Omorose's page

A Wizard hits an illusion he has not disbelieved with a shocking grasp. Should the spell discharge or not?

Discuss away :)

Located in the Taldan Capitol city of Oppara, Venture-Captain Muesello's lodge hides behind the facade of a simple bait and tackle shop, which Muesello dutifully maintains to provide Pathfinders a local base of operations that doesn’t invite much scrutiny. His pockmarked face breaks into a smile as bell on the door jingles, and he motions for everyone to gather in the building’s back room before locking up the shop and propping a sign in the window that reads "Gone fishing."

In the back room, a tall, thin, Taldan female, dressed in a formal, high-collared gown, sits primly at a table by a small fireplace. Musello bows formally, and says:

"Agents of the Society, it is my humble honour to introduce to you Lady Gloriana Morilla, a long time ally of the Pathfinders. It is thanks to her that we have our current opportunity before us." Venture-Captain Muesello quietly closes the door behind him before continuing to speak. "The Pathfinder Society does not have a sterling reputation in Taldor, despite my and others’ efforts to impress the local moves and shakers. As a result, the most prestigious universities and colleges often deny our agents access to the best libraries in Oppara, thinking we are meddling good-for-nothings. As one of the oldest intact civilizations near the Inner Sea, these libraries no doubt house some very precious volumes. Recently we received a most wonderful opportunity—an invitation, really, from a very powerful patron," he adds as he withdraws a scroll tube with a broken wax seal from his apron.

"This patron will secure us a couple hours in the rare books collection at the Kitharodian Academy, during which we may peruse for whatever we wish so long as we also retrieve several documents of interest for our friend. That,” he punctuates by tapping the scroll tube on the table “is where things get interesting. Apparently there is an even more precious archive hidden beneath the academy’s library, and our patron believes it to contain numerous original records and undoctored historical accounts otherwise unknown to the world! Our contact knows how to get into the archive and has shared the secret with us."

"Two hours is little time, so you must make the most of your time. I know it will be tempting to research other interests, but it would be selfish for the Society to think of itself when the Worldwound’s borders threaten to envelop Mendev and beyond. I am sending you in with the express purpose of uncovering more information about the Shining Crusade, the sustained war against the Whispering Tyrant a millennium ago."

Lady Morilla snaps open a fan to fend off the room’s growing warmth, adding, "Historically, Taldor is the authority on massive military campaigns, but most texts have undergone extensive revision to serve some political agenda or another. Entering this hidden archive is an excellent opportunity to learn from the real mistakes of the past and apply those lessons to the Mendevian Crusade."

"Remember that you have permission to be in the academy’s library, but not in this secret archive, so do everything you can to avoid being noticed while exploring. In fact, the fewer clues you leave of your passage, the better. Specifically do not steal or destroy any of the library’s contents. A few slip-ups might alert the authorities that someone has been poking around, and too many with give them enough evidence to trace this act to us."

Muesello opens a drawer in the table and begins pulling out a couple small parcels wrapped in cloth. "Any questions?"

You get it right? Discuss things :)

The drifting steam of freshly made tea shimmers through the air in front of Venture-Captain Amara Li. The stoic Tian woman places an ornate tea tray on the edge of her desk, inviting all those present to partake of the drink. Li’s neatly organized office is the site of various tapestries and artifacts imported from the distant land of Tian Xia.

"I would like to thank you all for coming here despite the lack of explanation. Circumstances have forced me to be discreet in this assignment. There are many who would put the information I am about to share with you to more unsavory ends." Amara begins to take an initial sip from her teacup before she continues.

"Several months ago I arranged the successful sale of a pair of tomes from my homeland of Tian Xia to a versed historian here in Absalom. Of these books, the Infernal Incantation was the more highly sought after, as it is said to contain the secrets of binding the legions of Hell."

Amara takes another sip of her tea and then places the cup on her desk, her expression turning cold.

"The historian—one Yargos Gill—has spent the past several weeks studying the book from within his Absalom villa. To make matters more complicated, Yargos decided to try performing one of the rituals held within the Infernal Incantation late last night. From the breathless ramblings of his assistant who arrived at my door only a handful of hours ago, it would appear that something went horribly wrong with the ritual Yargos enacted."

"From what I was told, the ritual revealed to Yargos and his aides that the Infernal Incantation was not a guide on imprisoning fiendish forces, but instead the book itself was a prison for the armies of Hell. Within the confines of those ancient pages reside hundreds—perhaps even thousands—of devils eager to escape their long imprisonment. If Yargos's bumbling has caused some sort of disturbance within the tome, then we need to ensure it is fixed as quickly and as discreetly as possible. It would not do the populace any good to realize that a full-on infernal invasion could appear in the middle of the city!"

"I need you to go to Yargos’s estate, where his aide has already informed him of your impending arrival. Once you meet with the historian, learn what you can about the book and how to reverse the meddling he has caused. Above all else, ensure that the legions of Hell are contained."

You may make a Knowledge (arcana or religion) check to learn more about the books mentioned by VC Amara Li.

Since we have a couple of ongoing recruitment threads for low level characters and one for 5th level plus characters I thought I would create something to cater for 3-5th level characters.

The first scenario up will be season 3's Sewer Dragons of Absalom. I will take the first five characters that meet all of the requirements below.

* Have a PFS alias, including their character sheet and PFS number.
* Are 3rd-5th level.
* Player has not played the scenario, or is spending a GM star to replay.
* Are able to post at minimum once per day.
* Have at least a minimal character backstory posted in alias. I know this is not a typical requirement, but I think it ought to be encouraged, don't mind if its only a sentence or two.

Anyone who does not get into the first game may place their name on this list, for the upcoming games. Anyone willing to GM is very welcome to offer up a game here, whether taking the next on the play list or offering something else in the level range, etc.

Planned Scenario List:
1. Sewer Dragons of Absalom
2. Song of the Seawitch
3. Among the Gods
4. The Midnight Mauler

I am fairly sure this is legal as long as you qualify for the traits as well. Is there any PFS ruling that would prevent this working? I was specifically thinking of taking Shoanti tatoo which gives a number of weapon proficiencies, notably earthbreaker. Its for a biped eidolon. It seems intuitively a little odd.

Eidolons can select any feat that they qualify for, but they must possess the appropriate appendages to use some feats. Eidolon feats are set once chosen, even if the creature changes when the summoner gains a new level. If, due to changes, the eidolon no longer qualifies for a feat, the feat has no effect until the eidolon once again qualifies for the feat.

Additional Traits

You have more traits than normal.

Benefit: You gain two character traits of your choice. These traits must be chosen from different lists, and cannot be chosen from lists from which you have already selected a character trait. You must meet any additional qualifications for the character traits you choose — this feat cannot enable you to select a dwarf character trait if you are an elf, for example.

For chat, questions, and for letting us know if you will be uanble to post for a period, etc.

Please post a brief in character introduction and give a physical description of your character.

You are in storied Varisia, in Magnimar, The City of Monuments, in one of The Pathfinder Societies newest Lodges. This Lodge is, or was, the Manor House home of the married Varisian Venture Captains Sheila and Canayvan Heidmarch.

Venture-Captain Sheila Heidmarch glances out a window as the last wisps of twilight fade over the Fenwall Mountains. Turning from the sight, she runs her hand along the rustic cabin’s wall and stands beside an occupied wooden bed before addressing you.

"This," the venture captain says, gesturing to the man thrashing around violently, straining against the bonds that lash him securely to the bed, "is our colleague, Kalkamedes. Every night for several weeks now, he has fallen into a deep slumber and tried to sleepwalk right out of his cottage. If not restrained, he marches straight north, eventually falling off a cliff or into a bog as if trying to get himself killed in an attempt to reach an unknown goal." As though he were expressing disagreement, the man tied to the bed suddenly begins pumping his limbs even harder, the violent spasms threatening to smash the bed into splinters.

"There are those who have recently criticized the Pathfinders for our indifference to the plight of our fellow field agents. Its time to show that’s not true. I want you to help Kalkamedes, whether he wants it or not. Several of our best spellcasters have attempted an extensive list of magical cures, but whatever sleepwalking curse or effect he’s under tenaciously resists our efforts. All we can do is keep him safe." Heidmarch pats him with a degree of professional affection, and Kalkamedes rewards her by trying to swat her with his head.

"Kalkamedes’s friends are at their wits’ end, so we are going to attempt the only thing that we have not tried: we’re going to let him go tonight. That’s where you come in. I want you to follow him and keep him safe and in one piece. Let him get to wherever his addled brain thinks he needs to go so badly. Maybe, just maybe, if he gets there, you can find a way to help him. Maybe you can determine who or what did this to him and find a way to undo it." Heidmarch pulls out a serrated knife. "Now before I cut him free, does anyone have any questions or last minute preparations?"

For chat, letting us know if you will be unavailable, etc.

Please post a brief in character introduction to your character including a description of their appearance.

The gala inside the Chelish embassy appears to be in full swing, and as the faint light from the building falls upon the alleyway outside, Venture-Captain Ambrus Valsin’s mission briefing is hard to forget.

“Pathfinders,” Valsin boomed but hours earlier in the briefing chamber within the Grand Lodge, “Zarta Dralneen no longer exists. She never existed. She’s never worked for the Chelish embassy here in Absalom, and she’s never been in charge of the Chelish Pathfinders. At least that’s what I was told, repeatedly, to my face, through three layers of Chelish bureaucrats. I know those people, and they all knew Zarta.

They didn’t just forget about her. She’s been ‘disappeared.’

“I don’t know where she went and I don’t know who took her. What I need you to do for me is to go into the Chelish embassy and find out as much as you can by snooping around for a bit. I want to know where Zarta is, I want to know who took her, and I want to know why she was taken.

"We can’t afford to offend Cheliax, so you’ll have to infiltrate their embassy quietly. I’ve devised a cover story that should get you in the side door with orders to see the new Chelish ambassador. An ongoing diplomatic gala scheduled for the same time and a clever ruse by Venture-Captain Amara Li— who is also attending the gala—will keep the ambassador busy, but you’ll have to act quickly if you want to secure the information we need before he arrives to meet you. You must get into the embassy, get what we need, and get back out of the embassy without the Chelaxians ever catching on that we’ve been rooting around."

"Here is a packet of information that bears on Chelish interests in Sargava. It’s legitimate intelligence that we probably would have passed on to Zarta eventually anyway and that we’re willing to give up for free as our ticket into the building."

"You’ll enter the embassy through the north entrance of the residential wing, where Chelish imperial security receives all of their informants. Even if you have a good cover story, you might have difficulty getting past the guards there—if necessary, you’ll have to resort to bribing your way through. Once you’re in, the guards will likely make you wait for the ambassador when you tell them you have important information for him. Don’t give it to anyone else, since once they have the information there will be no reason for them not to show you the door."

"Amara Li will keep the ambassador pinned down at the gala while you break out of the waiting room and snoop around. She will also meet you just before you enter the gala to cast a message spell on you, just in case you need to keep in touch during your mission. You just need to make your way to Zarta’s chambers—they’re in the southwest corner of the residential wing, but you’ll have to find a route that doesn’t intersect with the gala’s attendees or residents of the embassy. Try to get in and out in less than an hour. That’s my best estimate at how long the gala and Li can keep the ambassador preoccupied. Once you’ve got the information and made it back to the waiting area, you just have to wait for the ambassador to find time to see you."

"My informants tell me that Ailenia Hospar, one of the clerks you’ll likely run into at the embassy, is addicted to shiver. I’ve procured some of the drug for you to slip her if she initially proves less than accommodating. You may also have to deal with Anstrella Trelax, the pompous night-duty officer."

"Beyond that, what you’ll face is beyond my knowledge. I’ve ordered for you to receive several tools that might help you in your mission. Good luck, Pathfinders."

You've received two scrolls of disguise self, and two elixirs of hidings.

A veteran Pathfinder exploring the Fenwall Mountains of Varisia has begun sleepwalking, traveling through the dead of night in the same direction each time. The following mornings, however, he awakens injured and lost in the wilderness, never reaching the mysterious destination that drew him from his bed in the night. Something is calling Kalkamedes, something powerful, but unless he can make it safely to the source of his somnambulism, that power will remain a mystery. It falls to a team of Pathfinders to escort the sleepwalker to his destination and uncover the true nature of the strange phenomenon overtaking Kalkamedes's dreams.

Please only apply if you can commit to 2 posts per day. We will kick off as soon as I have 5 acceptable applicants.

This is a PBP Gameday 2 game so players will have a chance to earn boons.

A powerful ally of the Pathfinder Society has disappeared, and no one but the Pathfinders even remembers that she ever existed. Can the PCs discover the fate of their missing associate, or will all memory of her be erased completely from history?

This is a PFS Gameday game more suited to social and stealthy characters. Please only apply if you can commit to 2 posts per day. We will kick off as soon as I have 5 acceptable applicants.

This is a PBP Gameday 2 game so players will have a chance to earn boons.

My fellow Taldan's,

citizens of the greatest nation, you are cordially invited to attend the grand opening of the Lion's Den Theater in the foreign quarter of Absalom. You may find us on the intersection between Thuvald's Street and Stavian's Way.

Thanks to the patronage and efforts of our beloved Lady Morilla. I, Vesparo Dikanadra, have been able to put together a consortium of noble investors to finance the purchase and resplendent renovation of the former Golden Swan Theater. After giving it a more appropriately Taldan name, we shall be delivering the finest of Oppara's plays to the uncultured masses, and providing a home away from home for the refined Taldan abroad.

Our first performance will be The Fall od Drezen, a tragic tale of love, loss, infamy, and demons, sure to stir the hearts of all but the blackest heart in righteous fury. Starring the esteemed star of the Opparan Theater scene Vesparo Dikanadra. And though modesty forbids me extoling my own virtues the Opparan critics dubbed me, "The most charismatic inhabitor of villainy to have graced a stage." Alongside myself Lady Ariellan Beldon, beauty and talent sublime, and disgusting talented newcomer Markus Vincen will set the stage afire with passion, grace, and intrigue!

We look forward to your patronage, and pray that you assist us in spreading joy, culture, and the Taldan way, to those unfortunate enough to have been born outside our of glorious Taldor.

Yours faithfully Vesparo Dikanadra.

The Lion's Den

Since I am limited to PBP I find myself hankering for high level play. What I want is something more akin to The Chronicles of Wyre than some high level arena - if you have not read it I suggest you do its a great read, but be aware its longer than most epic fantasy novels!

I am considering something where the group would play out important encounters, events, and then switch to posting lengthy descriptions of how they spent their month, etc.

So let us say The Archmage Malchus calls a conclave summoning the great and powerful and the PCs learn of some coalescing threat. They are given a vague timeline say a year and then the great and powerful discuss things with the PCs able to ask questions and ally themselves, etc. We would play out the conclave and then the PCs would post about their actions for that year. We could allocate a levels growth and the difference between levels wealth for crafting, and the GM would adjudicate how successful their efforts were based upon say an assigned level of difficulty and their skill, etc. Maybe a percentile roll modified by an appropriate skill or some such?

The GM would throw in new information from reports, answers to their divinations, say what factions were doing, etc. Maybe a solid adventure hook that requires the party to go into action every couple of months developing something from someones background.

Then approaching a year into game time the threat materializes and the PCs are asked to investigate it.

I think what I would like is a lyrical game with a number of proficient writers with distinct character voices. They would play a powerful group of adventurers starting at say 11th level who have already completed some great quest and all gone on to their end plans, become Lords, Archmages, High Priests, etc., but still kept in touch.

I would love to play in such a game, but I would be prepared to DM one as well if there is enough interest and people can help me talk out and refine the concept.

My initial thought would be to base things in a new setting giving the players a great deal of power to shape the world with their backstories and then refining it before play proper began.

Currently playing The Disappeared with this character and its been a blast largely because its the type of scenario that's perfect for him - though truth be told he's great fun in all the scenarios I have played him in. Since he is my most enjoyable character I would like some recommendations for scenarios that might suit a charismatic flamboyant type with Perform Dance and Act, doing a bit of an Inigo Montoya impression.

Not asking for spoilers, but maybe scenarios that have high society elements, dances, plays, etc.?

This PFS character has the wrong faction symbol on his alias - I was a bit torn and was creating the alias while I created the character. Its caused a couple of GMs confusion now and if its possible I would greatly appreciate it if his symbol could be changed to the Taldor one. Sorry to be a pain!

I am inclined to think it probably is not PFS legal, but wanted to test the waters in case I have it wrong. Hidden priest requires you to give up, "one of the cleric’s two 1st-level domain powers (her choice)," and then the same for the 8th level power. Evangelist limits you to one domain, would this count as modifying the same feature? I suspect so.

I have misspelled the alias for one of my first PFS characters while transposing him from a normal alias to a proper PFS one. His name should be Radnor, not Randor. Sadly I somehow managed to miss this in my first ten postings! Though I did wonder why everyone kept getting my name wrong, d'oh! A change would be greatly appreciated.

Hey all, please ensure your information in your classes line is up to date. Feel free to begin posting. I'll give everyone a day to check in and then if I feel the need I will start a recruitment thread to fill any remaining spaces.

As usual looking for a fun and hopefully swift game, ideally I would like to complete it within a month so please try to post once a day.

I'll quote the following, slightly edited, section of Painlord's excellent PBP guide, since I read it recently and found it very helpful despite being an experienced PBPer...

Always Be Pushing. (ABP!) A, Always. B, Be. P, Pushing. Always be pushing. This is the most important thing you can do as a PbP player. It's about pushing your character's involvement in the story forward. Whenever you can, push the action, push the direction, push the party along. PbP is already a slow format, so try to make it better by pushing while giving others a chance to respond, of course.

Good players push...rarely leaving a post that doesn't move things along or offer a hook. That momentum will make it easier for the GM and other players to act and react as necessary. It's easier for a GM to slow things down if necessary, rather than create something from nothing. Do this because it can make your GM's job easier.

Embrace hooks: leave them everywhere. In PbP terms, a hook is a call to action, a point of interest, a *something* that someone else can react. It's hard to react in a vacuum, much easier to react to what others are doing and what else is happening. So try to have a hook in every post!

Compare the following two posts and pretend you're next to post:

Post #1: Hektir enters the room and looks around. 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16 Perception

Post #2: Hektir enters the room, spits, and looks around. "Smells like goblin farts in here," Hektir says, sniffing the air. 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11 Perception

Which post would you rather respond to? The second sets up a few more opportunities, if ever so slight. You might react to the spit on the ground, noticing it only when you make (or fail) your perception check. Or you might ask how Hektir knows what goblin farts smell like. Or comment on Hektir sniffing. When you reply, you should try to leave a hook (or 2) of your own.

Always look for other people's hooks when you're setting up your own. Try to respond to them in a way that can both encourage their character to elaborate while expounding on yours. An excellent Play-by-Post isn't simply the combats, with each characters' stories bordering it like a frame- it is a rich tapestry of a thousand threads, woven together to create the beautiful whole.

Embrace the Important Soft Push/Hook: There are times when you are just waiting for the GM or the other players to post, but 24 hours have passed. That's the time for the Soft Push/Hook- a post that doesn't do anything but bump your interest in the thread and what's happening. They are important to show that you're still alive, engaged and helping others stay engaged by giving them something to react.[/spoiler]

Venture Captain Dennel Hamshanks ignores all pretense of pleasantries as he pounds into the meeting room in the Grand Lodge in Absalom. “Never time to do it right, is there? Gorum see us through this, then.” He grunts loudly levelling his glare at the entire room. “Ever been to Qadira? Religion is almost a fad down there, with new cults springing up like weeds and getting crushed just as quickly. It has been that way for centuries."

“But some make a mark—on Qadira or in the Chronicles. Three centuries ago, the archdevil Moloch, preaching surrender to the desert heat, suddenly became the rage. Qadirans walked into the desert just to die just as if the heat was their paradise. The most devout sought out the hidden Citadel of Flame, where a fearsome bull-headed idol of Moloch judged them and sent the worthy to Malebolge, the sixth layer of Hell. No surprise that Sarenrae’s priests launched a mighty crusade to demolish the citadel. After two weeks, a great sandstorm swallowed the expedition—and, it seemed, the citadel and its idol. Nothing more was heard from either."

“Until ten days ago, that is. Sandstorms regularly scour the Qadiran highlands, and this time they emptied an entire valley of dunes. Poking out of that valley, visible only to those soaring above—such as a flying Pathfinder wizard—was the lofty spire of a fortress: the Citadel of Flame, presumably."

“Hopefully we are the first to learn about its reappearance and we need to act fast. The Decemvirate doesn’t expect any trouble, so they’re sending you. But I do expect trouble—who knows what’s infesting that citadel? Get in there fast and find that idol—it could be the key to the entire cult. It’s likely statue-sized, maybe as big as me, and should have a bull’s head on it. And for Gorum’s sake be careful.”

Now, after a swift voyage to Sedeq and a tiring trek through the endless Qadiran dunes, the sun beats down on a maze of red slickstone, with delicate arches and towering columns called hoodoos dotting the landscape. Somewhere within this expanse lies the Citadel of Flame and within, the idol of Moloch.

Feel free to make any preparations you wish, you will have a chance to do so in both Absalom and Sedeq.

How do I report a pregen, for a 1st level scenario? I cannot seem to find anything in the Society Guide, and when I put the players PFS number in with a -0 nothing propagates.

Someone kidnapped Lady Anilah Salhar—the Chelish wife of Dremdhet Salhar, one of Osirion's many Grand Ambassadors to Absalom—and sold her into slavery. With Salhar holding delve permits over the heads of the Decemvirute, the Pathfinders are sent to assist the Osirian Ambassador. Venturing into Absalom's darkest corners to save Lady Anilah, the Pathfinders must face the secrets of the Slave Pits to avoid becoming slaves themselves.

First off, I would like to give priority to those who have not run this scenario before - though I'll happily take those who have later, if they are prepared to make an effort not to use their knowledge in character. I am an experienced RL and PBP DM, and this will be my third PFS PBP.

I expect a minimum of one post per day, and players who fail to meet this - without giving prior notice - will be ejected and given credit for only that portion they completed while regularly posting.

This is a PFS game with all the rules inherent in that, new players are welcome, but please ensure you download and read the Guide to Pathfinder Society Organized Play. I am happy to field questions, but please read the guide first as it will do a much better job of explaining than I.

To submit your character post with a registered Pathfinder Society alias, and please include a background - it does not need to be long, though long is not a problem.

Ideally I would like to kick off tonight, maps will be handled via Google drawing, which means you will be able to move your own "minis", etc. Your character's mini will be your alias avatar. You are responsible for either moving your character on the map, or if you are unable to do so asking someone else to do so in OOC text. Your character will take only the actions you post, I am happy to allow conditional actions if you have questions, etc., such as does that give him cover.

We will be using Secondary Success conditions, and I likely will not hand out faction missions unless players are especially keen. I will be looking for 5 players.

Welcome everyone, looking for a swift and pleasant game here. Please be sure that you have all of your characters information in your alias profile. This should include your PFS number, ideally at the top of the page, your XP, Fame, and PP totals, as well as a list of the scenarios or modules you have played in.

Please also include the important combat information in your characters classes line on your profile. You do not have to follow a specific format as long as you have all of the information contained in the example below - obviously if you don't have Favored Enemy you don't need to include it, but stuff like bombs, rage rounds, etc., is appropriate.

Ranger (urban) 1 | HP 2/20 | AC:17 T:13, F:14 | CMD:19, CMB:+6 | Save (F+4, R+6, W-1) | Init:+5 | Perc: +4 | Favored Enemy: Undead

I would like this to be a swift game so please try to help me as much as possible by having your characters be proactive, generally I will go with the course of action advocated by the first poster if there are no dissenting opinions when I check - if I feel the course is unusual or will definitely not be consented to by the rest of the party I'll give more time.

If you disagree with another characters actions please do so in character, while remaining civil out of character. Arguments in character are great RP fodder, arguments out of character lead to headaches all round.

If you are accepted and are posting to "dot" please delete the post immediately after you make it. This still allows the thread to show up in Campaigns and looks much neater. Thanks!

You are summoned to Skyreach, the great five towered fortress that is the heart of the Pathfinder Society, and can been seen for miles around, one of the greatest landmarks of the great city of Absalom. From here the Decemvirate rules and make its rare pronouncements beneath the enchanted skylights of the Great Hall in the central tower, and both resident and visiting Pathfinders sequester themselves in cozy lounges to study, socialize, and plot future missions.

Venture-Captain Alissa Moldreserva, a fiery red-headed woman who climbed from the depths of Galtan revolution to become one of the Society’s finest (and most well-connected) Venture-Captains, stands in the great meeting hall. She stares down her hawkish nose and sighs.

"I ask for the best and they send me you. Lucky me. The Society’s best contact in Osirion, Grand Ambassador Dremdhet Salhar, informed me this morning that his lovely Chelish wife, the Lady Anilah Salhar, was kidnapped and sold into slavery." She shakes her head as her cheeks tint the color of her hair. “Normally, I wouldn’t care a bulette’s eyeball about who was or was not enslaved in Absalom, but Salhar is the Society’s best avenue for acquiring all of the necessary official paperwork to make our frequent delves into the tombs of Osirion, cheap and legal. This is a relationship we want to preserve and since the Ambassador made it clear that our status is in jeopardy, I’ve been instructed to send our best agents to find her and return her safely to Salhar."

She looks over the party again. "I guess you’ll do," She says with a sigh. "Salhar hasn’t sat idle since his wife was taken—his own agents are prowling the streets and dug up one possible lead. A one-eyed Andoren, a grit junky named Fredrik, is known for selling or helping to sell nobility into foreign markets that desire house slaves. Being enormously illegal, this trade makes Fredrik a fair bit of coin that Salhar’s agents assure me all go straight into the pockets of the Second Chance, a grit den dockside in Puddles. That’s all I have to get you started. Go quickly. The fate of our Osirian exploits is in your hands.”

I recently discovered that one of the characters in my Silent Tide PBP was also being used in another PBP at the same time. I do not feel there was any ill intent on the players part, and I've allowed the player to switch to a pregen in my game - there is only one encounter remaining at this point.

My thought is that I would like to award the player credit as if they had run a pregen, but I'm uncomfortable at the thought of it being applied to the character they ran in the game - seeing as they were breaking the rules.

How would you rule this? Is there an official line? Currently I'm tempted to award credit but ask that it be applied to another character - though there seems little I could do to enforce that - not that I would really try to do so.

This may be due to sleep deprivation :p, but I cannot seem to see how the PCs are supposed to mount the keyboard. Its fifteen feet up and there does not seem to be an obvious way to ascend. I think it strains credulity to suggest that the priests had no easy way up, and I'm more than half convinced I'm missing something glaringly obvious. Any help would be much appreciated.

On a brisk fall evening, a Pathfinder Society venture-captain named Drandle Drenge welcomes the PCs into his modest Absalom home for an impromptu meeting. He offers chairs and drinks, wipes sweat from his brow, and dives into business.

Once everyone is settled, Venture-Captain Drandle Drenge, a stout and hardy Taldan with thin, graying hair and a thick, bushy moustache, unfurls a map on his butcher-block table and places a meaty finger on the parchment,

"The abandoned district of Beldrin’s Bluff was once the gem of Absalom’s Precipice District — now it is but a weathered crag of broken rock at the edge of the roiling sea. When the great quake hit ten years ago, entire blocks of the Bluff sheared from the mainland. Cliffside tearooms and exclusive estates fell into the waves and carried hundreds of nobles to a watery grave. An elite academy, called the Tri-Towers Yard, remained on the mainland, but sank wholesale into the earth."

He pauses for a somber moment, letting this next bit settle in.

"Children unfortunate enough to survive the quake lay pinned under debris as sewer water slowly rose from the ground and drowned them. Nearly every student perished. . ."

"Today, crumbled stone walls and weed-filled lots sprawl where gentlemen’s clubs once filled with pipe smoke and hobnobbing lords. The Drownyard -er, that’s what the ill-mannered call the school these days —lies behind a fence of black iron pikes, constructed by the families of the dead to discourage morbid trespassers. Even respected archaeological groups have been denied official access. Our own Society has itched to explore the site ever since the quake — that is, ever since we discovered that the school fell through the roof of a lost necropolis. Unfortunately, the emotional trauma attached to the school has remained fresh. But finally, after ten years of mourning, the politically-connected families of dead students have sanctioned our delve request.”

With a toothy smile and a clap, Drenge says, “I’m pleased to announce that I’ve selected your team for the delve. I want you to find a way into the necropolis, document your findings with professional detail, and recover artifacts of historical significance. The Society is interested in one artifact in particular — a two-finger ring topped with a ruby salamander.”

After a small break, he adds, "It is important to remember that even though this all happened years ago, for a lot of the families involved, many of which have great pull, this is still a open wound. Tread carefully, and be professional."

You may attempt to learn more about the Tri-Towers Yard with Gather Information or Knowledge Local.

Please post here once you are accepted to check in, and give details of holiday availability - a few days off posting is fine, but anything more and I'll ask you to sit this one out.

The Pathfinder Society seeks the ancient ruby ring of the salamander and it falls to a team of Pathfinders to find it. Last seen in the Tri-Towers Yard, a once elite academy for the youth of Absalom, the ruby ring is now lost in the Drownyard, all that remains of Tri-Towers after it was destroyed a decade ago in the great quake. The Pathfinders must risk the strange black ichors and salty brine to find their prize—will they risk their very souls as well?

First off, I would like to give priority to those who have not run this scenario before - though I'll happily take those who have later, if they are prepared to make an effort not to use their knowledge in character. This will be one of my first games as a PFS GM, but I am an experienced RL and PBP DM.

I expect a minimum of one post per day, and players who fail to meet this - without giving prior notice - will be ejected and given credit for only that portion they completed while regularly posting. The Holidays will be an exception to this rule, and once a group is selected we will discuss how we wish to handle this period.

This is a PFS game with all the rules inherent in that, new players are welcome, but please ensure you download and read the Guide to Pathfinder Society Organized Play. I am happy to field questions, but please read the guide first as it will do a much better job of explaining than I.

To submit your character post with a registered Pathfinder Society alias, and please include a background - it does not need to be long, though long is not a problem.

Ideally I would like to kick off on Tuesday, maps will be handled via Google drawing, which means you will be able to move your own "minis", etc. Your character's mini will be your alias avatar.

We will be suing Secondary Success conditions, and I likely will not hand out faction missions unless players are especially keen. I will be looking for 5 players.

Your boots squash with fetid water as you plod through the Puddles. A thick fog hanks in the air, seeming almost to caress the flesh with an unnatural chill. As you stand outside the Soggy Piper in a foot and a half of brackish brine, you try to recall what was so damned important to demand your presence in the half-flooded slum during Absalom's rainy season. You remember your meeting at the Lodge just a few hours earlier with your Venture-Captain Adril Hestam.

A bear of a man with only a few teeth remaining in his head, he motioned you into the meeting hall with a casual wave of his grizzled hand. The human captain outweighs most of Absalom's half-orcs, and though a layer of beefy blubber coats his frame, those of you who have tangled with him in the lodge sparring ring know that beneath this thin veneer of fat lies nothing but sold, steely sinew. Adril's wild beard wags to the ponderous shake of his massive head as he examines a scrap of ancient parchment on the table before raising his eyes to greet your gaze and speaking:

"Come in then, friends and thank you for answering my summons so swiftly. The Society is in need. An old and quite penniless historian, a bespectacled wag-beard by the name of Yargos Gill has recently made a discovery in an old archive that we have a great interest in obtaining: an ancient code-book, left behind in the wake of one of Taldor's many failed attempts at invasion. This several-hundred-year-old text would prove an excellent addition to our collection, and must be preserved."

"Yargos makes his home in 'The Puddles', Absalom's poorest district, suffering from a well-known reputation as a haven for lowlifes. Following an earthquake ten years ago, parts of The Puddles now rests below sea level, resulting in frequent and untimely flooding. Those who can afford not to live there - don't."

"The district is the stomping ground of pimps, harlots, addicts, knifers, and hoards of unseemly derelicts. It's never been a kind place, but recent reports reveal some new nameless terror on her waterlogged streets. Several persons claim to have seen cloaked, skeletal-like figures marching through an unnatural fog. Ill tidings indeed. Tracking down Yargos is now a priority -- lest some yellow-toothed thug cut him down, or one of these strange wraiths carry him beyond the pale. Find him, fellow Pathfinders, and find the codebook. Your exploits will be recorded in the Chronicles if you succeed."

The memory fades as a fresh deluge of cold seawater rounds the bend in the lane and assaults your knees. After searching for Yargos at his favorite eatery, the Soggy Piper, you learned you just missed him. According to the Piper's staff, a gang of dangerous young tattooed toughs arrived ahead of you. They grabbed Yargos and several of his friends from their dinner table and dragged them to a nearby cliff at the edge of the Puddle District. The Watch was called, but the will arrive too late, as they often do in The Puddles, when they bother to venture there at all.

It is early evening, the first Wealday of the month of Desnus, an old man is about to face some awful fate at the sea cliff known as Torsen's Maw, and you are no closer to finding the codebook that Adril sent you for.

Please only post in here after being selected for the game.

First can everyone say how they believe the Holiday period will effect their ability to post. Personally I should be able to manage a post on every day save Christmas itself, but I am not expecting that of everyone.

When strange reports of misty undead spread through Absalom, you and your fellow Pathfinders are dispatched to the half-drowned district of Puddles. Notoriously rough, the drooling addicts, flesh panderers, and quick-handed knifers of Puddles are the least of your worries. The night's tide brings with it an ancient armada of some long-forgotten war and you are the only thing between their mist-shrouded ghost fleet and Absalom's utter oblivion.

First off, I would like to give priority to those who have not run this scenario before - though I'll happily take those who have later, if they are prepared to make an effort not to use their knowledge in character. This will be my first game as a PFS GM, but I am an experienced RL and PBP DM.

I expect a minimum of one post per day, and players who fail to meet this - without giving prior notice - will be ejected and given credit for only that portion they completed while regularly posting. The Holidays will be an exception to this rule, and once a group is selected we will discuss how we wish to handle this period.

This is a PFS game with all the rules inherent in that, new players are welcome, but please ensure you download and read the Guide to Pathfinder Society Organized Play. I am happy to field questions, but please read the guide first as it will do a much better job of explaining than I.

To submit your character post with a registered Pathfinder Society alias, and please include a background - it does not need to be long, though long is not a problem.

Ideally I would like to kick off on Monday, maps will be handled via Google drawing, which means you will be able to move your own "minis", etc. Your character's mini will be your alias avatar.

We will be suing Secondary Success conditions, and I likely will not hand out faction missions unless players are especially keen. I will be looking for 6 players.

My first PFS character is about to finish his first adventure - PBP - and is a burly summoner with mounted feats who wishes to be a Knight - this alias if you are interested. Since the eidolon starts off medium he cannot ride it until 5th level when it can take the large evolution. I had hoped to use mount in the meantime to get an occasional use out of my mounted feats, but now realize that the rules for none combat trained mounts make this untenable and will change out the spell.

Can I purchase a heavy horse - I believe I can from searches here, and readings of the PFS PDF, but would like confirmation - can I do so when I already have a companion creature, and if so would it be poor table etiquette to do so? I will be playing PBP exclusively and am usually a prompt and active poster, so I hope taking up table time will be less of an issue than in normal play. To be clear I'd be perfectly happy with only very occasionally getting to use mounted combat, and am certainly not expecting it to be practical every adventure.

I was also wondering if there is any method to make leaving a horse outside dungeons, etc., more practical. I've heard of vanities and believe they are earned on chronicle sheets, and understand we are not supposed to know what is on which chronicle sheet, but a valet sure would be handy. Any suggestions appreciated.

A place for players to chat, ask questions, and hopefully expand on their backgrounds. If you toss out a few interesting snippets I'll put them on my potential plot hook list.

Absalom, The City at the Center of the World, a churning hub of humanity with a healthy smattering of Golarion's other sentient inhabitants. They say you can buy and sell anything in Absalom, and the great city has always been a beacon for those seeking their fortunes - you are such a person.

But the city is overwhelming and achieving your dreams is far from easy, already you have seen dozens of derelicts huddled in side streets, perhaps some of their number shared your own lofty goals? Asking around you eventually receive directions to Jacq's Hire House, a dingy back alley establishment surrounded by hard looking folk dressed in a broad assortment of armour and bristling with weapons.

Making your way past the flat stares of these rough and ready mercenary types you enter a utilitarian room with a great map covering one side wall, and a massive noticeboard on the otherside, both bristle with notes pinned to their pocked surfaces. Ahead of you are three barred windows, two of which have halflings behind them dealing with small ques of mercenaries. In the center of the room are an array of battered and mismatched chairs where a half dozen more would be sell swords wait in various stages of boredom.

As you enter an elderly halfling woman approaches, she wears a well worn leather jerkin and is followed by a massive grey mastiff one of whose eyes is a misty white,

"New aren't you, right? I'm Jacqueline Bright, own the place. I like to take an interest in new folk, get your measure so as I know where to send you. I've got just the task for you, bit of danger, bit of intrigue, and a decent bit of gold. Two hundred decent bits of gold in fact, if you get the job done right. I'll take you over to the rest of the new folk and when I've got six of you I'll fill you all in, no point wasting my wind."

She ushers you over to a small group of people and you wait a while until she returns with the sixth member of your little party of strangers.

"Well what I need is for you to find out what happened to some dwarf Ambassador from Highhelm. The Token Guard can't get into his forge where the body is because of some little magical constructs, or some such, that went crazy when he died, I guess they don't see enough potential profit to risk their necks. But the Dwarven Merchants Guild are prepared to pay for justice, and that's where we come in. Find out what happened and kill or capture whoever did it, from what I understand they can make out it wasn't natural causes. His forge is in The Coins district, just east of that big old two headed owlbear statue. Well? Are you moving you behinds or do I need to round up some of this rabble?"

Most of us know that PBP has its pros and cons, its the only way that many of us get to play the games we love, it encourages RP, and its convenient, but its also painfully slow and requires a long term commitment from the players and the DM.

This is an experiment to see if we can move it a little further from requiring commitments in the years and edge towards instant gratification. It will be first come first served, and you are only obligated to play for as long as you wish, though if you decide to leave I ask that you attempt to finish the current encounter, etc. I'll take the first 6 players with completed characters, and try to keep that steady with regular recruitment, etc. I obligate myself to finish each random module, which will be a string of between 1 and 20 randomly generated encounters, at the end of each I will likely commit to another, but I reserve the right to quit or pass it on, etc.

I would like to start as quickly as possible, today ideally! And I will expect one post a day at minimum, if you consistently fail to deliver this you will be replaced - barring notice of periods of absence, etc.

Essentially I will be trying to roll the encounters, and even have your characters designed randomly, with the glaring and rather hypocritical exception that we will be using 20 point buy - while I like random I would not want to be saddled with a subpar character for a long time due to one set of rolls.

From the players end this will work by first asking you to roll a d20 to determine your class, the classes correspond to the numbers given below. Multi classing is fine if you wish to do so later, but your rolled class must be your favoured class. I'm afraid I am going to have to say these rolls are final, otherwise there seems little point. Please do not ask me to make an exception, I will not.

Next you will roll 1d8 to determine a core race, I limit it to core because that's all the generator we will be using is currently capable of accommodating. Please do not ask me to make an exception, I will not.

If I have missed anything, or you have an opinion on the game please give me your input, I will be placing my random adventure generation system in the post below, but please realize it will be subject to change as I deem appropriate, etc.