Please get Mike Kortes to write a Pathfinder adventure. His work is jaw droppingly awesome. That is all.
He did Entombed with the Pharaohs. I also would like to know what else he has done.
So far for Golarion, just "Entombed with the Pharoahs". But his Dungeon adventures that I ran were "Home Under the Range" ,"War of the Wielded" and I forget the name of another one, but it featured this gimongous monster called the Kadtanach: a big lumbering idiot of a brute that was somehow piloted by opportunistic gnolls.
I forget the name of the last adventure, but it kicked major heiny. I wanna see more of his work. That's my word.
Oh yes, Home under the range I remember. Had dwarves and tieflings and a herd of beetles. Third one must be Beast of burden, I have to look that one up...
He's writing PF10.
Yay! That's great news for me.
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I ran "Final Resting Place" a few weeks ago as a side quest in my Freeport campaign. It is a really great adventure (but lacking some info about a diplomatic approach of the group, presumably cut because of space considerations). I was lucky that the rogue hung back and was approached by the real villain of the adventure to capture his "precious".
The repercussions of this adventure can lead to a surface attack by an underground empire (the ruined city of Highport just got a bit more ruined in my campaign in an attempt of the Underdark empire to recapture the treasure) and a later all-out war bewteen the surface world and the underground empire... and it all started in this little adventure.
He's an amazing writer. So much so it hurts my feelings.
"Home Under the Range" played out as one of our most reckless, break-neck, hilarious adventures ever! Dungeon published plenty of treasures, but "Under" proved to be a true gem. Mike, give us more!
He's an amazing writer. So much so it hurts my feelings.I didn't know you had any feelings. ;)
Regrettably, I am all feelings in a thin candy shell.
Mike's stuff is definitely upper tier all the way. Plus he's a really sharp dresser ;)
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Contributor
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Mike's adventures are awesome. In fact they make me feel totally inadequate as a writer. If he wasn't such a nice guy, I'd be bitter.
Mike ran me through the delve at Gen Con, and I got to play in a crazy little game run by Lou Agresta with him. He was a fun guy to play with, and his instincts are good.
Somehow I forgot or didn't realize that he wrote "Final Resting Place," which is in my "must run for Ptolus" pile. "Entombed with the Pharoahs" is my favorite of the GameMastery adventures so far, and there's some stiff competition there.
Plus he's Canadian. That guy is the whole package!
Mike is an amazing writer and an amazing guy. I cannot wait to hang out with him again at GenCon this year. Hopefully he'll continue to write for Paizo Publishing.
I remember "Beast of Burdon" was th eone with all the Gnolls piloting the giant monster. It was in Dungeon #100.
The big problem with that adventure was that the map was incorrect. There was an area on the creature that had like this little greenhouse with a Gnoll Druid or somesuch. It doesnt exist on the map. :(
Other than that it was a good adventure.
Fabulous writer and a really sweet guy too. Paizo, let's see some more work for this guy! :D
I remember "Beast of Burdon" was th eone with all the Gnolls piloting the giant monster. It was in Dungeon #100. The big problem with that adventure was that the map was incorrect. There was an area on the creature that had like this little greenhouse with a Gnoll Druid or somesuch. It doesnt exist on the map. :( Other than that it was a good adventure.
Never blame a mapping problem on the writer! Often, you can't blame the cartographer either. Odd things happen during the pre-publication process that could cause disconnects between adventure texts and maps.
I did two maps for Steve Greer's "Fiend's Embrace" way back when. The art editor (a very cool guy named Mike Schley who's gone on to do some awesome maps on his own) gave me a manuscript that was full of pending edits and mark ups, warning me that things were still changing around. As things played out, the adventure's printed version closely matched the manuscript from which I worked, largely, I'd imagine, because Steve's initial work was so solid. Nonetheless, Mike had me tweaking things right up to deadline.
Nothing distresses me more than a map I can't easily square with the adventure I'm trying to run. (Just thinking about the Crimson Fleet's headquarters still makes my head hurt, and Robert Lazzaretti, one of the best in the field, mapped that one.) But I can see how easy it would be for a mistake to slip by everyone, particularly on a complex map. Never blame the writer!
I remember "Beast of Burdon" was th eone with all the Gnolls piloting the giant monster. It was in Dungeon #100. The big problem with that adventure was that the map was incorrect. There was an area on the creature that had like this little greenhouse with a Gnoll Druid or somesuch. It doesnt exist on the map. :( Other than that it was a good adventure.Never blame a mapping problem on the writer! Often, you can't blame the cartographer either. Odd things happen during the pre-publication process that could cause disconnects between adventure texts and maps.
I did two maps for Steve Greer's "Fiend's Embrace" way back when. The art editor (a very cool guy named Mike Schley who's gone on to do some awesome maps on his own) gave me a manuscript that was full of pending edits and mark ups, warning me that things were still changing around. As things played out, the adventure's printed version closely matched the manuscript from which I worked, largely, I'd imagine, because Steve's initial work was so solid. Nonetheless, Mike had me tweaking things right up to deadline.
Nothing distresses me more than a map I can't easily square with the adventure I'm trying to run. (Just thinking about the Crimson Fleet's headquarters still makes my head hurt, and Robert Lazzaretti, one of the best in the field, mapped that one.) But I can see how easy it would be for a mistake to slip by everyone, particularly on a complex map. Never blame the writer!
Ash, from what I hear "Fiend's Embrace" is simply known as "The Demon Cloak Adventure" now. :P
Creative Director
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Actually... dirty truth time... you can indeed sometimes blame mapping problems on the writer. The creator of an adventure is just as much responsible for the look of the adventure's maps as he is the words themselves. Of course, the actual creation of the map from the author's turnover is the cartographer's job, and it's the editor and art director's job to make sure that all the tags on the map match the text, and also that the final look of the map matches the text. It's a pretty complex process that involves at minimum four different people over the course of the process. When an author provides a sloppy turnover, the process becomes really complex and fraught with peril.
All of which is my way of begging authors to really treat their map turnovers as important and valuable members of their adventure family. :-)
My only complaint about "War of the Wielded" was that it came out right after my guys advanced too far to run without making some major changes. :)
As a rule I don't run that many published adventures, prefer to make my own, but I'm going to run that one someday!
I wanna be, I wanna be like Mike!
I loved his latest GM Mod. The Mummy was on TV that night, and combined they made me want to play, play, play!
Contributor
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Never blame a mapping problem on the writer! Often, you can't blame the cartographer either. Odd things happen during the pre-publication process that could cause disconnects between adventure texts and maps.
I did two maps for Steve Greer's "Fiend's Embrace" way back when. The art editor (a very cool guy named Mike Schley who's gone on to do some awesome maps on his own) gave me a manuscript that was full of pending edits and mark ups, warning me that things were still changing around. As things played out, the adventure's printed version closely matched the manuscript from which I worked, largely, I'd imagine, because Steve's initial work was so solid. Nonetheless, Mike had me tweaking things right up to deadline.
Nothing distresses me more than a map I can't easily square with the adventure I'm trying to run. (Just thinking about the Crimson Fleet's headquarters still makes my head hurt, and Robert Lazzaretti, one of the best in the field, mapped that one.) But I can see how easy it would be for a mistake to slip by everyone, particularly on a complex map. Never blame the writer!
What Ashenvale said. There are SO MANY things that can go wrong between art/map and text that perfection is a nigh impossible (yet ever striven-for) goal.
Trivia questions for Golarion developers related to Michael Kortes module J1,
1. I'm planning on running some Osirion material and I want to know if the Sphinx river is a huge as the map scale indicates it to be in J1.
It looks shy of a mile wide when it reaches Osirion.
2. What sort of stuff comes down that river? Meaning cargo, boats, and people?
And Mike's Module was awesome.
It wasn't outrageous, just simple, well-written, and cool--and above all great for a DM who likes tweaking.
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Director of Games
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Trivia questions for Golarion developers related to Michael Kortes module J1,
1. I'm planning on running some Osirion material and I want to know if the Sphinx river is a huge as the map scale indicates it to be in J1.
It looks shy of a mile wide when it reaches Osirion.
2. What sort of stuff comes down that river? Meaning cargo, boats, and people?
1. The River Sphinx varies in width greatly during its course. It is nearly 3 miles wide as it reaches the Inner Sea, and a bit less than a mile wide at Sothis.
2. Yes... cargo, boats, people.. all of those. The River Sphinx is formed by two smaller rivers, The Crook and The Asp, both of which flow from the Brazen Peaks far to the south.
Jason Bulmahn
GameMastery Brand Manager
Holy smokes guys! Thanks for this thread. You are too kind.
Hearing that people are playing those adventures and putting their own stamp on them really makes this hobby worthwhile. Consider my day made.
As always, we writing-types give credit to the editors who keep finding new ways to make our skuzzy manuscripts sing.
P.S. Hazel Monday – I so owe you Gen Con (or virtual) booze for this thread.
Holy smokes guys! Thanks for this thread. You are too kind.
Hearing that people are playing those adventures and putting their own stamp on them really makes this hobby worthwhile. Consider my day made.
Too modest as always MiKe. If there was an award for Most Under Appreciated Dungeon/Paizo Author it is you sir. Perhaps an over the top rivalry with a British author, or maybe more R rated content? ;)
Nah, never change.
GGG
im running pharaoh right now. im having a blast with it, and my players (a new group of quasi realatives, and a couple of friends) seem to be having a good time. we played 11 hours straight the first day.
so, hats off to your mike kortes, may your tankard always be full, and you never get mortared.
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Director of Narrative
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Dude! Don Johnson plays D&D and likes your stuff! You're golden!
Holy smokes guys! Thanks for this thread. You are too kind.
Hearing that people are playing those adventures and putting their own stamp on them really makes this hobby worthwhile. Consider my day made.
Too modest as always MiKe. If there was an award for Most Under Appreciated Dungeon/Paizo Author it is you sir. Perhaps an over the top rivalry with a British author, or maybe more R rated content? ;)
Nah, never change.
GGG
Mr Kortes is the sort of fine fellow one wants at the other end of the crease when facing a tricky googly.
Huzzah!
Yours, the British Author
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Dude! Don Johnson plays D&D and likes your stuff! You're golden!
** spoiler omitted **
Yeah, but Tubbs had a record--"Music is My Vice."
True story, if I didn't hallucinate the whole thing.
I'm still stuck on the notion of Mike Kortes writing a pathfinder.
He will Lou, he will!
Hey Lou! Your avatar is one of Mike Schley's illustrations, so he's not just a cartographer, he's--
Wait. Wrong Mike thread.
Kortes rocks, Kortes for President, fear no evil because Kortes is with me . . . okay, back on track now.
Seriously, I'm liking Mike's adventures a lot. More, please!
P.S. Hazel Monday – I so owe you Gen Con (or virtual) booze for this thread.
Booze shmooze. Get back to work on that Pathfinder stuff! ;)
Mike is indeed one of the finest of adventure craftmasters. I am honored to work on the same line as he. I've gotten sneaky peekies at his manuscript for "History of Ashes" and it is another stellar feather in his already impressive cap.
I'll also second that Mike is TONS of fun to play with. I played the same game Rambling Scribe is talking about above, and Mike also played an albino outcast ranger in an afterhours Gencon game I ran, and he was awesome in this difficult role. Good stuff!
Looking forward to seeing Mike Kortes on the cover of many more modules to come!
...and Mike also played an albino outcast ranger in an afterhours Gencon game I ran...!
What? Like... the photo negative-Drizzt?