Elizabeth Leib's page

It's been a long project, but I've finally completed the last few pages!

The entire picture book (minus the map at the end, which can be found in "Sound of a Thousand Screams") is available on Flickr.

Zuddiger's Picnic

Zuddiger's Picnic (no text)

Enjoy!

Thanks for the kind words. I uploaded two more pages today.

I'm glad you all find my doodles to be useful.
This week's update features a grumpy, angry troll.

Zuddiger's Picnic
Zuddiger's Picnic (no text)

You're welcome. :)

Three more pages have been uploaded.

Thank you Elizabeth, those are fantastic! I have one request, though: can you perhaps make the images available without the text, as the description of the book says the text would be on the facing page of the page with the image. That would be great!

Two more pictures added today. I also uploaded a set without text.

Zuddiger's Picnic

Zuddiger's Picnic (no text)

I started drawing as soon as I read James' forward. :)
I don't have the whole picture book done yet, but here's a preview of the first 6 pages.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43674445@N03/sets/72157624692543714/

I'd also love to see what other artists have come up with.

14. Star of Desna

Dimensions: 35 ft long, 30 ft wide, 20 ft high ceiling
Description: Torches are mounted on the colorful walls of this chamber in a star-shaped pattern. A hole in the ceiling opens every night at midnight, acting as an observatory for the night sky. The body of a dead fey creature lies slumped over inside a small cage against the back wall. If anyone touches the body, it crumbles to dust. Dozens of tiny butterflies fly up from the dust, racing towards the ceiling.

Mud Sorcerer's Tomb is one of my favorite Dungeon adventures. I loved all the little riddles that hinted how to avoid traps and such.

I've never ran Sleepless. I'll have to go check it out!

My votes went to:
Ardorwesp
Astrumal
Liesinger
Splorudra

Congratulations to all of you! I'm looking forward to seeing the monsters.

I read through the updates and I am wondering, since it just says scenarios set anywhere in the Inner Sea region, is there a spoiler-free compilation anywhere of the settings used for the already published scenarios? I just don't feel like writing one that is set in an area that has already been done a lot.

Here's a quick list of locations for the Season 1 scenarios.

#29: Talor
#30: Taldor
#31: Absalom
#32: Osirion
#33: Jalmeray
#34: Mwangi Expanse
#35: Absalom
#36: Cheliax
#37: Andoran
#38: Cheliax
#39: Qadira
#40: Absalom

I can't seem to find the guidelines to create a 1st level character for PFS....any help would be appreciated.

Check out the Pathfinder Society guide.

I rewrote my outline, partially as a writing exercise and partially because I plan to run this for my home group in a couple of weeks. I got a little carried away with its length. I think we'll be devoting a bit more than a 4 hour session to play it.

Since you folks were kind enough to give me ideas, I thought I would share in case anyone else can make use of it.

Poisonous Secrets (expanded outline)

Hi Ekmule,

After reading this, I'm assuming English isn't your native language. I suggest getting a friend to look over your grammar before submitting. As written, this would create a lot of work for the editors.

The first thing that caught my attention was the stat block at the end. Detailed stat blocks do not belong in the initial proposal. This simply takes up way too many words. Taking it out would free up some space to go into more detail about the festival of the winter father and the curse.

Intro and Summary:
This is a good start, but more detail would be better. Why has the daughter of the mayor been kidnapped? Is the "test of random encounter" meant to be the required optional encounter? There shouldn't be any random encounters. All encounters should relate to the overall story. I learned this the hard way in my previous rejected submissions. Finally, who is the ice witch in the mountain? Is she the boss villain and the satyr is her minion? What are her goals and what is her involvement in this scenario?

Encounter 1 The wrath of wolfs

A Fire starts during the festival of the winter father and a pack of wolf with a satyr attack the group.

Nice work combining an environmental hazard (the fire) with the monsters. This should make for an exciting fight. Why are the wolves and satyr attacking though?

Encounter 2 The bridge

This fight start when the group see a group of goblin want to destroy the bridge that go to the tumulus of eternal ice. The fight during 6 rounds and each round, a little joke with a goblin try to break the bridge with different object. (All objects is useless to cut this bridge)

The goblins trying to destroy the bridge is my favorite encounter in this scenario. I'm a little confused when you say all objects are useless to cut this bridge. Is there any way the goblins can actually destroy the bridge or are they meant to fail?

Encounter 3 The curse of snow
Player heard a strange poem and the curse are started. Each character fight ice zombie but he can stop the curse if they discover the title of this poem.

So a cursed poem is raising ice zombies from the dead? That's cool, but where did this poem come from and how would the PCs go about discovering the poem's name?

Encounter 4 The ice avenger
A tempest comes and all players need to go in the camp of woodcutter. Some ice elemental come to fight.

What if the PCs don't take shelter in the woodcutters' camp? You can encourage them to do so, but you can't force player action. Who summoned the ice elemental? Is this part of the curse as well?

Encounter 5 Guard of Dolmen
A little group of satyr defends the dolmen and try to stop the group.

What happens in between encounters 4 and 5 to lead the PCs from the woodcutters' camp to the dolmen? Is this tomb where the boss is hanging out trying to complete the ritual?

Encounter 6 Atrish the druid satyr
The boss tries to accomplish the ritual. The satyr is a specialist of invocation and tries to submerge the group with them.

This is much too vague. What does the ritual do and what does the satyr need to do in order to complete it?

Conclusion
If the daughter of mayor is possessed by the artifact. She tries to join the pathfinder society and want to gain some power with it.

If Artrish is not killed then he goes to inform the situation to an ancient white dragon in the mountain.

What is this artifact anyway? The scenario seems to revolve it, but you never describe it. Earlier, you said Artrish reported to the ice witch in the mountains, now you say he informs a white dragon. Is he working for both or are these two meant to be the same character?

I love the overall feel of this submission, a race against time to stop the curse, but it could be cleaned up quite a bit. Good luck with your future submissions!

Congrats Yoda8MyHead! I'll look forward to reading it when it comes out.

Thanks for taking the time to critique my proposal, guys. Your questions and insight have given me a lot to think about.

Hey, Elizabeth. It's great to see you building on your RPG Superstar 2009 success by pitching for the PFS scenarios. I believe you've already done one? If so, I think that's fantastic!

Yup, I did #28: Lyrics of Extinction.

I love a good mystery adventure, so I enjoyed reading this submission. Thanks for sharing it. Here are my thoughts.

Intro:
Death by lightning, rather than a traditional murder weapon is a nice twist. But what happens if the PCs confront the opposing investigators right away to get to Will's body? This reminds me of the adventure "Entombed with the Pharaohs," where the PCs are meant to face a rival group throughout the adventure. This is a really cool idea, but is challenging for the DM to run, since some aggressive players will want to kill off their rivals right away.

Encounter 2:
As above, foreshadowing is nice, but what if the PCs want to fight Payden and his agents here? After all, the Lumber Consortium is hindering their investigation by keeping them away from the body.

Encounter 4:
I like the hobgoblin druid offering a blessing, but I'm not sure that he should always smugly refuse to reveal all that he knows. What if the Pathfinders make a really good Diplomacy or Intimidate check? What if they use magic to question him? Also, what would the PCs have to do to disrupt logging in the woods? The entire town of Falcon's Hollow is dependent upon the logging industry, so this could cause some serious problems for the locals.

Encounter 5:
Having the option for a temporary alliance is nice. However, since the PCs will eventually end up fighting Payden, Naruma, and Drealen, maybe you should replace Payden with someone else. I don't think such an important NPC should be killed off. Also, what if Naruma is spotted by one of the PCs and doesn't escape for the final battle? Finally, where did these dragons come from and what are their goals? Do the characters just end up being in the wrong place at the wrong time and end up getting attacked by the dragons?

Overall, you have a nice mix of investigation, diplomacy, combat, and environment hazards (if the optional collapsing bridge is included). Bonus points for the tie-ins to the GameMastery flip mats. Keep trying and good luck on your future submissions!

Thank you both for the comments.

Here is my rejected scenario proposal. I'd appreciate any feedback you care to offer.

INTRODUCTION:
The logging town of Falcon’s Hollow is gripped in fear. Townsfolk are being murdered in their beds, poisoned in their sleep, never to wake again. Victor Shadowgleam, a druid from Darkmoon Wood, is picking off any lumberman in a position to gain a seat on the board of directors of the powerful Lumber Consortium. Victor polymorphs into a venomous snake to slay his victims, intending to frame a local cleric of Norgorber for his crimes. Through these assassinations, the power-hungry druid hopes to slowly subvert control of the town.

SUMMARY:
The Pathfinders are sent to Falcon’s Hollow to speak with an Andoran scholar. This scholar is the sole person who knows the location of a rare artifact buried beneath the town. When the PCs arrive, they find the scholar locked in his home, refusing to speak to anyone. The man fears for his life after a series of recent poisonings. If the Pathfinders want information, they first have to put an end to the murders.

The black market can provide hints regarding jewelry stolen from one of the victims as well as poison recently purchased by a religious zealot and cleric of Norgorber. The cleric collects venomous creatures, but he is not responsible for the murders. Another suspect is the Gavel of the Lumber Consortium, Thuldrin Kreed. No solid evidence exists against him, but rumors swirl about his cruelty.

When the Pathfinders discover Victor Shadowgleam, they venture into Darkmoon Wood to defeat him in his lair. The dangerous woods are guarded by poisonous spiders and charmed boars, which must be dealt with before the confronting the murderer himself.

ACT 1: THE BLACK MARKET
The Lumber Consortium controls the town by tightly regulating trade. Local black markets occasionally spring up in defiance of these regulations. The PCs can locate a black market to follow the trail of stolen jewelry or to learn about recent poison purchases. If they stir up trouble, thieves attempt to scare them off by force.

Tier 1-2: human rogue 1 and halfling rogue 1
Tier 3-4: human rogue 2 and halfling rogue 1
Tier 6-7: human rogue 4 and halfling rogue 2 (x2)

ACT 2: DEN OF VENOM
The cleric of Norgorber acts as a red herring, but initial clues point to his venomous pets.

Tier 1-2: half-orc cleric 3 and monstrous scorpions (tiny) (x2)
Tier 3-4: half-orc cleric 3 and monstrous scorpions (medium) (x2) and spider swarm
Tier 6-7: half-orc cleric 5 and monstrous scorpions (large) (x3) and spider swarm

ACT #3: THE TYRANT'S THUGS (OPTIONAL)
The Pathfinders might suspect Thuldrin Kreed. If they voice such suspicions, Kreed sends thugs to silence them. Use this encounter if the PCs beat the previous encounters too easily.

Tier 1-2: human fighter 1
Tier 3-4: human fighter 2 (x2)
Tier 6-7: human fighter 4 (x3)

ACT #4: SPIDER NEST
The PCs stumble into a web-covered spider nest at the edge of Darkmoon Wood. The cleric of Norgorber marked the location on his map as he came here to capture poisonous pets.

Tier 1-2: monstrous spiders (small) (x3)
Tier 3-4: monstrous spiders (large) (x3)
Tier 6-7: phase spiders (x2)

ACT #5: MY LITTLE FRIENDS
Animals charmed by Victor Shadowgleam protect his woodland lair. The animals attack anyone who comes near.

Tier 1-2: boar
Tier 3-4: boars (x2)
Tier 6-7: dire boars (x2)

ACT #6: THE MURDERER'S LAIR
Victor has been watching the Pathfinders in animal form and is prepared for their arrival. For Tiers 1-2 and 3-4, the druid has a small collection of scrolls of Beast Shape III, which he uses to gain the poison ability of a viper.

Tier 1-2: human druid 4 (has already used his wild shape ability for the day and was injured in a scuffle with his previous victim)
Tier 3-4: human druid 6
Tier 6-7: human druid 8 plus deep spiked pit trap

CONCLUSION:
If the Pathfinders stop Victor Shadowgleam, the Lumber Consortium thanks them for keeping the town safe and for preventing further corruption of the board of directors. The scholar comes out of hiding, only to reveal that the artifact the PCs sought was stolen years ago.

If the Pathfinders accuse the wrong person, the murders continue, prompting further investigation. If unopposed, Victor becomes more brash, targeting board members directly and causing chaos to erupt throughout Falcon’s Hollow and the surrounding area.

A cheeky, prankster dwarf maiden... this is different and I like it!

I appreciate how there are multiple ways to overcome the scouts, lumberjacks, and expedition survivors rather than forcing combat.

The experimental traps in the third room sound cool. I would like to see them explained in more detail though. Also, what is the mimic doing in the workshop and how does it relate to the overall plot?

For the final battle do the Pathfinders get to fight Torra or just her accomplice? This is a little disappointing if she escapes no matter what. It makes sense that a clever villain would have a secret escape tunnel, but clever PCs could find a way to cut off her escape.

For Tier 1-2, I know you were looking for a low level replacement for the caryatid column, but I don't think the PCs should be fighting earth elementals twice in a short period of time. Also, is the earth elemental in the final encounter something the wizard summons? It would make more sense if she summoned it during round one of the fight. I'm not sure why it would be around all the time.

Overall, I like the idea of the PCs chasing after a thief stealing from the Society. This is a scenario I would enjoy playing. Good luck on your future submissions.

Here are my thoughts.

At first glance, the premise of the town being attacked by waves of undead seems a bit too similar to an existing module (Hungry Are the Dead). The missing magic ring is interesting though, so I'd focus more on that.

Your summary seems to assume PC action throughout. What if the PCs don't rescue the unconscious man? What if they don't follow the ghasts into Darkmoon Wood? How can you be sure the Pathfinders manage to save one of the two women in the chapel? What if the PCs find a way to prevent Savram from sacrificing the deputy?

I second Derek's impression that this scenario would take too long to play. All of the suggested locations sound very exciting (graveyard, black forest, demonic chapel, necropolis), but it's just too much for one scenario.

The assassin vines are a random encounter. They don't relate to the overall plot. I'd remove this encounter to have fewer fights.

I like how the Pathfinders are confronted with a moral decision during the final battle. I'm not sure they would want to win standing with the cult though.

Keep writing and good luck on future submissions!

Conflicts with spies, clandestine proxy wars, battles aboard burning ships - this catches my attention right off the bat. Well done!

I'm not sure how some of the ambushes happen though. How does the sorceress get aboard the ship? I could see her teleporting at high tiers, but what about in lower tiers? How do the Taldan agents ambush a ship in the middle of the water from the trees?

What happens if the PCs don't cooperate with the Eagle Knights? Players typically don't like being told what to do and they might not want to hand Sinnume over.

The murders throughout the second half of the scenario should keep the game moving at a quick and exciting pace. I like this.

I'd like to see more information about Gregore, such as how he became a werewolf and why he keeps a pack of dire wolves in his house.

Keep writing and good luck on future submissions!

Here are my thoughts.

Intro:
I would spend some more time on the introduction, devote a few more sentences describing what's to come to really grab the reader's attention.

Druid Crossing:
Is this an encounter? Just seeing the druid? Also, what if the PCs use magic to track him and follow him (Locate Creature, for example). I like how not all of the encounters are just combat, but it seems like you need something more here.

Gold Falls:
"There are several different skills that might allow the PCs to realize that the rain alone isn’t making the water rise."
Be more specific. Which skills?

Wolfrun Hills:
I'm not clear on where the PCs confront Zindul before the fight in his lair.

Zindul's Lair:
I would play up the crumbling cliffs, describing how the PCs may find themselves teetering near the edge, surrounding by a pack of wolves. This could make for a very cinematic and exciting scene.

Overall, I like how the storm theme continues throughout the encounters. However, I'm not sure what the villain's motive is. Why flood the town? Fitting all your ideas into a 750 word proposal is hard, but you should try to answer basic questions like this to tie the story together.

Keep writing and good luck on future submissions!

This is what I got: 10 + ½ HD (In tier 7-8 they have 2, in tier 10-11 5) + Charisma (16, means a modifier of +3) + Ability Focus (which gives a +2), equals to 16 in tier 7-8, and to 17 in tier 10-11.

Oops. I was only adding +1 for Ability Focus instead of +2. Your calculation is right.

The bugs are unable to avoid fireballs though. Would enlargening the basement chamber be a solution? Make the PCs climb down and after that the bugs would emerge from the dark shadows of a large crate-filled basement? Yeah, I have a habit of altering the maps a bit, so sue me.

The basement is small mostly because I was given a limited amount of map space to work with. If you want to enlarge it to improve the encounter, go for it!

I realised this was made for 3.5, I was merely asking if I should still follow the scenario or replace the monster. I can't think of any good replacement though, as the Howl ability fits the 'mood' of the scenario better.

Hmm. I can't think of any fitting replacements either. Unless anyone else has a better suggestion, it might be easier to just keep the howler.

Hi Deussu,

1a) For the frightful moan ability, (10 + ½ HD + Charisma modifier + Ability Focus) is correct, just like any other ghost. So that's DC 15 for Tier 7-8 or DC 16 for Tier 10-11.

1b) Why not? The Mwangi tribesmen were barbarians in life.

2) I'm sure someone in Kibwe could open the box for the PCs, if necessary, but the "mash it to bits" method could also certainly work. If you're looking for HP/hardness values, I would use hardness 10, hp 15 for the small, iron lockbox.

3) Rather than standing right below the hole and waiting for the PCs to shoot at them, the bugs could hide in the corners of the room. Well, two of them can. Due to their size, I guess one of the bugs will be a clear target right beneath the hole. If you want to lure Andoran PCs down to the beetles, you could play up how the bugs are ripping apart the corpses they are supposed to bury.

4) Yes, this is hard. The first Andoran mission is easy, so the bonus mission is intended to be difficult. Also, look under the mission notes for Act 5. If the PCs fail their Diplomacy check, they could always knock the guards out, then drag them away to safety. Not the ideal way of saving them, but it works.

5) You are correct. Eight of the pillars on the map are intended to be the alters.

6) I just used the bestow curse trap as listed in the DMG, but I guess I should have been more specific. Use the "-4 penalty on attack rolls, saves, ability checks, and skill checks" effect.

7) This adventure was written for 3.5, not PFRPG. If you are translating it to the new rules, you might change the howler to be a different monster. I'm not sure why howlers aren't on the summon list anymore. As for Tyruwat's tactics, you make a good point. He should focus on dominate person instead.

I hope this helps. Good luck running the scenario!

Very nice!

Congratulations, Neil!

Much better. :)

I also wouldn't mind if anyone drew up my villain. I'd have to agree with the others that the pictures shouldn't be posted until the voting ends. You'll probably need that time to get them all drawn anyway. 32 drawings sounds time consuming. Anyway, I look forward to seeing what you come up with.

Good Luck with Round 2 everyone. After the first round I am really looking forward to reading about everyone's Villains and Elizabeth, I'm looking at you in particular here; I loved your Haunted Shoes).

I hope I live up to your expectations in the next round! I can't wait to see what everyone else came up with.

Ever since Tuesday it seems as though I've had all of zero time to myself.

I feel the same way. I should have been more optimistic and planned my villain in advance.

Thanks for all the comments, everyone. It's greatly appreciated!

To clarify, summoning the spirits should be a standard action and dismissing one or more of them would be a free action.

Could I get a confirmation as well? Thanks.

Haldon Valmaur, the Jade Shadow
male human ranger 8

Description:
Haldon Valmaur is a quiet, brooding archer filled with jealousy over the elven people’s fabled mastery of sword and bow. His narrow, hazel eyes and shaggy, brown hair give him the look of a feral predator. Haldon dresses in greens for camouflage and this, along with his stealthy, hit-and-run tactics, has earned him a name that is whispered throughout the forests in fear: “Jade Shadow.”

The ranger’s most distinguishing feature is a rough scar running across his left cheek and nose, a perpetual reminder of a sword fight he lost to an elf in his younger days. Ever since that duel, Haldon has shied away from melee, taking up the bow and vowing to prove himself to the world.

Haldon bears not only a scar from his past failure, but also a trophy from a recent victory. An iridescent unicorn horn hangs around his neck. Although it no longer possesses any magic, Haldon prizes the horn greatly.

The Jade Shadow’s closest friend is his animal companion, a black bear named Razor. A violent beast, Razor’s fur is crisscrossed by scars from tussles with other animals. The single bloody claw mark that mars the bear’s face nearly matches his master’s scar.

In addition to Razor, woodland creatures also perform Haldon’s bidding, following him around as if he were a corrupted version of the pied piper. Haldon nicknamed his band of entranced animals the “twisted forest horrors” after bringing out their wicked side. The creatures have a disturbing appearance – huge fangs, never-blinking eyes, extra heads or appendages, all color drained from their fur – as if they had marched straight out of a nightmare.

Motivations/Goals:
Driven by jealously, Haldon dreams of burning the elven forests and hunting down any friend of the elven people. He started out slow, striking elven settlements at night and peppering the guards with arrows. Each time, the townsfolk glimpse a mere shadow before Haldon flees.

Recently, he has become more daring, allowing Razor to run amok, terrifying people, while arrows rain from the sky. The damage so far has been minimal, as the cowardly archer retreats in the face of serious resistance. However, the seeds of fear have been spread and the Jade Shadow believes he will soon receive the recognition he deserves.

Schemes/Plots/Adventure Hooks:

• Something is horribly wrong with the local wildlife. Animals have become fiercely aggressive and the townsfolk claim they resemble demons. The PCs are either sent to investigate or are attacked by fiendish beasts while traveling through the forest. Killing the twisted forest horrors quickly draws Haldon's attention.

• A dead centaur is discovered in the Mierani Forest, green-fletched arrows making a pincushion of his body. The trail leads the PCs to a dead unicorn caught in a bear trap, its horn missing. Haldon hopes to lure the forest’s residents into booby-traps and the PCs may end up falling prey to his scheme.

Here's my favorites:

Boundary Chalk
Last Leaves of the Autumn Dryad
Hurricane Gloves
Horn of the Dark Hunt
The Dread Trinket

Thank you for all of your feedback (and puns :)). It may only be round one, but it's really made my day to have my item chosen.

Good luck to all my fellow Top 32s in the next round!

HAUNTED SHOES
Aura faint conjuration and illusion; CL 3rd
Slot feet; Price 6,480 gp; Weight 1 lb.

DESCRIPTION
Helpful spirits live in this otherwise simple pair of black shoes. The wearer occasionally hears faint laughing voices as wisps of smoke dance around her heels.

Two times per day, the wearer can call forth 1d4 spirit servants to aid her. The spirit servants are invisible, mindless, shapeless beings that act as servants summoned by the unseen servant spell. The spirits return to the shoes after 3 hours have passed. The wearer can choose to dismiss one or more of the spirit servants early.

Once per day, the wearer can command the ghostly spirits inside the haunted shoes to emerge and swirl around her, making her difficult to target in combat. The wearer gains concealment (20% miss chance) for 3 minutes. The spirits cannot be harmed, but a true seeing spell will negate the concealment effect. The concealment ability cannot be activated while any of the spirits are currently being used as unseen servants.

CONSTRUCTION
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, blur, unseen servant; Cost 3,240 gp