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How the heck are first level characters suppose to deal with those kinds of things without the aid of some spell caster who has trained some first level aoe? RUN AWAY!! CJ
E6 is a game about d20’s first two quartiles, and focuses on continuously delivering exciting heroic fantasy, even in a very long campaign. Like d20, E6 can be adapted to a wide variety of settings, from high-magic action-adventure where magic takes the place of technology to low-magic worlds where sorcerers are spoken of in frightened whispers and dragons are the stuff of legend. E6 keeps all the benefits and familiarity of low-level d20 games: Fast-paced combat, quick prep, and an incredible wealth of third-party material that can be used with the game. E6 has been playtested extensively, and its rules that can be explained to veteran d20 players in under a minute. Can you provide a link to where someone might find out more about E6? Thanks. CJ
Ah, yes, I should have thought this through. As a PC you earn your rewards through the course of the scenario -- for the most part the chronicle just tallies them up and lets you know how much things were worth. Players drink potions they find all the time. Thanks everyone for their polite and insightful discourse. CJ
I can't find the answer to this question in the FAQ or in the Guide to Organized Play. If I die in an adventure, can I use the GP and/or PRESTIGE I would have earned from the chronicle to get myself raised? Or am I restricted to only using my cash/prestige strictly "in hand" (from my previous chronicles)? It wasn't a TPK, so other members of the party survived, brought my body along, and presumably I would still get a "share" of the loot were this a home game. But this isn't a home game, so I'm not sure the same sorts of logic apply. CJ
The Seattle Beginner Box Bash at Card Kingdom went really well. I don't have a good count of how many players sat tables. But we ran steadily from noon to 6pm, 6+ (at one point ten) tables, with four players per table. Everyone had a blast!! The mimic encounter was particularly challenging -- but I think most everyone survived. I haven't heard of any TPK's. The wolf in the goblin encounter was also pretty nasty. We had a good mix of PFS players and new folks and we look to have done a good job of getting the word out (we were pretty much pack the entire time). We also ran 6 PFS tables after the bash with five new PFS players sitting tables. All in all it was a good day! I am entirely beholding to the folks who stepped up and ran tables. CJ
Just to keep folks apprised of the developing situation... We are now running PFS at the following locations and times: The Dreaming in the U-District, Thursday evenings @ 6pm
We are still looking to get a regular schedule for games at D20 in Burien, and looking to expand to Dragonslaire in Bellevue. We are also looking to start up games at the AFK Tavern in Everett on Sunday afternoons and Tuesday evenings. If one you are interested in playing or GM'ing, please let me know. CJ
I'm preparing to run this module and I have some questions. 1. The map seems to be missing any of the markings indicated by the text. There should be a "b" to mark where the stairs from the belfry meet the balcony, and there should be "r's" to indicate where the hobgoblin rogues are hiding. 2. I can't visualize the interior of the dome very well. Are the stairs that descend from the belfry affixed to the walls of the dome? Presumably in this case they would obscure parts of the fresco. 3. Are there supposed to be two doors in 6a? 4. Do the PCs just happen to be in Almas when events transpire? I'm assuming they were on some other mission and got volunteered into dealing with things at the Almas lodge. I'm perfectly comfortable making up my own answers to these questions, but if someone else has already run this module (and presumably a lot of people have), I would like to know how they resolved these issues. Also if anyone has any general feedback on running this module please let me know. CJ
A bit of an update (I'm quick), you might try This Group. Mike says, "They are just starting with Pathfinder games at gamedays. Some of the verbiage on the front page of the website has not been updated to indicate this." But it sounds like PFS is alive in Calgary in some incarnation. CJ
As a follow-up to PAX we need a couple of GM's to assist with running tables this Friday (8/2) and next Friday (8/9) at Games & Gizmos in Redmond at 6pm. If you can spare the time and energy, please respond to this thread. We had 13 players show up last Friday and expect many, many more this Friday. CJ
So, this came up in another thread pertaining to a PFS scenario...but posting the question here seems relevant. According to canon, the interior of the Isle of Kortos is untamed wilderness. Yet the city of Absalom was founded 4000 years ago and is the largest city in the known world. How does that work? Are the people of Absalom violently agoraphobic? Or is there some other factors that keep them from spreading across the island? I know that the Kortos Mounts are very high -- but even those would seem to be conquerable by magic and 4000 years of constant civilization. I would also think that most of Kortos would be given over to food production to feed Absalom. I understand that having an untamed wilderness right next to the big city is fun -- as it makes for easy access to adventures. But does it make sense, even in a fantasy setting? CJ
I made it sort of vague as well -- it was a glowy thing in a stout reliquary box (Repo Man). My creative players asked if they could take 3 spare boxes with them -- which they packed with rations. So when they got to the Grindylow Goblet things got interesting. The gillmen never stood a chance. They ended up dying for an half-empty box of rations. CJ
No worries Larry. It is canon I have a problem with in this case. CJ
Sverirr Lightfoot is sometimes called Ragna Lightfoot in the body text of the encounter. It is unclear which is her real name. It was a fun module to run. Keeping the goblins out of trouble was pretty challenging. CJ
I ran this at Dragonflight over the weekend...
The travel chart is totally confusing. I tossed it. My players and their little train of donkeys was well provisioned and so travel times really didn't matter much as long as they didn't dawdle or get distracted.
I had a lot of fun role-playing the centaurs. The party was very respectful and the encounter went very well. Given that most PFS modules are a bit combat heavy, it was nice to have a spot of RP.
I was wondering about this as well. I played it as a hazard encounter with the natural bridge and rushing water. The party had a lot of fun trying to cross the river without getting dunked and getting their donkeys across safely. They really planned it out and were successful with only very minor mishaps. I would call it a good team building exercise. But, yes, probably a waste of ink to print the whole map in the mod. They failed to notice the krenshar and it followed them to attack in the night. Then comes E, the Hero's shrine ... I don't like this encounter as it's written. It's easily identifiable as a shrine to a great person, and thus taking money from the shrine should be punished permanently (as a curse, so remove curse or some would remove the affliction). Similarly just putting a coin and gaining the favor should be in place of the money gained; presently this encounter rewards characters who are good, and... I ran this encounter pretty much as written. Some of my players dropped coins in the offering bowl, some didn't. No one was tempted to steal from the shrine though. RE: Bog Mother Snapjaw did take a chunk out of one of the PCs (he bites hard for a small alligator), but I ran this as a RP encounter. Other than wanting to keep the party from trampling her "children", she doesn't have a big interest in fighting them. It was also fun to role-play the crazy old kobold druid lady. RE: the battle at the Grindylow Goblet This ended up being a pretty long combat. Between pyrotechnics, web, and multiple grease spells -- it got pretty confusing. The two gillman warriors weren't much of a challenge, the thaumaturge was a bit more of one. I had a couple additional problems/issues with this adventure. 1. What does the Azlanti artifact from the Pathfinders' vault look like? How big is it? Is the party supposed to carry it, or is it in the care of Master Rees?
Spoiler:
Overall this was a fun adventure. There was the potential for more combats, but the krenshar and Grindeylow Goblet seemed like enough. The wholes in the story were annoying, but fixable by a creative GM. The whole idea of Kortos still being a "wild" place after 4000 years seemed far fetched but I went with it. My players were smart and managed to spot that the fake artifact was a fake. The gillmen never really got a chance to grab the true artifact before the pyrotechnics went off. Not sure if I read the details right, but it seemed odd that the thaumaturge would signal when she is ready to start her spell, rather than the gillmen at the table indicating that they have the artifact and signalling the thaumaturge. If I run this again I plan on doing this, rather than what I thought I read. In any event the party had fun. CJ
I really want to thank all those folks who volunteered their time, energy, and rapacious enthusiasm to GM'ing at Dragonflight this weekend. Thanks to:
Also a big thank you to the Dragonflight organizers who made running tables there really painless and all the players who traveling in from as far afield as Monmouth, OR to play at the con. We ran 18 tables over the weekend and probably handed out almost 30 new PFS numbers. It was a rocking time -- which we hope to increase next year. Thanks again everyone. CJ
According to Hyrum Savage's facebook... He's no longer associated with Paizo. Never saw that one coming. Regardless of the circumstances (which are a private matter of Paizo and Hyrum), I wish Mr. Savage a lot of success onwards. Read this as well. I wish him well also. Seems like the wrong time of the year to be without a Marketing Guy though. CJ
We have GM's. Now we just need some players. Here is what we will be running: First Steps, Part I—In Service to Lore
We will also be running We Be Goblins on an ad hoc basis. Come by and play!! CJ
I don't have a problem with inexperienced GM's -- enthusiasm counts. Contact me off-list for details: thelesuit AT hotmail DOT com. CJ
Joshua, what are you doing the 12-14 of August? Would you like to GM some Pathfinder Society at Dragonflight in Bellevue? CJ
I don't think D&D/Pathfinder is very good for modelling this campaign concept at all. Is everyone going to be a wizard of some stripe? You might want to go with a skill-based system rather than class-based. Like GURPS, Runequest/Chaosium BRP, etc. If you are looking for a magic system that seems really "magical" you might look at ARS MAGICA. I know that advocating anything besides Pathfinder is rank heresy on this board -- but it is only a tool for providing fun for your players. It is a good tool, but it might not be the RIGHT tool for the job. Hope you find what you are looking for. CJ
I will be running this module at Emerald City Game Fest this weekend (stop by if you are in Kenmore, WA on Saturday). I'm looking for something to follow it in the second slot? Preferably with the same goblin characters. Any suggestions? CJ
First, let me preface that I ran this module cold with no absolutely no knowledge of Part 1. For GM's with an inkling of a clue things might be different. I also liked this module and had fun running it -- but again my circumstances might be a bit unique. I also don't have a copy of the module in front of me, so I'm just going off of what I recall. I liked that the way into Whitethrone wasn't pre-determined and that the PCs were given pretty-much free reign to figure out how they wanted to get in. I do think that more could have been made of the time the party spends outside the city, perhaps even giving them an encounter there. The idea that the Iron Guard will immediately recognize the party as Pathfinders seems very forced and unreasonable and much is made of this throughout the module -- I totally ignored this. It would have also been nice to see more details about the caravans coming into the city -- I posited that Whitethrone would be a stopping point for caravans coming from over the Top of the World and gave them appropriate details and flavor. I also decided that the nearby mountains would probably support a mining industry and large carts/sleds would likely be bringing ore into the city from those areas. The ore carts, loaded with big chunks of rock, were slow moving and not very heavily guarded. They proved ideal for my players and they had a very good time trying to figure out how to get into one without being seen while carrying a 100# chest. Spoiler:
My players initially forgot the chest behind when they scrambled to infiltrate an ore cart -- which provided some truly hilarious moments of role playing and player interaction. Sadly nothing about the description of Whitethrone made it feel like a unique setting in any way. Running this cold I improvised as best I could but I encourage GM's who know they are going to run this scenario to do some research and make Whitethrone something more than Generic Fantasy City #103. Again there was a whole lot of detail given over to the Iron Guard and how they would find and combat the party unless extreme methods of stealth and subterfuge were undertaken -- really? It is a "cold" city. Everyone is bundled up in furs and one group of travellers pretty much looks like another who pretty much look like the natives. It seemed contrived so I ignored it. Spoiler:
My players forgot that they had a map which showed them where they were supposed to go next (the derelict brewery), so I had to invent a whole lot of Whitethrone on the fly. Finally I noticed a reference to the map they found in Part 1 and directed the players appropriately. The error provided some good role-playing opportunities for the players -- but I do recommend running this as written. I don't recall many details about the neighborhood around the Old Brewery -- but again it could have been set in any Generic Fantasy City. The interior of the brewery description seemed to match that of many of the brew pubs I've been in lately -- so it was very familiar. Which is not really what I would be looking for in a fantasy game/setting. I understand that Golarion isn't a medieval setting -- but I think that Irrisen might be closer to medieval than it is a modern brew-pub. Spoiler:
My players doped the rabid dogs bypassing them entirely. The goblin attack came while the party was poking around -- only by keeping the goblins "safe" in the rafters using ranged attacks did this encounter provide even a remote challenge. I'm really not sure I liked the (what seems now obligatory for PFS) goblin encounter. It seemed like a throw-away. Are the goblins associated with the Shadow Lodge? Why have both rabid guard dogs AND goblins guarding the upstairs? I'm not sure either are good ideas or make much sense for the setting or scenario. If I had more time to prepare I might have opted to replace these with something more evocative of the setting (like something with some sort of "cold" template). I liked the traps. They kept the party on their toes without killing them. The DCs for the Shadow Lodge operatives to notice the barrel trap going off seemed a bit high. Spoiler:
I'm not sure what to make the Shadow Lodge operatives. They weren't much of a challenge for my party of 1st level players. They very pretty underwhelming. One did manage to escape to warn the mutant goblin and set the pit trap though -- which was good. The bug pit trap was an interesting touch. I'm not sure I buy a pit filled with dead insect parts in Irrisen...but I let it go and the players had a lot of fun with it. Seriously where does the Blight Druid get all his bugs? It really seemed like this module was set in Irrisen as an afterthought than by design from the start. The mutant goblin was a lot of fun. Spoiler:
My players ended up fighting the mutant goblin in the bug pit. It was quite a memorable encounter -- I'm not sure I can do it justice in describing it in detail -- but my players had a really good time with it. I think the final encounter really could have been a lot of fun for a different party. Spoiler:
The iconic alchemist was at the table and he one-shotted the dragon with a well placed bomb. Very sad GM. But happy party. My final assessment is that I had fun running this module but it wasn't because it was particularly well written or conceived. Much could have been made of the setting that wasn't, and other than the white dragonette, the encounters seemed pretty generic.
Gah! I think I've played through this module eight or nine times over my 35 years of gaming. It is really refreshing to see old school modules like this get a face-lift and conversion to Pathfinder. If it isn't too much trouble I would very much like a copy of your conversion. No rush. Eventually I will be running my own children through this. Spoiler:
thelesuit@hotmail.com KEEP up the good works. CJ
THIS was an awesome way to handle a maze! It wasn't dull or boring. It took into account a variety of skills and abilities. And it was really fun to play through. Very similar to the chase scene in one of the Crimson Throne modules. CJ
I will definitely be up for some Free Room game play this year. I might even be persuaded to run some Old School Metamorphosis Alpha or Tunnels & Trolls. I will also be bringing some Faerie Tales and maybe some other stuff. CJ
What is so wrong with a Half-Orc-Half-Halfling anyways, besides coherently pronouncing it?You mean besides some pretty unfortunate implications about this characters origins? Where there is a will there is a way my friend -- and probably an web site as well. I actually don't have any problems with this at all. Considering this is a fantasy setting everything is possible and in fact, probable. Check out Green Ronin's Bastards & Bloodlines. CJ
I agree with Zylphryx's comments and understand Erik's dilemma. The event should be about the music rather than "the drinking" or whatever else was going on. I have some ideas on how we could get it back to its roots -- but I'm not sure if they are too draconian. 1. Your song/tune is your ticket. No tunes -- no entry. (Might be too extreme.) 2. Open containers only -- no bottles, no kegs, no fifth's of whatever. I think a limited number of pitchers would be okay (a pitcher is open). But if you want to get your drink on -- go somewhere else. 3. Remove all tables except the one at the front. These are off the top of my head. It is a tough call. I would be bummed if it didn't happen as I've been heavily contemplating my entry. It might also be time for someone else to take up the DJ Whispering Tyrant mantle. CJ
Another military question: how do medals work? We don't see them very often in Star Trek, but they get passed out occasionally. I've said in PO Krusky's public bio that he was awarded a medal for his actions during the situation that cost the life of the other security members of the away team. Does that just mean his uniform is prettier now, or are there other implications? Somewhat loaded question... It really depends on the Service Branch and the type of medals being awarded. Some medals you get for breathing consistently over a period of time (Good Conduct Medals are an example of this..sort of like Rimmer's Service Awards). As long as you keep your nose clean over an extended period of time you get one. Some medals are ship mission specific: the entire ship's compliment might get a "theatre" award for serving in a specific location for a set period of time, or an award for "Best in Drill", a wartime medal, or even something like a Neutral Zone Patrol Medal. All you have to do to get one of these is serve aboard the vessel while it is performing one of these missions or tasks. Then there are the more serious "earned" awards/medals: Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Medal for Conspicuous Gallantry, etc. To get one of those you have to have earned it, been seen earning it, and in many cases be recognized as having deserved a commendation. Personal Experience:
I served for eight years, never made it higher than E-5 and had several rows of service ribbons and medals. The majority of them were for the places I went. My Sea Service Ribbon was just for having served afloat for two years. I also earned a Markmanship Ribbon in Boot Camp. In the character creation guidelines I've specified that the PCs are E-1. Is it reasonable that as their supervisor Krusky is only E-2, or should he be higher? Perhaps a bit too low in rank. E-1 is an Enlisted Recruit. This is the rank enlisted men attain just by entering Boot Camp. Generally upon completion of Boot Camp you are promoted to E-2 (in your case SA, Spaceman Apprentice). E-2's scrub toilets, peel potatoes, paint hulls, and swab decks -- they aren't put in charge of anything. An E-3 (in the Navy is a Seaman) might be placed in charge of several E-2's (and enlisted men who due to infractions had been reduced in rank to E-1). An E-3 is generally trying to become something else -- an NCO. They might be part of a ship board work division (engineering, deck, bridge, supply, etc.) and undertaking junior tasks within that division (generally all E 1-3's are going to be part of some ship board work division). This is of course only one scenario. Some enlisted men progress from Boot Camp right into Tech School (really depends on the needs and size of the Service). Once they graduate tech school they are "rated" (have an occupation or job) and are E-4's (NCO's or Petty Officers). An enlistee might even have applied and been accepted into Tech School as part of their Enlistment Agreement. If your Red Shirts are designated security personnel -- they have probably had some training in such and thus would be E-4's at the very least (3rd Class Petty Officers). They would probably work for an E-6 (First Class Petty Officer) or E-7 (Chief Petty Officer, CPO) as part of a small unit/squad and might even have some sort of officerial oversight (like an O-2 being in charge but deferring to the E-6 or E-7 who has more practical experience). Hope this helps. CJ
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