Pathfinder Society Scenario # 6-15: "The Overflow Archives" [RPG]

NO SPOILERS

I got to play The Overflow Archives via play-by-post with one of my favorite new PCs, Jilla.  The scenario is very light-hearted in tone (bordering on silly), and apart from an emphasis on riddles, could be good for younger players.  There's plenty of opportunities for role-playing throughout, and the internal artwork is excellent.  From recollection, the encounters weren't difficult--the challenge was figuring out what was causing a particular problem and how to solve it.  The scenario wasn't really to my taste, but I had still had a good time (and it happened to suit Jilla's personality perfectly). 
 

SPOILERS!

The Overflow Archives introduces an eponymous outbuilding on the grounds of the Grand Lodge in Absalom.  The in-game Overflow Archives is a repository for all the ancient tomes and obscure scrolls that Pathfinders have brought back from their adventures but that the main library in the Grand Lodge hasn't had a chance to examine and catalog yet.  I really like the concept (it reminds me a bit of a fantasy-version of Warehouse 13), and I could see plenty of future scenarios premised on discoveries made within it.  

What's important for present purposes is that a Pathfinder initiate named Virml snuck into the Overflow Archives on a nighttime dare, and while puttering around inside grabbed an old scroll off a shelf and read an old riddle-poem from it.  Instead of summoning some awful demon (hey, I've seen Buffy!), a kitsune trickster named Caught was released from centuries of extradimensional imprisonment for offending fey riddlers back in the Age of Anguish.  The scroll promptly tore into six pieces, Caught locked Virml in an old (giant) bird cage, and shapechanged to look like him.  After using some pieces of the scroll to summon some guardians (and distractions), Caught plans to figure out how to open a portal between the First World and the Material Plane.  (which, if you've played # 9-14: Down the Verdant Path, you know could be a problem!)

The PCs come into the picture when they're summoned in the middle of the night by a very irate Kreighton Shaine (Master of Scrolls), an opportunistic Paracountess Zarta Dralneen (the Dark Archive faction leader), and a sodden and ashamed-looking Virml (secretly Caught in disguise!).  Shaine explains that somehow the Overflow Archives are flooding, and the PCs' job is to investigate and put a stop to it.  I like to think that if I were an amazingly-powerful spellcaster and a valuable repository of books and scrolls were being destroyed in a flood, I might investigate it immediately myself instead of waiting while several others are summoned and briefed to do so.  Maybe Shaine suffers from hydrophobia?  I like how, during the briefing, all three interrupt and talk over one another--could be fun to handle as the GM.  Also, in a touch I really like, Zarta Dralneen gives a secret mission to any PCs who are members of the Dark Archive: to steal and turn over to her personally a copy of a dangerous tome named The Darklands Precepts.  I still like the idea of faction missions, and this one is done well as the book has a cool concept and some interesting magical protections.

Once inside, the immediate source of the flooding will be obvious: a giant talking magical fish is squirting water out of its mouth!  Although Jilla's suggestion was to hit the giant talking fish with her rolling pin, the scenario doesn't advise combat against a CR 5 grodair.  Instead, "Mistress Koi" (one of the guardians of the extradimensional prison) explains about the fugitive kitsune and says if all six pieces of the scroll are brought to her, its magic can recapture him--and in exchange, she'll remove all the water she's released.  Importantly, Mistress Koi has a poor memory and can't remember the kitsune's name, but only by speaking his true name can the reassembled scroll open the doorway to the extradimensional prison.

The rest of the scenario has the PCs exploring the flooded building look to assemble all six pieces of the scroll.  There are some really funny gathlains "fishing" from atop a bookcase (great RP potential), some voidworms to do battle with (dangerous because of their confusion ability), the real Virml to rescue from some tooth fairies (I did cringe a bit here, as they've removed most of his teeth with pliers!), and Caught, who has changed his disguise to look like Kreighton Shaine--I for one was fooled!  All of the creatures are stylised to resemble the subjects of the riddle-poem.

Assuming the PCs recover the pieces of the scroll, catch Caught, and return to Mistress Koi, they then just need to figure out the kitsune's true name.  This doesn't actually require solving the riddle itself (which is good, because the "answer" is arguable and probably unfair); instead, there's an acrostic the players can discover if they get all six pieces assembled in order (the GM *has* to remember to remove the numbering from the handouts, otherwise it'll be a snap).  Once that's done, everything is put right.  Except for the waterlogged books and scrolls, which the scenario doesn't seem to think is a very big deal because they can just be "recopied".  I suspect the writer isn't familiar with how flood damage can irretrievably destroy books, but let's just assume some magical protections were put on the library and someone will spam mending, I guess.

Overall, if you're in the mood for something light or need an adventure that shouldn't stress anyone out (apart from the tooth fairies!), The Overflow Archives could be what you're looking for.