Where Winter is Always Warm

Monday, December 19, 2016

Illustrations by Enrique Barajas and Sebastian Gomez

This is the time of year when I hear requests for wintry scenarios that involve trekking through Irrisen, delves into ice caverns, or toboggan-jousting (sounds dangerous—please don't hurt yourself trying it). While there are no doubt tales yet to be told of misfit toys that (in the true spirit of Pathfinder Society Roleplaying Guild) come to life and take over a tribe of gnolls, I'm not a big fan of cold weather—much less reinforcing how nippy it's getting in much of the northern hemisphere by playing an adventure that culminates in getting eaten by an icicle ooze. No, we're instead fleeing the frosty climes by vacationing in the elemental planes: the Plane of Air and the Plane of Fire, to be precise.

The aerial metropolis of Armun Kelisk is positively lovely in the winter, and the Pathfinder Society has a djinni friend who's happy to provide a team a place to stay. That's especially helpful because a thief is on the lam after stealing from the Society, so it's up to the PCs to track her down while keeping up appearances. In the Tier 1-5 adventure Pathfinder Society Scenario #8-10: Tyranny of Winds, Part 2: Secrets of the Endless Sky, the PCs must navigate the city's rich social scene and chase mysteries while barely knowing which way is up. Watch out, though, as it's all too easy for a first-time visitor to find new enemies, instead!

Things are heating up on the Plane of Fire, where the Pathfinder Society has made a dangerous deal with an influential efreeti named Qalkami Mishalq. She's called in her last favor, intended to seal her triumphant return to the City of Brass, the monumentally wealthy capital of the fire genies. In the Tier 5-9 adventure Pathfinder Society Scenario #8-11: Forged in Flame, Part 2: Cleansed With Fire, the PCs must strike down a once-mighty efreeti household that once even tormented the Inner Sea region. Watch out, though. The PCs may enjoy temporary privileges, yet the City of Brass is a tyrannical and merciless destination where one misstep could be an adventurer's last.

A lot of us are taking some time off for the holidays, but we're making these scenarios available before the last Wednesday of the month so that you have new material to play. Season 8 is going strong, and there's a lot more exciting content planned for 2017. See you then!

John Compton
Pathfinder Society Lead Developer