exile's page

I finally took some time to open my case of Wrath of the Righteous miniatures. I assume that a case still provides the purchaser with an entire set. This means that Nurah Dendiwhar is not in the set! This crazy little halfling chick gets mentioned in the cover of every WotR adventure; where is her miniature?

Come on Paizo, you have the best vision for halflings of any RPG ever, yet the only halfling miniature that you have given us (that I can remember anyway) is the iconic Lem.

I play a lot of halflings, and my Lem miniature is getting a workout standing in for male and female characters alike. He even snapped off the base once (but I'm not complaining about that-- he was easily repaired). I'm just saying I need you guys to make another halfling miniature, ideally a female. Nurah Dendiwhar gave you the ideal opportunity to make that miniature, and you failed to take advantage of it.

Note: This post is written with tongue somewhat in cheek. I don't really feel any nerdrage toward you guys, but I would have really liked to have seen Nurah make the cut into this set.

Work has me spending more and more time in Eastern Kentucky, specifically Prestonsburg. Is there any PFS in the Prestonsburg, Paintsville, Pikeville area? If not I would be happy to try to start a game, though potential players will have to be understanding of my schedule. I am a general surgeon who takes a lot of call (at least while in Prestonsburg) and could potentially be called away from the game. The best thing, if I am to be primarily a GM, is to organize the games on the night I get into town (usually a Sunday) before I start taking call the following Monday morning.

At the PaizoCon preview banquet, I was really struck by the idea that Paizo is branching out. Yeah, they're still supporting Pathfinder and Golarion with traditional products (their bread and butter), but they're also venturing into MMOs, VTTs, card games, and goblin dolls.

What I really, really want to see from Paizo though is a sci-fi RPG-- a game that could be to sci-fi what D&D and Pathfinder are to fantasy. It doesn't have to do all sub-genres of sci-fi, but it should create its own sub-genre, a smooth blend of cyberpunk, space opera, and hard sci-fi, with a hearty dash of post-apocalyptic sci-fi.

The core rulebook should give us pure-strain humans, modified humans/mutants, several species of aliens, and droids. It should give us classes that are as rich as the Pathfinder core classes, though maybe not quite that many: soldiers, diplomats, explorers, ESPers, etc... It should be fully supported with at least one adventure path (that should not take the place of the fantasy adventure path for any period of time at all). There should be an alien book (with lots of extra playable races).

It really could be grand. Come on, Paizo, do it. I dare you.

Does anyone know if there will be PFS events at Shadowcon Memphis this January?

After reading what I took to be an excellent thread about what PFS characters should be able to do at various levels, I've been reviewing my own characters to see where they measure up.

One area in which my highest level character (an 8th-level halfling generalist wizard) is deficient- at least so far as the first post in that thread is concerned- is her scroll library.

Early on in her career, I bought a lot of scrolls, mostly magic missile, so she would have something to do most rounds of combat, but with time, I grew more judiciosu with my spell use on a round by round basis (plus she learned more spells), so the purchasing of scrolls slowed to a halt.

Now, reviewing her character sheet, my wizard has no scrolls! I'd like to remedy that. Which wizards spells do you all find it important/essential/expected to have in the form of scrolls?

For that matter which spells do you find it important/essential/expected to have in your spellbooks and/or memorized?

Just got PF26 and I was thrilled to find the NPC Millech the Hump. Even more awesome, he actually had stats modified for being a hunchback. I am so happy because I have long been pondering a character who is a hunchback (maybe even a clubfooted hunchback). Any chance you gusy might write rules for charcters with a clubbed foot? On a more serious note, have there been thoughts of writing a disadvantage system for teh Pathfinder game?

Chad

During the Betrayal of Absalom interactive at Gen Con, my character played a pivotol role in the defeat of the Shrouded One and won a +2 Defender of Absalom bonus. Any word yet on what that does?

Chad

I'm planning my schedule for Origins and I'm curious what level characters PFS #21 and #22 are written for. Anyone know?

Chad

Any word yet what kind of presence Paizo and PFS will have at PAX this year? I'd like to make the trip, but only if there looks to be an abundance of tabletop gaming.

Chad

I was just lookin through teh pre-reg book for AnCon in Hudson, Ohio (May 15-17), and I didn't see any PFS events? Anyone planning on running anything there?

Chad

Any word on how many game slots will be offered and what games will be played (specifically which PFS scenarios)?

Chad

I am going to be running a Pathfinder Society game at my house in Somerset, KY- probably Silent Tide. If any of you have not played and could make it, drop me a line here or at copatt75@yahoo.com. So far we have an open table (Southern KY is not a gaming hotspot).

Chad

Tim et al,

Would it be alright if I referenced Darsielle Du Moire in a proposal for a Pathfinder Society open call proposal?

Chad

Are there any illegal drugs in Golarion that have been mentioned in any of the sources to date? What are they amde form? Sorry to bother with this mundane question, but I am away from my gaming library and need to know for a scenario proposal.

Chad

For those of you who have played in one or more Pathfinder Society scenarios, what has been your favorite encounter?

Personally, I like the combat with the angry Ulfen and his crew in Frozen Fingers of Midnight. Also enjoyed the problem solving/puzzle encounter in Silent Tide (wherein the party has to open a variety of chests).

Chad

I thought I read somewhere that there was an arcane academy in Egorian, but I can't find that resource now? If so, does anyone know the name of said academy?

Chad

Anyone planning on running any PFS games at U-Con in Ann Arbor, MI in November?

Chad

Alright, so I realize D&D Experience is not going to have any formal PFS events, but I like to play some 4E too, so I am going. Are there any like minded individuals out there who might want to get together after hours at D&D Experience to play PFS games?

Chad

http://groups.myspace.com/PathfinderSociety

Not much to it at present, and I'm not sure what it'll accomplish given that we already have a thriving community here, but maybe it'll help us reach a few more (potential) players.

Chad

Is anyone running any PFS events at Con on the Cob in Akron Ohio in early October. This looks like a con on the rise. I'm thinking about going and would love to play some PFS events to counterbalance the Living Forgotten Realms games that I'll likely also be playing.

Chad

Pathfinder Society desparately needs some sort of online calendar, kinda like the RPGA uses, so that I can track down PFS events within driving distance. If such a thing exists, please point me toward it.

I just saw a blurb over at enworld for a forthcoming PFS adventure. Seven Swords of Sin. Sounds like a trap-filled dungeon crawl based on the blurb (not a spoiler because it's in the blurb). Has anyone heard any more about upcoming PFS adventures?

Chad

Are there Pathfinder Society events set in stone for any upcoming cons yet?

Chad

Who is writing the Pathfinder Society scenarios? Is there an open call or guidleines for new scenarios? For those who have already authored scenarios were any of the NPCs in them (I'm thinking Grandmaster Torch or Skelg the Ripper in particular) old PCs or NPCs used previously in home games? Just curious

I am looking for people in the state of KY, preferrably close to Somerset, Lexington, or Louisville who might be interested in playing (or better yet running) some Pathfinder Society events. Feel free to respond here or e-mail me at copatt75@yahoo.com

Chad

Almost time to head out to Gen Con, well not really but it is almost time to drive to Toledo to pick up a friends, so we can both head for Gen Con a little later.

I must say the excitement is building. My PFS character is finished; I've read the summaries of the adventures; and I can hardly wait.

I think I am mostly looking forward to The Hydra's Fang Incident. Any other anticipated favorite adventures for you guys out there?

Chad

Has anyone done a count of how many supporters (either characters or players) each faction now boasts? It seems like Cheliax is out to a bit of a lead, but that's just my own subjective eyeballing.

Chad

If a role-playing reason arises for a character to change faction, can it happen or are you stuck with the faction that you have chosen from the beginning?

Chad

Steppenland

“A stark land where fugitive slaves should fear more than the retribution of their masters”

Government and Ruler: Steppenlanders are divided into several dozen tribes. A chieftain, chosen for strength and cunning, leads each tribe. Uthman Orgun (CN male human Barbarian/Fighter 5/6) leads the largest such tribe.

With the popular election of the “Council of Equals”, fugitive slaves sheltering in Steppenland’s river valley have formed a fledgling republic. Molly Greenshields (LN female human Druid 5), the “First among Equals” chairs the council.

Capital and Notable Settlements: A majority of Steppenlanders lives in wagon camps. The largest camp, named for its chieftain, is Uthman Orgun (5,000). In recent years, permanent trading posts, including Bald Rock (1,000) and Water’s Edge (2,000) have arisen on the steppe.

Shepherd’s Lake (450) is the capital of the river valley’s government. Though larger than most, it is representative of other small settlements in the region.

Alignment: Steppenlanders tend toward chaos, neutrality, and evil; the valley folk law, neutrality, and good.

Description: Steppenland is comprised of two socio-geographic regions: the steppe, a broad plain characterized by extremes of temperature, limited precipitation, and short grasses; and a steep-walled fertile river valley that courses along the country’s southwest border.

Steppenlanders are a semi-nomadic people. Each winter, tribes migrate north, following herds of buffalo that provide food and furs; each summer, they follow the beasts south. Steppenlander men are expert riders. In addition to hunting buffalo, they raid other tribes, foreign caravans, and even neighboring states in search of resources not otherwise available. Slaves, ore, and wood are prized. During migrations, Steppenlander women drive their tribes’ brightly painted wagons. Each woman practices a craft and helps oversee her tribe’s slaves. Slaves assist with crafts and menial tasks such as greasing wagon axles and gathering buffalo dung to fuel campfires. Exceptions to these generalities exist. Before founding Bald Rock, Mansur the Unhorsed (LE male human Wizard 6), a terrible rider, was relegated to mixing paints, a task normally performed by women and slaves. Arin Orgun (CN female human Barbarian/Fighter 4/4) rode in her father Uthman’s raiding parties before he placed her in command of Water’s Edge.

Steppenlanders recognize Kargas, a chaotic neutral god of war, but actual clerics are few. Steppenlanders say that it is enough that Kargas made them strong enough to prosper in their harsh land. The rare cleric of Kargas can choose from the Chaos, Destruction, Strength, and War domains. If the War domain is selected, the bonus feat(s) can be applied to any one of the traditional Steppenlander weapons (composite shortbow, dagger, lance, or scimitar).

Steppenlander holidays celebrate successful migrations. They are periods of feasting and violent sport; goat rodeo is the favorite. In this game, two teams of riders compete to carry a goat downfield toward a goal. The rider carrying the goat is beaten with clubs by the opposing team in an effort to make him drop the goat. The goat rarely lives through the game. Variations on this game see a slave, usually a human child, gnome, or halfling, substituted for the goat.

The fugitive slaves and their descendants who have settled in Steppenland’s river valley call their home Mother’s Embrace, and the rivers that flow through it Mother’s Arms. The river valley is rich in resources; men, women, and children fish, herd goats and sheep (which provide wool in addition to food), and grow rice, as well as hardy fruits (grapes, apples, pears) and vegetables (carrots, onions, potatoes, and turnips). Wild bamboo, which is plentiful in the river valley, is used for building homes and crafting everything from tools and weapons to paper to hats and sandals.

The valley folk observe druidic traditions, closely intertwined with belief in a neutral mother goddess. Most of the druids are lawful neutral. The valley folk also worship Dorn, a neutral good god of freedom and self-defense. Dorn’s favored weapons are the quarterstaff and sling. Clerics of Dorn can choose from the Good, Protection, and Strength domains.

Six major holidays are celebrated. The first four, dedicated to the mother goddess, mark the equinoxes and solstices with song and dance. The fifth holiday, Worm Day, also loosely associated with the mother goddess, falls on a different day each year, but always during the spring. Throughout the winter, wagers are made regarding the day on which worms will crawl from the mud to blanket the ground. On this day, wagers are paid, everyone goes fishing, and children chase each other with worms in hand. The sixth holiday commemorates the day that Angus Greenshields, fleeing his Steppenlander masters, first discovered the river valley. The forty days prior to the celebration is a time of quiet self-denial, representing Angus’ flight across the steppe. On the day of the celebration, Angus Greenshields (LN male human Fighter 7) himself leads a prayer to Dorn; delivers a speech relevant to current events in the river valley; and declares the start of a day of contests of speed, stamina, and strength.

DM Secrets: Water’s Edge has grown into Steppenland’s most successful trading post because of Arin’s willingness to protect foreign merchants (Knowledge- Local DC 15). Uthman, unhappy with his daughter carousing with foreigners, is contemplating forcibly removing her from power (Knowledge- Local DC 20). Mansur, envious of the prosperity of Water’s Edge, has secretly influenced Uthman’s feelings.

Steppenland’s river valley is a cradle of civilization (Knowledge- History DC 10). The ancestors of modern Steppenlanders were its original inhabitants (Knowledge- History DC 15). Successive flooding forced them out of the valley thousands of years ago; they have never returned (Knowledge- History DC 20). It was not flooding, but a series of unexplained mass murders that drove them from the valley; the flooding followed several years later (Knowledge- History DC 30). A brood of aboleth, deep below Mother’s Embrace was responsible for the murders; they have become aware that humans again dwell in their valley.

Just finished my entry for round 2, and it was tougher than I expected. Fairly early on, even before I knew that I had made the Top 32, I had a list of details for the country, very much like the opening of the entries in the LG Gazetteer, on paper. As I read through those details and shared them with a friend though, I realized that they did not do justice to the big picture I was trying to convey. I am now status post one heck of a rewrite and I am very pleased. I hope that I will be just as pleased after getting a few hours of sleep and rereading it all.

Chad

For the love of god, I'm a general surgeon in my first three months of practice, and I'm worried about my entry. I'm such a petty, sad man. The more I dwell on the subject, the more I'd like to change about my wondrous item. Aggggghhhhhhh! Anyone lese have the post-submission blues?

Chad

Alright, so my wondrous items is submitted, and I have no idea if it'll be cool enough to net me a spot in the top 32 or not, but I had a heck of a fun time writing it up. As such, I'm starting to design my country now. If I am lucky enough to make the cut of 32, it'll form the basis of my submission, if not it's another fun creative exercise.

The problem is, I (we, really) have no clue what kinds of stipulations will be placed on the country design project or even what kind of format to use. Right now, I'm going with the format used in the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer. Does anyone have what they think is a better format for organizing/presenting their work in this vein?

Chad

Greaves of the Monkey: Constructed of padded cloth and lined with light fur, these items appear not unlike other pieces of armor worn about the lower legs. When donned, they cause the wearer’s toes to grow in length and increase in agility, granting a +8 competence bonus on Balance and Climb checks. The wearer’s climbing speed is equal to her normal speed. She can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. She may also use her Dexterity modifier in place of her Strength modifier, if it is higher, for Climb checks. Finally, the wearer may use her feet exactly as if they were a second pair of hands for any non-combat task (e.g. picking up a key or other small item, making a Disable Device or Open Lock check). For their magic to be effective, both greaves must be worn, and the wearer must be otherwise barefoot.

Faint Transmutation; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item, cat’s grace; Price 10,000 gp; Weight 2 lb.