Hey all,

I just received this email from Horseman Events and the Gathering, the folks running Pathfinder Society scenarios at Origins. If you're looking for an opportunity to volunteer to run our scenarios at Origins, this is the place to go!

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Ladies and Gentleman,

It is that time once again. Origins the Gathering is live on Consupport http://consupport.com. Sign in and register for the games you are wanting to judge. Also, remember to sign up for any perks you are wanting. If you are not registered for the perks, we can not guarantee their availability!

There are also a limited number of volunteer slots available. We are requesting if you are volunteering, please volunteer for back to back slots to help us run the headquarters smoother.

If you have questions, please post them here. Feel free to pass this information on to any campaigns you are involved in.

Also, there are a number of classic style events this year. If you aren't sure about what to judge, these are also available to volunteer for.

Make sure to send your Origins-GAMA ID to Nancy nanaia3@yahoo.com right away for any judge benefits you will want. Get an id at the GAMA site:

[url]https://www.originsgamefair.com/2009-origins/register?op=auth;method=create Account]https://www.originsgamefair.com/2009-origins/register?op=auth;metho d=createAccount[/url]

On behalf of the entire Gathering Staff, thank you in advance for your help in making this year's Origins the Gathering the best ever!

Nancy Art James Casey Carl Troy Whit

Sign-up completed, Nancy has received my demands and the kids are in bed.

9 Friday 8AM Pathfinder Society Scenario #26: Lost at Bitter End GM Volunteered
10 Friday 1:30PM Pathfinder Society Scenario #23: Tide of Morning GM Volunteered
11 Friday 7PM Pathfinder Society Scenario #24: The Decline of Glory GM Volunteered
13 Saturday 8AM Pathfinder Society Scenario #25: Hands of the Muted God GM Volunteered
14 Saturday 1:30PM Pathfinder Society Scenario #25: Hands of the Muted God GM Volunteered
15 Saturday 7PM Pathfinder Society Scenario #23: Tide of Morning GM Volunteered
17 Sunday 8AM Pathfinder Society Scenario #24: The Decline of Glory GM Volunteered

Doug,

Glad to hear that you will be at Origins. I am hopeful that I will be able to play at your table at least once.

Chad

Doug,

Glad to hear that you will be at Origins. I am hopeful that I will be able to play at your table at least once.

Chad

I know...that monkey had me terrified.

Chad

Bump!

The Gathering needs all the volunteers they can get! Check their website for information on dealer hall vouchers, free badges, and free hotel rooms for volunteering to GM Pathfinder Society events with The Gathering at Origins!

Bump!

The Gathering needs all the volunteers they can get! Check their website for information on dealer hall vouchers, free badges, and free hotel rooms for volunteering to GM Pathfinder Society events with The Gathering at Origins!

Shameless Rich

Paizo won't have a booth at the show, which is why the Gathering is running our events there. I'll be on hand to help them and answer questions, but that means we're not running volunteers. While the Gathering awards vouchers to be spent in the dealer hall, without Paizo at the show you'll be limited to Paizo swag you can find in the hall. I *might* bring some prize support along, but that's up in the air right now.

Paizo won't have a booth at the show, which is why the Gathering is running our events there. I'll be on hand to help them and answer questions, but that means we're not running volunteers. While the Gathering awards vouchers to be spent in the dealer hall, without Paizo at the show you'll be limited to Paizo swag you can find in the hall. I *might* bring some prize support along, but that's up in the air right now.

Paizo won't have a booth at the show,

I'll be totally frank about Origins and Paizo: the last three years, we've lost money at the show. Last year in particular it was incredibly expensive for us to get there, man a booth, and participate in sales at the show. We have to fly people there, pay for their food, pay for their hotel, pay for the booth space, drayage for shipping the booth and product, electricity, internet, getting a banner hung -- when you calculate all of the costs associated with going, the only way to break even is to sell an amount of product that the attendance numbers at Origins just don't support. I personally love the show and I love going to the show, but Paizo had to look hard at the costs versus the revenue and, in the end, it wasn't a show we could attend and expect to recover our costs. We're a small company--we can't view conventions as just marketing expenses, they have to make sense from a revenue angle as well. Like I said, I LOVE Origins, I think it's a great show and I like going to Columbus (which is why I'm going for Pathfinder Society) but it wasn't something we could do this year. With the RPG launching at Gen Con and not having it at the show, there just wasn't enough value for us to attend. This doesn't mean we'll never attend Origins again, it just means that this year we couldn't feasibly make it happen.

That said, we still really need volunteers to run Pathfinder Society! I received a spreadsheet yesterday and what folks are signed up for and the volunteer numbers are really low for Pathfinder Society. If you're going to be at the show, want a free badge, and want a voucher for some goodies in the dealer hall, make sure you sign up to run Pathfinder Society at Origins! Who knows, you might be running a table right next to mine. :-)

I have a question about the scenarios being run at Origins. Four out of six of them are the same scenarios being run at PAIZOCON. One of my local GMs is flying out to PAIZOCON which takes place two weeks before Origins. I had assumed that after playing the scenarios at PAIZOCON, my local guy would come back to Michigan and run them for our local tables so no one need eat them. I was happy to sign up for Origins while operating under this assumption. But then it occurred to me that the PAIZOCON scenarios might not be released for general use until later (as the GenCon 2008 scenarios were). I have made a commitment to run PFS at Origins and I won't back out of that, but I was hoping for confirmation that the players who attend PAIZOCON will be able to purchase the scenarios run there before Origins two weeks later.

I have a question about the scenarios being run at Origins. Four out of six of them are the same scenarios being run at PAIZOCON. One of my local GMs is flying out to PAIZOCON which takes place two weeks before Origins. I had assumed that after playing the scenarios at PAIZOCON, my local guy would come back to Michigan and run them for our local tables so no one need eat them. I was happy to sign up for Origins while operating under this assumption. But then it occurred to me that the PAIZOCON scenarios might not be released for general use until later (as the GenCon 2008 scenarios were). I have made a commitment to run PFS at Origins and I won't back out of that, but I was hoping for confirmation that the players who attend PAIZOCON will be able to purchase the scenarios run there before Origins two weeks later.

Bump for volunteers. We're just not seeing a lot of folks wanting to run Pathfinder Society at Origins. Come on out and help us out. :-)

Bump for volunteers. We're just not seeing a lot of folks wanting to run Pathfinder Society at Origins. Come on out and help us out. :-)

Come one come all if you are going to Origins sign up and run a table....

Lets make this the second largest Pathfinder Society Con of the year...

Then we can take on GenCon next year

Rich wrings his hands and gives his most maniacal laugh.

Bump for volunteers!

What's the deadline for volunteering?

I am planning on going to Origins this year but its a family vacation and I'm not sure I want to spend it running games as opposed to playing in them with the rest of the family. But, if there is a pressing need for volunteers then I could be talked into doing a few I suppose.

Although I am unfortunately unable to attend this year, I can highly reccomend this as an incredibly fun way to spend a weekend.

My brothers and I had an absolute blast volunteering last year, and that was before the Pathfinder Society had even started up!

For anyone complaining about being unable to travel to PaizoCon from the East in June, this would be a great alternative.

I think they'll take volunteers right up to the last minute.

I think they'll take volunteers right up to the last minute.

Joshua J. Frost wrote:

I think they'll take volunteers right up to the last minute.

Even if you sign up to run or 2 slots it would help there are no perks but you will helping to spread the Pathfinder Society to others and lets face it that is a reward on to itself.

Just a few more questions...

1) Are any of the scenarios suitable for the lower tiers of play (my family hasn't yet played any of the scenarios and I doubt we cram more than three or four in between now and origins) and if so which ones?

2) I haven't run any scenarios at a convention before. What sort of equipment should a gamemaster be willing to bring?

EDIT: 3) I've already bought my badge - If I sign up for four how does that work?

Thanks in advance - I will likely help out with at least a couple but we are trying to plan it out so the family might be able to play in the same scenarios, with a different DM.

Just a few more questions...

1) Are any of the scenarios suitable for the lower tiers of play (my family hasn't yet played any of the scenarios and I doubt we cram more than three or four in between now and origins) and if so which ones?

2) I haven't run any scenarios at a convention before. What sort of equipment should a gamemaster be willing to bring?

EDIT: 3) I've already bought my badge - If I sign up for four how does that work?

Thanks in advance - I will likely help out with at least a couple but we are trying to plan it out so the family might be able to play in the same scenarios, with a different DM.

1) There are six scenarios running at Origins, in addition to the "Open Library". Only two of the six touch Tier 1-2 (see below).
I am positive that myself and other GMs will come prepared to run anything and everything we can AND there should be other folks in your position as well. If you & your family + a couple floating players can make a full table I don't see why a GM wouldn't be assigned to run you through the available low tier stuff (even the stuff not being officially offered at the con).

From Con Support/Origins 2009:

Pathfinder Society - Open Library
The Pathfinder Society calls you to assist them in their missions throughout the world. Complete your jobs while working towards your faction's goals. The open library allows you to play your choice of scenario from the first year of Pathfinder Society Organized Play.
Slot Start Time Duration Players
8 Thursday midnight
12 Friday midnight
16 Saturday midnight

PFS#21: The Eternal Obelisk Tier 5-9
Slot Start Time Duration Players
2 Wednesday 1:30pm

PFS#22: Fingerprints of the Fiend Tier 7-11
Slot Start Time Duration Players
3 Wednesday 7pm

PFS#23: Tide of Morning Tier 1-5
Slot Start Time Duration Players
5 Thursday 8am
10 Friday 1:30pm
15 Saturday 7pm

PFS#24: The Decline of Glory Tier 1-7
Slot Start Time Duration Players
6 Thursday 1:30pm
11 Friday 7pm
17 Sunday 8am

PFS#25: Hands of the Muted God Tier 5-9
Slot Start Time Duration Players
7 Thursday 7pm
13 Saturday 8am
14 Saturday 1:30pm

PFS#26: Lost at Bitter End Tier 7-11
Slot Start Time Duration Players
9 Friday 8am
14 Saturday 1:30pm

2) What kind of GM equipment do you need to bring?
A battle mat/flip mat or pre-drawn maps of the scenarios you intend to judge.
A hardcopy of the scenario itself with handouts for the faction missions and anything else of such a nature.
Your dice.
An initiative system (I like 3x5 cards)
Miniatures representative of the monsters appearing in the scenario.
Anyone else think of anything?

3) If you sign up to judge four slots AFTER you have bought a badge you will be reimbursed at the con per Nancy Clark, organizer of The Gathering--a cooperative team of RPG organizers who muster the Origins GMs. Go to http://www.consupport.com/index.asp?Con=103 and register. You'll be invited to join the Origins GM Yahoo! Group. Join or just e-mail Nancy and she can arrange for you to get reimbursed. Do this before the con begins though. She's going to be too busy to help you once it kicks off.

Thanks Doug.

I managed to glean the tiers through googling. Looks like I'll be volunteering to run four slots (probably three friday and one wednesday) and the kids will play in slots 10 and 11 if they're open. That will leave me Thursday and Saturday to do things with the family, let them have a DM other than me for a change, and pay for my badge at the same time. I think that will work. I'll probably sign up for the slots tomorrow after making sure the rest of the family is cool with the plan.

Edit: I was really hoping to be able to have the family play in slots 9 and 10 as I know my kids' ability to concentrate on the game drops sharply after about nine in the evening. I'll keep your suggestion in mind about seeing if there might not be a chance for someone to run another scenario.

Well, I just volunteered for:

Slot 2 - Wednesday at 1:30
Slot 9 - Friday at 8 a.m.
Slot 10 - Friday at 1:30 amd
Slot 11 - Friday at 7 p.m.

and I sent off an email to Nancy so I'm on my way to running my first convention games.

When do the DMs get the scenarios? Or do we need to purchase them?

Well, I just volunteered for:

Slot 2 - Wednesday at 1:30
Slot 9 - Friday at 8 a.m.
Slot 10 - Friday at 1:30 amd
Slot 11 - Friday at 7 p.m.

and I sent off an email to Nancy so I'm on my way to running my first convention games.

When do the DMs get the scenarios? Or do we need to purchase them?

The con will provide the mods

See you there

Rich

The con will provide the mods

But when do they provide them? As soon as they are released, the day of the convention or sometime in between? I assume its sometime in between.

Crow81 wrote:

The con will provide the mods

That's good to hear. :)

But when do they provide them? As soon as they are released, the day of the convention or sometime in between? I assume its sometime in between.

I would totally volunteer for either of these events, if I didn't live in San Diego, and could take time off...but alas, no...

Comic-Con San Diego, that might be a different matter...

One more question for Joshua regardings Origins and the Pathfinder Society.

The event schedule just released today lists the ages for the Pathfinder Society Games as 10+. What are the chances of sneaking a reasonably mature nine year old in to a game (she's been gaming for at least four years) if the rest of her family are all involved in Society play?

I'm sure that's fine.

I don't mind GMing children at the table, they don't meta-game at all. If you put a large-sized monster mini on the table, they actually get scared instead of thinking it has worse AC and reflex saves, etc. I just hate it when they cry cause you killed their animal companion. She doesn't play a druid, does she? ;)

I don't mind GMing children at the table, they don't meta-game at all. If you put a large-sized monster mini on the table, they actually get scared instead of thinking it has worse AC and reflex saves, etc. I just hate it when they cry cause you killed their animal companion. She doesn't play a druid, does she? ;)

The kids are gonna be in costume and we're thinking of making characters to go along with the costumes. She's likely going to be an Andoran Rogue.

No druid. :)

The kids are gonna be in costume and we're thinking of making characters to go along with the costumes. She's likely going to be an Andoran Rogue.

Yeah, she doesn't look like the crying type. You did tell them they can't have Deano along with them, right? Only PHB animals, no triceratops allowed! :)

I'm hardly experienced enough to GM (Pathfinder) but I'm signing up for something. Woo hoo! Origins Virgin at the table!

I'm hardly experienced enough to GM (Pathfinder) but I'm signing up for something. Woo hoo! Origins Virgin at the table!

I just signed up to GM a slot. I would have done others for the same adventure but I was too slow and those times were taken.

I did have a question / concern with how the Pathfinder events are being listed at Origins. I noticed that in the listings and descriptions they don't seem to say anything about what tier the adventure is appropriate for. They just list the adventure name and the descriptive text.

I am somewhat concerned that since most of the adventures at Origins will be mid to high level, players will show up with a first level character, or possibly no character at all (as there doesn't seem to be any description of the requirements for PFS play on the pregistration pages). Just wondered whether this should be clarified as the available times are definitely filling up.

Will we have pregen characters available for those who show up with a grossly innapropriately tiered character for the adventure? Just curious - I am running a low level tier so it shouldn't be an issue in my case but thought this could cause some headaches for other GMs.

I did have a question / concern with how the Pathfinder events are being listed at Origins. I noticed that in the listings and descriptions they don't seem to say anything about what tier the adventure is appropriate for. They just list the adventure name and the descriptive text.

I am somewhat concerned that since most of the adventures at Origins will be mid to high level, players will show up with a first level character, or possibly no character at all (as there doesn't seem to be any description of the requirements for PFS play on the pregistration pages). Just wondered whether this should be clarified as the available times are definitely filling up.

Will we have pregen characters available for those who show up with a grossly innapropriately tiered character for the adventure? Just curious - I am running a low level tier so it shouldn't be an issue in my case but thought this could cause some headaches for other GMs.

I am certain that Josh has contingency plans for unprepared players who walk up as the slot is about to start. But in case he doesn't I'm sure enough of us will be on hand to cover all bets. I always travel with all the available PFS scenarios, and I'm sure there are other GM/organizers who do the same.

The specific problem though, is what if players show up at a higher Tier game with no character or with a lower-level character?

Are they allowed to play with their weaker character?

Are they allowed to play with a Pre Gen of appropriate level? Should the DM be prepared with them? Can the player whip up an appropriate level character (which will take longer than whipping up a 1st level character)?

How do we deal with this? It seems likely to me that there could be some frustrated players if they have signed up higher tier adventure than they are ready for.

The specific problem though, is what if players show up at a higher Tier game with no character or with a lower-level character?

Are they allowed to play with their weaker character?

Are they allowed to play with a Pre Gen of appropriate level? Should the DM be prepared with them? Can the player whip up an appropriate level character (which will take longer than whipping up a 1st level character)?

How do we deal with this? It seems likely to me that there could be some frustrated players if they have signed up higher tier adventure than they are ready for.

I'm certainly going to put some time into crafting some higher level pre-gens now that you've raised this point though.

Any idea when we start getting the scenarios through consupport?

Scenarios for Origins should start hitting con support next week.

As for people showing up to higher level games with lower level PCs: if they have a level appropriate Pathfinder Society PC, great! They can play. If they have a Pathfinder Society PC that's lower level than the scenario, I leave that up to the GM. The player needs to know they might *die* for even risking the higher level, but I give the discretion to the GM with the caveat that the Society should be about encouraging fun and not discouraging people from playing. If they show up to the high level scenario with no character at all, great! They get a pre-gen and aren't allowed to replay the scenario later if they get into the Society.

Thanks for the clarification Josh!

And Doug, you are a PFS rock star!

Spoke with my Origin-bound buddies and we're hoping to use pre-gen characters. Not sure what we're signing up for though. But Wicht's table has goodies, so we'll be stalking him. So thanks for being prepared with pre-gens.

After I get my feet wet I'll have a better idea on how to properly play in PFS.

Spoke with my Origin-bound buddies and we're hoping to use pre-gen characters. Not sure what we're signing up for though. But Wicht's table has goodies, so we'll be stalking him. So thanks for being prepared with pre-gens.

After I get my feet wet I'll have a better idea on how to properly play in PFS.

Scenarios for Origins should start hitting con support next week.

I'd like time to prep and organize slot zero tables.

I'd like time to prep...

I'm wondering too how the GMs running the games at Paizocon are supposed to prep if the modules haven't been released yet and the events are only a day or two away. Did they get them pre-release?

From the PaizoCon thread the GMs have gotten the scenarios. At this point Josh is likely super-busy and may not have had time to send the scenarios to Nancy Clark at The Gathering, the cooperative group running Pathfinder Society at Origins. If he has managed to send the scenarios to Nancy, then we still have to wait for her to upload them to the Con Support website and send us notice they are there. If it doesn't happen today then nothing will happen until next week because PaizoCon is definitely the priority right now. I know, I know--tell you something you don't know ;)

So I'm guessing at this point we're not getting the mods this week. :(