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Hate to bring it up, but already there has been a number of business conferences and other events around the world canceled due to concern about coronavirus. Some authoritative sources are stating that they believe we're at the cusp of a wide outbreak across the US (and the rest of the world) that will likely last for a few months.

I assume that the PaizoCon team is keeping an eye on events and that there's no current intention to cancel PaizoCon (as we'd have heard by now) but I'd guess that it's around now that many people are starting to think about booking flights if they haven't already.

Can you let us know what the plan is if a coronavirus epidemic does take off? Is there a timeline you're working to that will determine when you'll make a call on event cancellation? If the call is left too late, many people who travel from far afield to the Con will have already committed funds that may be irrecoverable. Some will already have done so, of course, but I'd guess most currently will not have.

What's the plan, Paizo?

Hello!

I'm Alistair, the author of "The Book in the Old House," and I'm looking forward to running it at PaizoCon. If you'd like to play, best of luck in the Lottery.

Note that this is a long session that coincides with the Paizo Preview Banquet in the evening, so don't sign up if you're intending to go to that or if a ~10 hour session will be too grueling. We'll take breaks throughout the session, of course, including shorter bio breaks and a longer break for dinner but there's a lot to try to get through so it will be fairly intensive.

The adventure, as you may have guessed, includes horror themes, roleplaying (shocker!) and investigative elements so don't sign up if you don't enjoy such atmospheres. It is the first chapter in the upcoming Aegis of Empires Adventure Path that was outlined and developed by the amazing Greg A. Vaughan (who is running an excerpt from the third chapter "When Comes the Moon" at PaizoCon too) and it will be published by the equally talented Jason Nelson of Legendary Games for PF1, PF2, and 5e. It is set in the Lost Lands campaign setting but you don't need to know anything about the Lost Lands to play.

I will be distributing pre-generated characters designed for the adventure and will be happy to send in advance so that players have time to familiarize themselves before the game.

So, if you win a ticket to the game, PM me your top 3 choices (ordered, if you prefer) from the list below and if I manage to get everyone's choices in advance, I'll assign characters as fairly as I can in relation to preferences, and send them through. Otherwise, we'll spend some time at the start of the session.

The options are:

• Female human cleric (pilgrim)
• Male elf bard (detective)
• Male human unchained rogue (rake)
• Female human sorcerer (wildblooded)
• Male half-elf ranger (skirmisher)
• Male human alchemist (chirurgeon)

Thanks and see you at the Con!

A trade just came through and I'm in! Looking forward to this, Russ!

Let's do this! :-D

Not bothering with the Preview Banquet this year? Then come and experience Richard Pett's foul city and the horrific things its citizens do to each other. Only maybe don't if you prefer your games on the lighter side. This session explores some dark themes so only sign up if you're comfortable with, er, mature content...

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Please join me in congratulating Chris Sharpe on his promotion to Venture-Captain, New Zealand.

Since his appointment as my VL back in April, Chris has done a fantastic job of building up a strong and enthusiastic following for PFS in Auckland, a continuation of the work he started before that. He has not done this alone, of course, and continues to be ably assisted by a number of dedicated and talented GMs and event organisers. Isaac White (RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32), in particular, has been at his side throughout, spreading the word and entertaining the growing horde.

Chris' plans include not only continuing to develop the Pathfinder scene in Auckland, which he will do by bringing more stores and conventions into his portfolio over the coming months, but also helping to kickstart public play groups in other cities, such as Christchurch, Dunedin, and Wellington. If you're a Pathfinder player in New Zealand, don't hesitate to get in touch with Chris and, through him, connect with the exciting growth of the NZ Pathfinder community.

Congratulations, Chris! Go Team NZ!

When creating a mythic version of an existing monster with SR by applying the mythic subtype, how do you calculate the new creature's SR?

The subtype says to increase the SR by the mythic rank. OK. However, SR is usually 11 + CR, and the new creature's CR will have increased by half its MR.

So is the new SR = old SR + MR
or is the new SR = 11 + new CR + MR.

Looking at how this has been applied in Mythic Adventures, the first two demons, the marilith and nalfeshnee, both seem to have failed to include it, having SRs of 11 + new CR.

Marilith SR 28 (11 + CR 17); Mythic Marilith SR 32 (11+ CR 21). MR 8 not applied. It should either be SR 36, or 40.
Nalfeshnee SR 25 (11 + CR 14); Mythic Nalfeshnee SR 28 (11 + 17 CR). MR 7 not applied. It should be SR 32 or 35.

So is the subtype wrong and the new SR is just based on the new CR, or are the published creatures wrong? If the latter, how should they be corrected?

Join us at the Mosman Club on October 5th to 7th for a host of Pathfinder games spanning six 6-hour slots, and featuring:

• all six scenarios launching the current Year of the Demon, including
  
• the Season 5 multi-table special, Siege of the Diamond City;
  
• a selection of the final scenarios of the Year of the Risen Rune, including
  
• the epic conclusion to the Season 4 plot, The Waking Rune, and
  
• its deadly exclusive scenario, Day of the Demon;
  
• the latest multi-slot sanctioned modules, including
  
• the first two chapters of The Dragon's Demand, a campaign for low-tier characters,
  
• the infiltration, investigation, and exploration of Fangwood Keep, and
  
• the RPG Superstar 2012 winning module, Doom Comes to Dustpawn!

We're also proud to welcome back the awesome Pete Fairfax (Legendary Games, Wayfinder) to sketch your characters.

Register now! Players of all ages and experience are welcome. A single day pass is $10; a multi-day pass only $20. Please bring the correct cash to pay for your pass on the first day that you attend.

When and Where?
The games start at 10am and 4pm each day of the Labour Day Long Weekend (October 5-7) in the auditorium of the Mosman Club at 719 Military Road, Mosman. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner options will be available each day, along with a fully-licensed bar. Free parking at the Club is available with a $10 annual membership fee. Bring the completed form (download here) with you. Parking may also be available in the surrounding streets but, as always, space and hours may be limited so plan ahead if you're driving in. Buses for Mosman can be caught from Wynyard Stand A on Carrington Street and from Blue Street in North Sydney.

For those requiring local accommodation, there are three options close by:

• Park Regis Concierge Hotel Apartments
  
• Ballantyne at Mosman, and
  
• Cremorne Point Manor.

Register now! You can also join the community at our Facebook page and group.

Please join me in congratulating Australia's third 5-Star GM, Luke Parry.

Luke has been a fixture of the Society scene here in Sydney since it launched, both playing and GMing regularly. His diligence and capability in running two Shadow Lodge game days in the city, combined with his plans to increase play opportunities, recently led to his appointment as the Venture-Lieutenant for Sydney. Currently, he is organising a first-time PFS presence at a wargaming convention, Leviathan, out in the western suburbs, and considering how to sustainably manage an increased demand for game days in the city, which could soon see another two events added to the roster. He has an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of the rules of Organised Play which is an invaluable resource for both players and his fellow GMs. His passion and enthusiasm for the game are relentless.

Luke achieved his fifth star at our recent Con, Lissalapalooza, at which, as well as running around six slots of his own, he was also called upon to swiftly cover for another GM who had to leave at short notice. Congratulations, Luke, and well done!

I am very pleased to announce that our Society now has an officer in New Zealand.

Chris Sharpe, who runs a PFS game day at Redzeed Gaming in Takapuna, has accepted the role of Venture-Lieutenant and will be working on expanding PFS play opportunities in and around Auckland.

I first met Chris in September last year when he and some friends attended our Spring Shadowmoot, Risen Rune in Sydney. His capability, confidence and charisma, which also contributed to a Chelaxian domination of that Con, convinced me, and others, very quickly that he would be a great Society appointment for New Zealand.

Chris is an IT consultant for a retail software company. He has played and run a plethora of systems since first learning to GM 10 years ago with Rolemaster but Pathfinder emerged as his system of choice 18 months ago. Chris is also heavily involved in competitive Magic: The Gathering.

Chris has several foci for 2013. As well as continuing to strengthen his game day at Redzeed with more players and GMs, he wants to start new game days in the other Auckland stores, and establish a presence for PFS at Auckland's gaming conventions.

If you're a Pathfinder player or GM in New Zealand, whether you're playing PFS, APs, modules, or homebrews, please let us know. You can contact Chris at pfsauckland <at> gmail <dot> com and me at al <at> shadowlodge <dot> org.

Please join me in welcoming Chris to the team!

Regards,
Al
VC, Sydney

Announcing the Sydney Shadow Lodge's Easter Shadowmoot: LISSALAPALOOZA!

It's our biggest and best convention yet with over 110 sessions scheduled over 11 time slots across the entire Easter Long Weekend, and special guests:

• Mike Brock, here to play, GM, and talk about the Society; and
  
• Pete Fairfax, the Shadow Lodge Sketch Laureate in residence to draw and ink your character creations.

What's on?

• Rise of the Runelords, the original Pathfinder adventure path with sanctioned content from the three classic adventures that launched and defined the Pathfinder brand: James Jacobs' brilliant Burnt Offerings; Richard Pett's shocking Skinsaw Murders; and Nick Logue's horrific Hook Mountain Massacre;
  
• Shattered Star, Pathfinder's state of the art adventure path with sanctioned content from Greg Vaughan's Shards of Sin, Mike Shel's Curse of the Lady's Light, and James Sutter's Asylum Stone;
  
• Broken Chains, the upcoming investigatory dungeon crawl, all five levels of the deadly Thornkeep, and a selection of other modules such as the cloying corruption of Carrion Hill, the foul fecundity of From Shore to Sea, the diseased darkness in The Midnight Mirror, and the insidious infestation of the Feast of Ravenmoor;
  
• The Silent Grave, the first lethal level of Jason Bulmahn's Society Special, Ruins of Bonekeep;
  
• all released scenarios from the current Year of the Risen Rune; and
  
• Season 4 Exclusive, Day of the Demon.

Where?
Our superb new venue Hotel Cremorne (287 Military Road, Cremorne, 2090) are providing us with great breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus, a fully-licensed bar, and a huge play space! Parking may be available in the surrounding streets but, as always, space and hours may be limited so plan ahead if you need to drive in. Buses for Military Road can be caught from Wynyard Stand A on Carrington Street and from Blue Street in North Sydney.

When?

• Friday March 29th: 0800–1230, 1230–1700, 1700–2130;
  
• Saturday March 30th and Sunday March 31st: 0900–1330, 1330–1800, 1800–2230;
  
• Monday April 1st: 0900–1330, 1330–1800 and a final slot 1800–2030 for the Con wrap, prize-giving, drinks, and a Q&A session with Mike Brock.

Players of all ages and experience are welcome. Sessions are only $3 each, so get the dates booked out and tell your friends. With some excellent introductory games on offer, such as First Steps, Murder's Mark, and The Accursed Halls, in the comfort of a hotel with a full bar and menu, this is once again a perfect opportunity to bring those friends who've always wanted to see what that game you play is all about, as well as those home game players who haven't yet checked out Organised Play, their global community. And remember: if you bring someone along who's never played at a Shadow Lodge event before, you both get a free game!

Register now! You can also join the community at our Facebook page and Meetup group.

TL;DR

What? Lissalapalooza! A Pathfinder Society convention.
When? 8:00am Friday March 29th to 8:30pm Monday April 1st
Where? Hotel Cremorne, 287 Military Road, Cremorne, NSW 2090, Australia
Cost? $3 per session
Links? Registration, Shadow Lodge on Facebook, Lissalapalooza on Facebook, Shadow Lodge on Meetup, Paizo Event

More updates soon!

Al

Following the two appointments made in January (details), I am further pleased to announce that the Society now has an officer for Wollongong!

Sibel Yilmaz, the co-organiser of our Wollongong Shadow Lodge game day, has accepted the role of Venture-Lieutenant and will be working on expanding play opportunities in and around Wollongong. Sibel is a third-year Information Technology student at the University of Wollongong. Most of her free time is dedicated to gaming, online and table-top. She started playing table-top roleplaying games two years ago and Pathfinder was the first system she was introduced to.

An early focus for Sibel will be the organisation of Pathfinder Society games at Gong-Con, the UoW Gaming Guild's upcoming Easter convention, as well as the continuing growth of the Wollongong Shadow Lodge.

If you're a Pathfinder player or GM in or near to Wollongong who'd like to see our hobby expand into new venues and reach new players, please give Sibel your support. You can contact her at sibel DOT yilmaz AT live DOT com DOT au.

Please join me in welcoming Sibel to the Australian team!

Regards,
Al
VC, Sydney

The following messages were sent today to players in NSW and the ACT.

Fellow Pathfinders,

As many of you are aware, in any volunteer role, the time and commitment required waxes and wanes with what a volunteer can and should provide to their community, as they balance their work, hobby and personal lives.

When Al first discussed the appointment of a Venture-Lieutenant for Sydney with me, I immediately gave Martin Blake my full recommendation. Martin was only just becoming involved with the Sydney Pathfinder community but he brought a depth of experience with RPGs and event coordination to the role. His enthusiastic efforts in GMing and getting things done were visible to only a few, but much appreciated.

Unfortunately, Martin's work took him overseas for several months soon thereafter, and so I stepped into the role to help out, firstly in an interim capacity while Martin was in Denver, and then a permanent one when Martin's position in the US also became permanent. The fact that Martin was appointed as the VL of Denver almost immediately is testament to how much he gives to the hobby.

After six months in the role, unfortunately I have found that I do not have the time to engage in the detailed coordination of events and game day support that it truly requires. As a result, Al and I began the search for a new VL back in December. I'm now pleased to announce that Luke Parry will be the new, and hopefully long-lasting, VL for Sydney. Luke has been involved with Organized Play in Sydney with me since the Living Greyhawk days - GMing, travelling, and participating in the global community. He brings both expertise and experience to the role. His eagerness to help out, tireless efforts in getting to and promoting games days, as well as general participation levels as a GM and player, all lead me to conclude that Luke will do an excellent job.

I ask that you give him your full support, as I am. And as 2013 looks like it will be a big year for PFS, Luke will be able to get stuck into a schedule filled with visiting Paizo Coordinators, bigger and better cons, and expansion to even more games days.

I will continue to be closely involved with PFS in Sydney and I am sure I will see you at a games day soon!

Cheers,

Dave (Metz) Metcalfe

Venture Lieutenant, Sydney - Outgoing

I'd like to join Metz in welcoming Luke to the team. 2013 is going to be a busy year for us and I am confident that Luke will help to make it our most successful. If you would like to contact Luke, to ask questions about PFS, or Shadow Lodge events, you can email him at luke AT shadowlodge DOT org.

I am also pleased to announce that we now also have an officer in the ACT. Ben Jordan has accepted the role of Venture-Lieutenant for Canberra, and will be working hard to create more game days across the capital. Ben is an electrical engineering officer in the Royal Australian Air Force and based at the Australian Defence Force Academy. As well as helping to support PFS' Canberra stalwarts Wes Nicholson and Sean Wellsmore with the ever-popular ANURPS game days and conventions, Ben intends to start new PFS events at other locations, including the University of Canberra, ADFA, and various game stores. Of course, he won't be able to do all that by himself, so if you're a Pathfinder player or GM in the ACT who'd like to see our hobby expand into new venues and reach new players, please don't hesitate to offer Ben your support. You can contact him at ben DOT jordan AT live DOT com DOT au.

I'd like to thanks Metz for his support and participation in the Society. You've been an important sounding-board for me over the last year, mate, and I will continue to value your opinion and input as we go into our biggest year yet. And many others, as well as I, will continue to need your GMing stamina, encouragement of new GMs and players, and tactical brilliance in keeping newbies (and some veterans) alive as our community goes forward and takes on new challenges in 2013.

Our Easter Shadowmoot, Lissalapalooza, is well into the planning stage and I will send details out soon. With Special and Exclusive events along with a visit from Mike Brock, Paizo's Pathfinder Society Campaign Coordinator, it's going to be our biggest and best Convention yet. As always, you can keep up to date on our game day and convention developments at our Facebook page or, for those of you who don't Fb, at our Meetup group.

Regards,
Al
VC, Sydney

Announcing Risen Rune, our Spring Shadowmoot in Sydney on the Labour Day Long Weekend.

When 8am Friday September 28th to midnight Monday October 1st!
Where The Roxbury Hotel, 182 St Johns Rd, Glebe NSW
Cost $3 per session
Links Registration, Shadow Lodge page, Shadow Lodge event, Paizo event

At Risen Rune, we'll be running over 60 Pathfinder sessions in 9 time slots, including:

• sanctioned modules, including several tables of the 1st-tier urban mystery, Murder's Mark, the winning scenario of RPG Superstar 2011, The Midnight Mirror, and another chance to compete in the The Ruby Phoenix Tournament;
  
• all the final scenarios of the closing Season, the Year of the Ruby Phoenix;
  
• all the first released scenarios of the opening Season, the Year of the Risen Rune;
  
• Australia's first convention offering of the opening Season's multi-table Special, Race for the Runecarved Key; and
  
• Sydney's first convention offering of the epic, level 12 arc, Eyes of the Ten.

Our favourite local artist, Pete Fairfax, will once again be in residence to sketch your characters so start deciding which bizarre images you want him to pluck out of your heads! Pete has indicated that he'll also take a number of pre-orders so, if you want your character sketch available to pick up as soon as he arrives, you can get in touch with him right now. Contacts details are here at his site.

Sessions are $3 each and run from (approx) 8am-1pm, and 1:30pm-6:30pm on each day (with a slight variation on Sunday), and with an extra final session from 7pm-midnight on the final day.

Our venue will once again be the fantastic Roxbury Hotel where we'll be taking over the back room, the mezzanine, and the upstairs performance space. As well as a great selection of drinks at the bar, the Roxbury has a varied bistro menu which caters to all tastes. If you're coming by bus, then the 470 from Central stops right outside. All day parking can be found around the surrounding streets but space may be limited so, if you're planning to drive in, share with as many friends as possible!

Many will stay for a drink or two at the end of each day, but unfortunately we can't stay at the Roxbury overnight! If you'll need accommodation close by, then the Rooftop Travellers Lodge and the Glebe Village are cheap, cheerful, and only a short stumble away.

Get the dates booked out and your friends notified. With some excellent introductory games on offer in the comfort of a hotel with a full bar and menu, this will be a great opportunity to bring those friends who've always wanted to see what that game you play is all about. And if you bring someone along who's never played at a Shadow Lodge event before, you both get a free game! All ages and levels of experience are welcome.

Register here now, and if you haven't yet done so, like the Shadow Lodge page on Facebook for advance notice of Pathfinder events.

More updates soon!

Al