Quoth the Tengu, "Adventure More"

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

One of the great advantages of working in the organized play medium is that we produce so many scenarios. That means that when there's a lot of fan interest in a certain area, group, or topic, we can usually look a little further down the schedule and say, "I think we could make some room here." Every since Pathfinder Society Scenario #6-13: Of Kirin and Kraken we've had more requests for adventures set in Kwanlai and featuring tengus. For that matter, ever since Taldor was a Pathfinder Society faction, players and GMs have asked me when they'd be able to bring about serious reform in that nation—admittedly some were asking so that they could snag a better noble title. This month we're doing both, and we're really pleased with the scenarios releasing today.

For all Kwanlai's outward appearance as a unified nation, it's a diverse confederation of tengu clans that often contend with each other over power, religion, and deeply rooted feuds. The isolated village of Yiangma is a spectator in many of these feuds, instead dedicated to maintaining an ancient shrine with heavenly ties. However, the village's priests have not sent any report to its archon contact, Zepha, in a long time. Concerned that something might be wrong, Zepha tasks the PCs in Pathfinder Society Scenario #9-12: Shrine of the Sacred Tempest with traveling to Yiangma to check in, after which they are free to study the settlement's priceless relics and history for the Society.

In this Tier 1-5 adventure by Justin Juan, the PCs explore a village comprised almost entirely of tengus, immersing the PCs in rural Kwanlai's culture and the greater region's history. Naturally, we couldn't present a Kwanlai scenario without highlighting the tengus' favorite deity, the tempestuous Hei Feng, and we're very excited about the excellent illustrations by Tom Ventre that appear in this scenario. It should also come as no surprise that any task so closely tied to an archon also has strong Silver Crusade connections, too. Finally, if you're dismayed that such a fun scenario's too low level for your beloved tengu character, I'm happy to report that there's a Tier 5-9 scenario coming up in this region in a few more months.

Illustrations by Tom Ventre

Ever since my colleague Crystal Frasier and I began planning the War for the Crown Adventure Path, we wanted to tell the story of Taldor's succession conflict from the perspective of multiple campaigns. Not only does that approach demonstrate that such major events don't happen inside a vacuum, but this development has also remained one of the Sovereign Court faction's top projects. Taldor's senate has been fiercely debating the antiquated rule of primogeniture, the nation's practice of passing the crown only to a male heir. On one side is Princess Eutropia, the reform-minded daughter of the current ruler. On the other is Grand Prince Stavian III, her increasingly paranoid father. The Sovereign Court backs Eutropia, and in the past several months' scenarios, Pathfinders have assisted this faction—both to help Lady Morilla as well as to secure historical resources that the Society's long wanted to study. Now it's all come to this: an imminent senate vote that coincides with a major Taldan holiday.

Remember how I mentioned Crystal and I were coordinating stories? One of my favorite elements is how this month's Pathfinder Society Scenario #9-13: The Lion's Justice happens at the same time as many events in Pathfinder #127: Crownfall, the first installment in War for the Crown, each portraying the action from a different angle. Sounds tough to coordinate? It's definitely taken some forethought and effort, yet our jobs were made so much easier by convincing Thurston Hillman (also our Starfinder Society Developer) to write both adventures. This experiment in product interaction—and this Tier 7-11 scenario with Sovereign Court ties—wouldn't have been the same without his tireless contributions.

And if these bold illustrations by Sebastian Rodriguez are any indication, it's all paid off beautifully. Anyone who's mocked Taldor's competences has clearly never had to face down its greatest knights.

Illustrations by Sebastian Rodriguez

Finally, you'll notice that #9-13 has a rather weird boon on its Chronicle sheet, and I'd like to explain that for anyone wondering.

Spoilers for The Lion's Justice

For a long while we've noticed that the Pathfinder Society doesn't have much of a retirement plan. Sure, there was the old wisdom that one's career ended at 12th level—which we've since dispelled with sanctioned modules and ongoing seeker-level content—but what happens after a PC decides to hang up her greatsword, change careers, or even retire in-world?

To this end, we've included a boon with the Legacy tag on this scenario's Chronicle sheet. A Legacy boon doesn't necessarily have any mechanical benefits. Instead, its primary purpose is to note the meaningful impact your character had on the world, whether that's changing a country or just changing a life. We also intend for Legacy boons to convey some in-world perk with long-lasting effects, much as is the case in this adventure, with your character having a place where everyone's always ready to treat her like family. Finally, adding a specific tag allows us to consider future boons that might interact with Legacy boons, allowing us to tie together these events more cleanly.

Overall, though, it's a reminder of something good that you did. Enjoy!

John Compton
Organized Play Lead Developer

More Paizo Blog.
Tags: Organized Play Pathfinder Society Pathfinder Society Scenarios Sebastian Rodriguez Tom Ventre
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Shadow Lodge 4/5 5/55/55/55/5 **** Venture-Captain, California—San Francisco Bay Area North & East

Tooth and Claw wrote:

"Me want so much to go back to Kwanlai, meet beautiful Tengu lady. Feathers so soft! But me very important! Me Baron of Ravenmoor. Me have to go to Taldor! Only Gods say who can rule!"

Both my Tengu are too high level for Shrine of the Sacred Tempest, but Tooth and Claw is definitely going to have to play Lion's Justice. Does anyone know which scenario Sovereign Court make the decision to back the Princess?

I may just make another Tengu for SotST.

The first I can think of that she gets referenced in is 5-11 Library of the Lion.

1/5

I hope profession barrister will be useful in these for someone I play with.

Sovereign Court 5/5

2 people marked this as a favorite.

The very small frog looks nervously at the large crowd of gathering birds and fears a murder. She grips her musket tightly and and slinks quietly away.

Sovereign Court 1/5

James Anderson wrote:
Tooth and Claw wrote:

"Me want so much to go back to Kwanlai, meet beautiful Tengu lady. Feathers so soft! But me very important! Me Baron of Ravenmoor. Me have to go to Taldor! Only Gods say who can rule!"

Both my Tengu are too high level for Shrine of the Sacred Tempest, but Tooth and Claw is definitely going to have to play Lion's Justice. Does anyone know which scenario Sovereign Court make the decision to back the Princess?

I may just make another Tengu for SotST.

The first I can think of that she gets referenced in is 5-11 Library of the Lion.

Another one of my characters played Library of the Lion.

Library of the Lion experience:
and formed the view that the Lion Blades are a force for evil on Golarion.

Tooth and Claw is a Lion Blade (Prestige Award). He'll need to be convinced of the Princess's divine right to rule (it's an Achaekek thing) especially if he gets a vote! (Noble Title Prestige Award: Tooth and Claw is Baron of Ravenmoor, whether or not the Grand Prince knows or cares which Ravenmoor or where Ravenmoor is).

Sovereign Court 4/5

Don't mind me. Just going to rule ya'll once Eutropia ascends the throne and it's time to reshuffle some well-earned landed titles.

-Sujar, leidang-voivod of Amanandar

Sovereign Court 3/5

1 person marked this as a favorite.

"Now I may be just a simple southern Talden chicken lawyer, but I reckon I can mingle amongst my natural blood to help prevent further escalation of the situation at hand"

3/5

doctor_wu wrote:
I hope profession barrister will be useful in these for someone I play with.

Bird is the word! Best season to make a Talden tengu barrister

Silver Crusade 4/5

ahhh, this explains why the magic shop in Absalom has sold out of scrolls of Pup Shape...

4/5

for our canadian friends, rodeo

Sovereign Court 4/5 ***

I say, I say I cannot wait to assist the good people of Taldor have a smoother line of succession. From one land-owning noble to others; it's high time to get your affairs in order. I do declare this looks the time to step from the shadows and bring some sense back into the leadership!

Sovereign Court 5/5 5/5

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Denbora Azzar wrote:
"I ain't doin' s%*~ for Taldor."

"I guess I did do some s&!% for Taldor."

Denbora hitches his britches and adjusts his belt a bit.

Dark Archive 4/5 *** Venture-Agent, Finland—Tampere

Come to think about it, since now APs are being acknowledged being happening, does that mean its canon in PFS that Reign of Winter happened since timeline wise its been years since Baba Yaga returned?

Silver Crusade

CorvusMask wrote:
Come to think about it, since now APs are being acknowledged being happening, does that mean its canon in PFS that Reign of Winter happened since timeline wise its been years since Baba Yaga returned?

That hasn’t been acknowledged anywhere to my knowledge.

Scarab Sages 4/5

I think Adventurer's Guide is written as though several of the APs have happened. And War for the Crown is going to officially change Golarion going forward. I don't know what that means for other APs, though.

Dark Archive 4/5 *** Venture-Agent, Finland—Tampere

Have there been any scenarios set in Irrisen after Reign of Winter takes place that would raise up questions about it?

I do know that Wrath of the righteous at least hasn't been assumed to have happened because Worldwound is still open and there have been scenarios set there and I do know there was Hell's Vengeance/Rebels sort of tie in? Or I might remember latter wrong. I think RotR is assumed to have happened because of Krune(and maybe Shattered Star by extension? Oh wait, I don't think it has been assumed to happen since there are magnimar scenarios after it right?)

Scarab Sages 4/5

To amend what I said, I don't think PFS has acknowledged any changes from the APs yet. But some paizo publications have (Adventurer's Guide). It's been stated that War for the Crown will affect Golarion going forward. Since there is a PFS tie-in to that AP, my assumption would be that however War for the Crown affects the world, it will be reflected in PFS going forward. I do not know if any of the other APs will be acknowledged.

Dark Archive 4/5 *** Venture-Agent, Finland—Tampere

I guess Paizo's change on that policy won't be retroactive huh ._.

Silver Crusade

Bits of APs have been assumed to happen for the entire history of Paizo though (namely Rise of the Runlords, and Grey Maidens have showed up in other products), so I think the same rule is at play, certain APs and events are only assumed to have occurred in relevance to the product referencing them (Shattered Star, Return of the Runelords), not in the entirety of Golarion.

Speaking of, I’ve seen the tagline of dragging Taldor into the modern world, but not Golarion. So it could be all contained to the AP.

It might not be though. Just disputing the claim that there’s been a reversal on the policy that APs aren’t considered canon until you play them.

Sovereign Court 4/5 5/5 ** Venture-Lieutenant, Netherlands—Leiden

I have to say, the princess angle gets interesting when you're playing Ulfen Guards. The Guard is not focused on "what's good for Taldor", but on loyalty to the crown, i.e. Stavian III.

What will happen if he's "the bad guy" according to the adventure?

Sovereign Court 1/5

I've a similar "interest" in The Lion's Justice. Tooth and Claw is a follower of Achaekek who supports the Divine Right to rule per divine doctrine. He's also a Lion Blade, and holds a Taldan noble title. I'll be playing the scenario at a Con in a few months. It'll be interesting to see if there's a conflict!

Scarab Sages 4/5

Lau Bannenberg wrote:

I have to say, the princess angle gets interesting when you're playing Ulfen Guards. The Guard is not focused on "what's good for Taldor", but on loyalty to the crown, i.e. Stavian III.

What will happen if he's "the bad guy" according to the adventure?

Not really a spoiler, because I think it's in the AP blurb, but...

War for the Crown:
Prince Stavian II's death is what kicks off the AP.

Crystal Frazier was just on Know Direction, and they are definitely treating War for the Crown like a permanent change to the setting. Things were said like (paraphrasing) "this is the first time we're doing this."

Dark Archive 4/5 *** Venture-Agent, Finland—Tampere

Well the Foreword for Part 1 does point out that the AP isn't about protecting the status quo and neither is the failure in campaign end of the world.

Sovereign Court 4/5 5/5 ** Venture-Lieutenant, Netherlands—Leiden

Ferious Thune wrote:
Lau Bannenberg wrote:

I have to say, the princess angle gets interesting when you're playing Ulfen Guards. The Guard is not focused on "what's good for Taldor", but on loyalty to the crown, i.e. Stavian III.

What will happen if he's "the bad guy" according to the adventure?

Not really a spoiler, because I think it's in the AP blurb, but...

** spoiler omitted **

Crystal Frazier was just on Know Direction, and they are definitely treating War for the Crown like a permanent change to the setting. Things were said like (paraphrasing) "this is the first time we're doing this."

Yeah, well, depending on at what part of that timeline the events of Lion's Justice take place.

Birthright Betrayed made me squirm a bit because it felt like we were in a faction opposing the policy of the boss.

Scarab Sages 4/5

I believe all of the PFS tie-in scenarios take place before the AP, but I'm not positive about that. I can understand that perspective of Birthright Betrayed.

Silver Crusade 4/5 5/55/55/5 RPG Superstar 2013 Top 8

John Compton wrote:
A Legacy boon doesn't necessarily have any mechanical benefits. Instead, its primary purpose is to note the meaningful impact your character had on the world, whether that's changing a country or just changing a life. We also intend for Legacy boons to convey some in-world perk with long-lasting effects... Finally, adding a specific tag allows us to consider future boons that might interact with Legacy boons, allowing us to tie together these events more cleanly.

Can you tell us if these boons will have some sort of effect in the next PFS campaign?

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