Pathfinder Adventure Path #100: A Song of Silver (Hell's Rebels 4 of 6) (PFRPG)

Well the closest thing anyone will get to a Troop template would be the Mob template

I also designed the mob rules for D&D back in the day; they first appeared in the third Shackled City adventure path installment. My work on them there helped cement my opinion that a template is the wrong way to go for this, for the same reasons it's the wrong way to go for swarms. Troops (and swarms) are MUCH better if they're designed by hand in the same way any monster is designed. So, using the monster design rules and guidelines in the first Bestiary and the troop subtype reprinted from Reign of Winter here in #100, folks have all the tools WE have for designing a troop that's built to function as needed for what it is, rather than ham-handedly bolted onto a monster via a template so that its various abilities end up being more complicated and/or broken or nonsensical.

There were stats for a Mob in Dungeon Master's Guide II as well. I think it was CR 8.

There were stats for a Mob in Dungeon Master's Guide II as well. I think it was CR 8.

Yup. I designed those as well, picking up the rules and refining them a little from the work I'd done for Dungeon, but they were essentially the same as the magazine version.

Just flipped through this yesterday.

Looks fun. Especially like the bit about the Bridge, where the GM is encouraged to make as much wonky berserk stuff happen as possible.

That sounds awesome. I can't wait to GM that.

As written, what kind of opposition do they face on the bridge?

...

Also, is there any chance of getting "troops" on the PC's side? If some Dottari saw the light and defected you could just use the Thrune troops stats but I'd imagine that resistance militia fighters would have different stats.

What happens to the Temple of Asmodeus? Does it get destroyed? Does it get officially converted into something else? Can the PCs refurbish it for their own purposes?

What happens to the Temple of Asmodeus? Does it get destroyed? Does it get officially converted into something else? Can the PCs refurbish it for their own purposes?

That's covered in part 5. The short version is:

Why was the battlefield chosen for the poster map? Instead of something more general like a world map, an AP retrospective, a photo of Paizo HQ or whatever. For such a big event celebration, it seems like a bit of a letdown to have the poster map be of just some random combat map.

To be honest, I'm glad to get a combat map for once. I wish the Map Folios were full of combat maps... I'd buy them in a second.

Why was the battlefield chosen for the poster map? Instead of something more general like a world map, an AP retrospective, a photo of Paizo HQ or whatever. For such a big event celebration, it seems like a bit of a letdown to have the poster map be of just some random combat map.

The back of the poster map *is* an AP retrospective.

*clicks like*

Why was the battlefield chosen for the poster map? Instead of something more general like a world map, an AP retrospective, a photo of Paizo HQ or whatever. For such a big event celebration, it seems like a bit of a letdown to have the poster map be of just some random combat map.

Because whenever we do minis scale maps for things like this, folks in general seem to love it. I chose the bridge as the one to depict because it's got 2 encounters that take place here in this adventure, and then another one that takes place here in the 6th adventure. It's hardly a "random" combat map, in other words.

Yakman wrote:

Just flipped through this yesterday.

Looks fun. Especially like the bit about the Bridge, where the GM is encouraged to make as much wonky berserk stuff happen as possible.

That sounds awesome. I can't wait to GM that.

As written, what kind of opposition do they face on the bridge?

...

Also, is there any chance of getting "troops" on the PC's side? If some Dottari saw the light and defected you could just use the Thrune troops stats but I'd imagine that resistance militia fighters would have different stats.

Not to be a nuisance, but can anyone who has the PDF answer these questions?

Axial wrote:

Yakman wrote:

Just flipped through this yesterday.

Looks fun. Especially like the bit about the Bridge, where the GM is encouraged to make as much wonky berserk stuff happen as possible.

That sounds awesome. I can't wait to GM that.

As written, what kind of opposition do they face on the bridge?

...

Also, is there any chance of getting "troops" on the PC's side? If some Dottari saw the light and defected you could just use the Thrune troops stats but I'd imagine that resistance militia fighters would have different stats.

Not to be a nuisance, but can anyone who has the PDF answer these questions?

PCs gaining allied troops is not a part of the adventure, no... but it'd be a pretty simple thing for a GM to adjust things like that. The adventure already has a LOT of NPC aid helping the PCs out, though, so giving them troops too might be a bit over the top...

Is it because of EU VAT, or the price of the AP 100 is 20,99 USD normally? Is there something in addition to normal content, or has the price gone up again? :(

Is it because of EU VAT, or the price of the AP 100 is 20,99 USD normally? Is there something in addition to normal content, or has the price gone up again? :(

100th installment. New NPCs for all previous APs. Article on Aroden. Poster map. One time price increase.

Is it because of EU VAT, or the price of the AP 100 is 20,99 USD normally? Is there something in addition to normal content, or has the price gone up again? :(

More content. Higher pagecount.

Is it because of EU VAT, or the price of the AP 100 is 20,99 USD normally? Is there something in addition to normal content, or has the price gone up again? :(

Because its 132 pages long, so a third more extra content, as CBD has outlined.

I just want to make a couple of shout outs to the people who worked on the friends and foes section of the book. All of these characters are wonderful and great for additions to the adventures!

Sean Reynolds, I want to thank you for Amaya Kaijitsu, I fell in love with her after reading her bio and I will admit that I would love to go out with her if I ever got the chance.

Anime Fandom Reference

Crystal Fraiser, the NPC for Iron gods is a fantastic contrast to the other Androids in the AP and thank you for giving us the Plasma Sword for our jedi...I mean psychic PCs to enjoy. :D

I just want to make a couple of shout outs to the people who worked on the friends and foes section of the book. All of these characters are wonderful and great for additions to the adventures!

Sean Reynolds, I want to thank you for Amaya Kaijitsu, I fell in love with her after reading her bio and I will admit that I would love to go out with her if I ever got the chance.

Anime Fandom Reference ** spoiler omitted **

Crystal Fraiser, the NPC for Iron gods is a fantastic contrast to the other Androids in the AP and thank you for giving us the Plasma Sword for our jedi...I mean psychic PCs to enjoy. :D

I'm bit confused, you would love to go out with someone who explicitly is uncomfortable with relationships and so isn't interested in them? ._. Is this some type of attraction to lone wolves or something?

I think there is a typo in at least one of the NPC's (the one for Reign of Winter - her class levels don't match up with her spells or the rest of her stat block - I suspect a 2 should have been a 7).

Nope, araneas already cast as 5th level sorcerers, so the 2 sorcerer levels make her cast like a 7th level sorceress.

zergtitan wrote:

I just want to make a couple of shout outs to the people who worked on the friends and foes section of the book. All of these characters are wonderful and great for additions to the adventures!

Sean Reynolds, I want to thank you for Amaya Kaijitsu, I fell in love with her after reading her bio and I will admit that I would love to go out with her if I ever got the chance.

Anime Fandom Reference ** spoiler omitted **

Crystal Fraiser, the NPC for Iron gods is a fantastic contrast to the other Androids in the AP and thank you for giving us the Plasma Sword for our jedi...I mean psychic PCs to enjoy. :D

I'm bit confused, you would love to go out with someone who explicitly is uncomfortable with relationships and so isn't interested in them? ._. Is this some type of attraction to lone wolves or something?

Actually it's because I'm also socially awkward and I feel a kindred spirit with her in terms of personality, plus I wouldn't mind our time spent together to be reading, doing what calms us both and fighting to free cheliax from diabolical tyranny.

Can anyone who has the book either PM me or spoiler-post me why the 'Devils Bells' at the Church of Asmodeus ring seemingly at random? Its apparently revealed in this book but I don't have it yet and I'm intensely curious as to whyyyy. I couuuuld just wait till I have the book but I'm prepping to run the campaign and I'm impatient, hah.

I mean, they've made so many references to it, it HAS to be something good. I hope.

:3

Got the info I needed! Good stuff!

Crystal Fraiser, the NPC for Iron gods is a fantastic contrast to the other Androids in the AP and thank you for giving us the Plasma Sword for our jedi...I mean psychic PCs to enjoy. :D

Does anyone else think Malin the Prophet looks a bit like Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer) in Blade Runner?

So I have a question about future installments of Pathfinder is there any chance we could get a change to every month being 100 glorious pages? With some months the adventure is a little longer other months we have longer or more articles in the back? I love the longer book and have no problem with paying the increased price. Am I alone in this feeling? With a few more pages in some adventure there are tons of possibilities for higher end game. The increased size of some of the more important articles would be great like the gazetteers of the important areas.
So like I said is there any chance at this change? Or between the extra needed information and the extra cost it's just not going to happen?

I wouldn't mind it, but there was some concern over pricing earlier in this thread if I recall correctly. Not to mention, adding the extra pages and work involved might drive the writers crazy!

As far as trips to Hell are concerned...

** spoiler omitted **

Edit: removed questions and copypasted them to appropriate AP thread.

My new fav sword is unveiled in this! That Plasma Sword is just too cool and affordable, too! Is it optimized? Nope, but cool nonetheless.

I have not read this all the way through, so please pardon my impatience, but I seem to be unable to find the page that contains "The Song of Silver" ritual. Would anyone help me out there, please?

So I have a question about future installments of Pathfinder is there any chance we could get a change to every month being 100 glorious pages? With some months the adventure is a little longer other months we have longer or more articles in the back? I love the longer book and have no problem with paying the increased price. Am I alone in this feeling? With a few more pages in some adventure there are tons of possibilities for higher end game. The increased size of some of the more important articles would be great like the gazetteers of the important areas.

So like I said is there any chance at this change? Or between the extra needed information and the extra cost it's just not going to happen?

Unlikely. Because the amount of time it takes the Adventure Path team to build a monthly installment is pretty dialed in at 96 pages being the top end of what can be sanely done in a month. We were able to do the larger one for 100 because we planned ahead, but a switch to the longer AP every month would essentially mean that at some point down the line, the line would probably have to either go to a bimonthly publication rate OR we'd have to devote even more employee resources to producing it. That would likely result in a trickle down effect where the price of the AP would go up, on TOP of the price going up for being 32 pages longer.

So, no. No chance of that happening. The 96 page format has been working INCREDIBLY well for us, as evidenced by the fact that we hit 100 volumes in a time where print periodicals are struggling to keep going in print. It's not broken, so we have no plans to fix it. We may do special oversized volumes in the future again as needed though... we'll see!

My new fav sword is unveiled in this! That Plasma Sword is just too cool and affordable, too! Is it optimized? Nope, but cool nonetheless.

I have not read this all the way through, so please pardon my impatience, but I seem to be unable to find the page that contains "The Song of Silver" ritual. Would anyone help me out there, please?

It starts at the bottom of page 33, but is mostly located on page 34.

Fourshadow wrote:

My new fav sword is unveiled in this! That Plasma Sword is just too cool and affordable, too! Is it optimized? Nope, but cool nonetheless.

I have not read this all the way through, so please pardon my impatience, but I seem to be unable to find the page that contains "The Song of Silver" ritual. Would anyone help me out there, please?

It starts at the bottom of page 33, but is mostly located on page 34.

Thanks, James. I found it odd that a non-performing class (as in non-Bard or it's stepsister the Skald--still think Spell Kenning is more Bard than Skald! Grrrr!) was the source for the lyrics to this... I was intentionally obscure as I do not know how to create Spoilers.

James Jacobs wrote:

Fourshadow wrote:

My new fav sword is unveiled in this! That Plasma Sword is just too cool and affordable, too! Is it optimized? Nope, but cool nonetheless.

I have not read this all the way through, so please pardon my impatience, but I seem to be unable to find the page that contains "The Song of Silver" ritual. Would anyone help me out there, please?

It starts at the bottom of page 33, but is mostly located on page 34.

Thanks, James. I found it odd that a non-performing class (as in non-Bard or it's stepsister the Skald--still think Spell Kenning is more Bard than Skald! Grrrr!) was the source for the lyrics to this... I was intentionally obscure as I do not know how to create Spoilers.

Love that ritual! I like the effects OTHER than those directed against devils.

Not so odd at all. After all, if a true performer knew the lyrics, chances would have either been better for the song not to be lost OR for the bad guys to notice and execute the performer. By "hiding" the song's lyrics with someone who can't perform the song, they are safer.

You know, seeing the debate regarding Aroden as a fighter vs Aroden as a wizard vs Aroden as a gish, I half imagine that in Aroden's heyday a lot of fighters, wizards, and gishes debated amongst themselves on that point.

Does anyone know what the translucent green longswords wielded by Aroden's faithful shown in the Aroden article are intended to be made of?

You know, seeing the debate regarding Aroden as a fighter vs Aroden as a wizard vs Aroden as a gish, I half imagine that in Aroden's heyday a lot of fighters, wizards, and gishes debated amongst themselves on that point.

Does anyone know what the translucent green longswords wielded by Aroden's faithful shown in the Aroden article are intended to be made of?

Aroden wasn't a gish, because that's a term owned by Wizards of the Coast for a specific fighting caste of githyanki and I'll go to my grave fighting against using that word for anything else. :-P

But Aroden was a wizard who used a sword and shield.

The green swords in the article, though... I don't know. That's an Erik and Adam question. If it were up to me I would have made them not green glass swords in the art, but that wasn't part of what I did for that volume, and so they're green glass, which means I suspect they're made out of some sort of tempered crystal that acts like metal.

Aroden wasn't a gish, because that's a term owned by Wizards of the Coast for a specific fighting caste of githyanki and I'll go to my grave fighting against using that word for anything else. :-P

+100

Belltrap wrote:

Does anyone know what the translucent green longswords wielded by Aroden's faithful shown in the Aroden article are intended to be made of?

The green swords in the article, though... I don't know. That's an Erik and Adam question. If it were up to me I would have made them not green glass swords in the art, but that wasn't part of what I did for that volume, and so they're green glass, which means I suspect they're made out of some sort of tempered crystal that acts like metal.

Malachite and moonstone, perhaps? ^_^

It's either Erikalcum or Monatite.

Well done, sir. ^_^

I too was VERY intrigued with the sword...as well as the entire adventure. The only AP to completely capture my attention from start to finish.

Anyone know what the Devils Bells ring for?

Ask not for whom the bell tolls… :-)

What occurred to me about the swords: each one is made from the heart of a single emerald, suitably (magically, probably) treated to be stronger than steel, hold an edge indefinitely, and be nearly unbreakable. Could a mortal make one? I doubt it.

Given that Aroden was himself a swordsmith, and his greatest creation some kind of clear crystal blade, I'd guess that the transparent swords shown in the article were likely made in honor of that. That could mean that they are just glass and mostly ceremonial, but given magic it might also be assumed that the church had some knowledge passed down from Aroden on how to make functional blades from some transparent material(s).

Is the green sword made of Noqual? From Pathfinder #61--Shards of Sin.

Anyone know what the Devils Bells ring for?

They ring for thee.

Why was the battlefield chosen for the poster map? Instead of something more general like a world map, an AP retrospective, a photo of Paizo HQ or whatever. For such a big event celebration, it seems like a bit of a letdown to have the poster map be of just some random combat map.

I put up the AP poster side on the wall in my studio. I just wish each came with two copies so I could use the map in game without having to take it down.

Daigle or Jacobs: Who created the Slime Naga? Can we expect that these are likely the same 'unique local nagas' referred to in Kaer Maga (or one of such beings)?

Daigle or Jacobs: Who created the Slime Naga? Can we expect that these are likely the same 'unique local nagas' referred to in Kaer Maga (or one of such beings)?

The slime naga is my creation. It's not necessarily the mystery nagas mentioned in City of Strangers, but I wouldn't doubt that some slime nagas live beneath Kaer Maga.

xidoraven wrote:

Daigle or Jacobs: Who created the Slime Naga? Can we expect that these are likely the same 'unique local nagas' referred to in Kaer Maga (or one of such beings)?

The slime naga is my creation. It's not necessarily the mystery nagas mentioned in City of Strangers, but I wouldn't doubt that some slime nagas live beneath Kaer Maga.

Nice work - very few things inspire me to use more oozes.

Based on the description, it is clear they could easily be a part of the sub-Kaer-Magan ecology. Also, if those mystery nagas are not going to be specified and detailed at any point soon, they are likely to be left out of the Ecology of the Naga-Kin I will be posting.

If anyone has access to House on Hook Street, I recommend using the "Drug-Addled Rabble" from that adventure to represent an angry mob of Kintargo citizens. Change the mob's alignment from CN to CG, and include them in certain points in the adventure where you think it would be necessary.

Perhaps a random encounter involves a mob of citizens fighting against a Dottari troop. Emphasize the brutality of the street combat as the citizens armed with torches and pitchforks charge into columns of organized Thrune soldiers. Explain how the air is filled with the sound of clashing steel and the scent of freshly spilled blood as the city fights for it's freedom.

A good place to put a mob is the battle of Bleakbridge. They arrive en-masse on the opposite side of the bridge from the Dottari and Captain Trax, awaiting the PC's orders to attack. The PCs should also be given a degree of control over them; instructing the mob(s) to either charge, stay at range and attack from a distance, hold position, flank, or retreat.

Also, if you're as sadistic as I am, you could have Rizovair swoop down upon a mob of Kintargan freedom fighters and immolate them with her breath weapon (possibly exterminating them with one breath since the mob has a modest 62 hit points) right before the player's eyes. :)

Is the green sword made of Noqual? From Pathfinder #61--Shards of Sin.

Reminds me heavily on laen from the Shadow World setting, nice touch.

Ruyan.