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Ghost Level Delve is a Starfinder Society scenario for Levels 1-4. It's the first Season Five scenario I've played, and I experienced it through play-by-post at low subtier with my fun journalist character, Vitellius Korpopolis. The scenario is well-written and makes a smart connection to the aftermath of the Drift Crisis event. It provides some intriguing hints to some of the mysteries of Absalom Station for experienced players while being perfectly approachable for new ones. Although the overall tone may be a bit too light for my personal taste, I can respect a quality scenario and Ghost Level Delve is certainly one of them.
SPOILERS!
The premise to Ghost Level Delve is that, after the Drift Crisis, Absalom Station has been flooded by thousands of refugees that threaten to swamp its capacity to house them. Rather than turn them away, one possibility is to allow them to settle in the so-called "Ghost Levels", an area of the Spike that has always been barred to inhabitation (or even organised exploration) because of the dangerous, bizarre creatures and ecosystems reported to lie within. But with the recent crisis, the Starfinder Society has pushed to be allowed to start clearing the "Ghost Levels", and the PCs (in a briefing held by Zigvigix and Harmony of Many) are assigned to the task. The Starfinders are instructed to aid a new community called Fullbridge which is located right on the edge of a Ghost Level. It's a strong and interesting adventure hook. (because I'm still way behind on storylines, this was my first experience with Harmony of Many and the Advocates and Manifold Host factions; I'd like to learn more)
A taste of action comes immediately, as the PCs encounter a group of lashunta refugees being menaced by the "Bulkhead Bruisers" gang. My skittermander Steward character, Officer Swizzers, has a neat boon for fighting gang members, but alas, she wasn't present. The gang toughs can be dealt with through old-fashioned combat or driven away through intimidation. Fullbridge itself is led by a dragonkin named Lourvictrix, a former Knight of Golarion. There are a variety of skill checks the PCs can make here to help the community with everyday issues that have arisen (moving supplies, getting electrical systems operating, etc.) and some brief but flavourful NPCs to interact with. The GM will just need to supply some of the description of the tasks, as the scenario doesn't go into much detail.
The heart of the scenario starts when the PCs are approached by Lourvictrix with an urgent request: her bonded partner, a fellow former Knight of Golarion named Elymilra, has gone missing in the Ghost Levels. Good thing there are Starfinders around! This is the set-up that could lead to a generic dungeon crawl, but the writer did a nice job changing things up. There are some non-combat encounters (a "hexoglin" that can be persuaded to stop chewing on power cables and a jububnan who needs help with a coming-of-age ritual), some intriguing exploration (especially a telepathic vision that a barren planet may have once occupied the place where Absalom Station does now!), and of course some hazards and foes (strange crab monsters called "vurchyras"). Elymilra is found unconscious near the latter threat, and I like how, if the PCs are forced to retreat from them and leave her behind, she dies! Rarely will scenarios actually impose failure conditions. Assuming all goes well, the PCs can return with Elymilra to Fullbridge and help petition for the refugee community to become fully recognised.
As I said, I enjoyed the premise to Ghost Level Delve and liked the variety of plot elements it featured. I'd be happy to explore the Ghost Levels further, and see what else can be unveiled about the Gap!
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