Off to the Planes!

Monday, November 28, 2016

We launched Pathfinder Society Roleplaying Guild's Season of the Stolen Storm with the promise of exploring the elemental planes, yet so far, the season has maintained a conspicuously Material Plane focus. Part of that's a lesson learned from Season 6, whose two dozen scenarios incorporated advanced technology in modest quantities yet developed a nothing-but-tech reputation because many of those scenarios debuted near the beginning of the season. This year we've been ramping up our extraplanar storyline more gradually, including Pathfinder Society Special #7-99: Through Maelstrom Rift as a peek behind the scenes of developments on their way and Pathfinder Society Scenario #8-05: Ungrounded but Unbroken as the Society's first on-screen step onto the elemental planes. At the same time, we've provided an oft-requested return to Galt, a story of redemption in Dtang Ma, an evergreen Tier 3-7 scenario, and more.

But make no mistake: we'll be seeing more of the elemental planes. That begins this week, beginning with two short series: Tyranny of Winds and Forged in Flame!

The first installment of Tyranny of Winds comes to us from Charlie Brooks, who takes us on a whirlwind tour of Osirion's Scorpion Coast in Pathfinder Society Scenario #8-08: Tyranny of Winds, Part 1: The Sandstorm Prophecy, a Tier 1-5 adventure. Much to Venture-Captain Norden Balentiir's consternation, his lodge has suffered another theft, this time apparently in association with the Society's recent acquisition of a powerful elemental artifact. The culprit has escaped into the Scorpion Coast, an untamed wilderness that Osirian pharaohs once attempted to settle through the labor of elementals—no doubt of interest to members of the Scarab Sages. It is now the domain of free-willed elementals that view most humanoids as trespassers, and it's here the PCs must travel if they are to find where the thief fled.

This season it's a goal of ours to present at least two adventures in each of the four elemental planes, and the Plane of Fire has proven one of the greatest challenges because, well, PCs are remarkably combustible in a realm that deals 3d10 fire damage each round. The answer was to look to the great trade cities, which offer some protection from the heat. The City of Brass is the most famous of these (and is on the way), but what really jumped out at us was Zjarra, a cosmopolitan refuge that attracts commerce from across the multiverse. Not only is this appealing to the Exchange faction, but Zjarra is also the home of a dangerous informant who has offered her expertise in solving one of the Society's pressing problems—for a price. Venture-Captain Esmayl Ibn Qaradi has given the PCs the first crack at negotiating this planar metropolis in Pathfinder Society Scenario #8-09: Forged in Flame, Part 1: The Cindersworn Pact, a Tier 5-9 adventure!

In other news, traveling to the elemental planes and exploring elemental themes has warranted commissioning some really great art. Pictured here are an earth elemental, an efreeti information broker, and a Qadiran venture-captain who first appeared in Season 0 and now has his own handsome art—all illustrated by Giorgio Baroni.

John Compton
Pathfinder Society Lead Developer

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Tags: Giorgio Baroni Pathfinder Society Pathfinder Society Scenarios
Grand Lodge 4/5

This is remarkable information. I look forward to running these scenarios. That said, what's the name of the Qadiran VC from Season 0, and what scenarios is he in? Would love to run the lead up to meeting him at least once before doing the new scenarios.

Dark Archive

kevin_video wrote:
This is remarkable information. I look forward to running these scenarios. That said, what's the name of the Qadiran VC from Season 0, and what scenarios is he in? Would love to run the lead up to meeting him at least once before doing the new scenarios.

Hi Kevin

If you click on the image, a larger version opens up that is named "Esmayl", so i guess that´s his name.
Can´t help you with the scenario though.

Thx for your great Way of the Wicked recaps!

Greetings from Germany

Grand Lodge 4/5

Marco Massoudi wrote:
kevin_video wrote:
This is remarkable information. I look forward to running these scenarios. That said, what's the name of the Qadiran VC from Season 0, and what scenarios is he in? Would love to run the lead up to meeting him at least once before doing the new scenarios.

Hi Kevin

If you click on the image, a larger version opens up that is named "Esmayl", so i guess that´s his name.
Can´t help you with the scenario though.

Thx for your great Way of the Wicked recaps!

Greetings from Germany

Ah, must be because I'm on my phone as no name comes up, or the screen's too small.

I'm glad you liked my synopsis write ups and tips on the games. Things being what they are Throne of Night will likely never get the same treatment.

Fellow greetings from Canada.

Edit: Eternal Obelisk is where he's from. It's a 5-9.

The Concordance 4/5 5/55/55/55/5 ****

Cup the gnome is ready for planar travel! Take me everywhere!

Grand Lodge 4/5 5/55/55/55/5 **** Venture-Captain, Minnesota

2 people marked this as a favorite.

And her player is excited too. But then, I'm always excited. I must be part gnome.

Hmm

Scarab Sages 4/5 ****

1 person marked this as a favorite.

I'm a Gnome. Can I be excited too?

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

Excellent art, Giorgio Baroni.

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

Oh, that little cactus is just brilliant!


I'm a fan of planar scenarios.

The Exchange 4/5

Sparkle-Weave wrote:
I'm a Gnome. Can I be excited too?

Excitement? I can dig it!

And expanding my network on to the Plane of Fire is just too beautiful. And for once an urban gig that can't involve sewers!

...no wait, scratch that, they'll just contain lava or burning swarms or something. *sigh*

4/5 *

3 people marked this as a favorite.

I want a cactus familiar!

Silver Crusade 4/5

There's a Groot-like familiar in the Familiar Folio, but I don't think it's PFS legal.

Sovereign Court 4/5 5/5 *** Venture-Agent, Nebraska—Omaha

Fromper wrote:
There's a Groot-like familiar in the Familiar Folio, but I don't think it's PFS legal.

The petrifern is legal.

Additional Resources wrote:
the unusual familars on pages 30-31 are legal for play, except ioun wyrd.

It provides a +1 natural armor bonus.

Silver Crusade 4/5

I stand corrected.

Paizo Employee 4/5 Pathfinder Society Lead Developer

6 people marked this as a favorite.
Dien Weefiresoul wrote:
Sparkle-Weave wrote:
I'm a Gnome. Can I be excited too?

Excitement? I can dig it!

And expanding my network on to the Plane of Fire is just too beautiful. And for once an urban gig that can't involve sewers!

...no wait, scratch that, they'll just contain lava or burning swarms or something. *sigh*

*Checks the maps*

Yep, looks like lava sewers to me. On the plus side, we guarantee you won't need to attempt Fortitude saves against filth fever.

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

Huh. Darn. For some reason I thought the Plane of Air trilogy was Tier 5-9, cuz I've been looking forward to playing my level 9 Sylph through it.

Oh, well. Still super excited, regardless!

The Exchange 4/5

John Compton wrote:
Dien Weefiresoul wrote:
Sparkle-Weave wrote:
I'm a Gnome. Can I be excited too?

Excitement? I can dig it!

And expanding my network on to the Plane of Fire is just too beautiful. And for once an urban gig that can't involve sewers!

...no wait, scratch that, they'll just contain lava or burning swarms or something. *sigh*

*Checks the maps*

Yep, looks like lava sewers to me. On the plus side, we guarantee you won't need to attempt Fortitude saves against filth fever.

TARNATION! And I'm so smol that wading in the lava just means immersion...

Silver Crusade 4/5

My sylph is level 3, so perfect for this, despite having been built with a 2013 GenCon GM boon. I just switch characters so often that it takes forever to level any of them up.

Sovereign Court 4/5 * Organized Play Coordinator

kevin_video wrote:
This is remarkable information. I look forward to running these scenarios. That said, what's the name of the Qadiran VC from Season 0, and what scenarios is he in? Would love to run the lead up to meeting him at least once before doing the new scenarios.

The Venture-Captain shows up in #21-The Eternal Obelisk, a retired scenario not available for regular play.

Grand Lodge 4/5

Tonya Woldridge wrote:
kevin_video wrote:
This is remarkable information. I look forward to running these scenarios. That said, what's the name of the Qadiran VC from Season 0, and what scenarios is he in? Would love to run the lead up to meeting him at least once before doing the new scenarios.
The Venture-Captain shows up in #21-The Eternal Obelisk, a retired scenario not available for regular play.

Yup, found it last night right after Marco Massoudi commented. Didn't realize it was retired though.

Scarab Sages 4/5

Any chance that scenario might be brought out of retirement just like the VC? Judging the book by its cover (dangerous, I know!), and comments in the reviews that it lead to TPKs, I'm guessing the creature that got it banned is one that shows up in another recent scenario that's tier 3-7 even.

I've never played or read #21, so I can't say that for sure. But I could certainly use another 5-9 available to play!

Shadow Lodge 4/5

It's got some problems and features grimlocks which IIRC aren't Golarion canon.

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

Indeed. Some of the retired scenarios disappeared because they contained D&D trademarked content.

Scarab Sages 4/5

Ah. That's disappointing, but it makes sense.

5/5 **

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Rulebook Subscriber

I played Eternal Obelisk at PaizoCon as an out-of-retirement special event. These specials are offered every year at PaizoCon and other select venues.

So, if it's any consolation, the work has been done to re-do them on a piecemeal basis. I don't know if they will eventually make their way back into the general circulation.

Grand Lodge 4/5

waltero wrote:

I played Eternal Obelisk at PaizoCon as an out-of-retirement special event. These specials are offered every year at PaizoCon and other select venues.

So, if it's any consolation, the work has been done to re-do them on a piecemeal basis. I don't know if they will eventually make their way back into the general circulation.

Would be pretty cool if that'd be something other venues could pull off and get to be told how. I know our convention could make use of having access to additional scenarios like that.

I've read a couple of the retired ones and some still seem quite relevant, but just need a class change or even a race update.

Paizo Employee 4/5 Pathfinder Society Lead Developer

kevin_video wrote:
waltero wrote:

I played Eternal Obelisk at PaizoCon as an out-of-retirement special event. These specials are offered every year at PaizoCon and other select venues.

So, if it's any consolation, the work has been done to re-do them on a piecemeal basis. I don't know if they will eventually make their way back into the general circulation.

Would be pretty cool if that'd be something other venues could pull off and get to be told how. I know our convention could make use of having access to additional scenarios like that.

I've read a couple of the retired ones and some still seem quite relevant, but just need a class change or even a race update.

Members of the Pathfinder Society have also brought some of the revisited retired scenarios with us when we travel to conventions, whether to just provide a unique experience or to raffle off seats at the event to raise money for a charity.

There are not currently plans to re-release retired scenarios, in large part because the revision notes are just that: notes, plus redesigned stat blocks. They would require further development and updated layout/design to make them ready for for sale. Currently there are other projects we're handling, but maybe down the line it's something for us to revisit. For now, we can provide them as special traveling content.

The Exchange 4/5 5/5

waltero wrote:
I played Eternal Obelisk at PaizoCon as an out-of-retirement special event. These specials are offered every year at PaizoCon and other select venues.

We helped out an ally of the Society AND made lots of new friends!

That was a really fun table. Even if I don't get into a retired scenario game this year I hope to play with some (or all!) of you in other games.

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