Deception, Betrayal, Redemption

Wednesday, May 23, 2018

PaizoCon is just a few days away, and that means some great adventures are already in GMs' hands. Sure, Gen Con is important for releasing piles of new scenarios and kicking off a new season, but PaizoCon's where we love debuting adventures that really appeal to the engaged fans who attend that convention. The organized play team's been saving three scenarios for just this opportunity, and that's not to mention the delightful pair of adventures published for Starfinder Society this month. With our expanding cast of developers, you'll get to hear from each of the Pathfinder Society developers about their respective projects.

This year at PaizoCon we're debuting Pathfinder Society Special #8-99C: The Solstice Scar, the penultimate version of the evolving storyline that began one year ago. We've brought on Kalervo Oikarinen to write the last two parts of the adventure, including both this fifth chapter as well as the final piece that debuts early in 2019. If you're new to the whole Solstice Scar phenomenon, I encourage you to check out the blog that details this experimental format and its schedule.

As a low-spoiler overview, the Pathfinder Society has been helping a Kellid following recover a potent relic—a morally upstanding favor made all the more urgent because that relic keeps a powerful supernatural evil at bay every winter solstice. Thanks to the relic's recent theft, the Society and Kellid following have been working overtime not just to recover it, but also to track down the tools necessary to end the slumbering evil forever. In Version C, the PCs are fending off an invasion, seeking out a long-lost Shining Crusade paladin in the frozen Tusk Mountains, and finally vanquishing a powerful curse in the Northern Fangwood in Lastwall.

The adventure is exclusive to a handful of conventions until Gen Con 2018, after which anyone can play it at events with three or more tables.

Next up, Linda's got some news about our higher-level scenario this month. As she warns, there are some spoilers about an earlier Season 9 scenario in the second paragraph.

I'm excited to see what everyone thinks of this month's Tier 7-11 offering, Pathfinder Society Scenario #9-20: Fury of the Final Blade. Author Lyz Liddell has edited quite a few Pathfinder Society scenarios, and it's awesome to have her writing for us too. Lyz's writing is immersive, creative, and beautiful, and this scenario was truly a joy to work on. If you haven't yet played Pathfinder Society Scenario #9-02: A Case of Missing Persons, I recommend checking that out first, because there are spoilers ahead. So without further ado, here's a preview of what's coming up next in the Liberty's Edge story—with a little more context for people who were baffled by the product page.

Illustration by Marko Horvatin

Liberty's Edge faction leader Colson Maldris is no stranger to crossing lines of propriety in what he believes to be the service of the greater good, and he's learned that his agents are willing to bury his indiscretions. This time, he's taken more drastic action than ever before. After a wealthy man was cleared of treason charges under dubious circumstances and several troubling measures for punishing debtors received serious debate on the floor of Andoran's senate, Maldris became convinced that Andoran's elite had become an untouchable class destined to destroy democracy and bring de-facto slavery to the nation. The only way forward in his mind was bring those treacherous "nobles" before a jury of people who he believed could give them a more just trial for their crimes than Andoran's courts—the citizens of Galt. In exchange for several concessions from the Galtans, such as a promise that Galt would not to use their infamous soul-trapping guillotines to carry out a sentence, Maldris arranged for the people he believed to be most guilty of corruption to be kidnapped and transported to Galt. Yet with the captives in their hands, Galtan authorities were quick to discard the promises they made to Maldris, forcing Maldris to take action against them. If the PCs don't act quickly and carefully, Maldris's rash actions could spark an international incident and possibly end in a gruesome fate for both the captives and Maldris himself. For a peek at what may happen to Maldris, check out this portrait by Marko Horvatin.

But hey, when we're thinking of NPCs with controversial reputations, we can't ignore Grandmaster Torch. Michael gives us some insights into the lower level May adventure.

Pathfinder Society Scenario #9-21: In the Grandmaster's Name takes place in Druma, where the PCs have been sent to intercept an agent of the enigmatic Grandmaster Torch. Similar to a certain low level adventure from Season 5, this adventure is an opportunity for players to insert themselves into one of Torch's cryptic plots. In addition to continuing one of the longest and most polarizing storylines of the Pathfinder Society campaign, author Jenny Jarzabski brings some very unique challenges and story elements to this scenario, weaving her background as a sommelier into an adventure that climbs into the luxurious estates of Kalistocratic high society.

In addition to the excellent opportunities to undermine Torch and several other longstanding villains in the Pathfinder Society campaign, In the Grandmaster's Name has also been a fun opportunity to present elements of Druman society, from hardworking, handsome half-orc bartenders to confident and capable tieflings. These illustrations by Sebastian Gomez really highlight the possibilities as well as the colorful characters you'll certainly meet during this adventure.

Illustrations by Sebastian Gomez

That's it for now. Be sure to check out the Starfinder Society blog today, too, and check in regularly for news updates from PaizoCon this weekend. See many of you at the show!

John Compton, Michael Sayre, and Linda Zayas-Palmer
Pathfinder Society Developers

Keeping Busy With New Adventures

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Phew! I always think of the months leading up to PaizoCon and Gen Con as the busiest time of the year, and while that's true, it often downplays the holiday season's tight schedule to get all of the scenarios ready a little earlier so that our colleagues can head off for some well-deserved rest at the end of the year. That doesn't mean you're off the hook, either—remember that you should be voting (and encouraging your friends to vote) in the ongoing Leaders in Liberty event to help direct the Liberty's Edge faction. After that, we have two great new scenarios for you to enjoy.

The first is Pathfinder Society Scenario #9–08: Birthright Betrayed, a Tier 1–5 scenario by Sam Polak. I'm excited about this adventure for numerous reasons, and the one you've likely heard me talk about before is the Sovereign Court opportunities that tie into the upcoming War for the Crown Adventure Path. It's hard to believe that so much time has passed since Crystal Frasier and I first began scheming this crossover. The wait to hear everyone's reactions to various scenes (including several that have left Thurston Hillman calling me "a monster” for the past 6 months) seems unbearable, but at last our first installation is here!

In Birthright Betrayed, the Pathfinder Society has an opportunity to study relics from the Shining Crusade. The problem is that those same exhibits are in a museum the local baron has habitually ransacked to promote his public image, in the process shaming his glorious ancestor. It's as much a service to history as it is a favor for the Sovereign Court faction to take this baron down a peg, particularly once the PCs begin investigating what's really been happening around the Taldan city of Ridonport. Even low-level PCs can accomplish big things in this scenario and walk away not just feeling like heroes but also being told that they saved the day. Sam's made this especially charming by providing numerous opportunities to meet and interact with the people of Taldor—not just the nobles we see in most Taldan adventures, but also the everyday folks just trying to make ends meet. I've included two of my favorite new NPC portraits from this adventure, both by Sebastian Gomez.

Illustrations by Sebastian Gomez

Overall it promises to be a great start to this story, which includes a Tier 3–7 scenario next month and a Tier 7–11 scenario in January (right before War for the Crown launches in February). This is indicative of a trend you'll see in Season 9. Specifically, there are very few officially multi-part series, unlike in past seasons. Instead, each faction has an ongoing storyline that we've tried to spread over the season as appropriate, and in almost all cases these faction scenarios' tiers get higher over time. The hope's that if you want to really play all 2–3 adventures with the same PC, you can, but the stories are typically partitioned in such a way that you can still have a meaningful experience if you use a few different PCs to play the adventures (see the recent pair of Scarab Sages scenarios for a good example). This also means that each of the factions gets a good level spread over Season 9, so you don't need to be low level to experience the Liberty's Edge story or high level to appreciate what the Dark Archive's doing. Overall, we're tinkering with how we've always done things to deliver some fun stories in different ways.

Speaking of traditions, we've made something of a tradition of releasing a new replayable scenario around this time of year. Linda Zayas-Palmer has increasingly taken the lead on these special projects, so it's only right that we hear directly from her about what to expect.

Our second scenario this month is the replayable 3–7 adventure Pathfinder Society Scenario #9–09: Beyond the Halflight Path. Like its older sister Pathfinder Society Scenario #8–07: From the Tome of Righteous Repose, Beyond the Halflight Path is packed with opportunities for the GM to customize her adventure. The story takes the PCs to Kaer Maga, an eclectic city whose ancient history refuses to stay buried. It's up to the PCs to get to the bottom of a troublesome mystery and strike against its source in the vaults below. What is the threat? What is the background behind it? Who even gives the mission briefing? All of these depend upon how the GM decides to assemble the story.

Brian Duckwitz really stepped up to the plate in writing this adventure. I left a lot of room in the outline for him to come up with possible plots, and you'll see many of those ideas in the adventure. I don't want to put spoilers here, so I'll just say: check out the Scintillating Halls arcs. They are delightfully creepy. When it comes to encounters, think about how many encounters are in typical scenario, and then multiply that by around seven. Now imagine adjusting everything for four players and giving every last creature its own tactics. Oh, and make each of the nine possible villains interesting and distinctive while you are at it. It was a serious undertaking, and Brian did an excellent job.

Illustration by Tom Ventre

This was also an opportunity to get some more great Duskwarden art, this time as depicted by Tom Ventre.

That's all for this week! I hope that (as is true for Pathfinders as for players in real life) everyone travels safely if you're heading out of town for the holiday season. Remember to look up local games to share the cheer with others, no matter where you're wintering this year.

John Compton
Organized Play Lead Developer

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

New Adventures to Kick Off Summer

Monday, June 27, 2016

August 4th, the first day of Gen Con Indy, draws ever nearer, so Linda and I are industriously preparing the huge swath of new adventures leading up to and kicking off the new Season 8: Year of the Stolen Storm. Back when I was first pitching the new All for Immortality seeker arc, adding two extra adventures onto the end of the season seemed quite reasonable. Now that Linda and I are in the thick of developing (and writing) these adventures, we sometimes have that moment where we rock back and forth slightly while giggling madly anytime someone asks how things are coming along. I like to explain that we're laughing about the cruel creativity of this month's authors, who have crafted some delightful stories, encounters, and NPCs. Once you see what's coming out this month, I think you'll agree.

Illustrations by Sebastian Gomez

Back in Season 5, I realized that the Pathfinder Society hadn't traveled to the Mwangi Expanse in earnest for many years, so I set aside some space in Season 6 to explore this region. We got to adventure in the cities of Bloodcove and Nantambu as well as experience the diverse environments along the Sargavan border, and the feedback we received was very positive. Folks wanted to see more of Nantambu, and there was a lot of interest in seeing more of the Mwangi Expanse—especially another adventure with some pulp "exploring the unknown" elements. I contacted Pathfinder Society Open Call and Phantom Phenomena author Brian Duckwitz to write this month's Pathfinder Society Scenario #7-24: Dead Man's Debt and apply his flair for wilderness encounters to the ongoing developments around Nantambu's Pathfinder lodge. In this Tier 1-5 adventure, the PCs head deep into the jungle to uphold the Pathfinder Society's honor, and in the process they'll have a great opportunity to observe the Ekujae elves' culture—perhaps at spearpoint!

Illustration by Ben Wootten

Season 6 also saw a major overhaul of the PC factions as each of the "national" factions gravitated toward more philosophical goals. When the Cheliax faction evolved into the Dark Archive, several players were concerned that without a Chelish connection, their Hellknight PCs would no longer be relevant in the Pathfinder Society. The short answer is that Hellknight PCs are still welcome so long as they honor the Society's principles. The slightly longer answer is that Hellknights are a rather charming organization because their interest in opposing or collaborating with the Society depends a lot on context. Much as I tried to express that Hellknights don't need a Cheliax faction, I knew the best way to demonstrate that would be in a scenario. The basic premise for Pathfinder Society Scenario #7-25: Orders from the Gate has been floating in my head for some time, and only recently did I identify both the right Tier 5-9 slot and the right author. Cole Kronewitter is another Open Call veteran and Phantom Phenomena author who really distinguished himself for his atmospheric descriptions, dialogue, and use of the setting, and for this adventure he consistently wowed us with his increasingly creepy and flavorful encounter design. The PCs get to work with the Order of the Gate Hellknights in order to stop a common foe, and over the course of the scenario, they may also find common ground with these allies. For those of you who asked for a fun "law vs. chaos" adventure, dig in! Not sure why you should be as excited about Hellknights as we are? Check out this preview for this month's Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Path of the Hellknight!

In April, contributor Thurston Hillman kicked off the first dedicated seeker-level content in five years with Pathfinder Society Scenario #7-20: All for Immortality, Part 1: First Taste of Eternity. The recent troubles in Thuvia have pointed to a mastermind in Nidal who conducts otherworldly research in her hidden laboratories. In this month's Pathfinder Society Scenario #7-26: All for Immortality, Part 2: All the Gods Beyond, editor-in-chief F. Wesley Schneider and developer Amanda Hamon Kunz have teamed up to deliver a Tier 12-15 terror (complete with a bruising, just-for-bragging-rights hard mode option). I hesitate to share too much and spoil the adventure, so I'll just encourage you to dust off those high-level characters and play!

Pathfinder Society Character Sketch Competition Winner!

Congratulations and the prize of $30 in paizo.com store credit goes to Femme Fatale d'Avignon, who submitted an illustration of their character "Phaedra Lingalare"! Our two runners up Crescentmoon and Redwald will each be receiving $10 of paizo.com store credit for each of their brilliant sketches! Be sure to take another look at the winning entries and the other awesome submissions we received here.

Gen Con Update

Although tickets went quickly for our upcoming interactive event, there are still open seats for Thursday night's special Serpents' Ire and Saturday night's special Through Maelstrom Rift. In Serpents' Ire, you depict cutthroat agents dispatched to learn who's stealing from the Aspis Consortium and shut down their operation—permanently. This continues the behind-the-scenes story of the Consortium and its rising stars and gives players another chance to exercise their darker side as they uncover serious secrets all but unknown to the Aspis leadership.

You may have heard that in Through Maelstrom Rift, the players portray elemental guardians who seek to preserve the balance of the planes, but so far we haven't talked about the characters. In the Aspis Consortium adventures, the players have portrayed humans scallywags, elven experiments, and even the occasional monstrous humanoid or worse. In traveling to the Plane of Air, though, Linda's had a chance to ditch Core Rulebook races altogether. We figured that this might be a good opportunity to introduce you to the smallest member of the team, an aspiring bard with the bravery of a warrior three size categories larger than she. Can you really say no to a face like that? Neither can I, which is why I encourage you to head over to the Gen Con sign-ups and grab a ticket now!

John Compton
Pathfinder Society Lead Developer