid having their wishes corrupted--it's probably a trait that would have no effect for about 85% of a character's adventuring, but could then turn out to be really useful near the end!

The remainder of the book is something of a miscellany, with each section consisting of a two-page entry on a different topic.  There's an overview of the City of Brass (a scary place!) that would be useful to GMs; it also introduces a couple of new magical items and regional traits.  An entry titled "Elemental Magic" introduces a new teamwork feat that creates a new secondary effect when two elemental spells are combined into one; it's an interesting idea, but as with all teamwork feats, it requires just the right PCs in an adventuring group in order to make it worthwhile.  The section also contains a really cool picture of an Undine spellcaster and a sidebar on how other areas of Golarion conceive of the elements--an idea worth developing if areas like Minkai or Vudra ever get dedicated sourcebooks.  Last, there's a section simply titled "Magic Items."  My conclusion is that, for what they do, they're way too expensive.  I suppose they could make an interesting quest item or dungeon loot, however.

Overall, I really liked Blood of the Elements as a colourful and evocative introduction to the genie-kin.  I've heard some grumbling from other readers that it didn't contain enough "crunch," but to me it had a nice balance.  When I consider playing one of the races, it'll be the first place I turn.

Pathfinder Legends--Rise of the Runelords # 3: Hook Mountain Massacre [RPG]

NO SPOILERS

I've written about how these audio adaptations work in earlier reviews, so I'll cut to the chase more here.  The voice acting remains great, as do the sound effects.  Given the lack of narration, it's still hard to visualize what's happening sometimes, especially in the action scenes where you just hear a lot of grunting and clanging of steel.  Below, in the Spoilers section, I discuss some of the plot changes that were made.  For the most part, I think the adaptation succeeds.  Once you know what you're getting (a roughly one-hour "stage play" and not a full "audiobook"), these become more acceptable (though still pricey).

SPOILERS

There are some interesting plot changes for the audio adaptation of The Hook Mountain Massacre.  After listening to the previous two Rise of the Runelords adaptations, I was prepared for some cuts: here, there's no Shalelu or her step-father subplot, Fort Rannick is almost completely abandoned (instead of filled with ogres), no attack on Turtleback Ferry by Black Magga, and there's no detour into the Shimmerglens (or the resulting Lamatar Bayden subplot).  What I wasn't expecting is that some story elements would be added.  First, there's a lot more of Lucrecia in the audio adaptation then in the written version, and the addition works really well to help tie-in the "meta-plot" of the entire Adventure Path.  She encounters the heroes not just at Fort Rannick, but also on top of the dam (in a really cool, cinematic battle) and has well-written dialogue that helps explain some of the "behind the scenes" storyline.  It becomes clear, for example, why the ogres are trying to destroy the dam (something that has remained a mystery for the PCs in my RotRL campaign).  Second, Kaven Windstrike is given a more prominent role and a redemption storyline that sees him sacrificing himself at the dam!  I was less impressed by this change, and I think it came across a bit cliche.  Apart from the actual additions, it's clear that the script writer took the time to become really familiar with the AP so that little details could be added to make the storyline more coherent.  Overall, I thought the audio adaptation did a nice job of handling the chapter and (now that I have a better idea what to expect from these), I find myself looking forward to the next one.

Pathfinder Module: "Risen From the Sands" [RPG]

NO SPOILERS

This Pathfinder module for characters level 2-4 was released on Free RPG day in 2014 and is still free to download from the Paizo website.  Even at that price point, Risen From the Sands is too dear as it'll likely cost everyone at the table their characters.  What you can read about in the other reviews and forum discussions on the Paizo site is perfectly true in my experience: this module is very poorly balanced and is a TPK-generator in waiting.  I ran this for four PCs and two of them died, with the other two fleeing the adventure locale after just two encounters in order to survive.  To some degree this might be forgivable if the module contained an interesting story, fantastic encounter design, or a significant addition to world-lore, but it really doesn't.  It's the sort of uninspired dungeon crawl that any competent GM could put together themselves in an afternoon.  I would call it forgettable, but it may be very memorable indeed to the players who don't make it past the first few rooms!  Really the only thing I can recommend about Risen From the Sands is the artwork--the cover, for example, is a fantastic image.  Overall, this is a module that fails from both a gameplay and a story perspective and should be avoided.

A special note for PFS players: If you want to try this as a sort of "hard mode" scenario, I'd suggest you bring (fairly optimized) fourth-level PCs.  The Level 3 pre-gens included in the module (which are the only Iconics that can be played) probably don't have the sheer firepower necessary to make it through without a lot of luck.

SPOILERS

The backstory to Risen From the Sands is bog standard for fantasy gaming: an ancient pharaoh ("The Pharaoh of Sphinxes") in Osirion (Golarion's equivalent to ancient Egypt) was interred after death in a remote pyramid and arose as a mummy.  The pyramid has been lost for millennia until the shifting sands uncovered it, and now there's a race by archaeologists and tomb robbers to get to the pyramid and discover its secrets and riches.  The PCs receive a paragraph of intro text about the pyramid's discovery and are then assumed to set out for it, with the only choice they need to make  whether to travel on foot (a 7 day journey) or take camels (cutting the time to 4 1/2 days).  The troubles with the module starts right here, as the PCs are told about all these groups "vying to be the first to plunder the tomb's treasures" which makes it sound like speed is of the essence, but in fact it makes no difference and PCs spending money for camels have wasted their dough (at least in terms of getting there; cursed or diseased PCs on the way home may find the purchases worthwhile!).  Of equal unimportance is the purchase of any equipment to make desert travel more survivable, as the module simply handwaves the entire journey to the pyramid.

The interior of the pyramid consists of eighteen rooms, and in very old-school dungeon design, almost every room contains a trap or monsters--but what happens in one room never spills over to what happens in the other rooms.  The traps are the sort of thing one would expect in an ancient pyramid--pit traps, collapsing ceilings, a swinging axe, etc.  The monsters are mostly different types of undead (zombies, skeletons, and mummies feature prominently) with a couple of animated statues, a swarm, and elementals spicing things up a little.  There's a heavy concentration of creatures that can inflict diseases of various types and a nasty cursed item (very difficult to detect at the PCs' level), which means that even if the PCs make it out of the pyramid alive, there's a fair chance they'll die before making it back to civilization.  It all makes you feel sorry for the suckers who go in there!  There's only one puzzle, which is unfortunate--more puzzles and fewer monsters would still fit the feel of exploring an ancient lost pyramid while easing the difficulty somewhat.

I don't think there's value in going through the module encounter-by-encounter.  The PCs I ran this for spotted the first couple of traps (thanks to the Iconic Investigator's Trap Spotting feature) but were wrecked by the first monster: a CR 5 construct with the Trample ability, a hardness of 8, and 52 hit points placed in the middle of a narrow 750' long hallway!  Through some really clever quick-thinking by one of the players, they barely escaped, only to run into the next encounter: a CR 4
mimic.  Few PCs of Level 2-4 are going to make the Reflex save to keep their weapons from getting trapped by the mimic's adhesive, and its ability to automatically grapple and constrict an opponent on a successful hit makes it a pretty dangerous creature.  Coming in such short succession to the construct, that was all she wrote and the survivors were lucky to make it out.  If they had pushed forward, I don't think they would have made it far.

It's a very disappointing module, and I'm surprised to see it was written by someone as good as Rob McCreary.  I understand from the forums that he didn't know what pre-gens would be placed in the module when he was writing it, which is fair enough.  Still, even apart from that, it's just not a very interesting or entertaining module compared to other ones that Paizo has released on Free RPG Day over the years.  With so many high-quality adventures out there now, Risen From the Sands deserves to be buried for a few millennia like the pyramid it contains.