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Happy Holidays from the Organized Play Team

Thursday, December 24, 2020

Pathfinder Extinction Curse Adventure Path: The Apocalypse Prophet book cover

We decked the halls, lit the candles, hung the holly, and partook of so many sugarplums! But before we settle in for our long winter’s nap, the team wished to take a moment and say happy holidays to our extended family of gamers. We appreciate you being part of our family and wish you health and happiness this holiday season.

Alex Speidel (Organized Play Associate): A merry holiday to all our players, GMs and volunteers! I hope this time of year brings joy to you and yours. If you celebrate a gift-giving tradition, then I hope your presents are filled with dice, rulebooks and adventures for the coming year. If you don’t celebrate at all during this time of year, then I hope you take time for yourself: watch a movie, make your favorite dish, or visit virtually with those you love.

Linda Zayas-Palmer (Organized Play Managing Developer): It’s certainly been a challenging year, and many of us are finding new and different ways to celebrate. Wherever you are, near or far, I hope that you and your loved ones find joy in this holiday season. If you’re looking for something to play that’s lighthearted and the spirit of the season, keep an eye out for the bounty releasing at the end of this month, Witch’s Winter Holiday.

Thurston Hillman (Pathfinder Society Developer): We’ve kept him busy in the workshop producing Pathfinder Society goodies for all of you this season!

Jenny Jarzabski (Starfinder Society Developer): What a long, strange trip around the sun it’s been! The solstice is always a time of reflection for me, and wrapping up this year I realize that with challenges both ahead and behind us, it’s more important than ever to take care of ourselves, support each other, and keep hope alive. If you’re looking to add something festive to your Starfinder games, check out the SFS holiday blog here. Merry Veskmas to all!

As a Paizomas gift, we’ve finished sanctioning Troubles in Otari for Pathfinder Society (second edition). Check out the product page for details. Unfortunately, while Jenny delved into SFS Additional Resources before she left on holiday, we didn’t make quite enough progress to have it ready for upload before our long winter’s nap (really, we’ll only be gone a few days. It just sounds better!). We’ll have a further update in our January Update blog on the 7th.

We’ll be back next week with our end of the year retrospective, then again on January 7th with our first monthly update of 2021! Stay safe, enjoy the season and don’t forget to Explore, Report, Cooperate!

Until next week,

Tonya Woldridge
Organized Play Manager

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Paizo Employee 5/55/5 ** Organized Play Associate
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A happy First Choices to you all!
5/5 *****

The santioning document still talks about the GM signing the chronicle. This no longer seems to be required so you may want to update the standard sanctioning document text.
5/5 *****

Also, Trouble in Otari is a follow on to the Beginner Box adventure. Is this meant to be run using Beginner Box characters or can we use the regular rules to run it for credit? Menace under Otari is limited to Beginner Box chaacters but the sanctioning document for this makes no reference to the issue.
Sovereign Court 4/5 * Organized Play Manager
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andreww wrote:
Also, Trouble in Otari is a follow on to the Beginner Box adventure. Is this meant to be run using Beginner Box characters or can we use the regular rules to run it for credit? Menace under Otari is limited to Beginner Box chaacters but the sanctioning document for this makes no reference to the issue.

There are no restrictions, so it is up to the GM! Use characters that work for your game :)

Sovereign Court 4/5 * Organized Play Manager
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andreww wrote:
The santioning document still talks about the GM signing the chronicle. This no longer seems to be required so you may want to update the standard sanctioning document text.

I've got a note to follow up on this after the holidays.

Liberty's Edge 5/5
13 people marked this as a favorite.

If we're going to have a Merry Veskmas, we need:

'Twas the night before Veskmas, when in the spacedocks,
Not a creature was stirring, not even a squox.
The Lorespire Complex was polished with care,
In hopes that the Seeker soon would be there.

The agents were nestled all snug in their beds,
While dreaming of shows hosted by the undead.
Celita in her visor and I in my brace,
Had just settled in for a nap in deep space.

When from the Armada there arose such a clatter,
That Fitch on the comms asked "What is the matter?"
Away to the viewscreen I rushed like a pegasus,
And plugged in my datajack, asked for the status.

The Sun was reflecting on starships and stuff,
And everything seemed to be normal enough,
When what to my eyes did I see, though 'twas subtle,
But a Starfinder Drake and eight tiny shuttles,
With a four-arm`ed driver so lively and swift,
I knew in a moment he was Ehu Hadif!

More rapid than Oma his starships they came,
And he broacast his orders to pilots by name:
"Now Ziggy! now Eshki! now Guidance and Arvin!
On Radazam, on Naiaj! on Chiskisk, Zafeldrin!
To Absalom station, to the base of the Eye,
Now dash away! dash away! Do don't just try!"

As asteroids of Diaspora will all freely tumble
When Eox blows planets quite near to just rubble,
So straight to the spacedock the shuttles they flew,
With the Drake full of loot, flown by Hadif-Ehu.

And then, with a crackle, I heard on the speaker,
The loading of cargo brought by the First Seeker.
As I stood from my desk and was turning around,
Through the Lorspire Complex came the Seeker a-bound.
He was dressed in a D-suit, with a Starfinder patch,
He brought in the dirt that he'd just found on Datch!

He had a long head and a mouth that was hidden,
But eyes that with knowledge would twinkle unbidden.
He was tall, lean and agile, much like an elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
Unloading the data; then turned with a jerk,
And waving his hands, two above, two below,
And giving a nod, out the hatchay he flew.

He sprang to his Drake, and his pilots were fast,
And away they all flew like the stars in the Vast.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he flew out of sight--
"Happy Veskmask to all, and to all a good night!"
Sczarni 5/5 5/55/5 ***

*applauds vigorously*
5/5 *****
Tonya Woldridge wrote:
andreww wrote:
Also, Trouble in Otari is a follow on to the Beginner Box adventure. Is this meant to be run using Beginner Box characters or can we use the regular rules to run it for credit? Menace under Otari is limited to Beginner Box chaacters but the sanctioning document for this makes no reference to the issue.
There are no restrictions, so it is up to the GM! Use characters that work for your game :)

Thanks for this, happy holidays!

Happy holidays to all of you and best wish. Waiting impatiently for the next playtest for pathfinder 2 editions. I hope one days some kind of martiale maneuvres like the advanced 5 editions who look awesome and vefy promising for a futur KS.
5/5 5/55/55/5
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Dug up from last year:
The Night Before Lifeday

twas the night before lifeday and all through the loci

not a creature was stirring. Not even ysoki

The blasters were hung in the lockers with care

in the hopes of soon arming nine foot tall bears

Starfinders where nestled all snug in their beds

while Ziggy pumped star sugar heart love right into their heads

Luwazi in her 'kerchief, sipping night cap

looked over missions for mysteries to unwrap

When down in the cortex arose such a clatter

We sprang from our beds to see what was the matter

Away to the window I flew like a flash

and groaned as I spied the small form of Datch

The moon on her fur like the new-fallen snow

as she slipped down into the tunnels below

When what to my wondering eyes did appear

But a case of Calden Cayden brand beer

With a note and an apple from that little tick

I knew in a moment it must be a trick

More rapid than eagles her emails they came

promising fortune and glory to sign on your name

"Now finders, dear finders" said that little vixen

"I have a proposal just give it a listen"

Though I suspected the beer had come from our kitchen

"I'm not master Torch, there's no need to brawl

there isn't a reason we can't all play ball"

As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;

So down to the pavement the starfinders they flew

With dashkos and curve blades to run the rat through

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of 8 laser woofs

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

they all started to howl, a cacophonous sound.

They opened their mouths and the photon output

left our armor all tarnished from ozone and soot

A bundle of data Dash flung on her back

And she looked like a pedler just opening her pack.

Her eyes—how they twinkled! her dimples, how merry!

Her cheeks pouches stuffed with bombs shaped like cherry

Her droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow

And the fur on her face was as white as the snow;

The pin of a pipe bomb held tight in her teeth,

And the smoke, it encircled her head like a wreath

We all hit the deck and dove down on our bellies

expecting the air to ignite like gelignite jelly

I got played like chump, said goodbye to the elf

despite thinking datch would never doom herself

A wink of her eye and a twist of her head

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread

She spoke not a word, but went straight to her work,

And downloaded archives, then turned with a jerk

And laying her thumb aside of her nose

turned on her jetpack, to the atmo she rose.

She sprang to her ship, to her team gave a whistle

And away they all flew chewing Bob (who's now gristle)

But I heard her exclaim, ere he flew out of sight—

“Happy lifeday to all, and to all a good night!”

2/5 5/5 *****
Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Maps, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Also the Trouble In Otari Sanctioning document doesn't mention downtime. Older sanctioning documents didn't mention it, but it was implied by the old guide saying that you got 2 days downtime per XP (3 for field commissioned). The new guide only states that for Scenarios and Quests. Thus Sanctioned Content is left in limbo and needs to be explicitly stated if it grants downtime.

I'm assuming this is something that needs to be updated in the cut-paste language used when sanctioning content.
Liberty's Edge 4/5 5/55/55/5 ****

Happy Holidays to everyone!

I look forward to seeing all of you at PaizoCon and GenCon.
Liberty's Edge 5/5

Are PaizoCon and GenCon planning to happen this summer? There does seem to be a vaccine now, but I'm not sure I'd gamble on things being fully under control by May.
rknop wrote:
Are PaizoCon and GenCon planning to happen this summer? There does seem to be a vaccine now, but I'm not sure I'd gamble on things being fully under control by May.

At least one Paizo staff member has indicated that Paizocon is still not decided.

Liberty's Edge 2/5 5/5
Tonya Woldridge wrote:
andreww wrote:
The santioning document still talks about the GM signing the chronicle. This no longer seems to be required so you may want to update the standard sanctioning document text.
I've got a note to follow up on this after the holidays.

Wait, you don't have to sign them anymore?

5/5 *****
Noven wrote:
Tonya Woldridge wrote:
andreww wrote:
The santioning document still talks about the GM signing the chronicle. This no longer seems to be required so you may want to update the standard sanctioning document text.
I've got a note to follow up on this after the holidays.
Wait, you don't have to sign them anymore?

On the new 2e chronicles there is no GM signature box. I still add a signature to prevent the PDF being amended for online games.

Liberty's Edge 4/5 5/55/55/5 ****
1 person marked this as a favorite.
andreww wrote:
Noven wrote:
Tonya Woldridge wrote:
andreww wrote:
The santioning document still talks about the GM signing the chronicle. This no longer seems to be required so you may want to update the standard sanctioning document text.
I've got a note to follow up on this after the holidays.
Wait, you don't have to sign them anymore?
On the new 2e chronicles there is no GM signature box. I still add a signature to prevent the PDF being amended for online games.

Someone with the correct software can alter online chronicles so having a signature on it really doesn't do much.

5/5 5/55/55/5
4 people marked this as a favorite.
rknop wrote:

Are PaizoCon and GenCon planning to happen this summer? There does seem to be a vaccine now, but I'm not sure I'd gamble on things being fully under control by May.

Unless something unexpected happens with the vaccine supply, paizocon is too early and gencon is right on the finish line of "we MIGHT reasonably make it..."

Second Seekers (Jadnura) 5/55/55/55/5

I hope both happen even if I am not cleared to go yet for medical reasons.
***
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BigNorseWolf wrote:
rknop wrote:

Are PaizoCon and GenCon planning to happen this summer? There does seem to be a vaccine now, but I'm not sure I'd gamble on things being fully under control by May.

Unless something unexpected happens with the vaccine supply, paizocon is too early and gencon is right on the finish line of "we MIGHT reasonably make it..."

I don't know whether projections take into account the potential other vaccines (e.g., AstraZeneca's) that may or may not be approved, but between Pfizer and Moderna, they should have manufactured enough for minimal herd immunity by June - definitely too late for PaizoCon but also likely too late for Gen Con if Gen Con planning needs to lock up vendors by May-June. And because there's a cryostorage bottleneck, manufacturing and distribution will be separate challenges and just because there's a bottle that exists somewhere doesn't mean the people who need it will get it immediately.

Some of the ones in the pipeline do not require cryostorage - so there won't be as many distribution challenges. So the big thing to watch is if any of these other ones get authorizations (I think there are 3 in Phase III trials?) - it's quite possible that the vaccine that "saves" Gen Con would be one that hasn't been approved right now.

Part of it honestly would also be how many TTRPGers are in high risk groups and get priority in the spring. :/
5/5 5/55/55/5
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Semi Hopeful semi scary amateur back of the envelope conspiracy theory crafting:
That projection is with everything getting approved and being manufactured and distributed. It's also with the idea that the virus stops or significantly reduces transmission.

Minimal herd immunity would be fine for going to the movies. Not a containerized meeting of geeks from all over the country/world that exchanges so many germs in a normal year that "con crud" is a normal part of the experience. If we're not at the level of "everyone that wants a vaccine can get a vaccine" and everyone at the con has a vaccine then you're going to get people killed. Both attendees and people they bring the virus home to.

This is a game I love, its a game I love playing in person, its a game I love playing at conventions. I've squeezed myself into bus seats, prius back seats, ferries trains and automobiles. I've spent nights in train stations, bus stations, and state parks with coyotes for company. But it's still a game and we're only supposed to be killing characters. Not the players.

I think that the major bottleneck in distribution at this point is deciding who can get it. Once we have enough supply that anyone showing up with a rolled up sleeve gets one, it will go a LOT faster, dry ice requirements or no.

(Dr. Fauci), has predicted that enough doses of vaccine will available for all Americans beginning in late March and early April 2021. Linky

So you take your second shot at the end of april. You're fully immunized by mid may.

Now that's the EASY part of figuring out if we could have gencon. The hard party is seeing if the arena and the gaming companies can split the risk (or the arena could just accept that if geeks aren't willing to risk super con crud NO ONE is...)

1/5 5/5
Pathfinder Lost Omens Subscriber

It also does not take into consideration folks who have allergic reactions and/or sensitivity to one or more of the cautionary items on these vaccines.

It may be fine and dandy to *require* attendees to be vaccinated (for liability and protection purposes) but those of us who could *not* be by the current versions are being heavily excluded in such a decision.

In addition, convention venues may need to rethink their 'crowd as many people in as can afford' policy due to concerns about personal space/social distancing/personal health/whatnot.

Now, there may be some who can go through a weekend, not even get so much as a raspy throat/tickle and work perfectly fine -- I haven't been in that category of gamer for probably twenty years and I'm sure others in our community are not, either.

It's killing my ability to be a social person, and it feels like a death by inches, but a death by inches and the capability to stop it is better than a death of seventy-two inches all at once.

YMMV.
Lantern Lodge Customer Service & Community Manager

Removed some posts and replies, this is not the thread to have vaccine discussions.

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