Fair Winds and Following Seas

Monday, June 29, 2015




Illustration by Eva Widermann

Last October the Venture-Officers became aware of some family health issues that caused a change in my employment status at Paizo and I was allowed to telecommute. This change led my family and I to make the move from Seattle to the New Orleans area. This has worked fairly well for almost a year as I traveled to Paizo from New Orleans regularly but, as with most situations, things continue to evolve and my work status is changing yet again.

It is with a sad heart I announce today that my tenure with Paizo will end on August 7. This should allow me to say personal goodbyes at both PaizoCon UK and Gen Con. The day after I leave my position, I will be closing my public Campaign Coordinator Facebook page as well.

It has been a pleasure working with, and for, all of you. I was always taught to leave a situation better than I entered it. I hope I have done that. Some changes I take pride in being heavily involved with are:

  • Updating the Guide with a more professional appearance and outline
  • Implementing GM 101, GM 201 and Kid's Track (with the help of some awesome VOs)
  • Expanding our volunteer base from 13 VOs to more than 470
  • Growing the playerbase from around 12,000 to more than 60,000
  • Expanding Pathfinder Society's presence from 5 countries with an active PFS presence to 29 (including regions that had little or no prior Organized Play)
  • I have also taken a great deal of pride in watching PFS expand from one small room of 30 tables at Gen Con, to taking over the entire Sagamore Ballroom (with 180 tables of PFS gaming this year!), as well as numerous other activities planned for the space
  • Additionally, I've been working with our Tech Team over the past few months on an array of improvements to the Pathfinder Society section of paizo.com, and think you will approve of the changes that are coming

There are many other changes that I have initiated and been a part of, and I think have improved the overall quality of Pathfinder Society, but are too numerous to list here.

I wish you all well. Again, thanks for the opportunity of letting me be the Global Organized Play Coordinator for almost 4 full years.

Mike Brock
Global Organized Play Coordinator

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Tags: Eva Widermann Paizo Pathfinder Society
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Silver Crusade 4/5 ***

Mike, thank you for your dedicated service and your commitment to making PFS the thundering success that it has become. Your guidance and steady hand at the wheel will surely be missed.

It was an honor to meet you and play at your table of Bonekeep Level 1 in Ypsilanti, MI in 2013. May God's grace and blessings be upon you, sir, and your loved ones.

Sovereign Court 4/5

1 person marked this as a favorite.

I'm glad I can say that I had a character die a glorious death at his hands.

Silver Crusade 5/5

Thanks for all of your years of service, Mike. You've done an incredible job at running PFS and keeping us all in line. Good luck in your future endeavors!

Scarab Sages 4/5 5/5 ** Venture-Captain, Isles—Online

you'll be missed, looking forwards to sitting at your table at Paizocon UK

Liberty's Edge 5/5

Starfinder Superscriber

Thank you for everything you've done for the campaign, Mike! And the best of luck in whatever you do next.

Sczarni 3/5 5/55/5

Best wishes to you and your family Mike. Thank you for everything you have done to make this group what it is. Your efforts will be missed, but we know your legacy will live on. See you at GenCon.

4/5

Thanks for everything you've done for the campaign. I wish you the best luck in the future.


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber

"I was always taught to leave a situation better than I entered it. I hope I have done that."

Indeed you have. I wish you and your family the best in this next chapter of your life.

Grand Lodge

It was a good run! You did a lot of good for PFS and I always had a good time when you were at the table. Good luck to you and your family in whatever comes next!


Thanks for all the hard work you've put into PFS and making it great. Best of wishes.

4/5

Farewell mike, your efforts have always been appreciated. I hope that your family issues resolve themselves well and you continue to roll well.

The Exchange 5/5 5/5 Venture-Captain, Iceland

Thank you for everything you have done. You will be missed. Good luck with everything

Scarab Sages 5/5 5/5 *** Venture-Captain, Netherlands

Thank you very very much Mike, for everything you've done to make PFS play in the Netherlands run smoothly and make us feel appreciated.

Good luck. Family goes first.

Sovereign Court 4/5 *

5 people marked this as a favorite.

I refuse to say good-bye.

So long, see you later, till we meet again, auf wiedersehen, sayanora, au revoir, ciao, you name it. But not good-bye.

Thank you, for the hours devoted to our mutual hobby. Thank you, for providing a framework that made gaming in different countries and with so many amazing people possible. Thank you, for the chance to test myself and see what I could do. Thank you, for being a friend. And thanks to your family, who supported your traveling and dedication to making PFS great. I appreciate their sacrifice and selflessness.

Blessings on your future endeavors! Can't wait to hear the stories!

Sczarni 5/5 5/55/5 ***

Hopefully this means you finally get to enjoy more gaming and less golfing ;-)

We'll miss you!

4/5 5/5

Heartfelt wishes to you and your family.

thank you so much to all you have given us... not just a game, but the opportunity to make new friends, new memories and most of all, feel loved.

Best wishes in all that you do... PaizoCon UK is going to be a hell of a party.

Hugs
C

Lantern Lodge 5/5 * RPG Superstar 2015 Top 16

All the good lines have been taken, so I'll just say that I hope to see you again in the future, perhaps rolling dice together!

Take care of you and yours in the meantime.

Grand Lodge

2 people marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Thank you so much for making PFS something my son an I simply love.

2/5 *

Thanks for your time, patience, and endless energy. I think you did a great job and Pathfinder Organized Play has improved by leaps and bounds. This was a tough job but you listened to the fans and implemented lots of great stuff. Thank you.

Grand Lodge 5/5

Your leadership will be missed. Fare thee well.

Liberty's Edge 4/5

Thanks for all your leadership and hard work Mike! Best wishes

Grand Lodge 4/5 *

Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, LO Special Edition, Pathfinder Accessories, PF Special Edition, Starfinder Accessories, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber

Thank you or everything you have done and godspeed in what ever new adventure comes your way

4/5 5/5 ***

Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Maps, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Mike, thanks for all you've done.

Good luck and good fortune.

3/5

Mike, I only had a few interactions with you in person, but all of them were pleasant and memorable and I wish you the best in your future endeavors!

3/5

Mike, your leadership will be missed. I hope you continue to play and GM. I had the pleasure to play, and survive, (and learn some new GMing skills) at one of your Bonekeep tables.

Sovereign Court 1/5

Mike, Thank you for everything you brought to Paizo. I probably would not have picked up PFS if it were not for the many ways you made the game come alive.

Liberty's Edge 5/5 5/5

1 person marked this as a favorite.

THUNDERLIPS! SEES MANY VOLUNTEERS FOR HIS VOYAGE DOWN RIVER TO CRESCENT CRADLE OF DRINKING. SOON ALL PATHFINDERS WILL SING GOORIOUS SONGS OF THE MAN MIKE BROCK! ENOUGH PROUD, FIRM, POTENT ULFEN ATTEST TO HIS INFLUENCE THAT THE MAN MIKE BROCK WILL BE ADOPTED BY THE NORTHERN BARBARIANS! expertise with Earthbreaker, +5 Fortitude save

5/5

14 people marked this as a favorite.

I suppose I should comment on this...

I first met Mike (and his amazing wife) at Gen Con 2010 as his GM for Year of the Shadow Lodge, his first PFS event. I got to know him a bit more only a month later at Dragon*Con when we ran Rebel's Ransom side-by-side (oh the horror!)

Our friendship grew but was easily eclipsed by his passion for this silly little game. While Massacre Miles and his minions lead the charge in the Midwest, Mike was building something more powerful in the Deep South. That community exploded, catapulting Mike into his Overlord role where he spread his passion to the far corners of the Earth.

Without Mike, his love for the game, and his strong leadership (feat), this campaign and this game we love would be unknown to tens of thousands of people who now bolster our community.

Than you Mike. Thank you for all that you've done. I still regret not killing your dwarf.

Liberty's Edge 3/5 5/5 Venture-Captain, Oklahoma—Oklahoma City

Thanks for all the hard work, and I hope your future is bright.

Liberty's Edge 4/5 RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 16

Mike, you'll definitely be missed by us all. You left behind some HUGE shoes to fill. I wish you the best with your family and the challenges you'll continue to face. Our prayers will be with you.

4/5 5/55/55/55/5

5 people marked this as a favorite.

My kid has fond memories of meeting you when she attended her first Con over here in Sydney Australia.

She was playing Rise of the Goblin Guild, and you signed her toy Goblin - that Goblin is now legend around these parts, and so are you :)


Well done Mike! Thanks again for GMing Bonekeep 1 for us Winnipegers those years ago. Enjoy your Seeker status :)

Liberty's Edge 1/5

Mike,

I hope that whatever issues you have in your life that have lead to this resolve in the best way possible. Your impact on PFS could not be more clear than in the outpouring in this thread.

Thank you and good fortune.

3/5

Glad you are going to be spending more time with your family. PFS community will miss ya but we will journey onwards. All the best.

Liberty's Edge 5/5

Best wishes, and I hope for the best for your family regarding the health issues you mentioned.

3/5

Good luck in your future endeavors and thanks for everything you've done for PFS! It's been a pleasure knowing you and I will have fond memories of the visits you made to MegaCon!! We'll save a seat at the table for you...

Betty Trascritti

Liberty's Edge

Thanks for all your dedication and good work. Wishing you the best of luck in whatever you choose to do in the future.

Sovereign Court 4/5 5/5 ** Venture-Agent, Ohio—Dayton

2 people marked this as a favorite.

Thank you for your service.

Project Manager

Good luck on your next adventure, Mike.

Grand Lodge 5/5

Mike, I am glad to have hosted you at Orccon in Los Angeles this last spring. The worldwide campaign was blessed with your envolvement, and I hope that your future endeavors are as challenging and enjoyable as the job you are leaving!

You shall leave a hole in community but I hope that you remain active in your local community and continue to join the various events and conventions throughout the world. I know you will always be welcome everywhere the PFS is played and RPGs are consumed!

Great working with you (what is the number now? :) ).

I look forward to working with you at Gencon and I still owe you a drink!

Robyn

4/5

Thank you for all your work. The changes you made to PFS were fun and I always enjoyed working with you.

Dark Archive 3/5

James McTeague wrote:
It will be sad to see you go, but thank you for everything you've done!

+1

Man Im actually getting a little emotional. I still appreciate you answering some one on one emails, something i never expected from someone of such stature yet you took the time because of the love of the game. A class act all around.

Best wishes on anything life lays out for you.

Sovereign Court 4/5 *

I am going to miss you Mike. I hope to see you come next year at Gen-Con or maybe Dragon Con :D It will not be the same Mike. I believe you are leaving PFS in great shape. Fair Winds Mike.

-James

2/5 5/5

Thanks for all you did, including attracting so many people for us all to play games with!

Silver Crusade 5/5 5/55/5 *

Good luck, Mike. Thanks for everything!!!

Paizo Employee Developer

1 person marked this as a favorite.

I had the pleasure of working closely with you for a couple seasons of PFS, Mike, and they were among the best years I had working on the campaign. You've done amazing things with it since taking over. I still remember getting word that you were coming onboard (I was at home playing Half-Life 3 when Erik called me) and it's been incredible seeing what you've done since then. Best of luck in your future endeavors! I look forward to catching up one last time while you're in your Paizo blues at Gen Con.

Silver Crusade 5/5 5/55/5 **** Venture-Captain, Germany—Bavaria

Good luck Mike, and thank you for your all your hard work.

Sad to see you go.

Sovereign Court 5/5 5/55/5

Mike, without you and your contributions to PFS, I might never have joined the Society, and I certainly wouldn't have stayed as long as I have. I can't thank you enough for your years of service, and I hope that your path in life continues to bring you as many good turns as you've brought us.

5/5 5/55/55/5

Sniff

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