Pathfinder Module: "Entombed with the Pharaohs" [RPG]

NO SPOILERS

 

Entombed with the Pharaohs is a 32-page entry in the D&D 3.5-era line of Paizo modules.  Set in the Egypt-analogue country of Osirion, the module involves some classic tomb-raiding in the pulp Indiana Jones’ vein (not the more culturally sensitive, quasi-archaeological approach taken in some more recent Paizo adventures).  But there’s a depth and richness to the story and setting here that really turns this into a memorable adventure, not a forgettable dungeon-crawl.  There are plenty of surprises and

dynamic elements to keep players on their toes, and plenty of opportunity for quality role-playing.  I ran this several months ago, and although I do think it’s a higher difficulty than may be fair for an average Level 6 group, I really enjoyed it.

 

SPOILERS

 

For an adventure hook, the module assumes the PCs are either members of the Pathfinder Society or are hired by them to explore a pyramid that has recently been unearthed in Osirion.  But this is no ordinary pyramid—it’s reputed to be the tomb of the Four Pharaohs of Ascension, a legendary group of powerful, magically-inclined rulers who bound themselves together in both life and death for eternity. 

 

Part 1 is “Hidden Secrets of the Malhitu Bazaar.”  The module proper starts with the PCs attending an antiquities auction to meet their secret Pathfinder contact, a woman known only as the Mithral Scarab (great artwork).  She’ll signal the PCs at some point during the auction, but the auction isn’t just background.  There are several Osirion relics up for sale, many of which hold some clues or value for the adventure to come.  The module details several other potential bidders for each item, and this segment could be an interesting role-playing (and financial strategy) opportunity for the PCs.  Crucially, also in attendance at the auction are the members of Her Majesty’s Expeditionary, a Chelaxian-backed group of mercenary tomb robbers who are also planning a venture to the pyramids of the Four Pharaohs of Ascension.  This group becomes a major rival to the PCs at various stages throughout the module and add some dynamic tension.  Indeed, one member tries to infiltrate the PCs in the guise of a freelance translator—a move that worked perfectly on my group.

 

After the auction, the Mithral Scarab takes the PCs to the only living person to have previously visited the pyramid tomb of the Four Pharoahs of Ascension.  In a well-done scene, the man, Raegos, explains that he keeps himself perpetually blindfolded to avoid succumbing to a terrible curse.  Inside the pyramid, he says, are four mystical runes—anyone who sees all four transforms into a terrible, mindless monster, which is what happened to one of his fellow explorers.  Raegos saw three of the runes, and lives in terror of someday seeing the fourth.  He explains that the pyramid normally exists on another plane, but can be summoned back through the use of a special mask—though the whereabouts of this item are unknown.  The rest of this part involves the PCs making Gather Information checks or using other means to try to figure out where the mask is currently located.

 

Part 2 is “Pursuit of the Mask”, and it really has two distinct segments.  The first segment involves stealing the Mask of the Four Pharoahs from its current owner, an antiquities collector named the Crook Bearer.  But if the PCs aren’t diligent with their sources, they may think the mask is actually at a museum called the Exhibitory—but that one’s a fake!  The module provides layouts and content for both places—PCs could try a lazy smash-and-grab or plan a full heist (and stealth isn’t a bad idea if they don’t want the entire city guard after them).  It’s handled really well, and I imagine a lot of groups could get quite creative with their planning.  I especially liked that Her Majesty’s Expeditionary is also after the mask, and the module plays fair-and-square with their own chances of figuring out which location has the real mask and then details their heist plan.  It’s perfectly possible for the PCs to be too late and for their rivals to get the mask first—which means the PCs are the ones trailing behind in the second segment, which is the trip to the Valley of the Pyramids.  A regional map and a couple of encounters are provided here (one against Chelish legionnaires and one against a hieracosphinx), and there’s also some risk from sand-slides.  It’s only a two-day trip from Sothis to the valley, so just enough time to give the PCs a little flavour of desert travel before the real adventure begins.

 

Part 3 is “Into the Tomb”, and it constitutes the bulk of the adventure as the PCs enter the pyramid in search of lore and treasure.  Although, yes, this is technically a dungeon-crawl, you can really see the difference a skilled writer can breathe into the template.  Each room in the pyramid has a rich connection to the backstory lore and there are tons of little details that flesh things out further for those players who are really paying attention.  An overall theme of this part of the adventure is what was foreshadowed by Raegos back in Part 1: the Curse of the Encircled Runes.  There are four of these runes hidden in various places within the pyramid, and a PC who happens to see all four risks transforming instantly into an undead abomination!  The runes are hidden in some really clever and surprising places, and some players will curse (pun intended) the fact they gave their characters such high Perception scores.  When I ran it, fear of the curse was a constant source of apprehension for the group, and it worked perfectly. 

 

Apart from the lore and the curse, there are some stand-out encounters, such as a gloriously gross swarm of embalmed organs.  My favourite encounter is a little hard to explain, but it involves a sort of Strength challenge over several rounds with the PCs needing to effectively out-muscle a golem or find themselves crushed to death between the ceiling and a rising floor.  It was really satisfying for my group when it was the golem who got slowly crushed instead, and a much more memorable victory than a traditional combat.

 

On the other hand, it’s also fair to say that there are some encounters that just aren’t fair for an average group of four level 6 PCs.  In particular, there’s a battle against a CR 9 undead dragon with an AC of 28 and six attacks a round!  When I ran it, this encounter killed half of the PCs and the others were forced to flee the pyramid entirely, leading to a downbeat ending to what was otherwise a really fun experience.  It’s a pretty tough foe for what’s essentially a treasure-less side room, not even a boss encounter.

 

Her Majesty’s Expeditionary remains a wild card during the whole thing, and the module details when and where that group will be at different points in the PCs’ exploration.  The rival group could easily continue as antagonists (fighting or trying to steal from the PCs’), but, could potentially team up with the PCs in a short-lived joint venture.  There are a lot of possibilities there, and I like how the module keeps things flexible.

 

If the PCs manage to defeat all four of the pharaohs, the curse is broken and they’ll be able to escape the pyramid with some quality loot and intriguing clues.  My favourite bit is about the Aucturn Enigma, which ties into the Dominion of the Black and a sort of “Doomsday Clock” in the temple.  I think some of this connects to another module, “The Pact Stone Pyramid”, and I know the storyline gets resolved in the Pathfinder Playtest adventure.

 

The last eight pages of the module are devoted to three appendices and some level 6 pre-gen Iconics.

 

Appendix 1 introduces five new magic items.  I like the (perhaps poorly named) “Tomb Guard”, which is a magic ankh affixed to a weapon; if the weapon’s wielder falls dead or unconscious, the ankh magically animates the weapon and defends the owner.  There’s another magic item, a “Wracking Rod” which is good in concept (a torture device that heals the victim to keep them conscious as it simultaneously inflicts pain) but the actual mechanics of it could be improved.

 

Appendix 2 has artwork, backgrounds, and full stat blocks for the five members of Her Majestrix’s Expeditionary, the rival group of tomb robbers I spoke of above.  They’re a well-developed and interesting group of NPCs, and it’s clear the writer spent some time on them to make them a plausible rival group, not just single-battle fodder.  One of the members wields a “wand rifle”, a cool idea that would take just a bit too long to explain.

 

Appendix 3 is the bestiary, but there’s only one new monster: the Osirion Mummy.  This template doesn’t carry the mummy rot disease/curse of the traditional mummy, but does have a cool “Dust Stroke” ability that turns opponent’s bodies to dust if it kills them.  It’s perhaps not the most original idea for a monster, but the artwork is cool.

 

Overall, Entombed with the Pharoahs is a stand-out module.  It has a great backstory, cool NPCs, a fun heist element, original encounters, and some great ominous connections to future adventures.  It might be a touch too difficult for many groups—though, come to think of it, exploring the resting place of the legendary Four Pharaohs of Ascension should be pretty deadly!