Russell Akred's page

Here's the Wendigo standee cutout for Spires of Xin-Shalast.

Here's the Wendigo standee cutout for Spires of Xin-Shalast.

Russell Akred wrote:

The Horror Tree.

Enjoy

It looks like its dancing :o)

Russell Akred wrote:

The Horror Tree.

Enjoy

It looks like its dancing :o)

The Horror Tree.

Enjoy

Preorders will hopefully ship so that customers might get them on or close to the release date, but obviously that's not something we can guarantee.

Josh has a plan for Pathfinder Society; keep an eye on the Pathfinder Society forums for details.

I am picturing my player's characters all being fatigued after traveling for a day in the mountains. How did other tables handle this problem?

They could cast spells that protect them from becoming effected but I was wondering if any groups found it a hinderance bordering on frustration.

I have made a template for the confrontation with Karzoug in Book Five.

Enjoy

I long ago pre-ordered the Pathfinder RPG Hardcover and wonder if I will be getting it before GenCon. If not, how will I convert my Pathfinder Society character and know the rules when I am playing and GMing at GenCon in Indy?

All I know is I am still on book 5 and hoping to finish the series by summers end.

I know my wife thinks celtic starts with an "s" sound and I say "k" sound.

Name of PC: Naltak
Class/Level: Favored Soul/
Adventure: Sins of the Saviors
Catalyst: domination
Story: In the Iron Cages of Lust the party's damage dealer a ranger/rogue/fighter became dominated and full attacked on the parties healer critical hitting more than once bringing the poor guy to negative 50 or so in one round. I had to swap out a piece of loot for a raise dead scroll or the player would have been playing summoned creatures for a session more.

My players were going into Sins of the Saviors and were cruising along. There is a beguiler, a favored soul, a rogue, a sorcerer, and a ranger with two cohorts a ranger and a pixie.

What I did was have her blessed with one of the players children and while she is warming that bun a certain someone in book five kidnaps her and begins a monstrous ceremony on her. They are now worried about the mother and future baby since Shayliss now has scars covering her stomach and is pretty freaked out.

It would be nice to have the Prestige Classes become redundant BECAUSE the base classes are so flexible. It seems with taking multiple classes the old idea that this class is a straight spell thrower this one is a tank is hopefully becoming a thing of the past. If you want background to make the character into a more interesting game piece you shouldn't need a Prestige Class to do it.

waiting for the pdf

Now that I've signed up for slots I can see you really want your character to be level 4 by the time you get to Indy. That means I need around 4 adventures between now and then.

Now I'll just need to keep those blood hungry GMs from killing my poor innocent halfling barbarian at GenCon.

I'll be judging 2 slots on Saturday. I am not a blood thirsty GM so your PC is not likely to be crushed at my tables.

Congrats Ashton, you deserve the recognition. Nice stuff.

My son and me will both GM for you Saturday afternoon and evening. Maybe more if you are hard pressed.

The schedule I've seen for Paizo.

Thur. 8 a.m. SEMINAR for converting characters to PFRPG rules max players 240 $0
Thur. 1 p.m. #29 The Devil We Know Part 1: Shipyard Rats max players 144 $6
Thur. 1 p.m. #31 Sniper in the Deep max players 36 $6
Thur. 1 p.m. #24 The Decline of Glory max players 36 $6
Thur. 5 p.m. Writing for Paizo max 50 $0
Thur. 6 p.m. #29 The Devil We Know Part 1: Shipyard Rats max players 72 $6
Thur. 6 p.m. #30 The Devil We Know Part 2: Cassomir's Locker max players 72 $6
Thur. 6 p.m. #32 Drow of the Darklands Pyramid max players 36 $6
Thur. 6 p.m. #23 Tide of Morning max players 36 $6

Fri. 8 a.m. #29 The Devil We Know Part 1: Shipyard Rats max players 72 $6
Fri. 8 a.m. #30 The Devil We Know Part 2: Cassomir's Locker max players 72 $6
Fri. 8 a.m. #31 Sniper in the Deep max players 36 $6
Fri. 8 a.m. #24 The Decline of Glory max players 36 $6
Fri. 1 p.m. #29 The Devil We Know Part 1: Shipyard Rats max players 72 $6
Fri. 1 p.m. #30 The Devil We Know Part 2: Cassomir's Locker max players 72 $6
Fri. 1 p.m. #32 Drow of the Darklands Pyramid max players 36 $6
Fri. 1 p.m. #23 Tide of Morning max players 36 $6
Fri. 5 p.m. Questions for James Jacobs $0
Fri. 6 p.m. #29 The Devil We Know Part 1: Shipyard Rats max players 72 $6
Fri. 6 p.m. #30 The Devil We Know Part 2: Cassomir's Locker max players 72 $6
Fri. 6 p.m. Betrayal in Absalom: A Pathfinder Society Event (Version 1) max players 72 $8

Sat. 8 a.m. #29 The Devil We Know Part 1: Shipyard Rats max players 72 $6
Sat. 8 a.m. #30 The Devil We Know Part 2: Cassomir's Locker max players 72 $6
Sat. 8 a.m. #31 Sniper in the Deep max players 36 $6
Sat. 8 a.m. #24 The Decline of Glory max players 36 $6
Sat. 1 p.m. #29 The Devil We Know Part 1: Shipyard Rats max players 72 $6
Sat. 1 p.m. #30 The Devil We Know Part 2: Cassomir's Locker max players 72 $6
Sat. 1 p.m. #32 Drow of the Darklands Pyramid max players 36 $6
Sat. 1 p.m. #23 Tide of Morning max players 36 $6
Sat. 3 p.m. Planet Stories information $0
Sat. 5 p.m. Pathfinder RPG Seminar $0
Sat. 6 p.m. #29 The Devil We Know Part 1: Shipyard Rats max players 72 $6
Sat. 6 p.m. #30 The Devil We Know Part 2: Cassomir's Locker max players 72 $6
Sat. 6 p.m. Betrayal in Absalom: A Pathfinder Society Event (Version 2) max players 72 $8

Sun. 8 a.m. #29 The Devil We Know Part 1: Shipyard Rats max players 72 $6
Sun. 8 a.m. #30 The Devil We Know Part 2: Cassomir's Locker max players 72 $6
Sun. 8 a.m. #31 Sniper in the Deep max players 36 $6
Sun. 8 a.m. #24 The Decline of Glory max players 36 $6
Sun. 12 p.m. #29 The Devil We Know Part 1: Shipyard Rats max players 72 $6
Sun. 12 p.m. #30 The Devil We Know Part 2: Cassomir's Locker max players 72 $6
Sun. 12 p.m. #32 Drow of the Darklands Pyramid max players 36 $6
Sun. 12 p.m. #23 Tide of Morning max players 36 $6
Sun. 5 p.m. Writing for Paizo max 50 $0
Sun. 6 p.m. #29 The Devil We Know Part 1: Shipyard Rats max players 72 $6
Sun. 6 p.m. #30 The Devil We Know Part 2: Cassomir's Locker max players 72 $6
Sun. 6 p.m. #32 Drow of the Darklands Pyramid max players 36 $6
Sun. 6 p.m. #23 Tide of Morning max players 36 $6

Gen Con Community

So will there be a chance to play games earlier, Thursday, in the convention you volunteer to GM for later, lets say Saturday, at the Convention? Will there only be the four new Pathfinder Society games offered or will some of the year 0 games be offered too?

Check these new Arabian Ral Partha minis at Miniature Giant

Just got SketchUp and was trying to think of what to draw while learning to use it. Since I was inspired by the Sandpoint Cathedral drawing on this list I chose to do another Sandpoint building. Here is my interpretation of the garrison. On the map it looked around 100' x 50' and I wanted to make it pretty imposing, so went with three stories. I may try and do the interior later but for now here is the exterior.

looking down

street level

Considering that the first thing the beguiler did was start searching for traps, while the party left the room, it seems to me that they reacted to the warning exactly appropriately. That the trap then sprung before the beguiler had the chance to finish searching for traps, and that it hit the whole party, even though they had left the room seems more on the sadistic side than on 'you had fair warning, so live with it.'

Try editing the session in question and then saving it again. That seems to fix it part of the time.

I must preface my post with the belief that I am the softest DM I've ever met. I get no joy in killing PCs or generally frustrating players.

I ran the trap with a lot of warning since the rogue was leading the party and his trapfinding told him what the danger was. He removed all his magic items and went in to disarm it. He got close too. I kept making the noises of the discharging wand. Then the ranger went in to disarm it and instead smashed it. Problem solved, but not to the satisfaction of the beguiler who wanted it.

I am chomping at the bit to sign up for games at GenCon in August. Who else is coming to Circle City this summer for the convention? I'll be there with my two sons Mack and Calvin. What levels are everyones? My one barbarian is still level 2 need to get him to level 3 by then.

Do you think the August games will be using Pathfinder Role Playing Game rules? If so do you think it will take long to convert our old characters?

I have been getting messages from players that show that their characters are showing up multiple times for some scenarios. How can I get this fixed. One character (5435-1) shows he's played Frozen Fingers 3 times when he has played once, and shows he played Hydra's Fang there when he had not. These are not problems I can see from my end but they are showing up when they play at other events.

Russell Akred wrote:

I may get my copies at GenCon Indy 2009. Should I cancel my pre orders then?

Well... last year, we *almost* implemented a convention-pick-up plan for Beta preorders, but we didn't have time. No telling whether it'll happen this year yet....

I may get my copies at GenCon Indy 2009. Should I cancel my pre orders then?

Should I cancel my pre orders since I am going to GenCon Indy 2009? I'm sure I can get it there faster than I'll get it in the mail.

A couple of further questions.

Is their parking validation?

What other good games has been played in the past?

Is there warhammer fantasy table top gaming?

When can you start pre ordering seats at a game?

Also I was only able to find hotels under $500 15 minutes away. Mine is on South East Street near I-465 for those that may want to carpool.

They've changed the name to an Econolodge on 16th and Meridian. It's 9 blocks away and still counts for the $5 cab fare (unless it's changed). It's outside of the main downtown area and was much cheaper than anything near it, but that was 4 years ago.

Convention is 24 hours, but things kind of slow down after about 8PM.

If you've never gone before, I suggest spending 1 day in the exibit hall and the rest doing fun stuff. Schedule it out before hand so you have a pretty full day. The games are a lot of fun! Try things you've never tried before. I was glad that I did with the Silent Death game, just can't find anyone to play it : (

Be sure to schedule a full day for the exibit hall because it WILL take all day to see everything. A friend and I had 2 rows to go when we heard the "30 minute warning" while checking out the booths one by one. If you have kids in tow, interests will take more time.

Above all, Have fun!

Me and my two sons are going to GenCon for the first time. After looking at the website I have a couple of questions that maybe you regulars can help me with.

How many tickets do most Paizo tables need? How many games are run a day.

What are the hours of the convention? Yes, I know that games move to the hotel rooms after the con.

Where is the most affordable place to stay near the convention with parking?

Yeah, I think he's finding an ally and evening the score next game.

Old dragons shouldn't fail saves verses charm monster. It is just too mind warping. He sees the spell cast he knows the spell so he knows he's enchanted. As he watches the party walk into his lair and surely steel his treasure the GM wonders. What the heck does he do? He knowing he is enchanted seems to put him in a tricky position for a couple of weeks. Namely viewing this stinking human actions as favorable.
What would be his next step? Go get the spell removed or just wait till it wears off?

Some ideas:

A new type of fish that reproduces by being consumed. You eat it, you become it. It's virtually unknown to man, but a rare catch was brought to Brinewall just in time for a festival. A few days later, the were-fish villigers were slinking into the river.

The Brinewall is actually a gateway, a marble mirror that leads to a disturbing simulcrum of the village. Time has tarnished and pocked the wall so it looks like normal stone, but it gleams - and activates - in the bright sun. Luckily this almost never happens in foggy, overcast Brinewall, but the local clergy thought it would be nice to provide a rare clear day for the festival. Zap! People trapped in mirror town.

Local wizard was preparing a water breathing spell for the annual pearl diving games. Spell went horribly awry, and the townspeople had mere minutes to dive into the river before they drowned in the air.

Another non villainous idea I had was since it is near a geologically active area (steaming river and all). The river or lake upstream belched forth a mighty cloud of carbon dioxide or other poisonous gas that moved down the valley and wiped out the whole place. Then the bodies are eaten by vultures or other flying carrion eaters. That would leave little behind besides a few bones.

I like the transform the population idea but the place was inhabited for eighty years before it was emptied.

So a new threat. If it is a "monster" we have some categories. I like the idea of the ruins shrouded in a fog most of the time, regardless of the season. The place looking abandoned and acting as a ghost town. Maybe whatever caused the removal of the population has left or only arrives every hundred years. Steam Mephits could sneak around in the ruins but couldn't kill thousands without a lot of destruction. Maybe an ooze subtype that is a fog ooze but it would literally be mindless destruction, same with swarms. Maybe the elemental template of fire placed on another monster would be good making it into a stream creature. Hopefully I'll figure this out soon.

The more I think about Brinewall the more it intrigues me. I am picturing a population smaller than Riddleport set on the inlet to the Steam River. It's curtain wall protecting it from the land and the river and sea on it's open side. Fishing the waters and spreading farms outside it's defensive walls. The dangers of raiding Linnorm King tribes and rabid Norland bezerkers keeping the dragon helmed militia on edge. The Korvosan transplants clear and farm along the banks of the river growing grain and farming pigs and cattle. Sleeping off a festival of drinking and frivolity they are taken by surprise not from the land but from the deep. Fast and possibly use magic and force they kill the townspeople and take the bodies to the depths of the Bay beyond it's port. The attackers were pushed to fight for their survival against the land dwellers poisoning their waters with their wastes. Now the streets are overgrown and the building starting to crumble under the weight of many snowfalls. It's once brightly colored boats sunk or run aground by storms. The Linnorms and Norlanders believe it's haunted and avoid the area completely.

Now what would be a good type of creature for the waterborne attackers? Anyone out there with any ideas? Seems most aquatic types don't fight on land well so I am having a hard time finding one. The party will be over level 12 by the time they get to this area so it can be something pretty tough. Come on give me a hand here.

EDIT: One thing I was considering was a vengeful Mist Dragon from the Tome of Horrors. If you couple that with the idea that Brinewall is shrouded in fog most of the time it would make one nasty enemy that could wipe out a few thousand people.

I didn't think about how simple the cultists and even Ironbrian would be. The sawmill is noisy and the party is sneaky then it is one floor at a time clean up. Give them a level or two of Rogue or Fighter and don't have Ironbriar stuck in a little room where he cannot escape/cast/maneuver. It might be a better event. Even putting someone on watch would make it harder.

It took my table a few minutes and a little goading from me. "Where would you think a pre industrial saw mill would be?" and slid the map over to them. They looked at is and talked but got no closer. <sigh> "Where is Sandpoints sawmills?" I asked and suddenly they got it. They built it along the river. That narrowed it down enough to find it.

You might want to toughen up everybody though. The cultists or Ironbriar were not up to the job of providing a challenge to my table.

Our maps are an important and valuable part of our world, and we want to ensure that they're presented in a high-quality fashion commensurate with the rest of our products. We don't want you blowing them up because they simply weren't designed to be blown up beyond a certain size. We don't want people seeing badly pixelated maps with poorly Photoshopped hidden doors overlaid with incorrectly scaled grids, and assuming that that's the kind of thing Paizo is producing these days.

Quality issues aside, we just don't want people redistributing our maps in *any* form. As I said, it's a valuable part of our IP, and we're not about to give it away. If a lot of people were swapping and modifying...

When I ran it

Darn, I was hoping to get some finished map work. Was a fun thought though.

I am ashamed to say I don’t yet know where this is required in the RotRL so I have included it here for now.
Colossal Spider pattern to make 4” card spider by Russell Akred seen here in all its glory

Thank You Joshua.

For those near the South West corner or the Buckeye state there are regular Pathfinder Society games being run. They are at two locations on the West side of town. Yottaquest and Sci-Fi City. Come join us in the gaming fun. The one for Sci-Fi City happened this last weekend but there will be another coming in February. Yottaquest has three Thursdays of adventuring in January. Thursday, Jan 15 2009, 6:00pm - 10:00pm, Eye of the Crocodile King, Thursday, Jan 22 2009, 6:00pm - 10:00pm, The Third Riddle, and Thursday, Jan 29 2009, 6:00pm - 10:00pm, Stay of Execution.

Register and get complete information at www.warhorn.net/cincinnati

I was wanting to check and see how the system for the participating retailers, who are allowing us to run Pathfinder Society games in there shops, is coming. Things like FREE adventures (always use all caps when denoting the non cost of an item) for them to run in those shops. Is it already operating and I need to point my local store owner to it or still in the works?

I am probably going to have to do one for the runelord of lust because I do not trust my group not to explore further down and rouse her and her minions.