I was chatting with one of the Final Four the other week and
it was pointed out to me that I have a horrible track record picking winners
when it comes to the Superstar module. Curious, I decided to take a look back
through the years to see what I had voted for and how widely my opinion
diverged from everyone else's.
It ended up being fascinating. And, since we're in the
fallow period of Superstar as we wait for the module pitches to be revealed in
one week, I thought it might be fun to take a look at all those previous
pitches.
Keep in mind, I only have so much space, so I'm really going
to try to narrow these down to the core of the pitch (whenever I can, I'm letting the author do the talking by taking the
summary line from the pitch). You're going to have to take a closer
look to get all the nuance (as well as some great advice from judges that I
think would help any would-be designer when it comes to adventures). The
winning module is in capitals.
2014
Contestants had to write Your proposal an urban adventure
outline for level 3 characters set in one of the following Golarion
settlements: Bloodcove (Mwangi Expanse), Caliphas (Ustalav), Corentyn
(Cheliax), Diobel (Absalom), Katapesh (the city), Nisroch (Nidal), Pezzack
(Cheliax), Riddleport (Varisia), Solku (Katapesh), or Vigil (Lastwall).
Corentyn, situated where the Inner Sea meets the Arcadian
Ocean, boasts a flourishing slave trade.The Order of the Chain oversees these
dealings, but the Hellknights are not incorruptible. Resistance groups and
criminals take advantage of their greed to smuggle slaves through the city.
When a ruthless crime lord implicates the PCs in the murder of several
Hellknights, they uncover a plot to destroy the resistance from within.
When the Watchknights of Vigil cannot catch an elusive
criminal, a knight approaches the PCs with a risky proposition. As undercover
operatives, they follow clues through places high and low, and uncover a plot
involving Vigil's ancient enemies. Time is running out as the PCs prepare to
face a cunning enemy that seeks to plunge Vigil into turmoil.
Mikko and
I have worked on a couple projects before (and probably will do more later) and
it may well be in part because I backed his module. I liked Lastwall as a
location, and I really liked the villain Mikko pitched, with her classic
ends-justify-the-means motivation.
The PCs will travel to the remote Chelaxian city of Pezzack
during a time of civil uprising, encountering revolutionaries, the Chelish
navy, Hellknights, the mysterious strix, and battle shadowy adversaries from
the ancient past in order to prevent a twisted evil from being unleashed.
A new tribe rises in the Hold of Belzken. Its dark matriarch
is not yet prepared to confront the crusaders of Vigil, but the infernal powers
she called upon for her strength force her hand by demanding a prize she let
slip years ago. There are devils in Lastwall, and the nightmare of an organized
orc tribe looms with Hell's puppet strings attached. A mysterious half-orc
woman is at the center of these troubles, but can the player characters discern
why before more of Vigil's crusaders and citizens fall to the Daughters of
Fury?
While I
love the intro, which I've quoted here, I thought there were some problems
writing-wise in the rest of the pitch that made it difficult for me to follow
(I remember stopping the first time I started reading it and having to come
back to it). I also thought the PCs felt a little peripheral. (That said, I'm
waiting for my shipment of the module — which I somehow missed including in my
last order — and am eager to look it over and run it.)
2013
The only requirement was that the adventure be for 5th-level
characters.
Matthew Duval's The SevenVeils Masquerade
The followers of Sivanah have hidden away a secret world in the heart of Quantium. When the border between worlds thins on the eve of the Seven Veils Festival, the heroes find themselves trapped in the middle of a grand masquerade. They must navigate illusory realms and thwart the ruthless ambition of their host's rakshasa apprentice if they want to save the other guests and escape. When the veil is lifted at the festival’s end, will they find themselves safely home or lost forever in a world of illusion?
The followers of Sivanah have hidden away a secret world in the heart of Quantium. When the border between worlds thins on the eve of the Seven Veils Festival, the heroes find themselves trapped in the middle of a grand masquerade. They must navigate illusory realms and thwart the ruthless ambition of their host's rakshasa apprentice if they want to save the other guests and escape. When the veil is lifted at the festival’s end, will they find themselves safely home or lost forever in a world of illusion?
When yet another shipment of sun orchid elixir disappears
on its way to Pashow, the desperate Emir Guldis secretly seeks help to locate
the missing convoy. Pashow cannot endure much longer without the elixir’s gold,
under risk of insurrection and conflict with Aspenthar. To avoid famine and
war, the PCs must follow the missing caravan’s trail through the deserts of
Thuvia. Their quest leads to a city erased from history, and into the
millennial dream of its slumbering ruler
A retired cadre of lifelong adventurers, the Golden Watch,
meets every year to embark on their latest "one last adventure." As
the aged travelers prepare for their annual reunion in Cassomir, one of them
disappears amid signs of foul play. Concerned for their missing friend, the
Watch asks the player characters to locate and retrieve him before their
anniversary celebration becomes a mournful wake. The challenges before them
will test every bit of their mettle as they fight to save the Watch and rid
Cassomir of an insidious evil.
It turns
out I have actually supported winning modules, as I backed this one, which was
renamed Tears at Bitter Manor when it was published. I loved the retired
adventurers angle (which I noted reminded me of Gail Simone's quirky Welcome to
Tranquility comic about a retirement community for superheroes and villains). I
also really liked that the bad guy was an alchemist, which took advantage of
one of the at-the-time new books from Paizo.
A key stolen from the Arcane Library of Tar-Kazmukh awakens the dormant
guardians of an ancient vault. Its keeper has imprisoned the librarians in
their own institution demanding the return of the key and those responsible for
its theft as ransom. Can the heroes recover the key and return the thieves in
time to rescue the hostages?
2012
The only requirement was that the adventure be for 9th-level
characters.
Galt is a nation on the edge. For decades, Galt has been
eaten from within by sedition and protest. Invariably, whenever a new
revolutionary flame sweeps across Galt, its spark is struck in Woodsedge.
Radicals, abolitionists, and anarchists of all stripes call Woodsedge home, and
a fresh generation of nascent treasons are furtively nurtured within its
borders. Now there is a new rebellion growing in Woodsedge, a rebellion not of
men and ideas, but of lost souls and hammered steel.
An unknown expedition to the stars returns to its point of
origin—the unsuspecting village of Dustpawn. Strange disappearances and a
blazing object in the sky mark the beginning of trouble for the sleepy village.
Can the heroes save the villagers from fiery doom, reality-warping creatures
that view the citizens merely as experimental animals, and a horrific threat
from beyond the stars?
I hadn't
expected to like this one as I was thinking Mike and I had different tastes in
gaming, but I thought her perfectly blended the sci-fi and fantasy elements and
came up with an intriguing pitch. I don't remember for sure (and my comments
aren't completely clear) but I think this was the module I ended up voting for,
making two years in a row I backed the eventual module winner.
The PCs must find missing travelers held captive deep below
the waves of the Steaming Sea, where they learn that slavers have already taken
the captives away for sacrifice. Tracking their quarry to a small island, the
PCs confront the leader of the slavers and find the missing travelers. Just as
the rescue seems complete, the entire island begins to sink and the PCs must
choose to take their prize and flee or to stay and save hundreds of lives from
sacrifice.
A power-hungry sorcerer, her adventuring companions, and a
band of giants have overrun a monastery of Desna and captured its priests. The
sorcerer plans to open a long-sealed portal to the dreaded demi-plane of Leng,
where she intends to sacrifice the priests to awaken an entity of inconceivable
evil. Can the heroes survive the horrors of Leng and stop the sorcerer before
she can rouse the Scarlet God?
This
adventure pitch changed the rules for Superstar as James Jacobs revealed in his
critique that Tom had inadvertently designed something too close to an
adventure Paizo was already planning, so much of the module would have to be
changed in development. Even so, it appeared to be a popular choice that was
really hurt by that problem. Since then, contestants send an "elevator
pitch" with a brief outline of their plans that James Jacobs must approve
before they can write the full pitch so a similar situation never arises again.
2011
The only requirement was that the adventure be for 4th-level
characters.
When a rift in the sky spills out a corrupted Shory city, the
PCs are called on to save the day. The adventure includes details on the Shory
city of Venlor and its locales; ranging from slums known as The Dregs, to the
tops of the four huge towers that loom over the city. As the PCs explore the
city they will uncover a plot of war and subjugation. To free the mongrelmen,
protect their town, and send the city from whence it came they will have to confront
the cruel morlock, Lord Kracht, earn the alliance of the mad wizard, Gek, and
finally put an end to the once-noble brood of King Tiepolo.
When orphaned children in the war-torn nation of Isger begin
avoiding the church of Asmodeus and clergy that have taken them in and a priest
is found murdered, the PCs must investigate and try to figure out what's
happening.
This was
my first year where I was aware of Superstar and voted. I supported Isgeri
Blood and Orphans' Tears, I think largely because I really liked the shades of
gray involved in working with the church of Asmodeus. I noted in my comments
that I was still learning about Golarion at the time and Cheliax/the concept of
the church was one of my favorite aspects, especially early on.
Night itself has been banished from the valley of Karpad, by
edict of its baron. Mystic flames keep out the darkness, but fear remains. For
a decade, neither man nor monster troubled Karpad’s peace. Now, a broken promise
and an unspeakable debt have turned the very shadows against the valley and its
lord. With townsfolk disappearing one by one, can the heroes protect the people
of Karpad from otherworldly vengeance?
Renamed
The Black Mirror for publication, this was my No. 2 choice at the time.
the laboratory of a deluded astrologer
who uses a mixture of magic and decaying Alkenstari technology to explore star
configurations in an effort to save his homeland. Unfortunately, he's caught
the attention of entities from beyond the Dark Tapestry, who are exerting their
influence on the region as a prelude to eventually coming through to Golarion.
2010
There were no requirements for these modules.
Vindar Salashi did not bat an eye when a mysterious foreigner
began wooing his daughter. He did not shed a tear when he learned of their
hasty elopement. But, when he discovered that they had made off with his most
prized ship, the Mastrien Slash, the merchant lord cried for blood. Now, the
pair of young lovers have run aground in the necromanctic realm of Geb, and the
man asking the heroes to mount a rescue cares more about recovering his lost
property than he does about the fate of his only offspring. Wreck of the
Mastrien Slash is a tropical wilderness adventure for 8th-level Pathfinder
Roleplaying Game characters
Crime of the century! A major House of Absalom falls victim
to a heist of legendary proportion. One of 12 sacred artifacts created by the
god Aroden is stolen from a nigh invincible vault. Through the machinations of
an ambitious minor house, a coven of powerful night hags now possesses a
cornucopia and from their fortress on the Ethereal Plane they intend to sell it
to the highest bidder. Their asking price is nothing less than mortal souls. This
is an urban and extraplanar adventure for 10th level characters.
Too long have the secret Vudran cult of killers known as the
Yast-Maala (Ebon Destroyers) gone unpunished for their crimes of murder and
assassination. Too long has the Isle of Jalmeray suffered from their deadly
machinations. The Thukur of Jalmeray has outlawed the cult, and received in
response an ultimatum stating that if he doesn’t revoke his edict, he and his
family will die before the month is out. Now is the time to bring down the Ebon
Destroyers! A Pathfinder module designed for four 8th-level characters.
A millennia-old artifact resurrects an ancient city from the
depths of the sea, and the race is on to plunder the riches of a forgotten age!
The heroes must overcome dangers past and present, including bloodthirsty
pirates, hungry sea creatures, and the city's horrific last living survivor if
they wish to uncover the mystery of the resurfaced city and survive to tell the
tale. From Time's Depths is an exploration-oriented dungeon adventure
for 6th-level characters. The PCs should be 8th level at the module's
conclusion.
2009
There were no requirements for these modules.
When a number of ailing barbarians erupt in violence in the
middle of a market, the PCs must intervene. Afterward, they agree to help
determine what is happening to the tribe, and journeying into the tundra and
eventually a primeval jungle in an ice cavern, where they discover the cause of
the affliction affecting the barbarians. The module is for 8th-level characters.
It's
always hard to judge when you're reading pitches several years after they've
already been voted on, but this one has always stuck with me. I suspect I'd
have voted for it, as I think it just has a lot of very cool elements (PCs
getting to joust on mammoths and dive with rocs? Riding dinosaurs? Yes,
please.) And, yes, I realize what its competition was. I thought this was a
really strong year all around, and any of the four could have been excellent,
honestly.
Fifty years ago, two great wyrm dragons—one silver and one
red—clashed over the ocean in a cataclysmic battle to the death. Both were
mortally wounded and died on a remote tropical island. Though both dragons are long dead, their
warring spirits linger in the Ethereal Plane. The PCs arrive on the tropical island and
learn of the continuing struggle between the ethereal spirits of the red and
the silver dragon. The heroes must survive the dangers of the island long enough
to discover and stop a nefarious plot of the red dragon rider, Matron Dra'naga
(female, lizardfolk, red draconic sorcerer, 10th), who now leads the red
dragon's brood of surviving offspring (four juvenile red dragons). Dragonrest
Isle is an adventure designed for four 9th level characters.
A devastating hurricane has struck Magnimar! The City of
Monuments reels from the blow, and another storm is gathering in the Arcadian
Ocean. These storms are not natural, and thousands of Magnimarians are counting
on brave adventurers to quell the oncoming onslaught of murderous wind before
the city is brought, crumbling, to its knees. The PCs will have to out-maneuver
politicians, slog through stagnant swamps occupied by shape-shifting frogmen,
and battle the vile Boiling Sisterhood on the ocean floor among the massive
pilings of the Irespan before their goal is realized. Can they do it? Or will
the Boiling Maiden's retribution be final? The module is designed for four 8th
level characters.
The hardy gnome race crossed into Golarion from the primal
First World during the Age of Anguish, leaving behind all they once knew. But
when a shunned gnome bleachling travels a forgotten path to the realm of his
ancestors, he unwittingly releases the sinister Fellnight fey imprisoned there
millennia ago. Their dark queen, Rhoswen, now turns her gaze upon the forest
town of Bellis, weaving a cloying mist among the trees and trapping all behind
a veil of shadow. Can the player characters brave the mist and stop the queen
before she permanently makes them part of her domain? Realm of the Fellnight
Queen is a wilderness adventure for four 7th-level characters.
2008
There were no requirements for these modules.
This heroic, swashbuckling adventure sets the Level 13 PCs
on the run, framed for a high-profile murder – and into a desperate, high-seas
chase after the villainous agents of Onuyaka, the All-Seeing Eye. Monstrous sorcerers
and swordsmen in service to the Machiavellian ogre mage seek to uncover the Shard
of Hell’s Heart, an otherworldly artifact hidden deep in the lost tomb of the
Dark Titan Kothari-Khasis, ancient Chosen of Asmodeus. Racing these brigands to
the strange and haunted Isle of Shattered Godhood, the PCs must face horrid
monsters, deadly traps, unexpected betrayal, and the bloody memory of
Kothari-Khasis himself.
This module will set the heroes against the gods’ blind
wrath in defence of a dwarven city-kingdom. During the course of the adventure
the PCs will cross swords with dwarvish valkyries, fight giants freed from the
underworld, unravel an ancient secret, and explore a remote monastery. What
starts as a casual dungeon crawl, will turn into a frantic pandemonium as the
monastery is imbued with divine life to wage war on the city the heroes might
choose to protect or even aid to destroy. Ultimately, the PCs get the chance to
slay not one, but three kings in attempt to end this madness and write the
final lines of an ancient tragedy. This
adventure is intended for 10th-level characters.
Traveling to a remote but opulent pleasure palace, the 16th-level
PCs become embroiled in a power struggle between rival genies, uncovering a web
of spying, corruption, and a diabolic conspiracy that threatens to explode into
a major crisis.
It is the time of the Concordant Eclipse, a rare
astronomical event when Golarion, its moons, and nearby planets are in
conjunction, a phenomenon that happens once every 2,333 years. From across
Golarion, sages and astronomers have flocked to the desert nation of Osirion,
the best place from which to watch the eclipse. But wonder and excitement turn
to fear and trepidation when the sun does not return at its appointed time,
plunging Osirion into never-ending night. Recently translated inscriptions from
the tomb of one of Osirion’s oldest pharaohs tell of a similar unearthly
nightfall ages ago that was only prelude to an invasion by aberrant alien
horrors from the Dominions of the Black. Fearing obliteration, the pharaoh
asked his advisor Ibennu-awi, known as the Resplendent Phoenix, to save
Osirion. Ibennu-awi, a wise archmage and theurge without peer, crafted a
powerful artifact called the Burning Phoenix Staff, which he used to banish the
supernatural darkness and the otherworldly invaders back to the Dark Tapestry. The
Burning Phoenix Staff has been lost for centuries and the Resplendent Phoenix
himself is long dead. But perhaps his victory could be repeated if the Staff
can be found. Hired by the temple of Sarenrae, goddess of the sun, to find this
lost artifact, the Level 8 PCs are directed to a reclusive wizard and sage
named Rashidi who has dedicated his life to researching the mighty archmage’s
legendary relics, known collectively as the panoply of the Phoenix. As they
prepare for their journey, the PCs are ambushed by barghests in the service of
Zon-Kuthon, god of darkness. Defeating their attackers, the PCs discover
evidence that the cult of Zon-Kuthon wants to seize the panoply for themselves
and take advantage of the preternatural twilight for their own sinister
purposes. The PCs take part in a frantic camel race across the starlit desert,
through sandstorms and territorial lamias, to reach Rashidi’s tower before the
cult.
Great post Jacob!
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