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Pathfinder Adventure Path #169: Kindled Magic (Strength of Thousands 1 of 6)

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Pathfinder Adventure Path #169: Kindled Magic (Strength of Thousands 1 of 6)
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The Strength of Thousands Adventure Path begins! A magic school like no other! The oldest and most prestigious magic academy in the world is the Magaambya, an ancient institution founded by the greatest wizard the world has ever known. This wizard vanished long ago, but his sinister enemies plot against his school and those who attend it. Over their long academic career, the heroes rise from humble students to become teachers, and they ultimately hold the fate of the school in their hands. Graduates of the Magaambya are among the greatest wardens of the world, but if the heroes can't marshal the strength of thousands who have come before them, the venerable Magaambya might fall! The Strength of Thousands Adventure Path is a six-part, monthly series of connected adventures that comprise a complete Pathfinder campaign.

School's in session! The newest students at the venerable Magaambya school of magic must begin their academic careers with tests of their skill and resourcefulness. The heroes can learn much from their teachers and fellow students, but must beware of mysterious secrets and sinister plots. The rigors facing any Magaambya students are steep, but the heroes must also contend with strange infestations and supernatural intruders in the school's ancient halls. Education is far from easy at the oldest and most prestigious magic academy in the world!

"Kindled Magic" is a Pathfinder adventure for four 1st-level characters by Alexandria Bustion and Eleanor Ferron. This adventure begins the Strength of Thousands Adventure Path, a six-part, monthly campaign in which the heroes rise from students to teachers, and ultimately decide the fate of the Magaambya. This adventure also details other students to become friends or rivals, rules to gain extra lore throughout a year of academic study, as well as new monsters and new spells—including lore of the prestigious Magaambya!

Each monthly full-color softcover Pathfinder Adventure Path volume contains an in-depth adventure scenario, stats for several new monsters, and support articles meant to give Game Masters additional material to expand their campaign. Pathfinder Adventure Path volumes use the Open Game License and work with both the Pathfinder RPG and the world's oldest fantasy RPG.

ISBN-13: 978-1-64078-349-2

The Strength of Thousands Adventure Path is sanctioned for use in Pathfinder Society Organized Play. The rules for running this Adventure and Chronicle Sheets are available as a free download (954 KB PDF).

Other Resources: This product is also available on the following platforms:

Fantasy Grounds Virtual Tabletop
Roll20 Virtual Tabletop
SoundSet on Syrinscape
Archives of Nethys

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A Major Favorite

5/5 —

Strength of Thousands currently stands as my favorite complete adventure path and this is probably my favorite opening.

The adventure presents a variety of characters and feels like a different opening from other adventures as it felt like it was much more primed to have the party performing things that feel like lessons they learn rather than just a list of random missions are tasked.

This feels like an opening to a campaign that fosters a good party and I feel these tie into the rest of the campaign really well.

This book presents a lot of characters and that establishes the school in an odd order. A large focus on fellow students, then just a few teachers and couple faculty. The vast majority of the faculty doesn't get a lot of information or more than a single encounter until quite some time later. Establishing these characters can be something I encourage a GM to do, but it is also a case of there being a lot of characters already at the outset.

I would suggest GMs should know what they intend for other students and faculty for the rest of the campaign so that it can be established either here or the later books.

I highly recommend this campaign.

A Place, A Feeling: The Sandbox AP

5/5 —

This review is written from the perspective of a player on the whole 6-part adventure. Strength of Thousands is divergent from the norm in both its setting, tone, and gameplay. Set at the magical school, the Magaambya, it covers years instead of months, taking your characters from bright eyed students to mythical heroes of legend. It is part academic simulator, part adventure, leading to a lighter tone for much of the story. It has its massive battles and its dark themes, but these are interspersed with exams, detentions, parties, research, diplomacy, and sports.

The narrative is one of Paizo's most non-linear, and players seeking a streamlined, linear, or direct story experience may find themselves bored. By contrast, a player who enjoys roleplaying will find an immense amount of freedom. The timescale, which takes place over years, helped me contextualize my eventually immensely powerful character. And on the way I stressed over exams, conducted field research on a cyclops temple, joined a gang (or two), and taught my students (spellcasters, mostly) how not to get grabbed.

The narrative, non-linear though it may be, is replete with wonderful NPCs and villains. For the GM, also, I would suggest that if you prefer running combat, this APs long stretches of diplomacy or detention may not provide the best experience. SoT is the least "combat simulator" AP released since Kingmaker.

It does, however, have its great battles and cinematic clashes. There are some grueling combat challenges that pushed my party to the brink (and nearly over it), but as I reflect on the AP, it is not the combat I remember, but planning birthday parties for my classmates, using hero points to change fails on exams to successes, and simply enjoying the presence of the characters and my real partymates. More than any other AP, the Magaambya felt alive, full of characters wonderful and wicked, brilliant but not always bright. I think of the allies made and the ones lost. If any of that appeals to you, I cannot recommend this AP enough.

5/5 —

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TRDG wrote:

A bit worried as some of the potential players are looking at for a Cleric type free multi class, Guess I might have to open that up as well and hope that won't break anything.....??

Yep the Fighter/cleric vibe was quite strong or Ranger/Cleric

Tom

Everything we’ve seen of Magaambyan magic in 2e so far has been arcane/primal, so I’m not sure how this caught you off guard.

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Nope, it did'nt catch me off guard in the least, just that more than a few of my players want to go for a Divine magic route in this AP (or at least have an official option) that so far its just the Druid or Wizard free Multiclass, ya know...??

Tom :)
TRDG wrote:

A bit worried as some of the potential players are looking at for a Cleric type free multi class, Guess I might have to open that up as well and hope that won't break anything.....??

Yep the Fighter/cleric vibe was quite strong or Ranger/Cleric

Tom

It won't break anything. It's about theme, not balance. And it is also your game so you can allow or disallow anything you want. If you are okay with your player taking some other caster dedication than 2 suggested ones then go for it.

Pathfinder Starfinder Society Subscriber

I wonder what the balance or expectation concerns would be if the options for free archetype were expanded to include any non-multiclass archetypes associated with the Magaambya? Such archetypes would certainly make sense thematically otherwise.

Huh.
Mystic theurge was one of the hardest PrC to pull off. Combining traditions and no armor or no hp to boot!

Jatembe combined Divine & Arcane because magic was magic. And now his Halcyon magic has combined four traditions, FOUR TRADITIONS! That's two new traditions in less than two years!
That's some pretty impressive wizarding that is.
I want ALL the spells, all!
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If halcyon magic is arcane/primal, and theurgy is divine/arcane, I’d /love/ to hear about divine/occult.
Curaigh wrote:

Huh.

Mystic theurge was one of the hardest PrC to pull off. Combining traditions and no armor or no hp to boot!

Jatembe combined Divine & Arcane because magic was magic. And now his Halcyon magic has combined four traditions, FOUR TRADITIONS! That's two new traditions in less than two years!
That's some pretty impressive wizarding that is.
I want ALL the spells, all!

Halcyon magic is just Arcane and Primal, not all four traditions, and I don't think Jatembe ever combined divine and arcane magic.

1 person marked this as a favorite.

Tangentially related, there's a 1e psychic archetype that combines primal and occult.
Marketing & Media Manager
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Allie Bustion Talks Mwangi Expanse & Strength of Thousands on Dangerous Wednesdays from Danger Club Podcast.
3 people marked this as a favorite.
KaiBlob1 wrote:
Curaigh wrote:

Huh.

Mystic theurge was one of the hardest PrC to pull off. Combining traditions and no armor or no hp to boot!

Jatembe combined Divine & Arcane because magic was magic. And now his Halcyon magic has combined four traditions, FOUR TRADITIONS! That's two new traditions in less than two years!
That's some pretty impressive wizarding that is.
I want ALL the spells, all!

Halcyon magic is just Arcane and Primal, not all four traditions, and I don't think Jatembe ever combined divine and arcane magic.

Maybe not in canon, but Magaambyan's learned to add occult and divine traditions: Cascade Bearers Spellcasting.

I guess taking spells from the druid list (divine in PF1), is not quite the same thing as combining the traditions. Those adapted druid spells were treated as arcane.

Still, it is enough for me to consider Old Man Jateme as a BA Wizard!
Grand Archive
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Pathfinder Maps, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Do we have an ETA on the Player’s Guide? I know the FotRP AP has still not released yet but this one is creeping up fast :-)
Calcryx666 wrote:
Do we have an ETA on the Player’s Guide? I know the FotRP AP has still not released yet but this one is creeping up fast :-)

Dying to see this as well.

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
keftiu wrote:
Calcryx666 wrote:
Do we have an ETA on the Player’s Guide? I know the FotRP AP has still not released yet but this one is creeping up fast :-)
Dying to see this as well.

On average (FotRP aside due to unforseen problems beyond Paizo's control) players guide arrive 1 to 2 weeks before street date... so we have a little bit still. Put my money around July 4th or so

Dark Archive
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Now that I've learned of Magaambyan Telepath 1e archetype for psychic, I'm interested to see if that one is still 2e canon :O (its basically combination of primal and occult traditions)
CorvusMask wrote:
Now that I've learned of Magaambyan Telepath 1e archetype for psychic, I'm interested to see if that one is still 2e canon :O (its basically combination of primal and occult traditions)

I suspect they're just handling that the same way as Mystic Theurge- multiclassing. Arcane/Divine and Occult/Primal are opposite traditions, so the new lore of Arcane and Primal sharing the Material component doesn't really apply.

But, it could show up in the AP as something more advanced!
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Pathfinder Starfinder Society Subscriber
CorvusMask wrote:
Now that I've learned of Magaambyan Telepath 1e archetype for psychic, I'm interested to see if that one is still 2e canon :O (its basically combination of primal and occult traditions)

I wouldn't put too much weight on occult = psychic in PF2E. Many PF1 classes and archetypes are obviously not occult.

Dark Archive
David knott 242 wrote:
CorvusMask wrote:
Now that I've learned of Magaambyan Telepath 1e archetype for psychic, I'm interested to see if that one is still 2e canon :O (its basically combination of primal and occult traditions)

I wouldn't put too much weight on occult = psychic in PF2E. Many PF1 classes and archetypes are obviously not occult.

Yeah but neither was "primal" a thing in 1e and that archetype calls out both occult and primal magic x'D

Our group is seriously considering moving to PF2 because of this AP and it will depend on the Player's Guide! Can't wait.
Grand Archive
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Pathfinder Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
CorvusMask wrote:
David knott 242 wrote:
CorvusMask wrote:
Now that I've learned of Magaambyan Telepath 1e archetype for psychic, I'm interested to see if that one is still 2e canon :O (its basically combination of primal and occult traditions)

I wouldn't put too much weight on occult = psychic in PF2E. Many PF1 classes and archetypes are obviously not occult.

Yeah but neither was "primal" a thing in 1e and that archetype calls out both occult and primal magic x'D

Funny, this use of the "primal" term actually enters in contradiction with another use of that word in PF1... In PF1, "Primal Magic" was the name of what other editions call "wild magic", or the "very random, might explode in your own face magic". xD (In PF2 this seems to have been renamed "wellspring magic" based on what we know of Secrets of Magic.) :O

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Calcryx666 wrote:
Do we have an ETA on the Player’s Guide? I know the FotRP AP has still not released yet but this one is creeping up fast :-)

Our goal is to get Player's Guides posted about 30 days before launch, but it depends on when they are ready. You can bet we are focused on shining the spotlight on FotRP first, so it will be more like mid-July. Tight turnaround.

Aaron, do you know when we'll be able to subscribe to the adventure path like starting with this book?
1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Starfinder Society Subscriber
Elfteiroh wrote:
CorvusMask wrote:
David knott 242 wrote:
CorvusMask wrote:
Now that I've learned of Magaambyan Telepath 1e archetype for psychic, I'm interested to see if that one is still 2e canon :O (its basically combination of primal and occult traditions)

I wouldn't put too much weight on occult = psychic in PF2E. Many PF1 classes and archetypes are obviously not occult.

Yeah but neither was "primal" a thing in 1e and that archetype calls out both occult and primal magic x'D
Funny, this use of the "primal" term actually enters in contradiction with another use of that word in PF1... In PF1, "Primal Magic" was the name of what other editions call "wild magic", or the "very random, might explode in your own face magic". xD (In PF2 this seems to have been renamed "wellspring magic" based on what we know of Secrets of Magic.) :O

Exactly. Terms like "occult" and "primal" were used in both PF1 and PF2, but the terms do not mean the same thing in both editions. Thus, to flesh out what I was trying to say earlier, bards would be considered occult casters in PF2 but not PF1. Also, based on the PF2 version of Legendary Kineticists, kineticists would be occult characters in PF1 but more likely primal than occult in PF2.

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Sporkedup wrote:
Aaron, do you know when we'll be able to subscribe to the adventure path like starting with this book?

I do not. That's a Customer Service / Webstore question. But I suspect we need to get FotRP out the door on July 7 first, right? :)

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After reading the Lost Omens Mwangi Expanse I am even MORE excited for this AP to start! Looking forward to that cover update too.
Pathfinder Starfinder Society Subscriber
Aaron Shanks wrote:
Sporkedup wrote:
Aaron, do you know when we'll be able to subscribe to the adventure path like starting with this book?
I do not. That's a Customer Service / Webstore question. But I suspect we need to get FotRP out the door on July 7 first, right? :)

It looks like we can now start AP subscriptions with Kindled Magic/ Strength of Thousands.

Marketing & Media Manager
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Good news for Roll20 VTT players! We heard it directly from them that they are working on the Strength of Thousands AP, trying to hit our Wednesday, August 5 release date.

THANK GOD for HUGE Miracles Aaron, thanks for the heads up, now we need to work on them with Starfinders"Kingmaker in Space"!! LOL

Tom
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TRDG wrote:

THANK GOD for HUGE Miracles Aaron, thanks for the heads up, now we need to work on them with Starfinders"Kingmaker in Space"!! LOL

Tom

Roll20 should have Starfinder Galaxy Exploration Manual and Mwangi Expanse for sale today too.

It seems like from the descriptions there will be some time skips. I'm very curious how these are handled in the frame of the AP. The descriptions make it sound a bit more episodic than a normal AP which I quite like.
Dark Archive

I now wanna play conrasu cleric of Valmallos in this ap :'D
Pathfinder Starfinder Society Subscriber
Darksyde wrote:
It seems like from the descriptions there will be some time skips. I'm very curious how these are handled in the frame of the AP. The descriptions make it sound a bit more episodic than a normal AP which I quite like.

They may want to add some rules for long/accelerated downtime. The standard downtime rules assume a week to a month of time between adventures -- but now I can see the GM wanting players to answer "So -- What does your character do for the next couple of years?"

1 person marked this as a favorite.
David knott 242 wrote:
Darksyde wrote:
It seems like from the descriptions there will be some time skips. I'm very curious how these are handled in the frame of the AP. The descriptions make it sound a bit more episodic than a normal AP which I quite like.

They may want to add some rules for long/accelerated downtime. The standard downtime rules assume a week to a month of time between adventures -- but now I can see the GM wanting players to answer "So -- What does your character do for the next couple of years?"

There will likely be some structured stuff built in. You're supposed to be teachers at the Academy, so much of "what does your character do for the next couple years" will be "their job".

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Adventure Path, Rulebook, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

Any indication of when the players guide will be out? I'm really excited for this one
Marketing & Media Manager
Lonesomechunk wrote:
Any indication of when the players guide will be out? I'm really excited for this one

Answered above.

4 people marked this as a favorite.
thejeff wrote:
David knott 242 wrote:
Darksyde wrote:
It seems like from the descriptions there will be some time skips. I'm very curious how these are handled in the frame of the AP. The descriptions make it sound a bit more episodic than a normal AP which I quite like.

They may want to add some rules for long/accelerated downtime. The standard downtime rules assume a week to a month of time between adventures -- but now I can see the GM wanting players to answer "So -- What does your character do for the next couple of years?"

There will likely be some structured stuff built in. You're supposed to be teachers at the Academy, so much of "what does your character do for the next couple years" will be "their job".

As I recall (but don't plant to watch the PaizoCon panel again to confirm) it will be some new downtime academic activity. The question will be more like "What does your character publish his year?" or "What devices will you invent this semester?" or "will you discover any geniuses in your 101 class?" or "What academic secrets can you convince a friend to share?" or "Will your join your best friend's experiment, go into space, get bombarded by cosmic radiation, crash land back on earth and gain super-powers representing one of the four elements?"

Or I could be reading too much into it to.
Grand Archive
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Pathfinder Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
Curaigh wrote:
thejeff wrote:
SNIP!

As I recall (but don't plant to watch the PaizoCon panel again to confirm) it will be some new downtime academic activity. The question will be more like "What does your character publish his year?" or "What devices will you invent this semester?" or "will you discover any geniuses in your 101 class?" or "What academic secrets can you convince a friend to share?" or "Will your join your best friend's experiment, go into space, get bombarded by cosmic radiation, crash land back on earth and gain super-powers representing one of the four elements?"

Or I could be reading too much into it to.

Aaah! The four classical elements! Rock, Fire, Invisibility, and Stretchiness! :P

(I know what you meant, just trying to be funny. :P )
Pathfinder Starfinder Society Subscriber
thejeff wrote:
David knott 242 wrote:
Darksyde wrote:
It seems like from the descriptions there will be some time skips. I'm very curious how these are handled in the frame of the AP. The descriptions make it sound a bit more episodic than a normal AP which I quite like.

They may want to add some rules for long/accelerated downtime. The standard downtime rules assume a week to a month of time between adventures -- but now I can see the GM wanting players to answer "So -- What does your character do for the next couple of years?"

There will likely be some structured stuff built in. You're supposed to be teachers at the Academy, so much of "what does your character do for the next couple years" will be "their job".

But teaching at this Academy is a position of responsibility, so they would have a great deal of leeway to make important decisions -- even beyond the ones already mentioned in this thread.

Does anyone know if this AP will be at all “kid friendly”? My daughter is a big fan of the Harry Potter series and I think this could be a good gateway into rpgs for her. I’m happy to do some editing myself but hoping that the general themes are action-
adventure rather than horror/other world abominations.
DM Lauguz wrote:

Does anyone know if this AP will be at all “kid friendly”? My daughter is a big fan of the Harry Potter series and I think this could be a good gateway into rpgs for her. I’m happy to do some editing myself but hoping that the general themes are action-

adventure rather than horror/other world abominations.

Allie Bustion said it was less Harry Potter and the Magicians. I don't think it will be the same kinds of horror we saw some of in Agents of Edgewatch or Malevolence, but I'm sure there will be some spookies and nasties.

All in all, I'm sure it would be fine content but a full AP is a massive commitment and that's not easy for a kid or first-timer! That would be more my worry.

This releases on the 28th, as far as I know. Wonder if we'll see the cover soon!

According to the July shipping post (https://paizo.com/threads/rzs43f4e?July-2021-New-Releases-and-Subscription ), there may be issues with this month's shipment...

We're waiting to see if this volume is going to be delayed, I think.
Pathfinder Adventure Path, Rulebook, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
vagrant-poet wrote:
This releases on the 28th, as far as I know. Wonder if we'll see the cover soon!

The cover was shown off in paizocon, i'll have to see if I can find it but it looked nice! It looked like one of the professors might be on the cover.

Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Accessories, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

I can't wait for this! I actually started a campaign like this a few months back & I signed up for the Adventure Path Subscription just for this :p I hope it being in my sidecart doesn't affect anything though...
Customer Service Representative
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I have removed a couple of posts for trying to get around the profanity filter.

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Pathfinder Adventure Path, Rulebook, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

The cover is gorgeous! Hopefully we can get a player's guide soon :D
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So the July thread is quiet and locked. Can we assume at this time that shipping or customs issues have delayed the release of this book from its original expected date?
Marketing & Media Manager
Sporkedup wrote:
So the July thread is quiet and locked. Can we assume at this time that shipping or customs issues have delayed the release of this book from its original expected date?

The anticipated release date for Kindled Magic is August 4.

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Lonesomechunk wrote:
The cover is gorgeous! Hopefully we can get a player's guide soon :D

*Flips table with feigned outrage and regains composure* ;)

Hello and thanks for your enthusiasm! With the shipping delays we just launched Fists for the Ruby Phoenix AP last week and it is enjoying some time in the spotlight.

The Adventure Path Player's Guide has been competed, is awaiting upload, and a place on the blog schedule. Ideally, we want to post player's guides 30 day before release, but the timeline has been... condensed. The blog has yet to be written and needs to to go through editing after that, so I anticipate posting it late next week, at the earliest. Certainly it will post by the time it launches on the 4th of August.
2 people marked this as a favorite.

I’m SO curious about new Backgrounds - they’re one of my sneaky fav parts of every AP!
Aaron Shanks wrote:
Sporkedup wrote:
So the July thread is quiet and locked. Can we assume at this time that shipping or customs issues have delayed the release of this book from its original expected date?
The anticipated release date for Kindled Magic is August 4.

I'm neither worried nor complaining. Just wondering if there were an update!

Thanks. :)
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