A Review of the Role Playing Game Supplement The Dead Heart of Xin

The Dead Heart of Xin is the sixth and final part, #66, of the Shattered Star Adventure Path from Paizo Publishing, following on from Into the Nightmare Rift. This is a supplement for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and, as such, is covered by the Open Game License with some parts considered to be Open Game Content as a result. This is an adventure for 15th level characters who are expected to be 17th level by the end.

The PDF is available from the Paizo site for $13.99 but was purchased at a greatly reduced price as part of a special bundle. It is also available as a printed book from sites such as Amazon. The PDF is the version reviewed and has 100 pages with two being the front and back covers, two being the front matter, one the Table of Contents, half a page being the Open Game License and four being ads. A second, four-page PDF has interactive maps of the locations for use by players.

Inside what would be the front and rear covers of the printed book are two short adventure hooks and two monuments that grant boons.

Shattered No More! is the foreword explaining that the city of Magnimar predates Golarion itself, being from the author of the foreword’s home campaign, and the city ends up rather the worse for wear. There’s a section on plot troubleshooting, because the adventure depends on the PCs reforging the Shattered Star, and what should be done if they decide not to do this. Finally, there is a section on what could come next.

The Dead Heart of Xin is the adventure itself, which starts with the standard single page listing the parts and advancement track. Adventure Background gives some history of Xin, the former emperor of Thassilon, from his origin in Azlant to being killed by the Runelords to his current, not exactly dead, status. A summary of the adventure follows.

Part One: The Sihedron Reborn has the characters reforging the Shattered Star in front of the people of Magnimar during a festival celebrating this.

Part Two: Xin Rising has what happens as a result of the Sihedron being forged anew, the primary result being the raising of the former capital of Thassilon rising from the sea.

Part Three: Crystal Palace has the characters heading out to the island and Xin’s palace, where they will end up confronting the emperor himself and, hopefully, stopping his “rebirth”.

The Appendix starts with the NPC Gallery. The first is the Clockwork Reliquary, the construct which Xin plans to inhabit to be reborn; the second is a powerful aboleth. Shattered Star Treasures has new magic items.

Continuing the Campaign has suggestions for what to do after the adventure is complete, including if the PCs lose. There are encounters for the island of Xin, should that be explored, and the possible rise of the Runelord of Gluttony.

Runelords of Thassilon describes the seven Runelords extant at the time of Earthfall, most of whom were not the original ones, together with their relics; spells and magic items and the supplements they are found in.

Pathfinder’s Journal: Child of a Distant Star 6 of 6 is the sixth and final part of a piece of fiction set in Riddleport.

Bestiary starts with an encounter table for the Isle of Xin and three special encounters. There are also four new monsters.

Next Month has an overview of what’s in the next issue.

The Dead Heart of Xin in Review

The PDF is well bookmarked with major and minor sections linked. The Table of Contents only covers the major sections. Navigation is decent. The text maintains a two-column colour format and appeared to be free of errors. There are many custom colour illustrations, up to half a page in size and including one for every monster and magic item, as well as the maps. Presentation is very good.

This adventure, like many, is again rather linear. An event triggers the rest of the adventure, and the characters fight their way through the palace to finally confront Xin. They could, though, also explore parts of the Isle of Xin that has risen above the ocean’s surface first, but that’s optional and, other than the suggested encounters provided, will require more work from the GM. The biggest problem, and the one addressed in the foreword, is that the characters might not do what’s necessary to trigger the adventure’s conclusion. Though options are provided for getting around this, it’s still possible for the final part of this campaign to be derailed – and in the railroad sense.

The Runelords, being part of the Golarion setting, are essentially useless outside that setting, but the monsters and magic items can be used elsewhere. The final bit of fiction is again specific to Golarion but not to the adventure. The Dead Heart of Xin is in some ways a problematic conclusion to the adventure, given that it isn’t impossible for the players to completely throw things out.