Looking Back and Looking Ahead

Monday, December 28, 2015

2015 has been a good year for Pathfinder Society Roleplaying Guild adventures. We set some ambitious goals, including doubling the number of interactive special events and providing several new exclusive scenarios that let players portray Aspis Consortium agents and the kobolds that live below Absalom—far more ways for aspiring 5-star GMs to run their 10 special adventures. We reassembled the powerful Sky Key and activated it to see what would happen. We have since struck back against the Aspis Consortium for its unprovoked (okay, only somewhat provoked) attack on the Grand Lodge in this first half of the Year of the Serpent, and there's more excitement to come in 2016.

It's also been a great year for new talent, whether that's the four new authors I learned about through the Open Call program or the 21 other authors (both familiar and new) whose names have appeared on the 31 adventures we've published over the past twelve months. Perhaps most significantly of all, Linda Zayas-Palmer joined the development team, greatly helping us not only give each scenario the development time that it deserves but also providing us additional time to plan out the rest of Season 7 and Season 8.

Illustration by Dion Harris

That's not to say that we've accomplished quite everything that we had hoped. There are still some sanctioning projects on the back burner, but I look forward to the long flights to and from seeing family to catch up on my Pathfinder Tales reading list. I've also packed the last few volumes of the Iron Gods Adventure Path to work on those Chronicle sheets.

So let's look at what's coming out right before your New Year's celebrations—both of which take us to uncharted territory. In fact, despite neither one being terribly Christmas-y at first glance, both of them promote the virtue of helping someone in need.

In Pathfinder Society Scenario #7-12: The Twisted Circle by Jon Cazares, the Pathfinders set out from Katapesh in order to investigate the disappearance of an Osiriani researcher who has spent the last several years studying the Mana Wastes. The trail leads to a tight-knit community south of Alkenstar, where the proud villagers endure and thrive despite the bizarre magical events that sweep through the area. I'm really looking forward to stories about this Tier 1-5 scenario, as it really lends itself well to building atmosphere, fun dialogue, and uncovering one of the spell-scarred region's secrets.

We can also look forward to Pathfinder Society Scenario #7-13: Captive in Crystal by Monica Marlowe (RPG Superstar 2015). In this Tier 5-9 adventure, the Society needs a team to track down whatever remains of five Pathfinders who disappeared years ago while using a strange wayfinder. Chief among those missing in action was Sorrina Westyr, the Society's former Master of Spells until a decade ago, when Aram Zey filled the vacancy. I've wondered for a long time who preceded the current three Masters of Scrolls, Spells, and Swords, and I had an opportunity to explore one of them while writing an entry in Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Lost Treasures. Now at last we get to follow up on that loose thread and learn what befell Sorrina Westyr and her team. I'll give you one hint in the form of an art preview: an imposing shaitan genie with the kind of muscles that cause Seltyiel to weep with envy and drive Sajan to make a new year's resolution to do more crunches. If you want your Pathfinder Society character to look this cool, take heart! This scenario also revisits one of the boons I've received the most questions about in the past year, and as a special gift to you, you don't need to have it on the same character who plays this adventure.

I'd love to share more of the art, but there's some major spoiler material among them; I want to give folks a month or so to play through the adventures before I add it to a blog. After all, 'tis the season for avoiding spoilers, thanks to the new Star Wars movie's release. As of writing this blog, I still haven't seen it, but no doubt that will have changed by the time this goes live.

May your 2015 conclude peacefully, safely, and with some great gaming memories!

John Compton
Developer