Today marks Sean K Reynolds's last day as a member of Paizo's design team, as he leaves us for new adventures in the East. Sean's been an invaluable member of the Paizo crew since 2008, lending his experience, insights, innovations, and insanity to hundreds of products, as well as being a key contributor to the Pathfinder RPG's most major successes. While we'll all certainly be seeing plenty more of Sean on the message boards and in future Paizo products, for those of us used to seeing him everyday today's exciting but also a little sad. So, we wanted to take this opportunity to share some of our favorite Sean memories and wish him all the best in what comes next.
(Video compiled by Jessica Price)
From Sean's Friends
"Sean K Reynolds has been a constant in the business since I first joined in the late 90s. Heck, Sean even hired me for my first "real" RPG job, as a TSRO moderator on the old TSR AOL site. I saw his TSR web policy seminar at my first Gen Con, worked with him on the rebirth of Greyhawk, and co-wrote the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer with him. When I finally got a job at WotC in '99, Sean was one of the few people I knew coming in, and he did a great job making me feel at home. When we had a chance to bring him on to the Paizo staff, I leapt at it. In the years since, we've worked together, gamed together, and traded minis tips together. It's going to be weird not having him around. Sean, thanks for the years of friendship and professional support. You're a great guy, destined for great things. And since you're moving to Indy, at least we know we'll always have Gen Con!"
—Erik Mona, Publisher
"In the 90s Sean was my favorite designer at TSR and early WotC—I used Children of the Night: Ghosts and Lords of Darkness until they were practically in tatters. In the low 00s, Sean's Ghostwalk article "The Bloody Swords" in Dragon #315 was the first article I read on my first day working at Paizo. Years later, his Greyhawk deity articles finally won me over on D&D's original campaign setting. Sean was one of the first authors to help us in exploring the world of Golarion and it wasn't long after that he joined James, Jason, Sutter, Chris, Sarah, and I in a cramped cube-divided office, making Pathfinder full-time.
"That first year we were roommates at Gen Con and I admit to still being more than slightly starstruck. They screwed up our room, though, giving us a single bed and a rickety iron cot. Sean dashed for the cot. There was no way though. The 16-year-old fanboy in me wasn't about to let that happen. The politest argument of my life transpired, one which only ended when I had to confess that there was no way I was going to let him sleep on the cot simply "Because you're Sean K Reynolds." I claimed my cot amid the resulting blushing.
"In the years since, Sean has been a font of awesome ideas, a mouthpiece for alien insanity, an office-place peacemaker, a dauntless romantic, a Post-It note artiste, a promoter of great Indian food, a friend to baristas, a passenger-seat virtuoso, a plastic-wrap elitist, a lead-footed cleric, a vital part of our every victory, and one of the most selfless friends anyone could ever wish for.
"Best wishes, man. If you ever need anything, just yell."
—F. Wesley Schneider, Editor-in-Chief
"Sean joined the design team in the early days of the Pathfinder RPG. To say that he was pivotal in its design and implementation is a bit of an understatement. He's been a critical part of the design team, tirelessly working to ensure our game is the best it can be. From assigning work to freelancers to maintaining an incredibly useful stat-block generator, Sean's value to the team and to Paizo will surely be missed. I want to wish Sean all the best in his future endeavors, your skill and expertise will be missed (as will your hilarious, bizarre, and ridiculous carpool stories)."
—Jason Bulmahn, Lead Designer
A Goblin Song for Sean
Goblins gray or goblins green,
Doesn't matter, we're all mean.
Always seeking to demean...
And so that's why we call you Sean!"Don't let them out there be goblins too, Sean! Don't let them mispronounce your name! Seeya on the internets, farming crops!"
—James Jacobs, Creative Director
"Bye Sean! I'll miss your dancing!"
—Sarah Robinson, Senior Art Director
"When Sean first started here, it was up to me to take him under my wing and show him what this whole 'RPG developer' business was about. Fortunately, he was a quick learner, and after his first Paizocon we decide to let him start using his own arms for simple tasks. You will be missed, Sean!"
—James Sutter, Managing Editor
"I'll miss Sean's pithy humor and refreshing honesty (as well as the hilarious post-its he was always leaving on my desk), but I'll miss the kindness under the wit even more. From my first day at Paizo, Sean was supportive and patient, willing to take the time to answer my newbie questions, and ready to volunteer answers to the questions I didn't know enough to ask. I wish him the best and hope we'll get to hang out with him at Gen Con for many years to come."
—Jessica Price, Project Manager
"There are so many things I'm going to miss about Sean, it's hard to pick just one. So I won't. I'll miss our rules discussions and arguments. I'll miss the heavy sighs as he reviews message board posts. I'll miss the big grin he gets when he says something (he thinks is) really funny. Then again, he gave me a bunch of cool minis stuff that he didn't want to take to Indy, and I'll have my own office for a short while, so I guess it all evens out. Good luck, sir!"
—Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Designer
"Who's going to make fun of my "Europe-ness" now? Take care, Sean, and I'll think of you the next time I'm in Europe!"
—Rob McCreary, Senior Developer
"Sean is one of the greats in the land of fantasy RPGs, and getting a chance to work with him has been a blast. His rules knowledge and the thought he puts in constantly impress me, as does his ability to analyze and revisit our twisting, sprawling collection of rules. He's most definitely the wizard in the design team's party! I wish him the best of luck as he steps out with his bags of loot (mostly miniatures and pieces of terrain) for the wilds that will be his new home. Happy trails, Sean! It's been a pleasure and I look forward to seeing you again whenever the percentile rolls dictate."
—Logan Bonner, Developer
"Sean has a much-loved talent for dropping in on a discussion and contributing an inspired observation or a brief anecdote. From his gifts of victory candy to his smiling responses even to tough questions, he has helped to make Paizo Publishing a positive place to work."
—John Compton, Developer
"You and Wes were the first people at Paizo to give me work, and you were incredibly helpful getting me started and teaching me the right way to do things. I will miss having you in the office since I won't get to see your silly dances and hear you poking fun at Rob about Europe. I'm at least glad you'll still be writing for me."
—Adam Daigle, Developer
"My biggest fear is that without Sean to scare them off, the protestors will return to the post office in greater numbers and with even more mustaches.
"Most of all, though, I'm gonna miss the way Sean says, 'Hey man.'"
—Patrick Renie, Developer
"I'll miss you, Sean. You were the first friend I had at Paizo, and I'll never forget meeting you right after you managed to knock yourself unconscious. Safe travels, hamdoctor.
—Crystal Frasier, Digital Products Assistant
"Sean, thanks for your patient mentoring over the years! I'll miss your unflagging sense of humor and surrealist song-and-dance routine!"
—Judy Bauer, Associate Editor
"Sean came aboard the good ship Paizo only about a month after I began working here as an editor. At the time, I had no idea of his renown in the gaming industry. I think my first question to him was, "Can I hyphenate the term 'bull rush' when it's used as a verb...you know, like in real English?" I'm sure he wondered, "Who is this guy?" Instead, he politely explained to me that hyphenating such game terms wasn't a traditional practice, and I sighed and went back to my cube and cried (okay, not really). Over the years, Sean has (at least outwardly) put up with all of my pesky editing questions with unflappable tolerance, and has also been a good friend through both calm and stormy weather.
I have no idea know where this sailing metaphor is coming from, so I'll just end this here by saying: Bon voyage, Sean! Looking forward to seeing you the next time the good ship Paizo ports in Indy!"
—Chris Carey, Associate Editor
"Sean is one of the kindest and thoughtful humans I've worked with in gaming. He made me feel welcome at Paizo, and carpooling with him was often a...treat. Dude tells weird stories, and I suspect half are made up on the spot. But anyway, I will miss Sean's "manic pixie game designer"-ness in the office."
—Ryan Macklin, Editor
SKR Haiku
one of the nicest
most opinionated men
I have ever known—Sonja Morris, Graphic Designer
When I first came on board as a developer here, Sean was incredibly welcoming and helped me hit the ground running. To this day, almost 4 years into the job, I still go to him several times a week with questions about rules, the industry, and specific elements of Golarion canon he had a hand in creating (namely the gods). While I'll miss having him as a resource on hand when I need him, I'll miss more his unique sense of humor, matter-of-fact demeanor, and the dependability of having him in the office to assist with whatever I might need.
Best of luck to you, Sean! I look forward to catching up at GenCon every year (and maybe some Paizo Cons if you ever return for it). Don't give anyone else that banana bread recipe, please.
—Mark Moreland, Developer
All our best, Sean, from all of us at Paizo. There will always be a place for you here and in our future adventures.
