Pathfinder Society Scenario # 1-03 (# 31): "Sniper in the Deep" [RPG]

NO SPOILERS

I ran Sniper in the Deep at high sub-tier via play-by-post last year.  It's a scenario that takes some preparation by the GM to run well, and some patience by the players for complex combat wrinkles.  The storyline is a bit pedestrian, but some attempt is made to tie it into and build upon setting lore.  There's little-to-no role-playing opportunities, however.  This isn't a scenario to run on the fly, but nor is it a scenario for deep RP enthusiasts.  All of that being said, it's okay, and even somewhat memorable.  So I wouldn't put it high on my "to play" list, but not at the bottom, either.

SPOILERS

The backstory to Sniper in the Deep is relatively straightforward.  About a century ago, a group of young Taldan nobles foolishly talked themselves into launching a nautical invasion of Absalom.  They were (predictably) utterly crushed by Absalom's navy, which sent the invasion fleet to join thousands of other shipwrecks in the so-called Flotsam Graveyard.  One of those ships was Vaydren's Might, captained by a young noble named Vaydren of House Lasar.  He had stolen a family heirloom--an idol to Erastil known as The Sniper--and brought it aboard, so when the ship sank, so did the precious gold artifact.  Two weeks ago, a pair of Pathfinders gathered clues to the location of the shipwreck.  The youngest of the pair, a secret cleric of Norgorber named Dargo Mar, hired killers to off the other Pathfinder (his mentor, Airk Jarigan) and just hours ago set off to get The Sniper for himself.

The scenario begins with the PCs receiving a briefing from Venture-Captain Hestram.  Hestram says Airk Jarigan hasn't reported in for a couple of weeks, and he wants the PCs to find him and this artifact he's seeking.  He directs the PCs to Jarigan's last known location, a seaside tavern/inn called the Lusty Mermaid.  I liked (and surprised the players with) the fact that Hestram has absolutely no time for questions or conversations, and loudly berates the PCs for asking or dithering.  This is a "you've got your orders, now go!" briefing, a fun twist compared to others I've seen.

Act 1 starts with the PCs' arrival at the Lusty Mermaid just after dawn.  The establishment is a disreputable, rough-and-tumble place, currently occupied by normal fishermen catching breakfast before a long day at sea.  In addition, the proprietor, a shady guy named Larro, and some of his thugs are present.  It was Larro and his cronies who were hired by Dargo Mar to kill Airk Jarigan.  There's almost certainly going to be a fight here, and I liked that there were some innocent bystanders who could inadvertently get in the way.  I had to roll my eyes at the classic D&D cliche of (at high sub-tier) the innkeeper being a Level 10 Fighter with a +4 greatsword!  Smart PCs will keep some of the foes alive for questioning (mine didn't), but additional information can be gleaned by tossing Dargo's room upstairs.  The PCs should obtain clues indicating both where Dargo went (to a shipwreck in the Flotsam Graveyard) and to the location of Airk Jarigan's body.

Act 2 relates only to the secondary success condition, as it involves trying to retrieve Airk Jarigan's body from a submerged coastal cave near Absalom.  As canny Pathfinders know, Venture-Captain Hestram would rather have a precious artifact than the corpse of a dead agent; so not every group will pursue the lead--mine didn't, for example.  Groups that do will need to overcome some swimming obstacles or be bashed against the rocks and then fight off some giant crabs and crab swarms in order to retrieve the body.  As a side note, I'll mention the module makes excellent use of Pathfinder flip-mats, and that the original cartography for the next act is also really well-done (especially presenting a side view of the shipwrecks).

Act 3 takes place in the Flotsam Graveyard and is the longest part of the adventure.  The PCs will need to hire a boat to get out to a shipwreck named the Iron Tide.  But wait, what about Vaydren's Might?  Well, it turns out that some time in the last century, the Iron Tide sunk on top of Vaydren's Might!  It's kind of a cool idea, and actually makes sense considering how cluttered the Flotsam Graveyard is supposed to be.  The Iron Tide sunk at an angle and its prow remains above the waterline, but is currently occupied by some of Dargo Mar's henchmen.  If the PCs are able to approach quietly, they may get a jump on them--otherwise, they may have to board under fire.  The rest of this act involves descending decks and crossing over from one wreck to another.  Most of the compartments are partially or wholly underwater, so as the PCs fight undead (lacedons or spectres, depending on sub-tier), sea creatures (sharks or giant eels), skum, and eventually Dargo Mar himself (controlling the ghost of Vaydren Lasar), the underwater combat rules will have to be deployed.  This is where it's important for a GM to prepare themselves for the complicated ruleset, and to prep some handouts for the players (especially because their PCs may have a mixture of primitive and advanced ways to breathe and maneuver underwater).  I know some GMs are tempted to just handwave this sort of thing, but I always hate to see that because it really undermines players who just so happen to have a good character for the situation (like an undine, or a druid with wildshape, etc.).  This doesn't mean there won't still be challenges, as 3D combat in Pathfinder is always hard to track on a flat surface like a Google Slide, but it's worth it.  As another aside, I was puzzled by whether incorporeal creatures that only have fly speeds (like spectres and ghosts) count as "swimming", have restrictions for moving through solid objects (does water count?), or completely ignore any movement restrictions--I went with the last interpretation.

And that's pretty much that for Sniper in the Deep.  The morale of the story: don't team-up with secret evil clerics while pursuing ancient relics!