Familiar Places, Strange Faces

Monday, March 2, 2015

This is the time of year when I put the finishing touches on the Gen Con line-up, whose array of scenarios this year is looking positively stunning. If you haven't taken a look, check out last week's blog for a hint of what is to come. Also, I hear there are still a few volunteer slots left, so be sure to read that blog more closely and contact Mike Brock if you are interested in being a GM at this massive convention.


Illustration by Marek Madej

In the meantime, I am excited about the recently-released February scenarios for Pathfinder Society. This month was a little strange because both adventures are Tier 1–5, but that's mostly because I'm saving some of the higher-level adventures for later in the season when we resolve some other pieces of the Sky Key story. Several months ago, I also took a long hard look at how Gen Con's earlier date this year (July 30–Aug 2) would affect the Season 6 schedule. The Pathfinder Society team decided that the cleanest way to handle this would be to make the Year of the Sky Key shorter by a month and start Season 7 a month early. The result is a slightly compressed season in which you'll see a lot of plot coming together in the final six months and a slightly smaller number of scenarios per season (but not per year). The last standard scenario for Season 6 will be #6–23, plus several Special events released at PaizoCon and Gen Con.

Now that we've talked a bit about the big picture, let's look at some of these recent releases. Pathfinder Society Scenario #6–14: Scions of the Sky Key, Part 2: Kaava Quarry is the second installment in a three-part series that takes the Pathfinders to northern Sargava and (in this adventure) a fun stretch of jungle in the southwest Mwangi Expanse. Author Mike Kimmel was one of the three RPG Superstar 2014 finalists, and I think it's fair to say he had the most open-ended outline of the trio. I received a really fun proposal a few days later, and the result is a giant dinosaur on the cover of a Tier 1–5 scenario and one of my favorite encounters of the year. The PCs are going to need some help, so today I've included an illustration of one of the first acquaintances they meet upon entering the Kaava Lands.

I am also very excited about Pathfinder Society Scenario #6–15: The Overflow Archives, written by Scott Sharplin. I first learned of Scott when speaking with a few freelancers at PaizoCon, and like the professional that he is, he had an Open Call submission waiting in my inbox soon after I got back in the office. You may already be familiar with his work in The Silverhex Chronicles (namely Mists and Mausoleum), and when the schedule had an opening for a low-level adventure tied to the Dark Archive, I asked Scott if he would be interested in turning his Open Call piece into a full scenario. The final adventure is unlike anything published in the campaign to date, and it's a delightful yet whimsically dark story that takes the PCs deep into one of the Grand Lodge's more notorious vaults. Just to give you a sense of the strangeness within, I present the Owl and the Albatross, two figures featured in the story within a story.


Illustration by Marek Madej

John Compton
Developer

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Tags: Marek Madej Pathfinder Society Pathfinder Society Scenarios Year of the Sky Key
5/5

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

I assume that the beginning of Season 7 will still be on GenCon weekend? Also, I've heard there may be a new Guide to Organized Play v6.1 to account for some of the new changes (especially Core), is this true? Lastly, are we going to see the Faction Cards before or at the introduction to Season 7?

Grand Lodge 4/5 Global Organized Play Coordinator

Soluzar wrote:
I assume that the beginning of Season 7 will still be on GenCon weekend? Also, I've heard there may be a new Guide to Organized Play v6.1 to account for some of the new changes (especially Core), is this true? Lastly, are we going to see the Faction Cards before or at the introduction to Season 7?

Yes

No

I don't remember off the top of my head.

Shadow Lodge *

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Starfinder Superscriber

Just wanted to say that I played Kaava Quarry yesterday, and it is easily among the top few scenarios I have played.

Well done!

4/5 *

Prepping Overflow Archives now - what a great scenario! Actually makes me interested in the Dark Archives (and for a guy who has in the past called for Zarta Dralneen to be executed for treason, that is saying a lot!) Grat stuff, folks, keep it coming!

4/5

1 person marked this as a favorite.

I got to play Kaava Quarry over the weekend, and in addition to unveiling my newest character, I got to enjoy what was undoubtedly the most entertaining and enjoyable use of an often-maligned encounter type I have ever seen. It was a spectacular scenario.

Liberty's Edge 4/5

I'm running Overflow Archives next week. Looks like a great scenario!

Mike

Paizo Employee 2/5 RPG Superstar 2014 Top 4, RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32

I can't wait to run Kaava Quarry, and perhaps the other two parts of the series, at PaizoCon this year. If anyone runs or plays #6-14 and feels like sending their thoughts my way, I'd love to hear them!

Paizo Employee 2/5 RPG Superstar 2014 Top 4, RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32

pH unbalanced wrote:

Just wanted to say that I played Kaava Quarry yesterday, and it is easily among the top few scenarios I have played.

Well done!

Game Master wrote:
I got to play Kaava Quarry over the weekend, and in addition to unveiling my newest character, I got to enjoy what was undoubtedly the most entertaining and enjoyable use of an often-maligned encounter type I have ever seen. It was a spectacular scenario.

I am glad to hear you both enjoyed the scenario. John helped me to avoid some of the pitfalls which often "malign" the encounter type you're speaking of. Thanks for the feedback!

Shadow Lodge 4/5 5/5 RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 8

Just prepping for #6-15 is making me excited to run it. Haven't felt this pumped for a clever scenario since Library of the Lion!

Sovereign Court 5/5 *

Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber
Walter Sheppard wrote:
Just prepping for #6-15 is making me excited to run it. Haven't felt this pumped for a clever scenario since Library of the Lion!

Oh, that makes me excited to get my hands on it Walter, scheduled to GM 3 tables of 6-15 CORE at paizo con!

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