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Way of the Wicked—Book #3: Tears of the Blessed (PFRPG) PDF

3.70/5 (based on 9 ratings)
FRM1003E

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Lead an Army of Darkness into Battle!

Inside the Vale of Valtaerna is found the most sacred site to the benevolent god Mitra in all of Talingarde. From this holy site, your enemies draw power and comfort. This is the story of how you raised an army of wickedness and stormed that stronghold of light slaughtering all who stood in your way!

No longer are you a petty servant of darkness. Here is your chance to become a master of evil. But beware! This will not be easy. There are more than just priests in the vale. This is the lair of countless good celestials who will do all in their power to stop your rise. Can you defeat them? Will you be destroyed or will you emerge triumphant amidst the tears of the blessed?

Welcome to the third chapter of the “Way of the Wicked”—the only evil adventure path for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game!

Inside you’ll find:

  • “Tears of the Blessed,” an adventure compatible with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game for 10th-level villains by Gary McBride
  • Full color art and maps by Michael Clarke
  • A gazetteer of the city of Ghastenhall
  • Detailed information about the Church of Mitra, your most determined foes.
  • All you need to run a vicious narrative battle with your PCs in command.
  • 102 pages of full color!
  • And More!

Raise your army, dark lord, and march to war. There will be no one to stop you this time!

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Are there errors or omissions in this product information? Got corrections? Let us know at store@paizo.com.

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Warrior 2s vs level 10 PCs? Why?!

1/5 —

Tucker's Kobolds was a story of an AD&D campaign; it's not possible to do in 3.5 or Pathfinder!

...I'm getting ahead of myself.

Book 3 has the PCs recruit an army to assault an order of healers during the winter. This order resides in the Vale of Valtaerna, which is nearly impossible to traverse during the winter. The PCs must slay every single creature there to hide the Asmodean influence of the work.

Before the plot starts, Book 3 is a logistics nightmare:
* Book 1 established that Talingarde was an island so that you could put it anywhere. But this book needs it to be Canadian Prairies level of snowy, preventing passage to normal humans. This means if you put it anywhere below the 60th parallel, congrats! You now have to retcon it.
* Also, you'll likely have to retcon the season, since the timeline isn't written out until Book 6 and this book requires it to be the start of winter.

Book 3's actual text begins with some absolute d+#%#%&. In the last book, the ultimate encounter was a paladin and his allies. The AP hopes to have the paladin escape, but offers this justification if he doesn't. If he dies, he is resurrected by a 'miracle of Mitra'...and by that, they mean a lich cleric of Asmodeus teleports in, grabs the corpse, and resurrects it. I really hope I don't have to spell out how audaciously bad this idea is, especially given who the cleric is.

This AP begins the issue of outsiders only being banished when killed. This was a 3.5e rule that did *not* make it into Pathfinder, and it is never written that they're using a houserule. They also treat summons as their own creature rather than the mere manifestations Pathfinder's rules have them as. They also shout out the PFSRD in this book, so it's not like they didn't have the resources available to them.

It also continues the Kingmaker Problem I mentioned in my review of Book 2, because the PCs and their army have the whole season of winter to kill everyone in the Vale. The PCs don't have to worry about the common folk, but they do have to deal with the creatures too powerful for their army.

Finally, as the title establishes, this book is where they starting throwing out some absolute nonsense as 'threats' to the players. This isn't fun; this is just tedious.

I will give Fire Mountain credit: after being briefed by their leader, a contract devil informs them of some information carefully left out by said leader, and offers a contract. This is handled in an organic way, conveying that a)their leader is hiding information, b)other forces are watching them, and c)this devil (who is important later) can now scry on them freely due to the contract.

-1 star from my actual rating because of the 'Kickstarter fraud' thing others have mentioned.

Fraud

1/5 —

I would love to give this product a higher rating but it has been written by a fraudster, Gary McBride, who tricked 315 people into giving him $40,000 through Kickstarter and refused to communicate with them for 4 years now. Despite multiple appeals from backers he has backed over 520 other kickstarters since then, logging in every week though seemingly unable to respond to his backers products. Shame on Paizo for selling the products of a con man and allowing him to continue profiting from rpg fans.

For details of the swindle and Gary McBride’s backing record see https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/730004812/throne-of-night-a-pathfinder -rpg-adventure-path/comments

Clerics, Angels and Phoenix, oh my

5/5 —

Your horrid villains are tasked with sacking a wintered-in valley of nauseatingly Lawful Good types. Recruit foot soldiers, bust the gate open and sack the place!

This chapter continues to demonstrate the villainous virtues of infiltration, sabotage, skulduggery and raw Evil firepower. The big nasties are all challenging icons of Things that are Good. Some groups will mop the floor with their foes, others will have a more difficult time.

As is the established pattern in earlier chapters, the villains can nova some encounters while carefully husbanding resources in other parts.

Plan carefully Ladies and Lords for failure to pay attention may send your damned souls to Hell far earlier than you wish...

Tears of the Blessed Review

4/5 —

Warning: Potential spoilers. Written from a GM's perspective. I ran this for 6 PCs.

In the third installment of the Way of the Wicked, the players are given the task of recruiting and army to sack the holy city of Valtaerna. Having played through this book, I must continue to give my compliments to creators. The world and the story is still holding the players attention and offering them creative ways to play their dark lords.

A particularly excellent part of this book was the appropriately epic Battle for Valtaerna. While this long fight spanned at least two full sessions and used almost every resource the party had, it never became tedious or felt like the players were just going through the motions.

However, if I had a criticism of this chapter of Way of the Wicked, it would be that the excitement is a little bit frontloaded. The Big Battle, while excellent, happens fairly early in the book. There is also the matter of a the Phoenix, who is fought relatively early in the book, but is actually a far more dangerous and memorable than the final boss.

Two words of caution to GM planning to run Tears of the Blessed:
1. Be careful with the Phoenix. My players were not well prepared heading in to that fight. Thankfully they had Protection From Energy or we may have had a TPK. However, our party mage had too few non-fire spells and the martial characters didn't have a way of getting through the Phoenix's DR 15/Evil. With the Phoenix's healing capabilities, the fight ended up being a slog where they could barely do more damage than the Phoenix could heal in a round.
2. Be careful with Holy Word. While, most encounters in the latter half of the book have access to this devastating spell, I highly suggest limiting your usage of it. This is a really powerful spell, that does a great job incapacitating players and making the encounter feel dangerous. Unfortunately, when you are a player, being incapacitated isn't very fun. Not only will your players hate it, but they will actively prepare ways to counter it. Considering that Holy Word is probably the best tactic of an otherwise rather weak final boss, you really don't want to wear it out.

However, minor complaints and warnings aside, I would still highly recommend this book. It runs far quicker and easier than Call Forth Darkness and maintains the series excellent quality in story and characters.

5/5 —

I've reviewed this on RPGGeek.com.

You can read it here.

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Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

Finally available in print! Just ordered.
kevin_video wrote:
Fire Mountain Games wrote:

Onward to book 4! You've burned Balentyne, held the Horn, and violated Valtaerna. But all that pales before dealing with the dragon.

Gary McBride
Fire Mountain Games

Is it silver, gold, or black?

Maybe.

;P

I should be ordering my print copy in about a week or so (I hope!). I want to take this to show some friends of mine who ought to get a kick out of it.

First, thank you thank you thank you to everyone who has ordered the print version. Wow, sales this weekend have been brisk!

kevin_video wrote:
Is it silver, gold, or black?

"Way of the Wicked" actually features quite a number of dragons and mostly from colors you don't often get to fight.

Spoiler:

Book Two -- Call Forth Darkness: A silver dragon
Book Four -- Of Dragons and Princesses: Two black dragons, drakes and a copper
Book Five -- The Devil My Only Master: A linnorm
Book Six -- The Wages of Sin: gold dragon

Gary McBride
Fire Mountain Games

when can we hope for part 4 to be released? will it took agein so long til the print version is available?

any preview art? cant wait! :)

Reviewed here, on DTRPG, sent to GMS magazine and posted about it on RPGaggression. Cheers!

EZ,

As always, thanks for reviews! They are really appreciated!

Patrick Kropp,

Preview art will be coming soon. And Book Four itself will be released by the end of June.

More is coming!

Gary McBride
Fire Mountain Games

Gary I received the print edition today. Looking forward to reading it next week. I can't start reading it until tuesday due to my wife. I am sure you understand.

I understand indeed. Thanks for buying the book and I look forward to any feedback you care to give.

Gary McBride
Fire Mountain Games
1 person marked this as a favorite.

got my hard copy early this week. nice format by the way. begaing in june my group will desend upon my house so we can play the vale. it is good.

rpg:
just wanted to share. our wizard found true love with the medusa.
it was so funny they tryed to talk to her. it did not work the wizard lost his cool and hit the medusa it was one of the funnest point in my game. he scored 3 crits and the medusa femble twice. never had that happen before with our wizard.he landed up pinning her down he was telling her she was his and was a great peice of rolplaying in a long time as he looked her in the eyes and kiss her ( he even made the save)our group looked at each other went WOW. as a ref a did not have him role the dice to deside her reaction the group thought the roleplaying was to good to let dice get in the way. she became his minion as soon as he gets high enought she will be his corhort.
so thanks for a great NPC it was alsome to experience scene like that in the game.
even our most blood thriser player like the module.

know that i got hard copy the group is ready to attack the vale.

rpg:

I am going to bleed them dry of every spell and magic item they have.
they work to well as a team to go easy on them.
they deside to use the circle to look like bugbears they even rehearse some speaches so people will there will hear how fire axe order this.
Scarab Sages Reaper Miniatures

Just got my PDF! Looking forward to reading this, as the other two have been phenomenal! Looking at earlier comments, I think I'm going to go with the "Mitran" faith as being the name for Iomedae (Shining Lady), Sarenrae (Beneficent Sun) and Pharasma (Fire Undying). It's not a perfect fir for your listed domains etc, but it fits my story from the Kingmaker arc very well.

Now to finish the rest of the book!

Why not Iomedae, Sarenrae and Abadar? Would cover every aspect of Mitra.

Bruce,

Thanks for the update!

Bryan and Patrick,

Neither one of thoe three are an exact match but they're close enough. The amount of effort required to tweek the text to get it into line with either of those choices is basically nothing.

Gary McBride
Fire Mountain Games

To Gary:

Again, massive accolades for the AP. I was wondering...and wanted to put a bug in your ear...

Any chance for a "special edition compilation" of this?

You don't have to answer (don't want to kill your sales of the AP while it's being released)...but, if there were to eventually be something like Rappan Athuk Reloaded, I'd buy that up in a second.

Perhaps down the line a fully compiled single megabook or boxset? Include all errata, advice from threads like this one, maybe a few extra adventures or sidequests (some of which have been mentioned in feedback threads as well) and any maps and/or little touches you had hoped to put in (e.g. player prestige classes, potential cohorts, rules for replacing pcs, etc etc).

Just something for you to consider, and considering it now might make it easier to do later (if you take notes as you go, for example).

Take care.

Aberzanzorax,

Thanks for the accolades. I'm glad you're enjoying "Way of the Wicked".

As for a complilation, we'll keep it in mind. But if it happens, it will be some time in the future and only because the books continue to sell well. So, right now, the only way to get this AP for the foreseeable future will be via the PDF and the books.

Gary McBride
Fire Mountain Games

@Gary:

1. Could we please have a Timeline for the adventures? In which month or season should I start Knot of thorns to be on schedule for the sacking of the vale?

2. how far are you with book 4? Can we expect it still in june? And I´m still waiting for the preview art! Would love to see Chargammon!

3. I will soon write a review for one of the greatest german DND/PF forum. I hope more people come to attetion of the great work you done with this AP! :)
Scarab Sages Reaper Miniatures
Patrick Kropp wrote:
Why not Iomedae, Sarenrae and Abadar? Would cover every aspect of Mitra.

It's really more about fitting into the existing Kingmaker story, than fitting Gary's precise vision of Mitra. Abadar has played no part in the Kingdom building, despite him being the mot logical choice for that...

I was thrilled at how easy it is going to be to include our personal Kingmaker elements into the existing material! Book 3 especially lines up really well, in terms of some of the major NPC antagonists

Patrick,

1. A timeline of the entire adventure path will be an appendix in Book Six. In the meantime, you can always adjust your schedule by a month or two. Several points in the adventure allow the PCs "time off". Surely that could be longer if you need it to be.

2. Book Four is progressing nicely. End of June is still likely. Preview art has been posted on our facebook page and is also available here and here. Chargammon is coming.

3. Thanks for your support, Patrick. It is greatly appreciated and please provide us a link even if it is in German. I know a couple of German-literate folks who can help us translate.

Gary McBride
Fire Mountain Games

The cetaceal woman is very lovely, and the Lord of Eagles reminds me of The Hobbit. The art is great!

Eric,

Mike continues to do a great job. And really, I don't consider either of those pieces to be in the running for his best submitted for this book.

Anyways, thanks for the kind words.

Gary McBride
Fire Mountain Games

Gary I liked book 3 but not as much as the other two. It is just too hard to compete with the other two since they were just such great adventures. I was very disappointed that there was nothing specific for Grumblejack. I liked the idea of the party not being able to rest and having to push forward through many battles. The game Icewind Dale 2 had something similiar but you are on the receiving end.

PathfinderFan64,

Glad you liked the book. Hopefully Book 4 will be even better.

And it does have a bonus encounter entitled "Grumblejack's Bet."

So, your wish is granted.

Gary McBride
Fire Mountain Games
Grand Lodge
Fire Mountain Games wrote:

PathfinderFan64,

Glad you liked the book. Hopefully Book 4 will be even better.

And it does have a bonus encounter entitled "Grumblejack's Bet."

So, your wish is granted.

Wait, sorry. The bonus encounter is in book 4? Or did I miss it while reading book 3?

Fire Mountain Games wrote:

PathfinderFan64,

Glad you liked the book. Hopefully Book 4 will be even better.

And it does have a bonus encounter entitled "Grumblejack's Bet."

So, your wish is granted.

Gary McBride
Fire Mountain Games

I hate my players so much for letting him die in Branderscar! (killed by 2 critical hits from the guards). They used him as a distraction. ;)

Grumblejack's Bet is in Book 4.

Spoiler:

And if your PCs let Grumblejack die, it also works with Raiju the Exile, the ogre mage.

Gary McBride
Fire Mountain Games
Grand Lodge
Fire Mountain Games wrote:
** spoiler omitted **

If it's made not of in the book then that's good. If not, might want to put in a text box. I know I'll forget by the time we get to that book.

There is a reminder in the text of where Grumblejack originated. So fear not.

Gary McBride
Fire Mountain Games

Very definitely looking forwards to book Four. Currently running a PbP version of the game myself, though they've yet to leave Branderscar.

Book three looks very interesting, though, overall, and I can't wait to run it for my group. I was reviewing it with a few of the folks from another gaming group of mine, and we figured that all in all, it was really quite interesting in terms of challenges posed to the players.

Spoiler:
The Phoenix in particular is going to be an interesting fight, and I wouldn't mind hearing from some other GMs on how to handle that one. Mostly because it seems to be one of those fights where the PCs really, really need to have properly prepared for it. By which I mean 'have stacked fire resistance on themselves'. Otherwise they burn and, well, die.

Here's a question, though. How does Thorn feel about investing in resurrections for his fallen minions in the Knot? I'm mainly asking because by book three the Knot have proven themselves extremely valuable servants, and a resource well worth investing in... but Thorn is also a rather paranoid fellow who dislikes getting personally involved with some aspects of the plan. I'm currently leaning towards 'he raises them, but works in some sort of bonus insurance while he's at it'.


Any advice on what that might be?
Scarab Sages Reaper Miniatures
George Shellabear wrote:
{SPOILER} in particular is going to be an interesting fight, and I wouldn't mind hearing from some other GMs on how to handle that one. Mostly because it seems to be one of those fights where the PCs really, really need to have properly prepared for it. By which I mean 'have stacked {REDACTED} on themselves'.

I'd say by then the PCs have significant advance warning of both what their objectives there are - ie. destroy the 3 targets, and plenty of opportunities to learn what this target in particular really is. The should have no problems at all stacking appropriate resistances and buffs, and being ready with appropriate debuffs.

Contributor

Added spoiler tag above.
Dark Archive

So when is book 4 due to arrive?

Liz,

Thanks for the spoiler tag.

Kevin,

I am right now putting the final touches on Book 4. It is my hope to have it done by the end of June. Regardless, the answer is ... real soon!

Chargammon is coming.

Gary McBride
Fire Mountain Games
Grand Lodge

Good to know. I've been out of the loop for almost a solid week so I wasn't sure if it was going to be on time or not.
Dark Archive
Fire Mountain Games wrote:

Liz,

Thanks for the spoiler tag.

Kevin,

I am right now putting the final touches on Book 4. It is my hope to have it done by the end of June. Regardless, the answer is ... real soon!

Chargammon is coming.

Gary McBride
Fire Mountain Games

Can't wait.

Is book 4 coming next week or is there a delay.

End of June - today is the last June.
Gary - Don´t make me sad! ^^

But even if it came out today - the people ordering print versions must possibly wait longer. Or is there now a solution for ordering the print earlier and getting the pdf on the release date?

I'd rather wait and have quality be at its best, but I look forward to Book 4 indeed!
Endzeitgeist wrote:
I'd rather wait and have quality be at its best, but I look forward to Book 4 indeed!

I expect nothing but the best from Gary. ;)

I would say his adventure path put ANY other I know to shame. Only complaint - Talingard deserves more love. More worldbuilding. My player often ask for details and I must come up with something in a second.

Seconded, Gary has upped the ante of what to expect from 3pps. WotW is a an utter delight!
Grand Lodge
Patrick Kropp wrote:
Endzeitgeist wrote:
I'd rather wait and have quality be at its best, but I look forward to Book 4 indeed!

I expect nothing but the best from Gary. ;)

I would say his adventure path put ANY other I know to shame. Only complaint - Talingard deserves more love. More worldbuilding. My player often ask for details and I must come up with something in a second.

Gary's actually mentioned the world building thing. There's more in Book 6 than any other book. Unfortunately that's going to be too little, too late for the majority of us.

Greetings all,

Sorry, Patrick, I'm going to make you sad. Hopefully, with some announcements we'll be making soon, I'll make you un-sad shortly.

As I just announced on facebook, Book 4 is going to be two weeks late. This is largely due to prep for PaizoCon and life getting in the way. I had hoped to avoid this, but there is no way.

So, the release date is now mid-July. I apologize for the delay and am working feverishly to get out a top-notch book. Rest assured that the delay is only happening because I believe the book needs it in order to be great.

As a sort of completely inadequate compensation, here is some new preview art ofthe dragon Eiramanthus. Chargammon isn't the only dragon you'll meet in book four.

Gary McBride
Fire Mountain Games

Re: World-building

Book Four has more world-building in it. Matharyn and Daveryn (two major cities) both get maps in Book Four.

And...

Spoiler:

You get to meet the Lord of the Eagles of the Ansgarian Mountains (and possibly kill him), you have two islands off the western coast mapped, and you get to utterly sack a major city. You even get to visit the capital of Matharyn. This book is loaded with world building.

However, just so I don't raise expectations. Book Five isn't.

Spoiler:

Book Five details a little more of the Savage North. You get to meet Talingarde's only linnorm and get to chat with a pit fiend. And you get a two-page map of the Agathium, Thorn's secret fortress.

Book Five is an errand of vengeance and murder. Book Five is where you throw off all the shackles that bind you and truly become the dark lord. Now you are the master.

And in Book Six, piles of world-building. All sorts of details of Talingarde before you got there and the new Talingarde you are creating.

More details yet to come.

Gary McBride
Fire Mountain Games
Fire Mountain Games wrote:

Greetings all,

Sorry, Patrick, I'm going to make you sad. Hopefully, with some announcements we'll be making soon, I'll make you un-sad shortly.

As I just announced on facebook, Book 4 is going to be two weeks late. This is largely due to prep for PaizoCon and life getting in the way. I had hoped to avoid this, but there is no way.

So, the release date is now mid-July. I apologize for the delay and am working feverishly to get out a top-notch book. Rest assured that the delay is only happening because I believe the book needs it in order to be great.

As a sort of completely inadequate compensation, here is some new preview art ofthe dragon Eiramanthus. Chargammon isn't the only dragon you'll meet in book four.

Gary McBride
Fire Mountain Games

You don't have to apologize for the book being late. I would rather the book come out a month late and be awesome, than come out on time half done. Creative works need more flexible deadlines, after all ;-)

Looking forward to book 4's magnificence!
DSRMT wrote:
Fire Mountain Games wrote:

Greetings all,

Sorry, Patrick, I'm going to make you sad. Hopefully, with some announcements we'll be making soon, I'll make you un-sad shortly.

As I just announced on facebook, Book 4 is going to be two weeks late. This is largely due to prep for PaizoCon and life getting in the way. I had hoped to avoid this, but there is no way.

So, the release date is now mid-July. I apologize for the delay and am working feverishly to get out a top-notch book. Rest assured that the delay is only happening because I believe the book needs it in order to be great.

As a sort of completely inadequate compensation, here is some new preview art ofthe dragon Eiramanthus. Chargammon isn't the only dragon you'll meet in book four.

Gary McBride
Fire Mountain Games

You don't have to apologize for the book being late. I would rather the book come out a month late and be awesome, than come out on time half done. Creative works need more flexible deadlines, after all ;-)

Looking forward to book 4's magnificence!

What he said. Good work is worth the extra wait!

Liberty's Edge

Phew! Will stop panicking now! Cormyr will still burn in January.
Bookkeeper wrote:
Phew! Will stop panicking now! Cormyr will still burn in January.

To be fair, they have earned it a time or two in their history. :P

What is the status of book 4 you said mid july is it this week or next.
ps thanks for all your hard work
Grand Lodge
bruce novakowski wrote:
What is the status of book 4 you said mid july is it this week or next.

Kind of curious about that now too. Since today's Friday and I haven't heard a peep, I'll assume next week. Seems more realistic.

kevin_video wrote:
bruce novakowski wrote:
What is the status of book 4 you said mid july is it this week or next.
Kind of curious about that now too. Since today's Friday and I haven't heard a peep, I'll assume next week. Seems more realistic.

All words are done, all edits are in, all playtesting complete, all maps finished.

Mike and I simply have to finish layout and a few last minute art tweaks, which is happening today.

We will be submitting the PDF on Monday. Should be for sale a day or two thereafter.

Print version will follow thereafter.

So...we will make the middle of the month.

Anyways, back to the layout mines.

Gary McBride
Fire Mountain Games

Oh, and in case I wasn't getting enough good news this morning after our Ennie nomination, this book is now a best seller on DriveThruRPG and RPGNow.

Gary McBride
Fire Mountain Games
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