Starfinder Society Scenario # 2-00: "Fate of the Scoured God" [RPG]

NO SPOILERS

I GM'd Fate of the Scoured God for a Subtier 3-4 table at PaizoCon AP in 2019.  It's a hefty chunk of packaging (92 pages!), and stressful to digest and prep within just a few days' time.  But all of that aside, it offers an all-around solid experience that concludes the Season 1 meta-story in a very satisfying way.  There are several memorable moments in the special that do justice and pay off well a lot of little threads inserted throughout the previous 39+ sessions.  My only real complaint is that it very closely follows the model of the previous special (# 1-99) and that can give it a familiar feeling.

SPOILERS

Fate of the Scoured God is the capstone event for the extra-long Season 1 of Starfinder Society.  In it, the threat of the jinsuls and the future of the Scoured Stars system will be conclusively dealt with.  The plot of the scenario is pretty straightforward: the Starfinders have assembled the largest fleet they can to invade the Scoured Stars with the hopes of defeating the jinsul's leader (the divine herald Dhurus).  In terms of gameplay, the scenario is divided into four main parts (plus an introduction and conclusion).  In the first two parts, each table gets to choose between various missions to help soften the jinsul's defenses.  In the third part, they engage in starship combat to clear a path to the jinsul's planetary stronghold.  And in the fourth part, (depending on subtier) they help stop Dhurus draining the god Kadrical's power or fight Dhurus himself!  The entire structure of the special (including aid tokens, house conditions, etc.) is *very* similar to the previous Starfinder special (# 1-99, "The Scoured Stars Invasion")--perhaps too similar.  On the other hand, it is a solid formula and I definitely had a good time reading and running it.

At the beginning of the session, as other folks are getting themselves sorted out and seated ("mustering"), players who are ready can do some brief (1-2 minute) role-playing and roll a skill check to help get the Starfinder fleet ready to move.  Some of the resulting rewards are actually really handy, and PCs with the right Chronicles can boost them even further.  Once the tables are ready, the briefing consists of Luwazi Elsebo and Jadnura explaining the mission.  It's all very reminiscent of the first special, but gets things started quickly.

Part 1 ("Surveillance") allows each table to pick from one of five missions and then, when they complete it, to move on to another.  After a certain number of successes by tables, additional missions open up in Part 2 that tie in to the missions successfully accomplished in Part 1.  It's the same concept used in the previous Starfinder interactive special, but it makes sense and works well.  "Ground Force Intel" has Ziggy sending the PCs to surveil a jinsul ground camp to document their tactics and resources.  Several skill checks are available, and the results both affect whether the mission is completed successfully and what happens when a jinsul patrol comes by.  "Data Theft" has Celita sending the PCs to sneak into a jinsul data-processing station to steal intelligence on supply lines.  There's several skill-check based phases of the "heist", though success or failure only affects a trivial amount of abstract damage that the PCs may take from automated defenses before they battle some security robots.  I'm not a fan of skill challenges where the result is foreordained and success or failure doesn't really matter.  "Recovery Efforts" has Naiaj sending the PCs to investigate the wreckage of a Starfinder ship for clues as to the attackers' tactics.  It's probably not a big surprise when the bodies of all the dead Starfinders suddenly animate as undead and attack, but that doesn't mean it's not fun.  "Scout Hunt" has Arvin sending the PCs on the starship combat option, which is to stop a jinsul scout ship from escaping.  I liked this one as it presented something different--the enemy ship isn't trying to fight, it's trying to hide, and if it evades detection for a certain number of rounds, it succeeds.  "Captive Interview" has Radaszam asking the PCs to interrogate a jinsul who claims to have come over to the Starfinder side.  Clear instructions (and the penalty of Infamy) ensure this doesn't get into physical abuse territory, which I appreciate.  There's a fun moment when, after getting the info that there's a spy among the Kreiholm Freehold working for the jinsul, the captive's body suddenly convulses and, in a surge of energy, is filled with demonic energy by Dhurus.  That's one way to liven things up!

Part 2 ("Into the Action") is comprised of five missions that groups can choose from, with each mission becoming available after a successful resolution of the corresponding Part 1 mission. "Paratrooper Strike" is a mission to air drop near an enemy camp to take out some jinsul officers.  The terrain can have a major impact here.  "Starship Raid" is a starship combat encounter where the goal is to disable a jinsul transport ship that's being escorted by an assault craft.  I liked that the mission is on a timer (the transport will enter the Drift in 10 rounds)--it reminded me of some old X-Wing computer game missions.  "Scanner Defense" is an original type of mission.  It's a sort of tower defense encounter where the PCs' goal is to use fixed weapon emplacements to deal 500 hit points of damage to an abstract "horde" of jinsuls.  But there are also individual jinsuls infiltrating the tower that have to be fought off as well.  My players didn't choose this one, but it looks like it has a fun (though challenging) mechanic.  "Trench Assault" sees the PCs trying to assist a Starfinder ground force that's under heavy artillery fire from a jinsul fortress.  A set of skill checks are necessary to approach the fortress safely, and then there's a battle inside.  I wasn't very impressed by this one--the approach element is weirdly abstracted, and then there's only 1 jinsul in the entire fortress when the PCs arrive.  Sort of undermines the verisimilitude of the scene.  "Stop the Mole" tasks the PCs with tracking down Tsimtsara, the nelentu traitor who has been spying for the jinsuls.  The mission takes place in an urban area, and finding her is a bit goofy (apparently PCs can just stumble upon a "trail of hair and discarded fungus tendrils").  Tsimtsara herself shouldn't be much of a challenge against 4-6 PCs.

Part 3 ("War Over Bastiar-5") puts a hard stop to all the Part 2 missions.  The jinsuls have been pushed back to their stronghold, the planet Bastiar-5.  If the Starfinder Society fleet can punch a hole through the defending armada, ground forces can take the fight to Dhurus himself.  There's a cool moment where Fitch unilaterally decides to provide the necessary distraction by taking the Master of Stars straight toward the planet.  The whole convention then gets to vote whether they want to  join the flagship in its seemingly-suicidal mission, or take advantage of the sacrifice to look for a weak point in the defenders' formation.  The result of the vote determines how difficult the resulting starship combat will be.  Getting the Master of Stars operational has long been a Season 1 subplot, and it's paid off well here.  One of the things I really liked about the starship combat encounter was that there was a table of random events that would happen every round.  One of the results, for example, would be a gunner at one table damaging a jinsul vessel being fought on an adjacent table--it's a fun and fast way to further the feel of this being a joint endeavour.

Part 4 ("Kadrical Rises") starts with a cinematic description of how Ailuros, the divine herald of Kadrical formerly known as Iteration-177, enlarges in size to battle Dhurus in a tiered pit full of jinsuls.  It's one of those things that can come across as cool or as cheesy depending on taste.  Ailuros gives it a red hot go (as they say Down Under) and weakens Dhurus, but ends up getting whupped because Dhurus has several devices directly siphoning the slumbering god Kadrical's powers.  Jadnura yells for the Starfinders to rush into the pit to defeat Dhurus in his weakened state.

There are three missions the PCs can choose from here (moving on to another if they finish it quickly).  "Ground Control" asks them to secure a landing site, but to do so they'll have to hold off some jinsuls on attack vehicles.  I'm glad my PCs didn't choose this one, because the last thing I'd want to have to worry about at this point in the special is something like vehicle rules.  "Perimeter Siege" has PCs ostensibly trying to overcome jinsul fortifications at the edge of the pit.  Really, it's just a forgettable battle against a jinsul mystic and a couple of summoned devils on the Tech Dungeon Flip-Mat.  

The third mission, "Rising God", is the real climax of the of the entire special, and hopefully every table gets a chance to experience it.  The set-up varies dramatically between subtiers. At the two lower subtiers, five jinsuls operate devices to fuel Dhurus' ascension, and a "dream monster" animated by Kadrical's consciousness is in a confused condition in the center.  Defeating the dream monster is the real goal, but it doesn't attack unless attacked first, and PCs can capture the devices and use them to weaken and then destroy it.  When I ran this, the problem was that this isn't made clear to the players.  So instead of trying to destroy the dream monster to win the encounter, my players started attacking the jinsuls.  There's this line in the scenario: "One jinsul stands at each device, using full actions each turn to control it unless attacked."  In the rush to prep and run the scenario, I interpreted this as a collective statement (if the jinsuls are attacked, they fight back) rather than as an individual statement (if a jinsul is attacked, that jinsul will fight back).  The statement is somewhat ambiguously worded, but the difference ended up being pretty major (fighting 1 or 2 jinsuls at a time versus fighting all 5) and I feel badly I didn't catch it at the time and go with the more player-friendly version.  The PCs in my session got bombarded by magic missiles and one of them got killed before the rest retreated.  Middle tiers battle ooze-like drops of Dhurus' blood, while the high tiers get to take on the divine herald himself!  I don't know how tough he turned out to be, but it sounds fun to battle the big guy (and is worth a special boon on the Chronicle).

The Conclusion sees Jadnura giving up his claim as First Seeker to stay behind in the Scoured Stars system to commune with Kadrical and ensure the safety of the area.  Luwazi Elsebo also announces her intention to step down, once a replacement is chosen.  There's a brief but effective epilogue that nicely sets up Season 2: a vicious smear campaign in the infosphere is turning public opinion against the Starfinders!

Overall, I'm really impressed with the design and writing of Season 1 and its conclusion in Fate of the Scoured God.  Several story threads are expertly woven throughout the season and come together nicely.  I actually tend to think the core storyline here is better and more interesting than in many of the Starfinder APs.  Although this special can feel a bit samey with the previous one, it offers an all-around excellent experience.

Rise of the Runelords Recap # 93 [RPG]

[3 Pharast 4708 continued]

The Heroes of Varisia are reeling in the aftermath of their first foray into the Shimmering Veils, the wing of Runeforge dedicated to the sin of Pride and its associated Thassilonian school of magic, Illusion.  Yuzo is dead, Jinkatsyu collapses into unconsciousness, and the other three are concerned that more duplicates could emerge from the mirrors at any time.  When Kang hears spellcasting in the distance, he, Ava, and Erik decide an immediate retreat is called for; but when they carry Yuzo and Jinks with them to where the portal out of Runeforge should be, all they find is a blank brick wall!  Kang tries to blow it open with an alchemical explosive, but barely chips it, and Erik’s experimentation with the hidden lever in the Abjurant Halls of Envy has no effect.  As Ava starts to panic, the three heroes settle on a plan.  They’ll hide Yuzo and Jinkatsyu in the rubble in that wing and continue searching for a way out.

The ability to attack with perfect coordination and focus
 made these wizards a deadly thread indeed!

The three return to the mirrored hallway.  Advancing carefully to where the T-junction turns left and right, Erik closes his eyes, reaches around the corner with his pistol, and fires.  His bullet shatters the mirror to the left just a doppelganger was beginning to form, and it dissipates instantly.  But another duplicate emerges from the mirror down the corridor to the right, and opens fire!  But although it shouts repeatedly that it’s the real Erik, its aim is terrible and a cascade of bullets and bombs destroys it quickly.  Erik shoots the mirror it came from, and the threat of the duplicate adventurers is contained.

Ava suggests checking on the companions they left behind, but Kang insists they’re fine.  He urges the trio to press on, proclaiming confidence that there’s nothing here he can’t handle.  Indeed, he even takes point, boldly striding forward into an immense cathedral with mirrored walls, immense chandeliers, and a massive decorative peacock atop a dais in the center.  Six identical human men are present, standing in a row.  Each is immaculately dressed with shoulder-length blond hair, and they move and speak in perfect unison:  “The master is in his study—he is not to be disturbed,” they say in Thassilonian.  “Please keep your screaming to a minimum while you are punished for daring to venture this close to his magnificence.”

Kang moves to hurl a bomb at them, but all six snap their fingers and disappear from view.  Instants later, a barrage of magical attacks begin from the invisible figures, all perfectly coordinated.  Erik barely survives cascade after cascade of magic missiles, Ava shakes off a series of mental attacks, and all three heroes are blasted by fireballs.  The adventurers dodge in and out of cover and return fire, with Erik’s supernatural ability to see invisible creatures allowing him to direct Kang on where to lob bombs for maximum effect.  Ava darts back and forth to keep her allies alive until the unusual happens: the party’s healer is herself brought down!  Erik grabs his grippli ally and gets to cover, shouting that they’ll have to make a run for it.  But Kang is insistent: “the fight is not over yet—we can still win.  I can still win!” he shouts.  Erik forces a healing potion down Ava’s throat to bring her back to consciousness, and she expends her most powerful magicks to heal herself and her allies.  But the situation is truly dire, as Ava is low on spells, Kang is almost out of bombs, Erik is almost out of bullets, and the coordinated attacks of the invisible wizards continue to pour in.  The adventurers make one last assault and somehow manage to win through, as their opponents have also exhausted their most powerful magical attacks.  Curiously, their foes melt into puddles of snow when they die, confirming speculation that they were something far different than mere humans.

A search of the cathedral-like chamber reveals a secret door behind one mirrored-panel, and beyond it lies a cozy study full of scrolls and books.  In a far corner, slumped in a chair, is the body of a man wearing rich robes and a cloak made of peacock feathers.  An elegant mirror is clutched in his hand, and a book and quill sit on the table before him.  It looks as if he died only moments ago, and, curiously, he looks identical to the six wizards the adventurers just battled.  Kang’s familiarity with Thassilonian script allows him to skim the book on the table, and he discovers it’s the journal of a wizard named Vraxeris.  The journal makes several references to Karzoug, the Runelord of Greed, as “quickening” (returning) before Vraxeris’ own master, Xanderghul; of how weapons empowered with enhancement and illusion magic could be turned against Karzoug; how Karzoug’s stronghold stands atop a peak called Mhar Massif; how a mystical circle in the Halls of Wrath might allow escape from Runeforge; and much more.  Kang realizes he’s only glimpsed the beginning of what the journal has to offer, and that a careful reading could provide additional insight.  Meanwhile, Erik finds several spellbooks full of illusion spells.

The Heroes of Varisia have come one step closer in their epic quest.  But now, trapped in Runeforge and with no easy way out, will they be able to overcome the threats that remain within while their resources dwindle?

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

Director's Commentary

Jinkatsyu's player was unable for this session, hence his being unconscious for the duration.  I think Yuzo's player must have been as well, because even with a dead PC I would have found something for them to do.

I loved the encounter against the six coordinating invisible wizards.  We had to play it out a bit like Battleship with coordinates when the PCs tried to guess what squares they were in.  I don't think I've ever had six enemies with so much magical firepower all able to bring it to bear in such a focussed way.  It was an impressive display of artillery until they started running out of the good spells.

Kang's player did a great job with the role-playing, putting his character's affinity with pride to the max!

Starfinder Society Scenario # 1-39: "The Herald's War" [RPG]

NO SPOILERS

The Herald's War is an exciting, cinematic scenario that definitely evokes some big-action Star Wars vibes.  It serves well as a lead-in to the big capstone special (# 2-00: "Fate of the Scoured God") that provides a conclusion to the long-running Season 1 story-arc.  No one can complain that this one moves at too sedate a pace!  

SPOILERS

Major events are afoot when the briefing aboard a Starfinder battleship (with First Seekers Jadnura and Luwazi Elsebo) begins.  A full jinsul battle fleet, led by a commander named Hierarch Kraaton, has arrived in the Saruuq-Ruaan system to invade the Kreiholm Freehold!  The Kreiholm Freehold was introduced in # 1-29, and it's a federation of various alien cultures that fled the Scoured Stars.  As the Starfinder Society is assembling a fleet to strike deep in the Scoured Stars system to end the threat of the jinsul, they want the PCs to help turn back the invasion and persuade the Kreiholm to join an alliance to later take the offensive.

When the Starfinder fleet (and the PCs) emerge from the Drift, they arrive in the midst of a massive space battle!  Given their usual Pegasus or Drake, the PCs are charged with handling a pair of new jinsul starfighters that have proved especially problematic to contain.  This plays out as a 1 vs 2 starship combat, with a twist in that several hexes of the flip-mat represent dangerous zones of engagement between allied and jinsul battle cruisers--if the PCs' vessel enters one of these hexes, they risk taking damage.  I liked the concept here (making the battlefield more interesting), though when I played, we just stayed away from those threatened zones and they didn't really matter.  My views on starship combat in general are pretty well known (hate it!), but this one's probably a little better than most.

The jinsul fleet withdraws to regroup, allowing the PCs to undertake their next task: meeting with the Kreiholm Freehold council and persuading them to join a full alliance with the Starfinder Society.  This takes the form of the usual "persuade a certain number of NPCs by using various skill checks" system, but I liked how this one was handled.  There's no time (in-story) for everyone to chat with everyone, so each PC has to pick one council member and give it their best try.  That means no hiding between a party face, there's room for everyone to role-play, the process moves quickly, and everyone's contribution is valuable.  The various council members are given interesting personalities and a variety of skill checks are useful for each one.  The only thing I would have *really* liked here was a visual line-up of all five council members--instead, we only get a headshot of one and a recycled picture of another.  When dealing with all sorts of strange alien races, it's much better if the GM can point to which alien is talking and even set a PC's token to indicate who is talking to whom.

After the meeting, the PCs have a quick debriefing with Jadnura and Luwazi Elsebo to discuss strategy.  The plan is for the Starfinder fleet (hopefully aided by the Kreiholm fleet) to attack the nearby jinsul fleet and provide enough of a distraction for the PCs to board the jinsul flagship.  There, they need to effectively assassinate the jinsul fleet commander, Hierarch Kraaton.  The approach to the jinsul flagship is handled in a good way through several quick hazards (and associated skill checks)--though, to be honest, whether the PCs do well or poorly doesn't really impact the rest of the scenario very much.  

After landing in the flagship's hangar bay, the PCs then need to battle several jinsul engineers and a "praetorian" who has the cool ability to negate an envoy's improvisation abilities.  The mission is on a timer though (thirty in-game minutes), so afterwards the PCs need to figure the fastest but safest route to the bridge.  Three different options (and associated skill checks are presented), but, reading through, it really doesn't make much of a difference which is chosen.  Even if the PCs choose the slowest route and fail all the associated skill checks, they still arrive with 5 minutes to spare.  If PCs do really well and finish with at least 10 minutes to spare, I guess they could take a rest to recover some stamina, but that's about it.  One nice touch during the approach, hangar battle, and journey to the bridge is that the scenario provides all sorts of "radio chatter" to help describe what's going on with the huge space battle outside--with most of the different SFS venture-captains represented.  I thought it was a really fun way to help add to the drama and tension (if a GM remembers to use it!).

The big finish on the bridge of the jinsul ship is great.  My favourite moment was being genuinely shocked that after defeating the hierarch (who's no slouch!), his body becomes possessed by a divine herald Kadrical (Dhurus) for another (extremely nasty) fight!  It was a great "oh, crap" moment, and a good reminder that even when you think you've seen it all in PFS/SFS, the scenarios can still surprise you.  Assuming the PCs survive, they're able to depart the flagship and the Starfinder/Kreiholm fleet succeed in driving the jinsuls into a disorganized retreat.  A perfect lead-in to the events of # 2-00.

That would be the natural place to end the scenario, but instead there's more!  There's a long scene where Iteration-177 appears and confesses his secret: he's also one of the divine heralds of Kadrical, named Ailuros.  It's a cool reveal, and I have to give the writers and developers credit for nicely integrating several season-long threads (the jinsuls, the Kreiholm Freehold, Iteration-177, and more) into a satisfying story.  I might suggest the timing of Iteration-177's reveal isn't ideal (everyone thinks the scenario is over and is wrapping up), but the concept is sound.

Overall, although there are some flaws, this was a thrilling, well-done scenario.  It might be one I'll spend a carefully-hoarded replay on.

Jaguar # 1-14 & Annual # 1 (DC Comics, 1991) [COMICS]

When DC gained the rights to the old 1960s Archie super-heroes in 1991, they decided to do something different. Instead of integrating them into the DC Universe like they did with Charlton heroes like Blue Beetle, the Question, and Captain Atom, they created a new self-contained universe under the Impact! imprint.  Impact! was designed to take a fresh, classic approach to super-heroes that could appeal to younger readers and "tired of the all the gritty angst" older readers alike.  The whole line was cancelled after about a year and a half.  As a kid, I remember collecting The Fly and, for some reason, actually had a subscription to The Web.  Today, however, we're going to be talking about The Jaguar.

Issue # 1 establishes the setting and major characters that will persist until the series' end.  Maria de Guzman is a freshman student attending her first days of classes at Elm Harbor University in Michigan.  Fresh from Rio, Maria experiences some culture shock and some classic mean girls led by a blonde named Tracy Dickerson--who turns out to be her roommate!  Maria also meets Professor Ruiz, someone she had been corresponding with before attending the university.  One night, Maria is out for a jog across campus when muggers attack.  She unconsciously transforms into The Jaguar and fights them off, but there's also intervention from a mysterious armored figure.  It's a solid, straightforward beginning to the series--Bill Loebs' writing is also strong (I like the narration from Maria's perspective), even if the artwork is fairly weak.

The cover to Issue # 2 has a very mannish Jaguar compared to the interior artwork, and the discrepancy is a bit amusing.  We get a bit of backstory here and learn that Maria's aunt, a lawyer who helped indigenous peoples preserve their land, has died in Brazil and was the previous Jaguar.  Maria doesn't seem to really realize that she's inherited that power, as her transformations back and worth happen without her conscious knowledge.  We also learn there are multiple secrets at the university--Professor Ruiz is a government agent and the government is building a cyborg named Maxx-13 in a secret lab!

"Face to Face with Maxx-13" proclaims the cover of Issue # 3, and that's no lie, as there is indeed a big brawl between the two inside.  Maxx-13 was designed to combat terrorists but has become a menace, and Professor Ruiz helps our titular hero by telling her that the cyborg's chest plate is powered by a miniature black hole (!)--she rips off the cyborg's chest plate and throws the black hole device into the sky where it explodes harmlessly.  This isn't Shakespeare, but one can see the appeal for readers (young or old) who want some fun, straightforward super hero action that isn't completely mindless.

We get a mostly-action free story in Issue # 4, but, as the cover indicates, the Black Hood does appear in a team-up story to stop some synagogue vandals.  The theme of the story is guilt and there's some interesting introspection by Catholic and Jewish religious leaders.  It's probably not what the target audience was expecting, but that's okay.

I felt sad for the series after reading the letters page in Issue # 5: "We're a hit! Sales are strong, mail response is astounding, and the critics have given their thumbs-up!"  Barely a year later, the series will be gone.  But let's stay positive for now.  This story introduces a new villain, The Void, created in an accident in the secret government lab under the university.  But The Void isn't really evil, and in a nice, non-violent resolution, Maria talks it into dissipating harmlessly.  There's a fun cliff-hanger in which mean girl Tracy discovers Maria's secret identity!  Tracy's a good character, as she evolves over the course of the series and shows a (bit) more depth--like Cordelia across early seasons of Buffy.

Issue # 6 has a good, classic feel with a fun cover.  Maria goes on a ski trip with a few other students when they're attacked by a yeti-looking monster.  But the monster, the Doomster (corny!) can see into the future and is attacking people for crimes they haven't committed yet.  The Jaguar rescues the students, including Tracy, who starts to have some second thoughts about her plans to take advantage of knowing the hero's secret.

Issue # 7 has very cool cover that starts an entirely different artwork style (externally).  The story is pretty forgettable, alas, as the Jaguar and a cop have fallen in a well and have to rescue themselves.

"Pretty mediocre, frankly," are my notes to Issue # 8.  The Elm Harbor town council thinks the Jaguar has become a menace.  A super-militaristic (hitman) volunteer named Pega, the Invisible Terror tries to capture her.  The Jaguar defeats him, but he escapes and promises to return.  I kinda expected better from Bill Loebs.

Writerly redemption is had in Issue # 9, a crossover that leads into Crusaders # 1.  Tracy steals Maria's Jaguar costume (thinking it has the super-powers within it) and goes on live television to show off.  What she doesn't realise is a) the powers aren't in the suit and b) the suit teleports to Maria when she transforms.  So Tracy is left buck-naked on live t.v., with a lot of explaining to do.  It's genuinely funny.  Technically, that's the B-story.  The main story has to do with an evil terrorist who is dressing up as the Shield or something.  The issue comes with an "Impact! Trading Card Inside", but it's a cheap piece of one-sided cardboard awkwardly bound in, and I can't imagine it helped spur any sales.

Issue # 10 has the return of the Invisible Terror (now upgraded with an exo-skeleton), and the idiot thinks Tracy is really the Jaguar and beats her up before Maria rescues her.  Solid super-heroics.

We've always had Maria do the narrating, but that changes in Issue # 11 as Tracy takes a turn with extracts from her therapist-mandated journal.  Tracy and her friends go see a comedy show, but an assassin ("The Jobman"?) attacks.  Tracy gets in the way, and Maria gets shot.  But it was all a bad dream, I guess?  Weird.

Issue # 12 shows us something different, as we see some scenes from Maria's father's point of view.  Back in Rio, he's been investigating government atrocities and is worried that his enemies will harm his daughter--so he sends a bodyguard to keep an eye on her.  Meanwhile, the Jaguar breaks up a robbery at a gun store and Tracy is still in the hospital, showing more character depth.  It's an unexpected (mild) change of direction for the series, but not unwelcome.

I've seen Issue # 13's plot before in old Spider-Man comics, but, unfortunately, it remains all-tool relevant today.  Non-whites are being harassed and even subject to racist violence after being urged on by a strange old man.  In the comic, the villain is named "Purge" and is actually a robot using sub-sonic machinery to drive hatred.  The Jaguar intervenes, but a mystery remains--who built the robot?  Another still-topical subplot has to do with campus speech codes and free speech.

The final issue of the regular series is Issue # 14.  Maria's father is killed by a government-sponsored hitman and "disappeared."  Fredo, Maria's jack-ass brother, is now running the family company.  And the "bodyguard" that Maria's been stuck with tries to kill her!  Tracy, of all people, saves Maria's life and the two go to Rio in a sweet moment of friendship.  The Web (U.S. government super-spies) ask the Jaguar to join the Crusaders, and she accepts.  Having dropped out of school for a new life, the series has, as the cover proclaims, come full circle.  It's a really satisfying conclusion to the series.

Annual # 1 was apparently part of a big Impact!-wide crossover event called Earth Quest.  In the barely-comprehensible main story, a sort of blackmailer/hypnotizer villain named The Moonlighter captures the Jaguar as part of a plot by someone called The Templar to smuggle diseased birds into the area to create an environmental catastrophe.  The story sucks, but I will say the interior art is much better than in normal issues (despite the weird, sketchy cover).  The annual includes two back-up stories.  "Trick or Treat" is set in 1978, and has an old man dressing up like the Shield to save a kid who's gotten mixed up with the mob.  "Your Mine and Ours" is a pretty good Old West story where the Black Hood is worn by a Native American man.

Overall, I liked the general concept of the series.  Maria is a strong protagonist, and there are some good supporting characters in Tracy and Professor Ruiz.  The theme of a newcomer's first days in America and at university also works well.  Still, the stories were inconsistent in quality and never quite gelled, and the Jaguar as a super-hero is pretty standard stuff (claws, strength, speed).  Still, it's a decent series and not a bad example of what the Impact! line of comics offered.

Pathfinder Society Scenario # 10-18: "The Daughters' Due" [RPG]

NO SPOILERS

The Daughters' Due continues a really good and long-running (albeit, sporadically attended to) minor storyline in PFS.  The scenario definitely ticks all the boxes in terms of role-playing, combat, and skill use.  It offers an enjoyable progression in the storyline, and although I would've liked more setting flavour in certain parts, overall it was a solid and satisfying experience.

SPOILERS

One of the great things about Pathfinder Society is that it can be far more than just an isolated series of one-shots.  The Daughters' Due, for example, continues a story started in a scenario *eight* years ago!  I've played that first one, though I haven't played any others in the series, but together they form a really interesting storyline concerning the Blakros family (of eponymous museum fame), the Onyx Alliance (a nefarious organisation from the shadow plane's mirror version of Absalom), and an alliance between the two groups that proved profitable but at great cost.  When The Daughters' Due starts, previous scenarios have explored how the arrangement between the Blakros family and the Onyx Alliance (in which the former would periodically give up a daughter in exchange for wealth and magical relics from the latter) was finally ended with intervention from the Pathfinder Society.  The Onyx Alliance, however, has also had an internal reorganization--unbeknownst to the Blakros family or the Pathfinders, one of their "sacrificed" daughters (Sarnia Blakros) has successfully launched a coup to take over the organisation, and is using its resources to secretly steal treasured antiquities from the museum--she has no qualms about getting back at the family that gave her up years ago.

The PCs get involved when they receive a letter from an anonymous member of the Decemvirate that explains that Venture-Captain Drendle Dreng is undercover in Shadow Absalom and has noticed a resurgence in Onyx Alliance activity.  That, combined with suspicion that items have been stolen from the Blakros Museum, is enough for the PCs to be assigned to investigate.  When they arrive at the museum, the head of the family, Hamaria Blakros, asks the PCs to verify a log of items marked as "destroyed" by the museum's curator, Nigel Aldain.  Aldain explains that repeated battles over the past decade in the museum by Pathfinders have led to much destruction--which, when you think about it, must be true!  There are something like a dozen scenarios set in the museum, so one can't help but imagine a stray fireball here and there (not to mention my caveman-shaman Gurkagh who once used exhibits as improvised weapons!).

The first part of the scenario involves the PCs looking around the museum and asking questions of the staff to discern whether four items that Aldain assumed were destroyed could, in fact, have been stolen.  The items have some interesting backstory, and the PCs can make various skill checks to gather clues on what happened to them (but there needs to be some sort of timer or limit to the number of skill check attempts, otherwise folks are just rolling dice until they succeed).  The scenario is designed to lead the PCs to the conclusion that they've been taken through a portal to Shadow Absalom, but many of the clues are fairly ambiguous.  When I played it, the group (perhaps naturally) suspected that Aldain had ulterior motives behind labelling the items as destroyed, and we treated him more as a criminal suspect than simply negligent at inventory management!  Mysteries are very difficult to write well in RPGs, as players are likely to ask very specific, detailed questions in order to look for inconsistencies that may be clues or proof of deception.  I didn't think the scenario handled this issue particularly well, and having most the information coming from unnamed, generic "museum staff" didn't help--it puts a lot of weight on the GM to flesh things out, and mysteries are dangerous territory for improvised detail.

Arguably, the best course of action for the museum would be to acknowledge the four exhibits as lost causes and permanently seal up the portal to Shadow Absalom in order to prevent any future thefts.  But it's a slow day in the Pathfinder Society, so the PCs are sent to get them back!  I was excited for this part of the scenario, as I've played an adventure set in the location before, and Shadow Absalom is a really cool, creepy, intriguing place.  Unfortunately, very little of that flavour comes across in The Daughters' Due, and unless the GM does a lot of work, Shadow Absalom probably won't seem all that different than regular Absalom.  More built-in flavour (not just a sidebar) would help a lot.

Anyway, the middle part of the scenario has the PCs gathering information and travelling to different locations across the city to recover the missing exhibits.  At one location, over-eager PCs will blow Drandle Dreng's cover and probably start an unnecessary fight against fletchings working for the Onyx Alliance--I liked how the encounter was set up, as it's definitely one that rewards stealth and subtlety instead of the way most groups handle things.  A second location is the infamous Soul Stalls, where night hags and others openly trade magic items, rubies, and mortal souls!  The PCs can fight a night hag to recover the exhibit they're after, or they can bribe her with gold or . . . even a soul!  Though any PC who assumes it's no big deal to sell their soul will be in  for a nasty surprise when they see the Chronicle sheet.

The last part of the scenario (though the order can vary) has the PCs visiting the Shadow Absalom version of the Blakros Museum--here, it's "Wightir House", an Onyx Alliance storage facility.  (as an aside, it's very clever how this and previous scenarios account for changing maps used for the museum over the years.)  Here, the PCs will meet Sarnia Blakros herself (cool artwork!).  She comes across as a very sympathetic character, and I wish the scenario has presented a more immediate way for the PCs to ally themselves with her (instead, they can only express their preferences to the Society's leadership during the scenario's epilogue)  Sarnia communicates with the PCs solely through a magical representation, so she's not a combat target.  After battling some "Taxidermic Triceratops" (gotta love Pathfinder sometimes!), the PCs will meet a fan-favourite NPC in the otyugh known as Hats.  Hats happens to be wearing one of the museum exhibits that the PCs want, and there's a range of options the PCs can try for recovery.  It's a really amusing encounter.  There's one final room guarded by some ice golems and an Onyx Alliance agent.

Once the PCs have the four items, they can return to the Blakros Museum without any difficulty.  Depending on how they portray their interaction with Sarnia Blakros, reporting conditions promise the possibility of continued evolution in the storyline--perhaps the Pathfinder Society will ally with the Onyx Alliance instead of the Blakros family?

The Daughters' Due just a fantastic job integrating previous scenarios, down to very small details that could easily be forgotten or overlooked.  I liked how the storyline was advanced, and the encounters are solid.  I do feel like more thought could have been put into the investigation phase and that Shadow Absalom should have been give more flavour.  Overall though, this was a fun, solid scenario and definitely worth playing.

Pathfinder Map Pack: "Slum Quarter Alleys" [RPG]

I've been using the Slum Quarter Alleys map pack frequently in running my urban-centric Curse of the Crimson Throne campaign, and I've found them tremendously useful.  You can take the time to assemble particular buildings like a jigsaw puzzle, or (like I do for random encounters) just lay them down in no particular order for an instant maze of city streets and alleys.  The other night, the players wanted to set an ambush for someone in an alleyway, so I just laid the whole pack down in random order and told them to pick their preferred spot.  It worked perfectly.  Because of the random element, you avoid the flip-mat problem of every encounter seeming to take place in the exact same setting. Most of each tile shows narrow streets and the interior of buildings, complete with steps and doorways, which is really useful.  Portions of the tiles show rooftops, and I'm not sure if I like the mixture of interior and exterior--but I can understand why having rooftops would be very useful in certain circumstances.  The interior of the buildings are very detailed, with bunks, chairs, tables, bookcases, etc.  With a little bit of patience, you can probably assemble most configuration of slum-type housing (except for perhaps large tenements).  Also, keep in mind that these are back alleys and side streets, so this isn't the map pack to buy if you want long, wide avenues.  But the important thing is the map pack accomplishes what it's designed for.

Rise of the Runelords Recap # 92 [RPG]

[1 Pharast 4708 continued]

Amidst the blasted rubble of the Abjurant Halls in the mysterious demiplane known as Runeforge, the Heroes of Varisia continue their battle against the noxious mustard jelly.  Although it gives them a run for their money and Yuzo is badly hurt, they eventually triumph.  Returning to the pools of ooze from where the creature emerged, the adventurers search the room.  They find a hidden panel in the northern wall, behind which is a lever and several potions.  They take the potions, but decide to leave the lever alone for now.  The explorers return to Runeforge’s central hub and decide they’ve had enough for this first, tentative expedition.  Less then an hour after having entered, they walk back through the portal and then teleport back to Sandpoint.  There’s a commotion at the Rusty Dragon, as a small fire seems to have somehow broken out in Kang’s room.  Although a strong patron of adventurers, at this point even Ameiko has had enough and informs the alchemist that she’s made arrangements for him to spend future nights over at the White Deer.  On a more positive side, Yuzo realizes that most of his magical items only had their energies temporarily suppressed.

[2 Pharast 4708]

Ava tries to teleport the group back to Rimeskull, but something goes awry and they end up on a snow-covered plain.  The adventurers decide to play it safe, given the limitations on how often Ava can draw upon such magicks, and teleport back to Sandpoint for another day’s rest.

[3 Pharast 4708]

Ava successfully ferries everyone to the dragon’s cave inside Rimeskull.  Seeing that the portal has closed, the adventurers reenact the ritual outside to obtain the keys necessary to open it again.  Once through the portal, Kang sees the central hub of Runeforge for the first time.  He seems particularly enamoured with the statute of the strikingly handsome, smirking man wearing extravagant clothing and holding a lucerne hammer.  Yuzo draws everyone’s attention, however, by acting on a dare to actually drink some of the liquid in the central prismatic pool!  His stomach churns and he collapses to the ground, spasming as strange visions of metal men, doppelgangers, naked winged women, and more rush through his mind.  He recovers from the experience, but swears never to go through it again!

Xanderghul, Runelord of Pride, 

held himself above the other six.

Kang suggests exploring the archway behind the statue of the well-dressed charmer, but the others talk him into finishing the exploration of the wing they ventured into the day before yesterday.  They show Kang the pool of what appears to be quicksilver, but he’s astonished to realize it’s actually a chemical substance he’s only heard obliquely referenced in far-fetched tomes: ethillion!  The rare substance actually leeches away magic from any object it touches, and, once “charged,” can be used to dramatically speed up the creation of magical items.  Kang fills up several empty flasks, draining the pool.  Meanwhile, Erik is intrigued by the mysterious lever they found behind the secret panel earlier.  When the others are ready, he pulls the lever . . . but nothing happens.

After returning to the hub, the adventurers debate which archway to proceed down next.  With Yuzo’s support, Kang persuades the others to follow him down the tunnel he originally suggested.  The tunnel becomes a brightly lit corridor lined with floor-to-ceiling mirrors, giving the dizzying impression that the corridor opens up to each side, extending infinitely into the distance.  Before long, a T-junction can be seen ahead.  Jinkatsyu and Yuzo enter it side-by-side, only to find reflections of themselves somehow step out of the mirrors down the passageways to the left and right.  But these are not mere illusions of glamer and shadow: they have substance, and charge into battle!  Jinkatsyu enters into a duel of master bladecraft with his double, finally getting the upper hand with the aid of Kang’s bombs.  But Yuzo is overwhelmed by his enemy’s fury.  “I’m the real Yuzo!” shouts the doppelganger, before knocking the real one to the ground and stabbing him through the sternum so hard the blade digs into the stone floor.  The others rush into battle and dispatch the double, but, even with Ava’s magic, Yuzo is too far gone to save and breathes his last.

------------------------------
Director's Commentary

Kang's player was away the previous session, so it was great to have him back here.  He was always game for improv role-playing, like getting kicked out of the Rusty Dragon.  As the GM, I think it's always good to shake up the status quo occasionally.  Speaking of Kang, he was the clearest example of a PC that fit into the concept of Runeforge by being associated with one of the seven Thassilonian sins (specifically, pride).  I magnified the benefits and drawbacks of being in a wing of a PC's associated sin, though I don't think the theme really popped as well as I would have liked.  There's a lot going on in that place, and it's not fair to expect players to always get the meta-implications.

I love a lever that doesn't do anything (in this case, because the mechanism behind the wall was broken)--it's hilarious to see how much time some groups will spend on such a thing, and the theories that they'll propose.

I've probably said it before, but the biggest thing PCs need to fear in Pathfinder is fighting each other or themselves.  This session was another good example, as faux-Yuzo wrecked real-Yuzo!

Pathfinder Campaign Setting: "Inner Sea Intrigue" [RPG]

Inner Sea Intrigue is a 64-page, full-colour sourcebook that helps to situate the themes from the setting-neutral Ultimate Intrigue into Golarion.  It has a mixture of material for GMs (like new content for rules sub-systems) and for players (such as several new archetypes).  More detail is below.  To preview my conclusion, I think this is an extremely useful book and a good addition to anyone's Pathfinder collection.

Chapter 1, "Intrigue of the Inner Sea" (6 pages) starts the book off with paragraph-long descriptions of how intrigue stories could be located in various regions of Golarion.  There's an impressive amount of setting lore on display, though I might personally nitpick that Varisia (and some of its notable cities, like Korvosa and Riddleport) isn't included.  The rest of the chapter is an usual little overview of something like three dozen "schemers of the Inner Sea"--each NPC receives a headshot, alignment and class level, and brief description.  The NPCs come from a variety of places--Pathfinder Society, previous campaign setting books and adventures, and even the novels.  I'm not 100% sure how useful this is, but it's an interesting assortment, to be sure.

Chapter 2, "Avenues of Intrigue" (10 pages) adds some additional content to some of the themes and rules sub-systems introduced in Ultimate Intrigue.  It gives stats for four specific archives usable with the library research rules (I appreciated the info on the Jeggare Museum for my Curse of the Crimson Throne campaign), adds some new feats for characters with masked personas, expands on the idea of stylized spells (a great way to stun the know-it-alls at the table!), and adds a few more ways to use the verbal duels rules such as inciting riots or winning courtroom trials.  A new sub-system is included--spreading and countering rumors.  The chapter makes very good use of referencing other intrigue-based sub-systems from a wide variety of books, so, if nothing else, it can point readers in a good direction.

Chapter 3 is "Nefarious Schools" (10 pages) and sets up a whole rules sub-system for  "nefarious" institutions in the same vein that Inner Sea Magic had for magical academies and Inner Sea Combat had for fighting schools.  Everything from finding the group to entrance exams & fees to getting expelled is covered.  In addition, each of the specific schools detailed has particular tasks and awards associated with them.  In a way, they work a bit like factions in Pathfinder Society or Starfinder Society, where things like Fame and Prestige within the group are tracked and can be spent for special benefits.  Some of the benefits are pretty cool and offer boosts to class abilities that could be unique in the game.  However, I find it hard to picture how some of these "schools" work in light of the fact that many campaigns may only span several months of in-game time.  It's a sub-system that could be an interesting way to track "success" (beyond just wealth and experience points), however, if the GM and players all bought into it.  The chapter has specific descriptions for three criminal enterprises (the Freebooters' Academy, the Guild of Liars, and the Guild of Wonders), three rebel groups (the Bright Lions, Irgal's Axe, and the Woodsedge Dissidents), three secret schools (the Honored of Osibu, the Kusari-Gama, and the Sword Pit), and finally three spy academies (the Conservatory, the Kitharodian Academy, and the Twilight Talons.  All of these locations are  geographically notated on the book's inside front cover.  The system is designed to work alongside a similar system in the Faction Guide as well.

Chapter 4 is the longest chapter, "Masters of Intrigue" (20 pages).  It starts with a handy page describing how many intrigue-themed archetypes from other books could be situated in Golarion.  Several pages are then devoted to new class options (talents, primarily) for Inquisitors, Rogues, and Vigilantes.  Next are two new prestige classes, each receiving a full two-page spread.  The prestige classes include the Enchanting Courtesan (an interesting mix of concealed spellcasting, poison use, and information gathering abilities) and the Lion Blade (secret bardic spies from Taldor--the prestige class is a bit scatter-shot in what it offers).  The remainder of the chapter is devoted to several (17!) new archetypes.  Although many of the archetypes are for classes one would expect (rogues, investigators, etc.), there's also some for counter-intuitive classes like druids, summoners, and witches.  There's far too many archetypes for me to go into detail, so suffice it to say my notes on the various archetypes use the words "ok" and "too weak" frequently, but with a few inclusions of "cool".  Something I have no qualms about, however, is the artwork--the piece on page 39 is just stunning.

Chapter 5 is the "Intrigue Toolbox" (16 pages), and contains dozens of new poisons, magic items, spells, and a very useful little section on special building materials (dead-magic walls, lead-lined walls, and secrecy runes).  There's a lot of little things I like in this section, such as a poison (Blackfingers' Silence) that renders the victim unable to speak or cast spells--my Daggermark Poisoner PFS character once put that to good use.  There's a lot of really clever, sneaky spells that help the GM in crafting intrigue and mystery stories that aren't so easily foiled by common skills and spells in a PC's toolbox.  For example, there's substitute trail (making it seem like someone else left the trail that you've left).  Overall, it's a solid chapter that pretty much every player and GM can make use of to some degree or another.

I found Inner Sea Intrigue extremely useful in planning my run of Curse of the Crimson Throne, and I'm sure most GMs can find something worthwhile inside it as well.  It also has a wealth of options for players in terms of new archetypes, spells, equipment, etc.  There's a consistent, high-standard of quality from the book, which might stem from the fact that it's one of the few Paizo books written by a single author instead of a collection of several each doing little bits.  I love the cover art, but there's some great interior art as well.  Anyway, this is a really useful book for anyone interested in the more subtle types of gameplay that Pathfinder can offer.

Starfinder Society Scenario # 1-38: "The Many Minds of Historia" [RPG]

NO SPOILERS

I played The Many Minds of Historia several months ago with the Iconic Witchwarper.  Reading it for the purposes of this review, I understand now what was happening--but at the time, I found it fairly confusing.  The scenario requires players to make some leaps in terms of logic and plausibility.  On the plus side, it does tell an interesting story and represents some major advancement in long-running subplots concerning some major Starfinder Society NPCs.  I guess, overall, I have mixed feelings about it--a good idea that could have used a little more time in the oven to fully cook.

SPOILERS

The scenario starts intriguingly with a secret, telepathic-only, conversation with Zigvigix.  The faction leader has become concerned that something has happened to Historia-7, as she's been acting strangely and has left some cryptic messages to him in the form of altered Star Sugar Heartlove??? album track lists.  Zigvigix has jumped to a startling conclusion: that Historia-6 (Historia-7's predecessor, recently rescued from the Scoured Stars) has taken control of her and is pretending to be her!  Ziggy wants to confront Historia-7/Historia-6 in the Lorespire Complex Archives, but doesn't want to go alone--hence, the PCs.  I remember enjoying spotting all the discrepancies in the album track handout, though exactly how Ziggy (correctly, it turns out) reaches the conclusion that Historia-6 has taken control of Historia-7 still isn't something I understand.

In the archives' main area, called the Cortex, the Starfinders find Historia-7 plugged into a network.  The revelation that she is being controlled by an outside force comes immediately as a protective dome slides over her and automated rifle turrets and security robots target the group.  The protective dome is meant to be effectively impenetrable, but the scenario writer didn't count on my Witchwarper being able to effectively dimension door in!  It didn't really matter though, because there's nothing the PCs can do to help Historia-7 here.

Instead, further exploration of other rooms in the Cortex reveal that Historia-6 has completely transferred his consciousness into Historia-7's body (abandoning his own, which is now completely burned out).  He accomplished this through use of a device called an Abrogation Matrix, which is still in the compound.  Zigvigix surmises that Historia-7's consciousness is trying to resist Historia-6's takeover (which is why she left cryptic clues), but that time is running out before his lady-love is destroyed completely!  Through his telepathic powers and use of the Abrogation Matrix, Zigivigix is somehow (credulity . . . stretching . . . ) able to transfer the PCs' consciousnesses into a virtual mindscape to help her!

In the scenario, being in a mindscape is (disappointingly) almost exactly the same as normal life.  There's no Inception or Matrix-level awesome alteration of one's surroundings here.  PCs can spend resolve points to gain some minor benefits, but the costs are too high to make it worthwhile.  The settings for the mindscape involve scenes from Historia-7's and Historia-6's memories, and these do provide some interesting backstory.  We learn how Historia-7, before becoming a faction leader and then known as Celita, discovered that a senior Starfinder officer has been altering records to hide his theft of important relics.  This discovery, and her successful confrontation of the man, is what first drew her to Historia-6's attention.  The PCs get to relive the memory and try to resolve the situation again (exactly why this matters, I don't know).  Another memory is of a Star Sugar Heartlove!!! concert, and the PCs need to stabilize it from data corruption.

Another scene is actually from Historia-6's past, and shows how Historia-5 took over his body!  In fact, the a startling revelation is in store: there's essentially always been just one android ("Historia-Prime") who has used illegal technology to transcend from android body to android body for decades, always overriding the original consciousness of their chosen host body.  (The mere existence of this technology is a pretty big deal for the setting, one would think.)  The PCs thus need to "battle" mindscape manifestations of Historia-Prime in various scenes in order to save Historia-7.  The idea sounds really exciting in the abstract, but essentially boils down to traditional encounters.  Assuming the PCs are successful, Historia-Prime vacates Historia-'s body and transmits himself to an unknown location (perhaps to reappear in a future scenario? he would make a good season-long villain with his inside knowledge of the Society!).  Historia-7 is saved, but decides to discard the legacy of Historia-Prime by returning to the name Celita (receiving nice new artwork in the process).  It's a pretty cool and satisfying story arc for the character, and Ziggy/Historia-7 shippers will find their hearts swelling.

The Many Minds of Historia is one of those scenarios that tells a satisfying story, even if the actual gameplay comes across as fairly pedestrian.  Battling virtual representations of a near-immortal android consciousness in a mindscape should be the basis for some crazy, trippy encounters of the type that we'd never get to see in the "real" world.  But instead, we fight robots on a starship flip-mat and an ooze on a jungle flip-mat, and there's nothing to distinguish either from an encounter outside a mindscape.  Nonetheless, I'd recommend the scenario for anyone invested in the long-simmering romance between Zigvigix and Historia-7.

Rise of the Runelords Recap # 91 [RPG]

[28 Calistril 4708]

Having returned to the cavern deep within Rimeskull that served as the lair of the white dragon Arkhryst, the adventurers decide to secure the area.  They explore various tunnels branching off of the main cavern, but find all of them empty—doubtless due to the fact that no other creatures would wish to live so close to a dragon!  Back in the cavern, Erik carefully examines the ice-encrusted pillars.  He notices that seven of the pillars surround an eighth pillar twice the size of the others, and that these surrounding pillars are marked with hundreds of Thassilonian runes describing the different arcane schools of magic as conceptualised by that ancient empire.  In addition, he spies a small keyhole hidden on the side of each pillar that faces the central one.  Yuzo tries using a key taken from Mokmurian’s body, but it doesn’t fit.  The adventurers speculate about where the keys are, and Erik reminds them of the verses they discovered in the Scribbler’s domain:

On eastern shores of steaming mirror, 
At end of day when dusk is nearer
Where seven faces silent wait
Encircled guards at Runeforge’s gate.

Each stone the grace of seven lords,
One part of key each ruler hoards;
If offered spells and proper prayer,
Take seven keys and climb the stair.

The adventurers pass the next few hours until dusk by chipping away at the frozen dragon hoard (finding a huge pile of silver coins in the process) before making a magically-aided journey up the ice-covered ramps to the surface.  They return to the nearby hilltop where the seven stone heads can be found.  With some experimentation, they realize that casting a spell that matches the school of magic exemplified by the Runelord symbolized by the statue causes the statue to glow, emanate a piercing shrill, and manifest a golden key in its mouth!  The adventurers are able to collect two such keys before exhausting their prepared spells of the needed schools.  They decide to teleport back to Sandpoint and the Rusty Dragon in order to spend the night in comfortable beds.  There, they find Kang increasingly frustrated by his inability to duplicate that “hack” Nisk Tander’s elixir of the peaks.  The master alchemist’s best guess is that the formulae involves an unknown herb whose essence can’t be artificially synthesized.

[1 Pharast 4708]

The Heroes of Varisia pass the day at leisure, having decided they need to wait until dusk in order to get the rest of the keys from the statues.  When dusk arrives, they teleport directly to the hill (with Kang staying behind, obsessed with his latest research).  They’re mildly frustrated to realize that the two keys they obtained yesterday have vanished from their packs, but they’ve come prepared with the right array of spells and methodically determine how to get a full set.  They return to the dragon’s cavern inside Rimeskull (with Yuzo carelessly plunging down the icy tunnel for a hard fall at the bottom!) and begin using the keys on the rune-marked pillars.  When a key is turned, the corresponding pillar begins to hum and glow softly and the key vanishes!  Once all seven pillars are glowing, the central pillar begins glowing as well and then ripples with a vortex of light.  A vertically aligned whirlpool opens into a seven-foot-wide circular portal through which can faintly be seen a long tunnel.  With Yuzo taking the lead, the explorers bravely venture forward.

The central hub of Runeforge leads to many dangers . . . 

but, also, perhaps, weapons capable of hurting even a Runelord!

The tunnel continues for about fifty feet before reaching a domed chamber nearly a hundred feet across.  A large pool of bubbling prismatic liquid occupies a raised dais in the middle of the chamber, while around the edges of the chamber are finely detailed statues of seven imperious figures, each twenty-five feet tall and wielding a polearm of some sort.  Behind each statue is an archway leading into another tunnel, while on the marble floor the characteristic spiky flanges of the Sihedron is visible.

Yuzo dips his sword into the bubbling pool and finds it alternatively freezing cold and burning hot to the touch!  Jinkatsyu and Ava examine the statues, comprised of:

·         A towering man with gems set in his forehead and hands, dressed in robes and wielding a burning glaive.

·         A short smiling man with a hooked nose and beady eyes, wearing robes and wielding a spear.

·         A heavyset woman with a sneering visage and an imperious stance, dressed in a flowing dress and wielding a halberd.

·         A voluptuous woman with a seductive look, large eyes, and long flowing hair; this statue is nude and wields a double-headed guisarme.

·         A strikingly handsome man adorned with a close-cropped beard and a charming expression; his form is dressed in extravagant clothes and wields a Lucerne hammer.

·         A gothic beauty of wild hair and a somewhat insane expression, this woman wears a long flowing dress and wields a thorny ranseur.

·         An obese man, his flesh rotten in places so that the bones show through, wearing a ragged robe and wielding a scythe.

Jinkatsyu finds himself feeling strangely drawn to the first statue, and even tries to pry the gems out of its forehead (only to find that they vanish and the statue looks completely undamaged!).  Ava feels uncomfortable around all of the statues, with the beautiful, insane woman causing particular distress. Just to make sure the adventurers have an escape route, Ava tests teleporting back to the dragon’s cave.  The spell fails, but the portal remains visible in the distance.

The terrible magicks of this rod are perhaps

 worse than death for many adventurers.

With seven tunnels to choose from, the choice is made to explore the only one whose terminus can be clearly seen from the central hub.  The tunnel corresponds to the statue of the sneering, heavyset woman.  Once the adventurers get several feet into the tunnel, a disembodied human mouth suddenly appears across the ceiling, its voice booming “Stop! These are the Abjurant Halls of Eager Striving.  Know that your powers will be crushed and you shall die!  You are not worthy!”  Yuzo and Jinkatsyu have encountered far worse than a mere magic mouth, and levy a barrage of humorous insults at it in return.  A wide stone staircase descends into a large, partially caved-in chamber.  It’s clear that terrible violence was done here, as sooty humanoid bones are scattered throughout, and the decorative murals on the walls have been blasted and fractured from powerful magicks.  Strangely, a silver rod protrudes from the floor in the center of the room, sparking with electrical discharges.  Keeping his distance, Erik tries to discern what it is, but he’s never seen the like.  Yuzo moves closer to investigate, and just a few seconds later the rod pulses with energy that coruscates through the room.  Yuzo’s enchanted falchion suddenly crumbles into dust!  Angered, he swings at the rod with his warhammer.  The rod cracks but doesn’t break, and another disjunctive pulse sweeps the room, destroying several of the gillman’s potions and an enchanted hatchet!  With a final rage-fueled swing, Yuzo breaks the rod.  It’s a pyrrhic victory, alas, since even those items not destroyed by the pulses have had their magic suppressed—whether temporarily or permanently, no one can say.

 Mustard jellies are a danger, but 

this one seems powered by fiendish energies!

Continuing on, the four adventurers find a room lit by decorative lanterns.  Although otherwise bare, it features a tiled path of granite flagstones leading down to a small pool filled with a silvery liquid; quicksilver?  The liquid doesn’t detect as magical, and the foursome decide to leave it for now until they can return with Kang to investigate it.  The final chamber in this wing also contains a pool, but of a much more disgusting nature.  Thick sheets of ooze lie in pools along the floor, and the air carries the overwhelming stench of eye-watering mustard and vinegar.  Yuzo realizes with just a moment’s warning that the surface of the pool is rippling.  The gillman takes a defensive stance and calls out to his companions as a yellowish-brown amoeba nearly ten feet in diameter creeps along the floor towards the group.  Suddenly a pseudopod covered in viscous slime lashes out and grabs Yuzo around the waist.  A poisonous gas seems to emanate from the slime, slowing his reactions.  Jinkatsyu steps in to attack, but his rapier seems to have little effect.  Ava darts in and casts a spell to get Yuzo free, but now the creature can strike at her too!

Their first foray into the mysterious Runeforge complex has resulted in Yuzo being almost completely stripped of his magical armory, and now the party faces a creature they’re ill-equipped to fight.  Will things go from bad to worse?
-----------------------------------
Director's Commentary

The PCs reach Runeforge in this session, a multi-wing dungeon that takes up the rest of Chapter Five.  In the reviews and forums of Rise of the Runelords, this chapter of the adventure path comes under pretty heavy criticism as a relentless slog of encounters, and a lot of GMs insert alternatives.  I played it straight, however, and my group and I found it really enjoyable.  A key thing to remember is that the PCs definitely don't have to visit every wing in order to succeed at their goals.  As a group, we were also cooking with gas when it came to players understanding their characters' abilities and our ability to handle high-level encounters with speed and clarity.  In fact, Runeforge presented the second of only two times in the campaign where I had to scramble to stay ahead of the PCs (the other was when they by-passed the Graul farm back in Chapter 3).

The mage's disjunction trap took a lot of advance work on my part.  Essentially, I had to have every player send me a list of their character's magic items in advance, calculate the saving throw mod for each, and then roll to see if there were any natural 1s (which resulted in the item being destroyed) or failures (which resulted in the item being negated).  Actually calculating everything at the table would have been a nightmare considering the "Christmas tree" of magic items that the PCs have by that point.  Most of my PCs actually emerged relatively unscathed, but there were a few magical items destroyed.  Pathfinder players are notorious for being more worried about their equipment being destroyed or lost then their characters being slain, and I think mine were probably no different.

Next Recap