Rise of the Runelords Recap # 55 [RPG]

[26 Kuthona 4707 continued]

Dire wolves looks scary, but experienced
adventurers know how to handle them.

Camped at the base of Hook Mountain, the adventurers ready themselves quickly when they hear howling nearby.  Kang unfolds his dragonfly wings and takes to the sky, spotting a pair of massive dire wolves on a ledge overlooking the camp.  Katzumi rushes to the ledge and draws her katana, ready to do battle.  The wolves jump towards her but land awkwardly in the snow drifts, providing an opportunity for the adventurers to pounce.  Katzumi kills one before it can even recover, while Artemis’ arrows and Kang’s explosives combine to kill the other.  The battle is over so quickly that Yap doesn’t even bother getting out of bed!

[27 Kuthona 4707]

The adventurers huddle in their tents to keep warm and survive until morning.  But the howling of the wind outside and the heavy snow that falls continuously brings warning of a dangerous, dismal day ahead.  A blizzard has hit the Hook Mountain region!  Rather than risking trying to climb the exposed mountain face in such dangerous weather, the group decide to wait out the storm.  Vier suggests building a makeshift igloo, and, with the others’ help, creates a crude but effective shelter.  Yap stays snuggled up tightly inside Katzumi’s backpack and the others squeeze themselves inside the dome for warmth.  In such close quarters, the others can’t help but notice an odd lump moving around underneath Kang’s clothes.  The master alchemist explains that it showed up after a failed experiment one day, and that they should be glad they can’t hear it talk!

[28 Kuthona 4707]

Although Vier’s idea has allowed the adventurers to survive the storm, they’re not surprised to discover that their mounts, left outside and exposed to the worst of the cold and wind, have perished overnight.  Katzumi says prayers to Shizuru, the Tian-Min goddess of the sun, honor, swordplay, and ancestors, for their spirits’ safe passage in the afterworld.  The mounts are stripped of much of the gear that had been stowed on them, with Kang taking the bulk of it in a magical haversack.  Yap offers to stay behind and “guard the campsite”, but Katzumi persuades him to come along on the day’s planned climb.

In their first foray, the adventurers agree to climb together and stay close to one another.  The mountain isn’t particular steep in most parts, but after an hour, Katzumi and Vier have hardly made any progress at all.  Kang says it’s an exercise in futility, but everyone tries again.  Vier does better this time, but Katzumi only scales a few dozen feet, and the adventurers know that the longer they’re out in the cold, the more likely frostbite or even hypothermia will set in.  Artemis, who is able to scale the side of the mountain easily thanks to his kobold ancestors, offers to scout ahead while the others wait below.

After about four hours of climbing, the watchman from Magnimar crests the last craggy outcrop about a half-mile from Hook Mountain’s 10,000-foot peak and sees a gaping cave belching forth foul black smoke.  He’s reached the entrance to the Kreeg’s clanhold, but two guards stand at the cave entrance, swathed in furs and leathers.  They give an immediate shout and advance!  Artemis, thinking quickly out of self-preservation, jumps off the cliff, trusting his ring of feather falling to save his life.  He lands on a slope about thirty feet below the outcrop and starts to run to safety, but a pair of javelins imbed themselves in his thigh and back.  The ogres don’t intend to let an intruder escape!  But Artemis has one last trick up his sleeve, and drinks an elixir given to him by Kang weeks ago: it turns him as invisible as the wind, and the ogres are forced to give up the search.  With the sun setting rapidly, Artemis climbs partially down the mountain, descending to an altitude where his lungs no longer burn from the lack of oxygen.  He sets up a tent on the side of the mountain and settles in for the night. 

Meanwhile, far down below, the others worry about their missing ally.  Kang spends the time with his bottles and powders, and his whispered discussions with Vier about furnishing the newcomer poison are easily overheard by Katzumi and Yap.  Yap tells Katzumi that Kang is evil, but the alchemist defends himself, saying that everyone’s done something bad in their lives.  Vier says Katzumi could use toughening up in a place like her hometown of Riddleport.

[29 Kuthona 4707]

Artemis climbs down to the base of the mountain.  Tired and shivering, he explains to the others what he saw.  This time, the heroes decide on a new plan.  They’ll each climb at their own pace, but those who reach certain landmarks will set up a temporary camp and wait for the others to catch up before everyone advances.  The plan is a good one, as it allows the group to make progress (even if intermittent) while lessening the time they’re separated from one another in case they’re attacked.  After several hours of climbing, with the sun setting again, the adventurers set up camp.  They’ve made it about halfway to where Artemis remembers stumbling upon the entrance to the clanhold. 

Flame drakes hate the cold, and these ones resent
leaving the warmth of the Kreeg Clanhold!

 The experienced adventurers keep watch, despite the cold, but this time their precautions aren’t enough to give them advance warning of attack.  Gliding silently down the mountain, a foursome of flame drakes allied with the Kreeg ogres have followed Artemis’ scent!  Once the drakes spot the adventurers’ tents, they breathe fire in unison!  Vier’s uncanny instincts protect him from the worst of the attack, but the others, especially Katzumi, are badly burned.  Even worse is a fact that won’t be realized this night: Yap has been killed instantly!

Kang takes to the air to duel one of the cowardly attackers, while another lands to menace Kat and a third turns its attention to Vier.  The last drake follows its original prey, chasing Artemis from the campsite and the sole source of light, Katzumi’s everburning torch.  Unfortunately, the flame drakes can see in the dark and Artemis can’t! 

Kang duels his opponent in the sky and unveils a new invention for the first time: bombs that explode with waves of concussive force!  His attacker is knocked to the ground and then crushed by the bombs’ force.  Katzumi dodges claws and tail sweeps to kill her foe with an impressive display of swordsmanship.  Vier takes the most surprisingly tack, bribing her greedy attacker to leave!  Meanwhile, dozens of feet away, Artemis scrambles to stay alive in a one-on-one battle against his unseen draconic enemy.  The archer suffers a terrible bite wound, but once Katzumi gets close enough with her torch to reveal the attacker, Artemis swings his enchanted pick desperately and connects, killing the drake instantly!

Unprepared for the extreme cold and treacherous ascent, the adventurers have found Hook Mountain more than they bargained for.  But their determination has kept them in good stead, and another day’s climb may just bring them all to the lair of the Kreeg ogres.  Will they vanquish the degenerate monsters who have destroyed Fort Rannick and Turtleback Ferry for unknown reasons, or will they realize, too late, that bearding the lion in his den could be a fatal mistake?
--------------------------------------------
Director's Commentary (16/9/18)

This scenario really tested the PCs' endurance.  Players often ignore things like being good at climbing or resisting the elements in favour of chasing yet another +1 on attacks, so I love it when the full spectrum of the game's hazards come into play.  Getting up that mountain was grueling work that wore down the PCs' hit points (and gave them the fatigued/exhausted conditions), and although they did great in the random encounters in this session, the cumulative toll will bite quite hard next session.

I felt bad for poor Yap, burned to death instantly, and even worse for the poor horses (who slowly froze to death).

Pathfinder Flip-Mat: Pathfinder Lodge [RPG]

The Pathfinder Lodge flip-mat actually game out back before Paizo had released the Pathfinder RPG, when its game aids were marketed under the GameMastery rubric.  The flip-mat is long out of print and cost a bit to order from the secondary market, but I think it's definitely worth it.  I could draw some rooms and doors, but there's no way I'm going to be able to match every torch sconce, chair, or rug. Each side presents one level of a gorgeous mansion.  The first floor side includes exterior details like the path, front steps, and some landscaping along with interior rooms like a library, a large conference table, a weapons-training room, storage rooms, and more.  The other side presents the second story that includes several bedrooms; it's confusing at first glance because the main lounge, back garden, front steps, and other features that could extend "vertically" are represented as well.  In other words, it's not immediately apparent what features are at ground level and which are on the second level without careful attention to where the stairs open up, where doors are, etc.  That issue aside, the amount of detail and attractive artistry is really impressive, and I think exceeds what Paizo puts out these days.   I've used Pathfinder Lodge in a couple of sessions, and it's been impressive each time.  Hopefully this will eventually get reprinted in the Flip-Mat Classics line.

Pathfinder Society Scenario # 2-01: "Before the Dawn, Part 1: The Bloodcove Disguise"

NO SPOILERS

The title is a mouthful, but Before the Dawn, Part I: The Bloodcove Disguise is a heaping handful of high-quality adventuring.  It has it all: a memorable location, high stakes, multiple types of encounters, and an ending that will leave you wanting more.  The scenario is an early example of Crystal Frasier's work, and it's clear why she quickly became a rising star in Paizo's ranks.  The scenario gives the PCs a lot of flexibility in how they approach their mission, and it's a sterling example of a non-railroading structure.  I played through it and then read the scenario, and I'd definitely recommend it (and its sequel).

SPOILERS

The backstory and premise for this scenario is great.  In the remote jungles of the Mwangi Expanse, the Pathfinder Society has set up an excavation of one of the few known Azlanti settlements in the region.  But now the camp is under siege (by the half-mad soldiers of the gorilla king Ruthazek) and in desperate need of food and medical supplies.  Enter the PCs.  The scenario starts fast with their arrival at the outskirts of Bloodcove, a city of cutthroats, pirates, and smugglers dominated by the Society's rival organization, the amoral Aspis Consortium.  The mission for the PCs is to disguise themselves, slip into Bloodcove, organize supplies for a relief caravan, and then lead it to the dig site.  It's not going to be easy!

I really like a hidden sub-system in the scenario to evaluate how well the PCs do with disguising themselves while in Bloodcove.  It's based around the concept of "Awareness Points," and periodically during the scenario different skill checks are required depending on the type of disguise the PCs adopted.  Other actions (including faction missions) can lead the PCs to accumulating Awareness Points, and the consequences are meaningful: different tiers can lead to an extra encounter or even the PCs being forced out of Bloodcove early.  The scenario includes a little tracking sheet as well.  It's an elegant mechanic that gives PCs flexibility for different approaches and strengths, while holding them accountable for their choices (and rolls).

The scenario is divided into five acts, each with at least one encounter.

In Act 1, the PCs track down the man who has organised the relief caravan but is waiting for directions on where to go.  However, Raimondo Scevola has just lost his pack mules to a pirate captain while gambling at a tavern, and the PCs have to sweet talk, bribe, or force their new owner into giving them back.  A lot of groups (including mine) approached this with violence, but there are other ways to handle the matter, which is the sign of a well-conceived encounter.

In Act 2, the PCs head to a local trading post to purchase food for the relief mission only to find it closed because giant ants have broken into the basement of the place and are eating everything!  I confess that giant ants are a bit cheesy, so this was probably my least favorite encounter in the scenario.

In Act 3, the adventurers visit a local alchemist to find out why he hasn't been producing healing potions as promised for the relief caravan.  It turns out that his son is deathly ill, but that a local gangster has access to a brew that temporarily halts the boy's disease.  Forced to work purely for the gangster, the alchemist is constantly under watch--which is why the PCs probably find themselves in a knife fight in a cramped shop against murderous thugs!  In order to get the alchemist's help, the PCs have to retrieve the curative elixir from the gangster, who is currently running a pit fighting ring.  What's really clever here is that the gangster is a Summoner, and uses her abilities to conjure all sorts of monsters as a natural draw for her business.  The PCs will have to defeat the gangster and her Amazon-like eidolon in order to succeed here.  The encounter has an interesting setting and some interesting tactics, as the Summoner turns invisible and aids her eidolon through spellcasting.

Act 4 is the optional encounter that occurs only if the PCs' Awareness Points have escalated to the point where they've been discovered as Pathfinders.  The Aspis Consortium sends a gang of toughs and a special agent to kidnap and interrogate them.  Failure in this encounter (probably) doesn't leave the PCs dead, but instead they get tortured for two weeks, automatically fail the scenario, and end up with a permanent negative boon on their Chronicle!  You don't see much in the way of negative boons on Chronicles these days, but I like the story potential they open up.

Act 5 finds the PCs on their way to the dig site when they're ambushed by more agents of the Aspis Consortium: a Witch and several guards.  It's a solid if unspectacular encounter, boosted by a clever attempt by the witch's familiar to steal something from the PCs but let down by the fact that the text talks about it taking place "on the edge of a "large river gorge" but the encounter grid just has it on a trail in the middle of the jungle.  Setting it in a location where falling into raging waters below was a possibility would add to the cinematic feel of the encounter.

The scenario ends with the PCs realizing that a *large* force of Aspis mercenaries are hot on their trail, and their only chance of survival is to make it to the relative safety of the Pathfinder camp first.  It leads in smoothly to the next scenario, and is a solid cliffhanger.

All in all, this one's a winner.  The scenario makes good use of some classes that aren't seen all that often in PFS Scenarios (the Summoner and the Witch), the Awareness mechanic is great, and the general setting and premise of the mission is interesting and flavourful.  It's a job well done.

Starfinder Core Rulebook Pawn Collection [RPG]

The Core Rulebook Pawn Collection was the first set of pawns released for Starfinder.  If you're new to the pawns concept, they're thick flat double-sided cardboard tokens that slot into plastic bases that are sized appropriately for the size of the creature in tactical combat on a 5-inch grid.  This collection relies on images from the Core Rulebook and includes about 100 different creature pawns and 15 different starship pawns.  Multiples of most pawns are included--usually 2 of each, though some creatures only get 1 and one (space goblins) get 4.  Starships tend to come in groups of 3 or 4.  I've used the set for about a year now, and I'm happy with the coverage of options it provides for PCs and NPCs of the core races; there's eight different Lashuntas, for example, and sixteen different humans.  Beyond the core races, however, coverage drops significantly: there's only one type of elf, one type of dwarf, and a few others like a single haan, sarcesian, etc.  Some other drawbacks:

* The set does not come in a box; once you punch out the pawns, you'll have to come up with a custom storage solution to keep them organized.

*  The set does not include bases; you'll need to purchase those separately or use the ones included with another set.

*  Inexplicably (and unlike the Pathfinder pawn sets), there is no set indicator symbol.  This means that once you start bringing in Starfinder pawns from other sets, separating what belongs to any given set can get very time-consuming.

The drawbacks aren't so major that I regret buying the set; I use it more than any other, as it's the default product I put out when players need to choose tokens for their characters.  But I would suggest going in with your eyes open about the pros and cons here.

Pathfinder Module: "The Midnight Mirror" [RPG]

NO SPOILERS

I ran The Midnight Mirror recently for three friends using PFS characters and I loved it.  It’s a dark module (in more ways than one) that has an excellent and evocative setting, memorable NPCs, and a “boss” fight that’s finally worthy of the concept.  There’s loads of role-playing and investigation available, but the combats don’t hold back: the PCs I ran it for were along the low range of levels (and fighting ability), and there were several points I thought a TPK was on its way before they managed to just barely escape or emerge victorious.  If you’re looking for a challenging but well-written module that will prove satisfying on all of the various joys Pathfinder has to offer, I would definitely recommend this one.  Even the cover is awesome!

SPOILERS

The Midnight Mirror takes place entirely in Karpad, a small village in Nidal.  If you don’t know much about Nidal (and there are not a lot of adventures set there), it’s the country where, thousands of years ago, the people swore to follow the tenets of Zon-Kuthon (the god of pain and darkness) in exchange for protection from the cataclysmic events of Earthfall.  Although the residents of Karpad are some distance removed from the most zealous worshippers of Zon-Kuthon, the religion’s influence still has influence there.  Two pages of the module are an appendix that provides an overview of the village, and it’s important because what’s happening in the village (particularly strains between its human and fetchling inhabitants) are a key part of the story.  In my game, the Temple of Zon-Kuthon was particularly memorable, as the priest offers healing in exchange for the infliction of pain!  (I should say as a general note that GMs should know their players’ tastes before getting too detailed in the S&M practiced by worshippers of Zon-Kuthon).

The PCs have been enlisted by a wealthy family in another city to look into why their daughter, who married the baron of Karpad, hasn’t written in several weeks.  The adventure hook requires some massaging for Pathfinders, and some ideas for that can be found in the forums (this part could have been developed more in general, as outsiders are generally forbidden in Nidal except in the port city of Nisroch).  Anyway, once the PCs reach the baron’s manor, they’ll quickly get the scoop.  The village is under quarantine due to the spread of a mysterious ailment the locals are calling Tallowthroat; it causes the swelling of the throat until it explodes and shadowy figures emerge!  The PCs obviously need to get to the heart of the matter and investigate the origin of the disease and how to stop it (especially if they catch it themselves, a real possibility!).

The NPCs who reside in the manor are a key part of the story, and all are well-drawn with strong characterization.  There’s Stepan Boroi, the Baron of Karpad, who is paranoid and withdrawn; Anya Boroi, his wife, who earnestly wants the best for the village and her husband; a creepy ghost tied to an iron maiden in the basement (who could be an ally for the PCs!), and more.  I would really play up the manor’s gothic vibe, as it’s a key location in the module and PCs will probably spend a lot of time there, especially if they make it their home base while conducting exploration elsewhere.

In the village itself, the PCs will witness a lynch mob about to hang three fetchlings on suspicion that they’re responsible not only for the Tallowthroat but also for the recent disappearances of some humans.  I like how this encounter was structured, as the PCs can do nothing and just watch, intervene with violence, or make a series of Diplomacy/Intimidate checks to try to get the mob to stand down.  (one of the PCs in my game was terrible at combat but a master negotiator, and was rocking out on these skill checks!)

The encounter leads to the PCs meeting the captain of the village watch, a man named Lucian Groy, whose daughter is among the missing townspeople.  He’s desperate and willing to get help from anyone, even strangers like the PCs.  If they agree to take part in the search, clues will lead them to a chandlery (candle-making shop) where the PCs have to fight through a wax golem and some nasty strength-draining shadows before confronting the villain responsible for the disappearances: a Lurker in Light (a sort of crazy evil fey) who is using his kidnapped captives to enact a strange ritual to bring more of his kind into Karpad.  It’s actually a tougher fight than it first appears, as the fey can fly, has DR, may be able to turn invisible, and may be able to blind and poison multiple PCs.  On the other hand, he doesn’t pump out much damage, so if the PCs can survive the first few rounds and have some ranged weapons, they should be able to tackle him.  The PCs I ran this for nearly TPK’d the first time  and were starting to flee just before they triggered the fey’s morale condition and it flew away first.  It was an exciting, edge-of-your-seat encounter.

However, the Lurker in Light didn’t bring the Tallowthroat to Karpad, and his presence in the village to begin with requires explanation.  More poking around various avenues will lead the PCs to reveal that Baron Boroi has a major part to play in everything that’s happening in the village.  He’s not evil, but desperate, and his backstory is essential to the plot of the module.  In the manor’s basement is a midnight mirror, a magical device that allows passage to the Shadow Plane.  Almost 900 years ago, the Baron’s ancestors used the mirror to imprison several fetchlings and shae (natives of the Shadow Plane) in a mystical demiplane within the mirror because they were planning a revolution to liberate the subjugated shadow peoples in Nidal.  A decade ago, Baron Boroi made contact with the leader of the rebels, a shae named Nicasor, who still remains trapped on the other side of the mirror: Nicasor offered to help Boroi gain power in Karpad by providing a convenient place to dispose of rivals to his leadership (his brothers) in exchange for trading places with him once a year every decade.  Nicasor fulfilled his end of the bargain but now, ten years later, Baron Boroi refuses to fulfil his end!  The shadowy essence leaking out of the mirror stems from Nicasor’s cold anger, and it’s what is causing the Tallowthroat.  In other words, there’s no clear “good guy” to this story—just innocents being affected by the schemes of others.  It’s a type of grim realism that suits the story (and the Nidalese setting) perfectly.

The PCs will realize that the only way they can stop the disease is to go through the midnight mirror and destroy it from within.  This is the final third of the module and offers a great introduction to the characteristics of the Shadow Plane (and since it’s a fairly low-level module, may be the first time the PCs involved have ever visited another plane).  The particular demiplane on the other side of the mirror is a dark and distorted reflection of Boroi Manor.  Again, the flavour fits the tone perfectly.  There are threats within the demiplane, but what I really liked about the module is how it also allows more thoughtful PCs to form alliances with Nicasor and the other shae (and fetchlings) trapped there (depending on how good they are at Diplomacy, of course).  Indeed, I think the module is hard enough with just the absolutely necessary combat encounters, and groups that try to kill everything will have a *really* hard time unless they’re optimized combat machines. 

Anyway, in order to destroy the mirror from within, the PCs have to destroy its semi-sentient “heart.”  This is essentially a battle against a CR 8 shadow-infused tendriculos (a Huge-sized plantlike monster) that can paralyze PCs and swallow them whole!  In other words, it is *not* a pushover.  PCs will need a lot of luck or clever tactics in order to survive; my players used some fantastic teamwork, but even then one PC died.  After the heart is destroyed, the PCs need to leave relatively quickly because the deteriorating demiplane can be even more dangerous.  And when it’s completely destroyed (and every living thing within is expelled), the danger isn’t necessarily over!  Nicasor is bound and determined to kill Baron Boroi for his treachery, so depending on whether the PCs are inclined to intervene, they may think they’ve triumphed only to have another difficult battle on their hands.  It’s a module that really tests the morality and personalities of the PCs in a good way; there are no easy answers on what to do in this one.

It may be the coffee buzz, but I really can’t praise The Midnight Mirror enough.  I would love a sequel to return to Karpad.  It’s a hard module, and success for the PCs is definitely not guaranteed.  But great heroes can only emerge from great challenges, and this is definitely one worth experiencing whether the result is victory or defeat.

Starfinder Condition Cards [RPG]

Cards that summarize various conditions that affect characters aren't exactly an innovation in RPGs, but they're as handy as ever.  Starfinder has a lot of conditions, so the Starfinder Condition Cards are a product I never play without.  It's far easier to flip through the deck and hand someone a card to prop up in front of them than to read out effects from the Core Rulebook and expect the player to remember.  This deck of 53 cards (plus two cards with ads, introduction, and the OGL) has fairly clever depictions of space goblins affected by the condition, like one shining a flashlight in his face to represent "Dazzled" or vomiting in his own space helmet to represent "Nauseated."  The rules have to be summed up concisely, but so far (after a year's use) I haven't noticed any major discrepancies between the card text and the condition summary in the book.  Each card is double-sided and consistent (so Bleeding/Burning will always be one card, Deafened/Blinded another, etc.).  There are multiples (usually 3) of each the cards, so there's almost always enough to pass around to each player at the table.  There's not really much else that needs to be said: this deck does exactly what it promises, and it's a tremendously useful game aid.  Unless you're playing exclusively online, I'd consider it an automatic purchase for Starfinder fans.

Starfinder Society Scenario # 1-16: "Dreaming of the Future" [RPG]

NO SPOILERS

Dreaming of the Future is a linked series of four Quests and is one of the few Starfinder Society scenarios with the Repeatable tag.  I ran it at low tier for a mixture of three experienced players and two players new to the game.  Although I think it was great to see some long-time members of the Paizo community get a chance to write for the company, unfortunately I wasn’t very impressed with the results.  Although there are some exceptions, for the most part the Quests are underwritten and lack the flavour and encounter creativity that I was hoping to see.  It’s okay, and because it runs short, it could be a good way to introduce new players to the game if they’ll need extra time to figure out basic rules.  But otherwise, I’d give this a pass or do one of the better introductory scenarios like The Commencement.

SPOILERS

The backstory behind Dreaming of the Future is that the Starfinder Society has long relied upon mystical means of research to help develop their goals and mission planning.  One of these mystical means is a Liavaran Dreamer, a sort of off-shoot of the Barathu of Bretheda (floating sentient telepathic jellyfish-like creatures).  The Dreamer, “Whisperer of Solar Winds”, often has visions that it relates through cryptic tales.  If the tales are interpreted properly, they often lead to important discoveries.  In this series of Quests, the PCs are sent by Venture-Captain Arvin (whose personality still hasn’t been developed yet) to recover three stone tablets on three different worlds that, once combined, form a map leading to an ancient mausoleum of a former Dreamer; and inside that mausoleum, relics can be taken which will augment the abilities of the current Dreamer.  I never thought about while prepping or running the session, but I’ve just realized the SFS is going to engage in what is (despite its description) some tomb-robbing!

One of the criticisms I’ve had of other Starfinder Society scenarios is too much “telling, not showing.”  The concept of the Liavaran Dreamers is a really interesting and evocative one; wouldn’t it be cool for the PCs to actually meet one?  And get a chance to interpret its visions themselves, perhaps with the aid of some skill checks if they get stuck?  Similarly, jumping to the very end, the relics the PCs are sent to retrieve have nothing particularly interesting or exciting attached to them—they’re just “strangely shaped bottles and cryptic devices.”  The PCs can’t find anything else out about them, why they’ll help the Dreamer, etc.  In other words, they’re a MacGuffin purely for the sake of a MacGuffin, and RPG storytelling has evolved past that.

Anyway, on to the Quests.

Quest # 1, “Megaplex” has the PCs going to the Towershadow Megaplex on Aballon (the planet of constructs called anacites).  The PCs are told that the Dreamer’s first vision requires them to find “some form of artificial or partially artificial life, likely an anacite or android, on the run from legal woes.”  That’s all they have to go on—searching a city of countless thousands (or millions?) of constructs to pinpoint one “on the run from legal woes” who has the tablet?  The Quest doesn’t provide any info on how this search would realistically work; it just list a few skill checks PCs can make in what essentially boils down to “ask around or Google it.”  Gamers are used to the necessity of the suspension of disbelief, but this came across as just lazy writing and I was a bit embarrassed to run it as a GM. 

In any event (whether they succeed or fail on those skill checks!), the PCs will find the fellow with the tablet, an android from Verces named Latrecis.  Latrecis discovered his employer, a nightclub owner named Karelite Bogdin, was trafficking in illegal android smuggling.  But before Latrecis could act, his boss framed him for a murder and he had to go on the run; he stole the tablet from Latrecis as a sort of insurance policy.  However, like real-world insurance companies, coverage is never as much as you’d like: Bogdin has sent thugs after Latrecis, and they stole the one piece of evidence that Latrecis had to prove his innocence (this whole sequence of events is weird, but the PCs thankfully will learn little of it).  So, in order to get the tablet, the PCs have to deal with the thugs that are menacing Latrecis.  This requires the classic “boss and two minions” battle on a cramped flip-mat.  It’s rather forgettable.

The second Quest, “River Rat”, has the PCs being sent to the Diaspora (a massive asteroid belt with a variety of inhabitants).  I found (running these in order) that little was done to tie the Quests together smoothly, and I had to improve some connective tissue.  This Quest is all about a starship battle against a ship of ysoki pirate/salvagers that have taken over a dwarven outpost.  There’s the possibility for some role-playing with the captain of the other ship before the battle, which I appreciated and tried to make the most of even though it can’t change the fact that combat is inevitable.  The starship combat itself is ship vs. ship with some asteroids scattered around, with the big gimmick being that the ysokis have hidden some gun turrets on a couple of the asteroids.  This could have been a cool surprise for the PCs, but it’s very easy to find and then (automatically) disable them, so they never got used in my game.  Apart from that, the starship combat itself was of the type that I had hoped the devs were moving away from: a “pew-pew” slog of pea-shooters where the PCs' ship clearly outmatches the enemy ship and there’s no real threat.  It’s just a matter of playing the rounds out and waiting for the rolls to confirm what everyone knows.

The third Quest, “Bad Chameleon”, ended up being more fun that I thought it would be.  The PCs have to infiltrate a nightclub (run by Latrecis’ employer from the first Quest) to steal a third piece of tablet from a safe.  What’s supposed to happen is that the PCs get into the nightclub, chat with some bartenders and patrons, and then sneak through an alarmed door to where they can pop the safe and get the tablet.  Then, on the way out, Bogdin (an augmented verthani) and his two vesk bodyguards (SFS trope!) try to stop the PCs from leaving.  Hilariously though, the PCs I ran this for were uniformly terrible at Deception and Stealth and just could not make it through to the room with the safe without being repeatedly obstructed by the regular guards on duty.  So after about 45 minutes (real-time), they decided to just wait until Bogdin showed up to try to trick/force him into giving them the tablet.  It made for a surprising and fun conclusion.  Also, I have to give props to the flip-mat used for the scenario—it fit the needs of the mission quite well.

As written, my favourite of the Quests is the fourth one: “Nightmare.”  It has a very evocative (and creative) setting and a suitably atmospheric tone to match.  The PCs are sent to Preahan, one of the “shepherd moons” of Liavara.  But Preahan is no ordinary moon: it has low gravity, an atmosphere of methane, and an inner core of liquid methane.  So the PCs have some interesting and difficult skill checks to make as they descend into the core of the moon to find the mausoleum.  Inside, a “nightmare dragon” pretends to be the guardian of the relics and this was a solid story choice: it fooled my PCs, and the guardian’s later sneak attack was a surprising twist.  The battle was suitably difficult as well (including a PC death, something I’ve never seen during a Quest!).  My only complaint about this Quest was, as I mentioned previously that the relics were so poorly described and inconsequential.  When PCs do a lot of work on a fetch quest, make it cool for them when they succeed.

All in all, Dreaming of the Future is a mixed bag.  Hopefully, it’ll serve as good practice for the writers and developers, and we’ll see stronger storytelling next time around.