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Adventures Worth Holding Your Breath For

Monday, April 24, 2017

Before we jump into John's preview of this month's Pathfinder Society Roleplaying Guild Scenarios, I'd like to announce the results of the "OPC Needs a New Character" contest. Drumroll, please...

The winner is... *dramatic pause*

Gwinn Jeggare, phantom thief! The author of my new character is Michael Eshleman (greysector)—Congratulations to Michael on the success of his entry!

Kudos to our two finalists, Douglas MacIntyre (for Brenda "Brackish" Hardy, the undine shaman of the deep) and Brent Strom (for Perth)! Hip, hip huzzah!

—Tonya Woldridge, Organized Play Coordinator

Illustration by Jeffrey Lai

Just as the Seattle area transitions from chilly and wet to "sunny yet inexplicably still raining," so too is the Pathfinder Society Roleplaying Guild team eager to get outside and explore some exciting locations. We're also pleased to have an exciting Season 9 schedule in place along with the name and logo, much of which we'll announce at PaizoCon 2017, so be sure to attend the PaizoCon Preview Banquet and the organized play panel the following day to ask any questions you have. In the meantime, let me share a few more secrets about this month's scenarios—both of which lead into our PaizoCon releases!

We kick off the race into convention season with an infamous race in Garund: the famous Sargava Chalice, a survival footrace through the unforgiving wilderness just south of the Mwangi Expanse. In recent years, the race has become increasingly deadly, and the Pathfinder Society has proposed allowing teams to compete as a way to revitalize the contest. The PCs are representing the Pathfinder Society in the race, and if they can brave the traceless frontier while fending off both beasts and rival competitors, they might walk away with the chalice itself—a relic with which the Society can unlock a cyclops ruin from antiquity. Lace up your racing shoes in Pathfinder Society Scenario #8-18: Champion's Chalice, Part 1: Blazing Dangerous Trails by Benjamin Bruck, bravely treaded new ground by adapting a simplified version of Ultimate Intrigue's pursuit rules to track the PCs' progress. Just be warned that one rule hasn't changed: contestants begin the race with nothing but themselves and the cloths on their backs. Time is of the essence in this Tier 1-5 adventure!

Illustrations by Dion Harris and Tom Ventre

Thus far the Pathfinder Society has traveled the elemental planes, compiling what it needs to shatter the Untouchable Opal. We're yet to visit the Plane of Water, and that ends this month as the Society is in pursuit of a crucial tool to realize its goal. Many years ago, the ingenious Pathfinder Zahra was investigating the unforgiving ruins of Koor, and she has since shifted her sights to the magnificent metropolis of Vialesk, a hub for visitors to the Plane of Water. Tragic circumstances ruined the first expedition and tarnished her reputation, but she suspects foul play and has recruited the PCs to find out what really happened. Pathfinder Society Scenario #8-19: Treacherous Waters is an exciting urban adventure set in the underwater city of Vialesk, full of strange environments and even stranger characters. Its author, Eleanor Ferron, not only contributed to Pathfinder Quests: Honor's Echo, but she also made the Plane of Water come alive in Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Planes of Power, making this Tier 3-7 adventure a real testament to her abilities and knowledge of the setting.

As a note for Treacherous Waters, keep in mind that its events tie closely to Pathfinder Society Scenario #8-20: Torrent's Last Will, a Tier 7-11 adventure coming out next month. It's not necessary to play these with the same character, though I do recommend playing them in order.

John Compton
Organized Play Lead Developer

More Paizo Blog.
Tags: Community Contests Dion Harris Jeffrey Lai PaizoCon 2017 Pathfinder Society Pathfinder Society Scenarios Tom Ventre
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4/5

Congratulations to Mr. Eshleman!

I'm glad we have such a variety of characters showing up around our tables. It's part of what makes PFS fun. If everyone wanted to play the same thing, we would never form functional teams.
4/5

Congrats and enjoy the new character!
Silver Crusade 4/5 5/55/55/5 RPG Superstar 2013 Top 8
1 person marked this as a favorite.

Thanks so much! I am honored and humbled. Thank you Tonya for the opportunity, and congratulations to the other finalists whose entries were equally worthy.
Grand Lodge 4/5

Hey, it's Zahra! Good to see her again.
Scarab Sages 5/5 5/5 *** Venture-Captain, Netherlands

Conga rats Michael :)
Shadow Lodge 4/5

"contestants begin the race with nothing but themselves and the cloths on their backs"

Loving it already. No golfbags, wands or other assortmenti!

Is that a salvage giant I see? Can't wait for Vialesk.
Dark Archive 5/5 5/55/5 *** Venture-Captain, Germany—Rhein Main South

Congrats Michael.
Dark Archive 4/5 5/5 *
Michael Eshleman wrote:
Thanks so much! I am honored and humbled. Thank you Tonya for the opportunity, and congratulations to the other finalists whose entries were equally worthy.

Nice one Michael! hopefully we see Gwinn sneaking around at some point soon.

Grand Lodge 4/5 5/55/55/55/5 *****
Steven Schopmeyer wrote:
Hey, it's Zahra! Good to see her again.

"It vas good to play vith you too and--" Zahra pauses as she realizes that TOZ is referring to another Zahra. "Oh vell. It is beautiful name, no? Some of the best Pathfinders have it! Does she also have a tiger?"

___

So, there is an NPC Zahra that is a famous Pathfinder and possibly a VC? Oh yay! A role-model for Zahra, my very first character!
Dark Archive 4/5 5/55/55/55/5 *****
2 people marked this as a favorite.

The plane of water! The plane of water! We finally get to the plane of water! It is the best plane ever.
4/5 5/5
2 people marked this as a favorite.
Zahra Senay wrote:
So, there is an NPC Zahra that is a famous Pathfinder and possibly a VC? Oh yay! A role-model for Zahra, my very first character!

Once you get to play the adventure she features in, you... might not want to use her as a role model. Just sayin'.

3/5 * Venture-Agent, Ohio—Columbus
Minna Hiltula wrote:
Zahra Senay wrote:
So, there is an NPC Zahra that is a famous Pathfinder and possibly a VC? Oh yay! A role-model for Zahra, my very first character!
Once you get to play the adventure she features in, you... might not want to use her as a role model. Just sayin'.

Or she could be the absolute BEST rolemodel. Ya know, just depending.

Sovereign Court 4/5 5/55/55/5 *

I guess I'll have to buy ultimate intrigue now
Silver Crusade 4/5
Zahra Senay wrote:
"It vas good to play vith you too and--" Zahra pauses as she realizes that TOZ is referring to another Zahra. "Oh vell. It is beautiful name, no? Some of the best Pathfinders have it! Does she also have a tiger?"

"Nah, no tiger." The dwarf strokes his beard thoughtfully. "Maybe one day I tell you the tale of how we rescued her the first time."

1/5
Muser wrote:
"contestants begin the race with nothing but themselves and the cloths on their backs"

Sounds like most characters could be in trouble. No weapons, spell components, food, water...

Grand Lodge 4/5

Bringing my monk for that one. :P
Grand Lodge 1/5
1 person marked this as a favorite.

If I weren't needed for more dangerous missions, it would have been interesting to try to compete. A paladin shouldn't need fancy tools to protect others... just faith, skill, and devotion.

Allie just leveled up to 6th. Drat.
Scarab Sages 4/5 5/55/5 *
Minna Hiltula wrote:
Zahra Senay wrote:
So, there is an NPC Zahra that is a famous Pathfinder and possibly a VC? Oh yay! A role-model for Zahra, my very first character!
Once you get to play the adventure she features in, you... might not want to use her as a role model. Just sayin'.

I know, right? (NPC) Zahra is so dumb. Most of my players would not have minded if she did not survive that scenario. Of course, one guy tried to hit on her.

Paizo Employee 4/5 Pathfinder Society Lead Developer
13 people marked this as a favorite.
RocMeAsmodeus wrote:
Minna Hiltula wrote:
Zahra Senay wrote:
So, there is an NPC Zahra that is a famous Pathfinder and possibly a VC? Oh yay! A role-model for Zahra, my very first character!
Once you get to play the adventure she features in, you... might not want to use her as a role model. Just sayin'.
I know, right? (NPC) Zahra is so dumb. Most of my players would not have minded if she did not survive that scenario. Of course, one guy tried to hit on her.

A rebuttal with modest spoilers for Pathfinder Society Scenario #2–18:

Zahra made have made a wish that was not, in retrospect, ideal, but that does not make her dumb. Her supernatural affliction and alignment shift are hardships that a capable group can help her overcome, and her making one mistake makes her neither incompetent nor incapable of learning from a mistake.

I find it deeply disconcerting that this female NPC's value to you and your players—including whether she was worth saving—was based on her attractiveness.
Scarab Sages 4/5 5/55/5 *
John Compton wrote:
RocMeAsmodeus wrote:
Minna Hiltula wrote:
Zahra Senay wrote:
So, there is an NPC Zahra that is a famous Pathfinder and possibly a VC? Oh yay! A role-model for Zahra, my very first character!
Once you get to play the adventure she features in, you... might not want to use her as a role model. Just sayin'.
I know, right? (NPC) Zahra is so dumb. Most of my players would not have minded if she did not survive that scenario. Of course, one guy tried to hit on her.
** spoiler omitted **

#2-18:
Despite Forbidden Furnace being an older scenario, my players had done a fair bit of rescue missions by then. Some even ask at the start of such a quest, "Well why didn't you just send us first?" I suppose that such foresight would negate the dramatic storytelling, however.

I should have mentioned earlier that the assumed success condition gave more incentive for the players to rescue Zahra than her being attractive. That didn't stop the squad from berating her for biting off more than she could chew though.
Silver Crusade 4/5
2 people marked this as a favorite.

#2-18:
Who has two thumbs and (A) didn't ask about the prior team, (B) didn't get the drift of the affliction being a multiple success required thing, and (C) assumed Zahra was acting of her own free will in that encounter?

THIS GUY.
Liberty's Edge 1/5 **
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber

No AR update :(. Guess we're moving back another product cycle.
4/5 5/5 **** Venture-Lieutenant, Massachusetts—Boston Metro
John Compton wrote:
RocMeAsmodeus wrote:
Minna Hiltula wrote:
Zahra Senay wrote:
So, there is an NPC Zahra that is a famous Pathfinder and possibly a VC? Oh yay! A role-model for Zahra, my very first character!
Once you get to play the adventure she features in, you... might not want to use her as a role model. Just sayin'.
I know, right? (NPC) Zahra is so dumb. Most of my players would not have minded if she did not survive that scenario. Of course, one guy tried to hit on her.
** spoiler omitted **

Wait is that all? I've seen players do worst than what Zahra did. If anything her level of restraint is laudable.

Paizo Employee 4/5 Pathfinder Society Lead Developer
1 person marked this as a favorite.
NightTrace wrote:
No AR update :(. Guess we're moving back another product cycle.

Additional Resources and the Campaign Clarifications document have been updated.

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