OPC Log—6 Sarenith 4716

Monday, June 6, 2016

Happy Moonday Pathfinders!

This time last week, the Paizo staff were wrapping up PaizoCon, participating in the last few panels, running a final delve, or rolling dice in the final encounters. A huge thank you to all those that lent their hands with setup, tear down, or the myriad of tasks in-between. PFS could not have had such a successful show without your assistance. I appreciate the efforts of all our volunteers on behalf of the Society. While John covered the highlights from the banquet, I've got a few other PaizoCon related pieces of business.

Photos courtesy of Christopher Woldridge

Campaign Service Coins

Over the course of the weekend, I gave out four coins, three in person and one in abstentia. For those at the convention, I visited the table the recipient was at and said a few words about why they received the coin. To watch the face of the recipient while I spoke of the hours of time they dedicated to our game and their effect on the Society was truly humbling. It seemed to affect the players seated at the tables, knowing they were witnessing something special. While sometimes I am unable to visit the recipient and give the coin in person, I hope to award most of them the way I did this weekend.

Without further ado, your newest Campaign Service Coin awardees:

• Ray Diaz, VC Metro Boston—#755
• Dave Montgomery, VC Central/West Massachusettes—#756
• "Pirate" Rob Hetherington—#757
• Jesse Davis, VC Online—#758

Trivia Contest

Saturday night, John Compton hosted a Trivia Contest, assisted by Mark Seifter and Linda Zayas-Palmer. I missed the beginning, but was there for the rousing finale. A number of 8-person teams sought the title of Champion. They all had interesting names—Asmodeus's Chamberpot, the Boston Mafia, Abrogail's Kittens, to name a few. Two really stood out in my mind. The first was Rovagug's Witness, whom almost made me choke on my soda with their group call of "Witness" anytime they were called on. They also had a pamphlet they shared with me on the delights of worshipping Rovagug. The second team was John Compton's Sons. Unfortunately, the pictorial evidence turned out blurry and not suitable for print, but those fine people calling John "papa" are:

• Del Collins
• Bob Jonquet
• Matt Polkowsky
• Jim Page
• Rafael Taramona
• Anthony Bowen
• Raymond Sullivan
• Joshua "Trivia Savant" Herrington

John Compton's Sons won the tournament with a perfect final round, securing the title of Trivia Champs. They say they will be back next year, bigger and badder than ever, as John Compton's Grandsons, ready to defend their title. I highly encourage PaizoCon attendees to come out and enjoy the show, even if you don't want to participate in the trivia portion.

5 Star GMs

Thursday at PaizoCon, we had two people reach their fifth star. Thanks to Jon Dehning, we celebrated with cake! So I can attest the cake is not a lie :D In addition, over the past month, several other stalwart GMs braved the gauntlet of 150 games and 10 specials to achieve their fifth star. Please join me in congratulating:

• David Shaw
• Mike Venditti
• Paul Holtom
• Davey Silon
• Sean Wellsmore
• Russ Brown
• Jean-Marc Comeau

Photos courtesy of Christopher Woldridge & Mike Venditti

Travel Log

Now that PaizoCon is past, we can turn our sights to upcoming events. I'll be attending Origins Game Faire in Columbus, Ohio, from June 15-20 and the American Library Association Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida, from June 23-28. After that, a few weeks in Seattle to get things packed for Gen Con, then I'm off to the United Kingdom the latter part of July for PaizoCon UK . After the convention, I'm taking a few days to visit friends and tour a few historical sites, because who can pass up the chance to visit castles? Then back to Indianapolis for Gen Con from August 3-7. If the cards fall right, I will be helping my husband move from Canada to Las Vegas (just a bit of a climate change there) post-Gen Con, but will be back in the office in time for PAX West. Whew!

The TL;DR of the above is that I am going to be out of the office quite a bit starting next week. If you have conventions coming up between now and September, please submit your information sooner than later. I have the fantastic Customer Support Team backing me up on con support processing, but we still need time to get things through the system. Please help me help you!

Many other conventions ran this past weekend. How many of you got in a game (or two or six)? What games did you play? Enquiring minds want to know!

Until next time—Explore, Report, Cooperate!

Tonya Woldridge
Organized Play Coordinator

Character Sketch Competition Update! Our awesome Community Team—Chris and Liz—are prepping the character sketch submissions for judging. Once they are ready, they will open voting to our community. Thank you to everyone who submitted a sketch!

A Wild PaizoCon Appears!

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

I hope you're making the trek to the Emerald City this weekend for PaizoCon! (Current weather: 63 degrees and partly sunny. Rain Friday, sunny the rest of the weekend, highs around 65.) Below, a primer on Adventure Card Game goings-on at the show.

Season the Runelords Marchs (Mays?) Onward

PaizoCon attendees will get the opportunity to play Season of the Runelords all the way up through Adventure 3: Into the Mountain and will even get a sneak peek at Adventure 4: Abjurant Halls of Envy. I just wrote the mechanics for a scenario currently called "Look! A Monkey!" which I expect to be the start of a long and extended death-glare aimed in my direction by you, the fans. Just remember that you're the ones who went into something called the Abjurant Halls of Envy, and complaints can be delivered directly to me. I'm the one who looks like Mike Selinker.

While I'm on the subject of Adventure 4, I have more happy news. I've secured the talents of the brilliant Amanda Hamon Kunz to help with story design for the rest of Season of the Runelords. Amanda's design work has lately been featured in books including Ultimate Intrigue and Distant Shores, and her writing work shines in Cheliax: The Infernal Empire. I'm ecstatic to have a new story collaborator for this season, and if we're very nice to her she might join me again for later seasons. (Previous story collaborators have included Brian Campbell, Dave Gross, Keith Richmond, and Mike Selinker.)

Oh, and I'm bringing advance copies of June's Witch and August's Gunslinger Class Decks for folks to play with. Drop by the ACG section of the PFS ballroom and game with us!

Adventure Card Game Open Playtest

Those of you lucky enough to get into this lottery event will get to help me hone one of the quarterfinal rounds of this year's Adventure Card Game Open, which will take place at Gen Con. What you see there cannot be unseen, because if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also. But mostly because that's how human eyes work.

We Be Goblins! You Be Goblins! Everybody Be Goblins!

Another lottery event! This time, ACG players and forum rock stars cartmanbeck and Theryon Stormrune have put together a custom set of scenarios to play through inspired by the storylines of the We Be Goblins series of Free RPG Day adventures. Theryon and I will be running your tables, so I hope you bring your best goblin game faces. I also hope Theryon brings a certain culinary treat, but I don't know if those can travel cross-country or not.

Learn to Play Mummy's Mask

We've just received the happy news that our Mummy's Mask demo decks will be at the show! Stop by the ACG section of the PFS ballroom for a 30-45 minute demo. You can learn to play the game, get a sneak peek at the characters, and earn a free deck upgrade for a PFSACG character (one per player per season; this demo counts as Season of the Runelords).

Grand Convocation Scavenger Hunt

PaizoCon presents lots of great ways to play games and interact with Paizo fans and staff, but where does one begin? Why not participate in the Grand Convocation scavenger hunt, which rewards you with a special benefit in the Pathfinder Society Roleplaying Guild and Adventure Card Guild organized play programs for every highlight you hit? Play games, meet staff, and walk away with new ways to experience Golarion! Pick up your scavenger hunt sheet at the Pathfinder Society headquarters in the Grand Ballroom.

Something Punny About Seminars

The "What's New in the Adventure Card Game" panel is Saturday at 2 pm, and Mike, Vic and I—and perhaps some other Lone Sharks—will be there to answer your questions and make up wildly improbable stories about card design and development. We'll also have a little something to say about Mummy's Mask at the PaizoCon Preview Banquet Saturday night. And I'll try and sneak into the "Pathfinder Society Q&A" on Sunday at 2:00 PM in case anyone has questions about PFSACG matters. Finally, Obsidian Entertainment will be doing a "Pathfinder Adventures" panel Sunday at 11:00 AM that will be worth your time. (Everyone feel free to ask those panelists when Hook Mountain Massacre is coming out so that I stop getting that question in email.)

Recurring Art Thing

Hooray! It's time for more excellent art from the PACG archives! From the upcoming Goblins Fight! Deck, the Animalbane Crossbow +2.

Illustration by Litos Lopez Rodriguez

Until next time, Pathfinders—see you at the show!

Tanis O'Connor
Adventure Card Game Designer

OPC Log—2 Desnus 4716

Monday, May 2, 2016

Photos courtesy of Venture-Captain James Martin

Today I'm traveling back to Seattle from Quad Cities, Iowa, where we just wrapped the inaugural Quad Cities Game Fest. The convention hosted board games, RPGs, card games, vendors, bingo, and kid's activities—and this isn't even the whole list! Pathfinder took up about a fifth of the space, with a full roster of Pathfinder Society games. I ran Hands of the Muted God twice this weekend, and the seats for these games were raffle prizes benefitting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund. I enjoyed GMing these tables, and while I don't often get to utilize my license to kill, but two more characters (and an animal companion) did briefly visit Pharasma's Boneyard. You can call me Bond, Tonya Bond. Thanks to Dave, Barrett, VC James Martin, and all fantastic new friends for a blockbuster weekend!

On the subject of fantastic people, several dedicated GMs reached their fifth star over the past few weeks. Please join me in congratulating the following for their achievement. Huzzah!

• Marc Daoust
• Richard deMorris
• Michel Lepage
• Chris Manning
• Jeremy Mayr
• Andrew Porter
• Andrew Watson
• Pete Winz

Shifting gears, I have a few pieces of news on the topic of conventions. A few weeks ago, I unveiled a new Event Support Policy on the blog. It generated quite a bit of discussion, and I put a note in the comments that the team had read the commentary and was reassessing the program. I intended to post the revised policy today, but unfortunately technical difficulties while on the road meant I couldn't access my notes. I ask for your patience for just a bit longer while I return to Seattle, retrieve my notes, and pull the edges together. In the meantime, no convention is being denied support, whether it is in a retail location or not, the packages just vary according to location.

In a previous blog, John introduced the Pathfinder Society PaizoCon events, including some one of a kind adventures, out of retirement scenarios, and panels. Last week, our Customer Service team posted the Event Schedulde, and I urge everyone who is going to PaizoCon to take a look and sign up quickly with your lottery preferences. Don't procrastinate—lottery selections end on May 9th!

Official Pathfinder Society events in the Grand Ballroom are being run in the morning and evening slots at PaizoCon (with the exception of Saturday night, when we host the annual PaizoCon Preview Banquet. However, you may play in or run pickup games during the afternoon slots. Venture-Lieutenant Louis Manko-Levite has taken up the coordinator mantle for organizing afternoon games. If you'd like to run an afternoon PFS game, email Louis with the scenario you'd like to run and desired slot (Friday, Saturday, or Sunday). These games will then be added to the overall PaizoCon schedule, and will have a reserved table in the Grand Ballroom. You may also opt to bring a physical sign-up sheet to PFS Headquarters, where we'll post your game onsite. For attendees looking to play in these games, you may sign up during Open Registration on the Event Schedule page ahead of time, or stop by PFS Headquarters at the convention.

Volunteers are what make our conventions go! At this time, I have a full schedule of volunteers for PaizoCon 2016. However, I see need a handful of volunteers for Gen Con 2016, specifically Roleplaying Guild, Pathfinder Society Academy: Kid's Track GMs, and I'm looking for volunteers willing to accept Tier 1, 5, or 6 status. I could also use a few people for my waitlist, in the event that there are cancellations between now and Gen Con. If you're interested, please read over the Gen Con 2016 Call for Volunteers and follow the instructions found there.

During convention season, we get quite a few questions from PaizoCon and Gen Con volunteers regarding how and when they'll get scenarios they've volunteered to run. Our Community & Digital Content Director, Chris Lambertz, has provided all that you need to know about that process below:

If you've volunteered to run an existing scenario, they will be assigned to your account as scheduling information is confirmed. You will receive an email notifying you that these are available, and you will be able to download them from your My Downloads page immediately.

If you've volunteered to run a special or yet-to-be-released scenario, they will be benchmarked as assigned to your account as scheduling information is confirmed. An email is automatically generated from our system that these have been added to your account at this stage. However, your My Downloads page may indicate that these are not immediately available for download, but don't panic! Once the Pathfinder Society team completes these scenarios, and they are uploaded to our system, an update email will be sent to all volunteers indicating that they are now downloadable. If for any reason you have not received a second email, be sure to double check your My Downloads page before posting, or emailing Tonya or Customer Service.

If you are a volunteer for PaizoCon or Gen Con, and you have not received your downloads for scenarios you are scheduled to run by the week prior to the convention you're volunteering at, please email customer.service@paizo.com and CC tonya.woldridge@paizo.com.

Gen Con is previewing the 2016 event catalog on their website starting at noon this Friday, May 6. Next Monday's blog will provide more information about Paizo's lineup, as well as an introduction to this years team leading the volunteer crew at Gen Con. Tune in to get the inside scoop!

Until next time—Explore, Report, Cooperate!

Tonya Woldridge
Organized Play Coordinator

PaizoCon 2016 Event Schedule is Live Now!

Thursday, April 28, 2016

The PaizoCon 2016 Event Schedule is live!

With nearly 300 events over 4 days, including exclusive lottery games, seminars, panels, and one-of-a-kind workshops, PaizoCon 2016 has something for nearly every gamer to get excited about! With third-party publisher debuts, freelancing workshops, and panels featuring our Special Guests, the show will be a great way for attendees to connect to the larger Paizo and Pathfinder community. We'll also be hosting the annual PaizoCon Banquet Saturday night, and unveiling this year's Pathfinder Society Roleplaying Guild Special, Pathfinder Society Scenario #7-98: Serpents' Ire.

PaizoCon attendees can also start entering their preferences for the PaizoCon Event Lottery right now! The lottery includes games and workshops with limited seating, as well as the Pathfinder Society special. It does not include panels, large seminars, or any the regular Pathfinder Society tables. Preference selections can be made until Monday, May 9 at 12:00 PM Pacific time.

The PaizoCon Event Lottery results will be available on Wednesday, May 11 at 12:00 PM Pacific time. This is also when Open Registration and Event Trading begins, so you'll be able to register for non-lottery events, or swap seats with other attendees for events you may have gotten in the lottery.

Still confused about this whole "lottery" thing? We have a dedicated thread explaining the lottery process, buddy system, open registration, and event trading just for newcomers!

Haven't picked up a badge yet? Go ahead and grab yourself a 4-Day Badge and get your selections for events in now! We also have a Kid's 4-Day Badge option for attendees 10 and under, as well as Banquet Tickets that are sold individually.

New to the area and want to know what's to do around the convention and in Seattle? Check out our Visitor's Guide to PaizoCon 2016.

Interested in discussing PaizoCon with fellow attendees, fans, and staff? Want to discuss a specific event? Head on over to the PaizoCon forums!

Chris Lambertz
Community & Digital Content Director

A Visitor's Guide to PaizoCon 2016

Thursday, April 21, 2016

PaizoCon 2016 is just a little over a month away, and we're all busy making preparations for our favorite convention of the year. Whether you're a first-time visitor to the Seattle area, or a PaizoCon veteran, here's a few things to do in the area before, during, and after the convention!

Movement Speed

If you are not renting a car, and you're not using an allied NPC boon for local travel, the DoubleTree Hotel is conveniently located right on the A Line Express of King County's Metro bus system. Just up the street is also the light rail which leads directly to downtown, which is going to be your best way to get to the sights of Seattle. The most affordable way for out-of-town visitors to view the area is to pick up a Regional Day Pass, which can be purchased at the light rail station for $8 for unlimited rides (for fares up to $3.50). The challenge rating of facing the local highway system is mighty—use public transportation and carpool as much as possible! For planning out your travels, Google Maps and One Bus Away has been the most reliable for public transportation arrival and departure times.

Photos courtesy of Liz Courts

Gazetteer of Seattle

When I first came to live on the moister side of the Pacific Northwest, I had an excellent guide to show me the way (thanks, Cosmo). Now I am passing on some of the locations that I enjoy in the area, and if you are arriving early for PaizoCon, see the sights of the Emerald City! A fair warning: Seattle is quite hilly, and some spots are very steep. PaizoCon Founder Tim Nightengale recommends that you visit Seattle Premier Attactions for a broader overview of what you can see, but here are my favorites.

• Pike Place Market: In operation since 1907, this is a multi-level market that you've probably seen on TV where the folks throwing the fish around. It is less busy during the week before noon, so keep that in mind, and that you'll want to bring cash here, as not all the places accept credit or debit card. If you're a foodie, don't miss Beecher's Handmade Cheese, Daily Dozen Doughnut Company, DeLaurenti, Ellenos Yogurt, Market Spice, Piroshky Piroshky, the "original" Starbucks, and World Spice. There are dozens of different stores in Pike Place, not to mention a comic book store—spend some time meandering!
• Pioneer Square: One of the oldest neighborhoods in Seattle, built in 1857, there is quite a bit of local history to discover here, including King Street Station and the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. Don't miss the Underground Tour!
• Seattle Aquarium: I have it on good authority from an enthusiastic three year old that this is the best. Jellyfish, octopi, otters, seals, tide pools and an underwater dome are some of the features here. Seagulls can be seen all around Seattle for free!
• Seattle Center: There are not one, but multiple things to do in this encounter. The EMP Museum is more than just music (though there is a lot of that too, and the guitar exhibit is quite stunning), and the Pacific Science Center has multiple attractions (including a LEGO® exhibit starting on May 28th), and the Seattle Center is also home to the iconic Space Needle. Whether or not Chihuly was contacted from Things Beyond Space and Time is a matter of some debate, but Chihuly Garden & Glass is full of inspirational mind-bending art. The easiest way to get to the Seattle Center is by the Monorail from Westlake. If you're planning on attending multiple museums at the Seattle Center or around town, check out the Citypass!

Other strong contenders for things to see and do in Seattle: the International District, Ivar's, Molly Moon's Ice Cream, Seattle Art Museum (check out the Roman glassware and Native American collections), Seattle Great Wheel, and probably at least a dozen other places that I'm forgetting. If you get lost, Pike and Pine streets are great fixtures to orient yourself, as is the Washington State Convention Center and Westlake Center. In a pinch, just head downhill towards the water.

Many have asked this question, but this is a good spot to say this again: we do not offer tours of the Paizo offices, sorry!

Staff Accountant Ashley Kaprielian loves a few things more than numbers. This is one of them.
Photo courtesy of Liz Courts

Local Eats

Besides the DoubleTree Hotel's coffee stand, breakfast buffet, and lounge, here are a few places to eat within walking distance (half a mile) of the convention space.

• 13 Coins Restaurant
• Dave's Diner & Brews
• Denny's
• Gregory's Bar & Grill
• Jack in the Box
• L&L Hawaiian Barbecue
• Mango Thai Cuisine & Bar
• Sharps RoastHouse
• Taco Bell

To the Market!

• Safeway, 21401 Pacific Highway South, Des Moines, WA 98198 (2.1 miles, open 5am to 1am)
• Safeway, 4011 S 164th St, Seattle, WA 98188, (2.3 miles, open 24 hours)
• QFC, 17847 1st Avenue South, Normandy Park, WA 98148 (2.5 miles, open 24 hours)

For other shopping needs, the Westfield Southcenter Mall is four miles away (2800 Southcenter Mall, Seattle, WA 98188), and is open 10am to 9pm, and includes a multiplex IMAX theater. If you need non-emergency medical care, Immediate Clinic Burien (15870 1st Avenue South, Burien, WA 98148; 8am to 8pm) and Concentra Urgent Care (545 Andover Park W, Tukwila, WA 98188; 24 hours) are the closest.

Photo courtesy of Cosmo Eisele

Photo courtesy of Chris Lambertz

3, 2, 1—Let's Jam!

Alright, it's convention time! I know you might not want to hear it, but give yourself a little bit of extra time to prepare yourself and get a bite and a cuppa joe in before your day starts. (And for all of the volunteers that arise to run at this hour, thank you!) A little bit of courtesy goes a long way, so please be kind to the hotel NPCs when gathering with your party. If this is your first convention ever, well, thank you for picking ours! Here's a few convention tips:

• Wear comfortable, broken-in shoes, and bring an extra pair. Your feet will thank you.
• Bring extra socks.
• Stay hydrated—there is no substitute for water.
• Bring a non-sugary snack to keep your energy levels up.
• A minimum of 3 hours of sleep, two real meals, and one shower. In the words of Erik Mona, "Man cannot survive on gaming, booze, and 5-Hour Energy alone (trust me, I've tried)."
• Don't completely fill your schedule—give yourself some downtime.
• Make new friends.
• For freelancers and would-be freelancers, bring a business card (and leave some room to write notes on).
• Don't forget the dice.

ConCrud

It happens—you know it, we know it. Wash your hands, cover your mouth, stay hydrated, eat proper meals, get some rest—these give you a bonus to your Fortitude save to help from spreading Urgathoa's touch.

Got any additional questions? Concerns? Musings? Want to know other favorite haunts that we like? Ask away in the the discussion thread!

Getting the dire ducklings in a row,

Liz Courts
Community Manager