Yesterday, we announced a slate of new products set to release over the latter half of this year that are all tied to the War of Immortals event. While I’ll get to those below, I know the real reason you’re reading the blog, so without further ado, the identity of the member of the Core Twenty who is going to die as part of the War of Immortals is…
Announcing the War of Immortals
Wednesday, April 17, 2024
Yesterday, we announced a slate of new products set to release over the latter half of this year that are all tied to the War of Immortals event. While I’ll get to those below, I know the real reason you’re reading the blog, so without further ado, the identity of the member of the Core Twenty who is going to die as part of the War of Immortals is…
Gorum, God of War, is going to die in the War of Immortals event. Illustration by Ivan Koritarev.
Our Lord in Iron, Gorum! Now, the how, when, and why of this deific death are elements of War of Immortals we’re not quite ready to talk about yet, but we promise: Gorum is going to die “on screen” in an adventure in which your player characters play a role. We’ll have more details about that as the adventure’s release approaches. In the meantime, let’s take a brief look at the slate of products coming in the second half of 2024 in which Gorum’s death and the larger War of Immortals metaplot will play out!
First on the list are an adventure and adventure path that have already been announced. In July, we’re releasing Pathfinder Adventure: Prey for Death, a 128-page hardcover adventure for 14th-level characters, written by former Paizo Developer Vanessa Hoskins. In this adventure, you’ll play members of the Red Mantis, the notorious and mysterious assassins guild and cult of the mantis god, Achaekek, who must clear their names when treachery threatens to besmirch their honor. Not only is Prey for Death the first tie-in to the War of Immortals storyline, but it’s also the debut of the new ongoing format of the Pathfinder Adventure product line!
Also in July, we’ll kick off our 40th Pathfinder Adventure Path (!!!), entitled Curtain Call, with Pathfinder Adventure Path #204: Stage Fright by veteran designer Richard Pett. Stage Fright starts characters as 11th-level adventurers who, over the course of the AP, help to produce an opera based on their own prior adventures while simultaneously facing a new threat that only the most powerful of heroes can stop. The connections between a theater-based campaign and the death of one of Golarion’s most powerful deities may seem tenuous, but you’ll have to trust us on this: the ramifications of Gorum’s death and the ensuing Godsrain affect all aspects of the world. And players of the Curtain Call Adventure Path will have a front row seat!
In September, we’ll be releasing the first of a pair of e-book short fiction collections exploring the event, a compilation of Erin Roberts’s smash web fiction series, The Godsrain Prophecies, complete with additional material exploring the identity and motivations of the mysterious seer who first penned the prophecies.
In October, we’ll publish Before the Godsrain, an anthology of short and flash fiction featuring four Iconic characters: the barbarian Amiri, the wizard Ezren, the cleric Kyra, and elven rogue Merisiel. These stories—mostly previously published on the Paizo Blog—explore the characters’ origins, character, and prior adventures and set the stage for something we’ll chat about a little bit later.
Also in October, Paizo is proud to announce the tentpole release of the War of Immortals event, the aptly named Pathfinder War of Immortalshardcover rulebook. This 240-page hardcover (also available in special edition, retailer-exclusive sketch variant, and forthcoming pocket edition) will introduce mythic rules to Pathfinder Second Edition, as well as two brand new classes—the first original classes built on the remastered foundation of the Pathfinder Player Core—the animist and exemplar! In addition to loads of new character options, War of Immortals also explores Gorum’s death and the ramifications. Most notable among these is the Godsrain: a literal shower of the slain god’s blood, shattered armor, and divine essence that falls upon Golarion and every world on which he was worshiped, leaving war and mythic power in its wake. A book called War of Immortals would hardly be doing its job if it didn’t explain the selfsame conflict, an extended period of conflict in which gods struggle to survive a slew of divine deaths and mortals vie for the newly available god-sparks upsetting the balance of power.
October also brings our second War of Immortals tie-in adventure path, Triumph of the Tusk, beginning with Pathfinder Adventure Path #207: The Resurrection Flood, by Brian Duckwitz and John Compton, and adventure for 3rd-level characters. Triumph of the Tusk is a three-part monthly campaign in which an eclectic band of dignitaries become battle-hardened survivalists fighting for the orcs’ homeland and independence. “How does this tie into the larger War of Immortals?” you might ask. Well, let’s just say that Gorum isn’t the only god who’s going to die during this event, and some ancestral pantheons are going to get hit harder than others. For more info, you’ll just have to wait until October!
In November, we round out the products we’re announcing today (though the consequences of the Godsrain and War of Immortals will continue into 2025 and beyond) with two exciting new releases. The first, Lost Omens Divine Mysteries, explores, well, the divine mysteries of the setting and provides an overview of the gods and faiths common throughout the Age of Lost Omens, reflecting the changes to the setting brought about by the War of Immortals. You’ll notice that Arazni is featured prominently on the cover, and that’s because she’s graduating into the ranks of the Core Twenty to fill the vacancy left with Gorum’s death. While she won’t take on his mantle of war, she will nevertheless rise to more and more prominence within the setting as a new status quo materializes.
Finally, November also sees the return of long-format Pathfinder fiction to print with the much-anticipated Pathfinder Godsrain by fan-favorite author Liane Merciel. Unlike previous novels published under the Pathfinder Tales brand from 2010 to 2017, Godsrain will debut as a deluxe hardcover with wraparound dustjacket and will feature Pathfinder’s popular Iconic heroes as its protagonists. In this exciting tale, Amiri, Ezren, Kyra, and Merisiel will witness Gorum’s death, receive their own nascent god-sparks, and even meet one of their patron deities as they take on a desperate quest to prevent the greatest threat Golarion has ever known from escaping an ancient prison. Can they use their unique talents, newfound mythic power, and the blessings of the Dawnflower to maintain the seal on the Dead Vault? You’ll just have to read and find out!
The advent of the War of Immortals on Golarion will necessitate seasoned warriors, and we’re answering that call with the newly announced Battlecry! Class Playtest, launching on April 29, 2024. During this public playtest, players will have the chance to put two new war-themed classes through their paces before their release in an as-yet-unannounced product coming in 2025. The commander is a martial support class that can issue commands to her allies, granting them extra movement, actions, reactions, and more. The guardian is an armored tank, who can taunt opponents and maximize the effectiveness of heavy armor to be a bulwark against nearly any threat. Be sure to try these exciting new classes out in just a few weeks!
That’s all the announcements we have for now, but we’ll have a lot more to say about these releases and more in the coming months, beginning at PaizoCon in May. Until then, you can catch up on yesterday’s stream on Twitch or YouTube and join the conversation here, on the Paizo Forums, or any of the many social media communities where Pathfinder fans congregate.
If you haven’t already purchased your tickets, check out this step by step breakdown for getting badges via Tabletop.Events this year.
Game Signups
And here’s a step-by-step breakdown for this year’s game signups!
Find the game you would like to sign up for on the Schedule of Events. This schedule can be filtered by many different criteria including name, event type, date, and time. Click on the event entry (either the name or the number to the left).
On the right side of the screen, click the large green button that says “Get Ticket for YOUR NAME.” This will add the event ticket to your cart, but you’re not done yet!
You can go and add more tickets to your cart if you like, as your tickets are saved for two hours. Once you’re all done, click “Checkout” in the cart to the right of the screen.
Click “Check out for Free.” You’re all set! You can view your schedule on the “My Schedule” page at any time.
Please note that there is a limit on our new content this year. To ensure everyone gets a chance to play the new scenarios, you may not sign up for more than one session of a new release. These new releases are:
SFS1 Intro: Year of Era's End
SFS1 7-02: Zo! vs. Zo
PFS2 5-16: A Lie Told to Strangers
PFS2 5-17: Stranded on Yesterday's Tide
Submitting Community Events
While the main schedule has been released, community gaming event submissions are still open! These can be RPG events featuring Pathfinder or Starfinder, as well as other systems or even other types of games entirely! Want to introduce people to your favorite indie RPG? Looking for players for the new board game you just bought? Finally want to settle who the best Mario Karter in the community is? You can host all these events and more!
From the PaizoCon convention page, go to “Host” in the top bar, then click “Submissions.”
Click “New Submission” and choose an event type. For this explainer we’ll be using an RPG event, but most events will ask for the same or similar information.
Fill in the requested information! Let the staff and prospective attendees know as much as you can about the event you’re submitting. Once you’ve filled in the information, click Create!
After submission, staff will review events and either approve them (adding them to the schedule), contact you for more information, or reject them. We reserve the right to reject events for any reason.
You can submit events at any time before May 24, 2024.
If you have any questions about event submissions, please reach out to us at paizocon@paizo.com
Other Activities
Portfolio Review Sign Ups
Portfolio reviews are now open to general attendees! Anyone is welcome to fill out the form, book a slot for portfolio review, and join us on the Paizo Events Discord server! Get thoughtful and detailed feedback on your illustrations from Paizo’s art directors and narrative team. Learn what we look for and how to get there. We are here to help! Sign up to have our team review your portfolio, and we’ll give you a constructive critique on your work.
The art and writing reviews are separate, so you are welcome to sign up for both, but please only sign up for one review per subject.
Review Guidelines
Reviews will be done over Discord; please remember what time you signed up and join the Discord chat at your time as to not intrude on someone else’s review.
Please only choose one slot per review subject; we have a limited number of times and want to give as many people a chance as possible.
Please link to your portfolio so we have a chance to review your work beforehand.
No AI generated work.
Appointment reminder emails will be sent out the week before PaizoCon, and again the day before a scheduled review. We can’t wait to see your work!
We’ll once again be joined by multiple friends of Paizo in the Discord this year! Chat with, ask questions of, and learn more about the amazing work of teams like BKOM Studios, Foundry VTT, Roll20, and more!
Last year’s convention was entirely online, but this year we’re introducing PaizoCon@! Our new pilot program allows you to experience PaizoCon in person with your fellow Pathfinders and Starfinders at participating local game stores! Check back on this blog to learn more.
We look forward to seeing you all online this year!
One of my favorite places aboard the Zoetrope was the menagerie, where I would tend to the flora and fauna we’d taken aboard temporarily for further study. Unfortunately, things were decidedly less peaceful this evening as I raced up the steps to the upper deck, pausing to catch my breath before a small blue creature scampered past me along the ship’s outer railing, giving me a dreadful start.
Zoetrope Logs, Part Four: Our Flying Home
Tuesday, April 16, 2024
One of my favorite places aboard the Zoetrope was the menagerie, where I would tend to the flora and fauna we’d taken aboard temporarily for further study. Unfortunately, things were decidedly less peaceful this evening as I raced up the steps to the upper deck, pausing to catch my breath before a small blue creature scampered past me along the ship’s outer railing, giving me a dreadful start.
“She’s still not eating, Baranthet.” Charikleia came around the side, gingerly navigating the narrow space between the railing and the Zoetrope's menagerie. Through the structure’s glass walls—perfect for letting in natural light—I could see our other specimens settling in for the evening amid the lush vegetation, under ballast rocks, or near the drinking pond. The little blue creature, however, swiveled her enormous amber ears in my direction as Chari spoke, resolutely ignoring the seedcake in Chari’s hand.
“Hmmm.” I leaned down and peered at our guest, who chirped plaintively at me in a way that sounded like speech. “Chari—”
“I agree,” she said, already scribbling notes. “That sounded like language. Can you understand us, little one?”
The creature surveyed us solemnly, then without warning sprang from the railing and scrambled through a window.
I let out a rather undignified yelp of surprise and hustled to the nearest door, Chari following soon after. Dr. Pom was at the helm this evening (she was always a bit more alert at night), and the Zoetrope was well underway; we couldn’t have our small guest accidentally falling overboard!
The tiny patter of paws overhead led us upstairs to the mess deck, where, sure enough, the creature perched in the doorway to Grefu’s kitchen, sniffing the air with a disappointed look.
“Well now, who’s this?” Grefu turned from a simmering pot and looked from the creature to us. “I didn’t set a place for an honored guest.”
She emitted the sound—a word?—again, but Grefu looked as nonplussed as the rest of us.
“Well, it’s not Jotun or Thalassic,” muttered Chari, surely making a mental note for our records. Before I could reply, the creature shot between the legs of the chairs and dining table and tore back downstairs. Grefu shrugged and returned to his work as Chari and I gave chase.
The creature was perched on a crate as we came downstairs to the storage area but looked almost disapprovingly at us before scrambling down the stairs to the next flight. We heard a “Goodness! What—?” from Dr. Pom as the creature chirped at her and continued down another level, then a clang a few seconds later. She must have already reached the engine room on the next deck down.
The Zoetrope’s newest guest. Art by Vira Linevych.
“Hey; I need that!” called Ten as the creature emerged clutching a small gear in her hands. She chirped at them, placed the gear gently on the ground, and took off once more.
“She’s very energetic,” I observed to Chari, pausing to catch my breath.
“And she’s not speaking Surki either,” said Chari, who seemed unaffected by our unexpected evening exercise. “Oh no!”
We heard a distant splash and ran down another level to find the creature sputtering and pulling herself out of the access pipe leading down to the aquatic deck. She looked rather affronted as Lythea swam up the pipe and broke the surface, inadvertently splashing a few droplets onto the creature’s head.
“So sorry, little one,” our navigator said, holding out a hand. “How can we help?”
The creature instead clambered up onto Chari’s arm, flicking water from her ears. She chirped again. It sounded so familiar! I was increasingly convinced that lyrical chirp was, in fact, a word in a language I’d heard before.
“I’m going to stop for my notes before we go back up,” Chari called over her shoulder, turning down the hall toward the crew quarters. I followed her, thinking to peruse my own small collection and check again for any clues as to this creature’s identity.
“Professor, is that you?” Telero opened the door at the end of the hall, emerging from the shuttle bay just as I stepped into my own room. “Hey, who’s this?”
The creature, catching a glimpse of the darkening sky through the branches of the shuttle bay door, squawked and leapt from Chari’s shoulder to her head, climbing up one of her horns and chattering at Telero. He quickly closed the door behind him and approached slowly. “Hey there, it’s okay, friend,” he said. “You’re safe. What’s your name?”
The creature blinked at him, then chirped that same familiar syllable.
Telero frowned in confusion. “Gold?”
I’d become distracted while opening the door to my own room, bemoaning the untidy stack of scrolls and maps I’d meant to organize the previous day, but I turned at this. “Wait, did you say—?”
The creature leapt from Chari’s head and shot into my cabin, papers flying as she disappeared under my desk. I crouched at once to see her clutching my long-missing volume of The Thrilling Tales of Spiridendra (so that’s where it had gone!). She chirped once more.
“She’s saying ‘gold’ in Fey,” Telero said, he and Chari crowding in behind me.
“Of course,” I breathed, looking back up at Chari.
“A marp!”
“They usually communicate in both Common and Fey, but perhaps this one is too young,” I reasoned, reaching out for the book as she began to lick its gold embossing experimentally. “Wait, please! I’ll trade you.” I slowly reached into my pocket and withdrew a gold piece. “Would you like to return to the menagerie? We’ll make sure you’re well fed!”
The marp reluctantly relinquished her grip, but cheered up when she grasped the gold piece with her small hands. We climbed back up to the menagerie, the marp riding on Chari’s shoulder and crunching happily.
The rest of the crew gathered around to exclaim over our guest and her unique menu. (Ten dashed off and returned with an armful of metal scraps to see if the marp found anything else to her liking, but as you’ll see in Charikleia’s notes, gold remains the preferred meal.) As I looked around at my companions, the moonlight streaming through the menagerie’s glass dome, a wave of joy overcame me, as it has so often done on this journey—the joy of discovery, of reaching shared understanding, and of building communities. The joy of belonging.
The Zoetrope hummed quietly under our feet, whisking us away to our next adventure.
About the Author
Baranthet Zamendi cultivated his love of the natural world at a young age, enamored with his grandmother’s awe-inspiring tales of the legendary Wardens of the Wild. He briefly attended Almas University before returning home to rebuild Droon’s public library, eventually becoming its head archivist. His upcoming book on the crew of the Zoetrope and their search for the wardens is his first, but he’s already planning his next adventure.
Support for Mr. Zamendi by
Simone D. Sallé is a senior editor at Paizo and has written for numerous Pathfinder and Starfinder books, including more of Baranthet’s tale inPathfinder Howl of the Wild, the primal treatise and witch journals in Pathfinder Secrets of Magic, and Starfinder Bounty #12: Under Pressure. When she’s not extolling the virtues of the en dash, she enjoys playing as many narrative games as her schedule allows and wandering the woods with her Disreputable Dog.
Good morning, explorers! While we’ve taken a look at the crew you’ll see throughout Howl of the Wild, we realized there’s one more character we still needed to introduce: the Zoetrope itself! This unique airship serves as a home to our eccentric crew as they search Golarion for the Wardens of the Wild and features its own onboard menagerie, darkroom, research deck, and aquarium for all their exploratory needs.
The Zoetrope in dock. Art by Gunship Revolution.
If your characters want to have their own adventures alongside Baranthet and the rest of the crew, we hope the following map, wonderfully illustrated by Damien Mammoliti and based on concept art from our very own Kent Hamilton, will come in handy.
Map of the Zoetrope. Art by Damien Mammoliti.
It's hard to believe our foray through the Zoetrope logs is at a close. But this is just a taste of Baranthet’s story, and we hope that you’ll want to take part when Howl of the Wild releases next month. Look forward to seeing some more tidbits about all the creatures, options, items, and more coming in the book, and let us know what sort of expedition your characters are thinking about going on!
Pathfinder Infinite, Starfinder Infinite, and Paizo are thrilled to welcome you to the PaizoCon 2024 Game Jam!
Educate, Entertain, Inspire!
Friday, April 12, 2024
A one-page game jam designed for the Infinite community!
Guest Blog by Meredith Gerber | Partner Relations Representative at DriveThruRPG
Pathfinder Infinite, Starfinder Infinite, and Paizo are thrilled to welcome you to the PaizoCon 2024 Game Jam!
What is a game jam?
A game jam is an event designed to create something from scratch during a timed period. In this case, all entries will be due no later than May 1st, 2024.
What is the game jam theme?
The theme marries with the PaizoCon 2024 theme: Educate, Entertain, and Inspire!
Who can participate?
Anyone! All you need is a customer account for DriveThru sites.
Why should I participate?
Aside from it’s a blast to jam together with the community, you’ll get promotions from Paizo, DriveThruRPG, and Pathfinder/Starfinder Infinite; you will be providing a very cool option for GMs to bring to their table; and you’ll be challenging yourself as a creator or bringing an idea from your table to life.
What are the rules?
Must fit one page, double sided. (Technically, it will be two pages of a single-page PDF or a two-page spread. When someone prints it out, they’ll have one sheet with information front and back)
Must be uploaded to Pathfinder Infinite or Starfinder Infinite before May 1st, 2024.
When you’re finished setting up your title, please keep it private. We will turn all of them to be available for purchase slightly before PaizoCon.
Email meredith@roll20.net with a link to your private URL, your customer email, and a two-sentence synopsis.
Do you have a font size restriction?
No. You’re welcome to make the font any size you’d like, but we recommend at least 9.5 for readability.
Do I have to put artwork in?
Not a requirement! We recommend keeping it simple so people can easily print it out. You’re welcome to also make a printer-friendly version to upload alongside your submission (so, two files!) if your submission needs color, art, and flourish!
I submitted my title. Now what?
Pathfinder Infinite/Starfinder Infinite will notify you when it is live and when Paizo posts a “round up” promoting it the week of PaizoCon.
Can I make changes? Won’t that cause problems for the URL I send?
You are welcome to make changes to your submission—the PDF(s), the description, title—at any time.
Can I charge for this?
Absolutely! Infinite Masters are recommending at least 99 cents. You are not required to charge but we always recommend it because you should charge for the work you did!
Hello, everyone! Today we’re giving you a sneak peek into our two upcoming multi-table interactive events for the 2024 Paizo Organized Play season!
Organized Play Preview: 2024 Interactive Events
Thursday, April 11, 2024
Hello, everyone! Today we’re giving you a sneak peek into our two upcoming multi-table interactive events for the 2024 Paizo Organized Play season!
Every year, Pathfinder Organized Play and Starfinder Organized Play each release one multi-table event that can be played with as few as three tables and well over 150+ tables at the world’s largest gaming events. These are intended to be epic adventures where players work alongside each other to accomplish monumental feats and battle great evils. In the past, these events were tied to key story points for Organized Play. In recent years, our special events have been standalone adventures that tell exciting but isolated stories, making them usable at conventions and special events for many years to come. This year, we’re continuing this trend, with two exciting interactive events that are standalone, so they can be enjoyed by anyone at any time.
Every year the Starfinder Society dispatches agents to perform initial exploration and surveys of hundreds of worlds, identifying resources, cataloging biological samples, mapping terrain, and initiating peaceful contact. This year is no different. …Or is it?
Respected Starfinder Palivhar Chooser of Hues, has recently discovered a planet they believe to be Krethiskar, a “missing” planet in the distant Szandite Collective that failed to reconnect after the Gap. Keen on investigating further, Palivhar leads an expedition of rookie Starfinders to Krethiskar’s surface, to conduct initial surveys and routine testing.
Unfortunately for the Starfinder Society, Krethiskar is a huskworld consumed by the voracious Swarm in ages past, and this mission is anything but routine. Palivhar’s survey expedition is doomed to become a desperate fight for survival, as the hibernating Swarm awaken. Can you escape the planet alive?
I hope you join us on Krethiskar for this year’s interactive special!
Jessica Catalan Starfinder Society Developer
Illustration by Lucas Fernando
Premiering at Gen Con 2024, Pathfinder Society Scenario #6-00: Salt of the Ocean is an adventure for 1st- through 8th-level characters written by Rigby Bendele and Jacob W. Michaels.
As the year turns over and different events start to pick up across Golarion, two things of interest are discovered as the Eye of Abendego, the massive hurricane off the coast of the Mwangi Expanse, shifts and turns. The first is a shipwreck of an old Pathfinder ship, the Whippoorwill, and the second is an island of legend spoken only in the stories of the crumbled Ghol-Gan empire, the Island of Teeth and Terror.
Hurricane Queen Tessa Fairwind has reached out to the Pathfinder Society to inform them of both discoveries, prompting an expedition to see what can be found on both the ship and the island. However, the Island of Teeth and Terror is also the goal of the notorious pirate Sharkskin, spurred on by xir companion and mentor, Enava, who has her own plans for the nephilim and the island.
Can the Pathfinders put a stop to these nefarious plans? Can you survive the threats within the Abendego Ocean?
Despite my apprehension at reading about the deaths of so many of Golarion’s gods and my continuing belief that these Godsrain Prophecies cannot be taken at their word, I still feel a bit wistful about reaching the end of my analysis. While it is certainly possible that there are other prophecies in this vein, this is the last that I will read before delivering the collection to my Lady.
The Godsrain Prophecies Part Ten
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
Despite my apprehension at reading about the deaths of so many of Golarion’s gods and my continuing belief that these Godsrain Prophecies cannot be taken at their word, I still feel a bit wistful about reaching the end of my analysis. While it is certainly possible that there are other prophecies in this vein, this is the last that I will read before delivering the collection to my Lady.
I am not sure why I feel so hesitant to put this work aside. Of course, there is something satisfying about feeling like you are a part of important research, even if the experience of it is less than pleasant. (I think here of those who have documented the beliefs of faiths that are somewhat more difficult to understand, as in To Scream Is Divine: My Year at a Nidalese Temple and its somewhat more uneven follow-up, Kuthite Lullabies.) Beyond that, though, I believe I will miss the gods themselves—or at least the insights into them that these texts have given me, even when I don’t believe a word that I am reading.
After reviewing the entirety of the Godsrain Prophecies, I am confident in one thing and one thing only: that the author has been made privy, whether through prophecy or otherwise, to the fact that one of Golarion’s gods will die. The preoccupation with the subject of a dead god, accuracy of some of the smaller details, and feeling of anticipation throughout are compelling evidence in favor of my theory. With all the contradictions and confusions in the text, though, I do not believe that the author knows which god, how they die, or why.
Unfortunately, this is where my certainty ends, as there are several different reasons why the author may have taken this information and used it to create the prophecies. It is possible that they feared what might happen and wrote these prophecies as a warning, attempting to prevent the dangers they dreamed up. It is also possible that they hope the death will be a destabilizing event, and that they intended for these prophecies to weaken faith and trust in the gods, making them easier to abandon in the aftermath of a catastrophe. There is no way to know, as I will admit to my Lady; I hope that in her wisdom, she can discern the truth.
If nothing else, as with all futures, only time will tell.
–Yivali
The “Death” of Rovagug
The chant starts as a whisper—an idle piece of pillow talk on nights Sarenrae cannot sleep, her fingertips gone marching on the canvas that is Shelyn’s back, her hands casting surging shadows onto Desna’s resting arm. She weaves a tale of how to win the battle that she hungers for, imagining alliances that span across the Great Beyond and speaking life to victory until the passion of her dream becomes a shared ambition. All three lovers make mention of it, idly, to those who share their interests, pitched in a tone and timbre meant to echo in the listener’s chest. The message drums with nostalgia tinged with rage and thirst for justice long delayed, and it is passed along from ear to ear until it finally circles back, a call to action with the deadly urgency of war.
Imprisonment is not enough. Rovagug must die.
There are more gods now than there were when Rovagug was sealed away, and many sign up for the quest to kill the Great Destroyer, to stand alongside Abadar and Gozreh and Calistria. Some do so to show their mettle, some to gather bragging rights, and some to reassure themselves that if there is something to gain, they won’t leave empty-handed. Sarenrae worries, privately, that many do not understand the danger they’ve signed up for, but she takes the names and notes the skills and hands the roles out all the same—rear guard to those who fear but fight, support for those who dwell in hope, melee for those who want to feel the blood beneath their fingers.
At first, it seems too easy. Asmodeus unlocks the seal that leads into the Dead Vault and gods pour through in something like a line. Wrackworms turn from feasting on the Rough Beast’s flesh to face them, but fall to sword and spell and scythe as if they were an afterthought, slicking the ground around themselves with remnants of their dying. After the cheers and murmurs fade, a gnawing silence fills the air, thick and dank and hungry, and for a moment, no one moves, a huddled mass of godhood waiting for something to happen.
Then Rovagug is everywhere—suddenly, impossibly. Rending, clawing, tearing open, shoveling exalted flesh into his waiting mouths. Apsu’s wing is torn asunder. Hei Feng’s feathers fall like rain. Grandmother Spider holds her own, her arms a whirling blur of blades, but watches as Thamir falls still, body crushed beneath a claw, and Hanspur drowns a second time, awash in his own blood. But Rovagug, despite his power, cannot overcome them all, and soon the tide of battle changes, rattling the prison’s walls as gods press their advantages, slamming his body side to side—an endless, rhythmic dying.
With each impact on the Dead Vault’s walls, Golarion is shaken. Buildings tumble into streets. Rivers shift to find new banks. Old trees flatten forests. Volcanoes long thought dormant, from Taldor to the Five Kings Mountains, spit dense ash into the sky, blanketing the life around them and blocking out the sun. The Eye of Abendego expands twofold, turning the Mwangi Expanse into newly Sodden Lands. When Rovagug is finally still, Sarenrae standing by his head with her arms held high in victory, the gods emerge from the Dead Vault to find a world that thinks the end has come.
After all the dead are mourned, no one agrees on what comes next. The aftermath grows tense and bitter, victory turned vicious. With Rovagug no threat to them, godly alliances feel heavier, a burden to be shrugged off or set down and ignored. How to rebuild a ruined land becomes the stuff of smaller wars—Abadar feuds with Erastil, Irori shuns Iomedae, Sarenrae feels the weight of blame hurled at her from every corner, and Norgorber sides with anyone who might advance his cause. But while they bicker here and now, the gods may yet unite again, as deep in Avistani soil, disturbed by distant tremors, the worst of Rovagug’s spawn have felt their prison falter and ready for destruction that would make their sire proud.
While imprisoned, Rovagug maintains the peace between the gods, but in his absence, what prevents war between the immortals?
That is certainly one way to end things. If I am being honest, the idea of Rovagug trapped within the bowels of Golarion has always made me a bit nervous, but it seems it may be better than the alternative! Which gives me one final idea as to why these prophecies exist—perhaps they argue against change and tell those who read them that, even for those gods whom you might fear or hate, the status quo is better than anything new that you might long for—a desperate version of a wish that, no matter what they have seen coming, it would be best for things to continue as they are. Sadly for the author, change, I believe, is inevitable. I hope only that we are ready and that we meet it, heads held high and wings outstretched, however and whenever it comes.
Don’t miss our exciting livestream on Tuesday, April 16 at 4:00 PM Pacific at twitch.tv/officialpaizo, where members of the Pathfinder team will announce who among the remaining deities is the unfortunate victim presaged in these prophecies. In addition to revealing which major deity is going to die in the War of Immortals event, we’ll also lay out the entire slate of War of Immortals tie-in products coming in the second half of 2024. Make your final predictions and join us in just under a week.
About the Author
Erin Roberts has been thrilled to be able to contribute a few small threads to the fabric of Golarion in the pages of books like Lost Omens Firebrands, Lost Omens Highhelm, and Lost Omens Travel Guide. In addition to her work for Paizo, she freelances across the TTRPG world (and was selected as a Diana Jones Award Emerging Designer Program Winner in 2023), has had fiction published in magazines including Asimov’s, Clarkesworld, and The Dark, and talks about writing every week on the Writing Excuses podcast. Catch up with her latest at linktr.ee/erinroberts.
From first light to sunset, the Indraracha Institute bustles with activity. The docks continually ferry people in and out of the campus. Meal, study, repeat—every day is a routine at the academy, a routine strengthening the minds and sharpening the skills of the future sorcerers and politicians of Tang Mai.
Tian Xia Days: Study Hall
Tuesday, April 9, 2024
From first light to sunset, the Indraracha Institute bustles with activity. The docks continually ferry people in and out of the campus. Meal, study, repeat—every day is a routine at the academy, a routine strengthening the minds and sharpening the skills of the future sorcerers and politicians of Tang Mai.
For one young boy, though, things were different. School was just school. Sometimes, all he wanted to do was to just run around, not bury himself nose-deep in a book about the nation’s history. One morning, he was doing just that—running through the halls of the Institute, weaving between his classmates that filled rooms and corridors studying all things magical.
Asok’s circuit ended in one of the many gardens. Resting under a tall banyan tree, the boy began to doze off. He snapped his eyes open when he heard a familiar voice.
“What are you doing here?” A tattooed young man strode over, a basket of herbs in hand.
“Thanom!” The boy scrambled up to his feet, putting his hands together in a greeting. “I’m just on my way to study hall... unless you need help in the gardens?” He gave a wide grin.
“And take you away from your studies? Your instructors will have my head! And if I’m gone, there will be even fewer people who tolerate your behavior.” He pulled out a mangosteen and handed the fruit to Asok. “Now go to class. Next time I need help, I’ll come to you. When you’re not trying to hide from your instructors.”
Asok gave another huge grin to the alchemist before rushing off to his class, conveniently located in a quieter corner of the Institute. He tucked himself alongside his classmates as they all settled in, twisting open the mangosteen and eating the meat inside. Mali, his seatmate, glared. In return, he smiled and offered a piece to her, but she turned her head away in annoyance.
“Remember, students, placement tests are coming up soon. While you all are young, it’s important you take your exams seriously.” Teacher Chai walked around, handing out textbooks. “We want to make sure you all end up learning subjects you enjoy and excel at.”
Asok opened the book to the lines, “Sorcerer diplomats provide the Chaophaya counsel and identify magical phenomena to aid them in their rule. Following the precepts of the Indraracha Institute, diplomats must be impartial...” The text was dizzying.
“Aiyyyyy, I’m tired,” he groaned.
“Shhhhh!” Mali nudged him. “Stop complaining. You’re going to get us in trouble.”
“It’s hot and it’s sooooo boring.” Asok began fanning himself with the textbook.
“It’s always hot,” the girl reminded him, “and you say everything is boring.”
Asok nudged her back. In a huff, they both started jostling each other, though mostly in jest.
Their instructor eyed them with suspicion, but before he could say anything, sparks coalesced in the air.
“Teacher Chai!” An illusion of an older student sprung into being. “Apologies for the disturbance—we could use some assistance with an artifact in the south research laboratory.”
“Of course. Right away.” The instructor turned to the class, saying, “Now, students, be diligent while I’m gone,” before hurrying out.
In the heat and humidity, diligent self-study didn’t last long. Mischievous as ever, Asok got to his feet and reached for the magic within him. A small flame sparked to life in his hand.
“Asok, stop,” Mali chided. “You shouldn’t be doing that.”
“Come on, we’re studying, right?” Asok juggled the flame between his fingers. “If we don’t break anything, it’s fine. Unless you’re a scaredy-cat?”
Illustration by Ilina Naydenova.
“Am not!” She frowned before standing up, a spell coming to her as easy as breath. “You know I’m sooooo much better than you at casting.”
Students discarded their textbooks and started chatting among themselves. In a moment, the alcove filled with all sorts of spells. A young nagaji girl conjured a bubble of water and began shaping it into a flower. Another student drew a monstrous face on a nearby stone before levitating it to chase their classmates through the alcove.
Between the two rival factions, a heated competition quickly drew the class’s attention. Mali shot her hand up in the air, spraying an array of bright colors. The crowd was mesmerized with the lights. She gave her opponent a playful grin.
Asok huffed, “It’s just colors—isn’t this so much cooler?” He caught the ember in his fist before shooting it out. The small burst of fire cut through the rainbow. The boy puffed his chest in pride.
The “oooohs” from the crowd turned to a giggle as Mali wiggled her fingers and a second image of Asok appeared next to him. While crude, the illusion was unmistakably of the boy. It hopped around, flexing in an exaggerated manner. Asok frowned at his double, which frowned back.
Not to be outdone, Asok threw his memory and being back into his blood, finding the might of elementals. He breathed in deep before releasing a gust of flame that spilled from his lips and billowed outwards. The fire dispersed the illusion before launching upward to the sky. Asok was careful to not let it hit Mali or their classmates, but the size of the breath was growing larger than he could control. The expanding heat licked the roof of the outdoor galleries that surrounded their study area, lighting up small pieces of foliage.
“Asok! Look what you did,” Mali yelled, taking a step back from the sparks.
“I didn’t mean to,” Asok stammered, ashamed about his mistake. “I—I’m sorry!”
“Come on, we have to stop this before Teacher Chai comes back.”
The nagaji student guided her water magic to the fire. While it extinguished some of it, the flames were spreading faster than she could handle. The class chipped in with various spells, with little impact.
Suddenly, a chill wind gusted through the alcove, frost trailing in its wake and collecting on the stones. The winds roared across the roof, blowing the fires out as easily as candles, making Asok and Mali shiver and clutch their arms close despite the fires and the Tang Mai sun. Turning around, the students saw Teacher Chai with an expressionless face, magic still trailing from his fingers as his incantation left him.
“Spellcraft is not allowed without instructor supervision at your age.” Teacher Chai said sternly as he walked toward the panicked students. “I expected as much from you, Asok. But you, Mali...”
“I—I—I’m sorry, Teacher!” Mali bowed her head, “We tried to stop it ourselves. We know it was wrong, but—”
The teacher put a hand up to stop the student. “While you all showed responsibility in fixing your mistakes, magic is volatile. One misstep, one wrong incantation, can cause chaos. Now, back to your studies.”
As the young students began to quiet down and shrink themselves back into their texts, Teacher Chai looked at Asok and Mali. “Though, I must admit it was quite the impressive feat. You two have the makings of incredible sorcerers.”
About the Author
Collette Quach (they/she) is a Chinese-Cambodian narrative designer with an interest in mythology and identity. They've worked on projects such as the Tian Xia Character Guide Unbreakable Anthology, and the ENNIE-winning Uncaged Anthology. She has an MFA in Interactive Media from USC, where she explored branching narrative and agency through her video game, Last Broadcast. You can see more of their work here and on Twitter.
Hey! It’s your fledgling and greenhorn Rulelord Pete here. If there’s three things to know about me, they’re that I am a consummate GM, I think the next iconic should be a shoony, and I want people to try new games! However, it’s not always that easy. Branching out in our collective hobby requires many people to commit time, money, and energy to sit at a table and engage with unfamiliar rules. There are many who might want to try something new but aren’t able to because they can’t find anyone to play with. If this sounds like you, then there’s hope.
Get Ready For Beginner Box Days 2024!
Friday, April 05, 2024
Hey! It’s your fledgling and greenhorn Rulelord Pete here. If there’s three things to know about me, they’re that I am a consummate GM, I think the next iconic should be a shoony, and I want people to try new games! However, it’s not always that easy. Branching out in our collective hobby requires many people to commit time, money, and energy to sit at a table and engage with unfamiliar rules. There are many who might want to try something new but aren’t able to because they can’t find anyone to play with. If this sounds like you, then there’s hope.
The mods at r/Pathfinder2e saw a need to help bring Pathfinder to new players, and thus Beginner Box Days were born! This year, events will be running between April 13th and April 21st. Using the power of the internet, we have been able to connect new players hungry to try Pathfinder Second Edition with experienced GMs. So, how can you get involved?
RUN A GAME! GMs can register their game at RPGChronicles.net using event code 2716006. Once you set up events for both the Upper and Lower levels, players will be able to join your game starting TODAY! You can run games in your local time zone or even in a non-English language to help introduce the next generation of Pathfinder players to the game. Just make sure to get a Beginner Box module version for your VTT of choice or request a FREE PDF copy from Paizo through our form at BeginPF2.com.
PLAY A GAME! Starting TODAY players can register themselves for both levels of Paizo’s remastered Beginner Box adventure: Menace under Otari! Each level is designed to slowly introduce the player to important aspects of the game, from combat to skills to puzzles! The Upper Level is the starter level, where you’ll investigate Tamily Tanderveil’s basement to investigate who (or what) is stealing her fish. This level is best for people who are brand new to playing Pathfinder or any TTRPG. The Lower level introduces more challenges as you begin to uncover the menace under the logging town of Otari, putting your new skills to the ultimate test! Players can play one level, or both, by finding a slot that matches their availability and signing up on BeginPF2.com.
EARN SOCIETY CREDIT! Both GMs and players can earn society credit that you can use on your first official character. The Beginner Box is played in Adventure Mode so you can try any class or ancestry that your GM will allow, or play any of Paizo’s remastered pregenerated characters if you just want to get rolling! To earn society credit, simply add your Paizo Organized Play number on RPGChronicles when you create or sign up to a game. We will be reporting all sessions, but it is not necessary to join Pathfinder Society to participate in Beginner Box Days.
Paizo has also given us a stack of vouchers we’ll be raffling off to players and GMs, which we’ll distribute after all games are reported. Also, Rise of the Rulelords podcast and Team + Publishing are giving away 3 physical remastered Beginner Boxes, and Team + will be raffling away bundles of their best-selling class expansions! So don’t wait! Begin your next adventure, or help someone start their own at BeginPF2.com!
Hello and well met! With many shenanigans and much wrangling, we bring you this year’s PaizoCon Online schedule! Included in this year’s schedule is our Twitch programming, Discord programming, and some community content creator streams happening during PaizoCon weekend as well!
Check Out The PaizoCon Online 2024 Schedule!
Thursday, April 04, 2024
Hello and well met! With many shenanigans and much wrangling, we bring you this year’s PaizoCon Online schedule! Included in this year’s schedule is our Twitch programming, Discord programming, and some community content creator streams happening during PaizoCon weekend as well!
As more games and activities are submitted, be sure to check back here, as well as the Tabletop.Events schedule for updates!
12 p.m.–1 p.m. PDT
Starfinder Second Edition (Twitch)
Find out where we've been and what's to come for Starfinder Second Edition!
12 p.m.–1 p.m. PDT
Guess that Adventure! (Discord Stages)
Very similar to Paizo’s ‘Guess that Monster’ livestream we did in honor of the release of Monster Core. We've stripped adventure covers of their identifying information and now we're quizzing Paizo developers on their knowledge of what adventure it is!
1 p.m.–2 p.m. PDT Godsrain—Death and Renewal (Twitch) If you haven't heard, there's been some interesting prophesies popping up in Golarion. Join us while we talk about The Godsrain Prophesies, upcoming novel, Adventure Path, and War of Immortals event!
2 p.m.–3 p.m. PDT Organized Play Updates (Twitch) Join the Organized Play team while they talk about what’s coming up in the newly revealed Year 6 of PFS and what's in store for the final year of Starfinder Society First Edition!
3 p.m.–4 p.m. PDT Paizo Partners Online Tools Showcase (Twitch) We have some amazing partners who help us produce various tools to aid with online gaming. Some you know, and others you might not be familiar with, but we want to give them all a chance to show off a little of what they do!
4 p.m. PDT Organized Play Game Block 1 (Tabletop.Events & Discord)
Pathfinder and Starfinder Society scenarios begin at the start of this timeslot. Shorter adventures, such as Quests or Bounties, may also be available. Visit the tabletop.events schedule for full details on all Organized Play offerings!
4 p.m.–6 p.m. PDT SF2E Live Play (Twitch) Join the Starfinder team on their journey through the stars in this alpha playtest campaign of Starfinder Second Edition! This game will be the opening session of an ongoing campaign, with episodes dropping up until Gen Con 2024.
4 p.m.–8 p.m. PDT The lightless Beacon: Call of Cthulhu 7E (Tabletop.Events & Discord)
In the mid 1920s, the passengers of the SS Essex County must investigate an unlit lighthouse off the coast of Rockport, Massachusetts. Was the lighthouse's lantern extinguished by inclement weather, or is something more sinister afoot?
This session will use Foundry VTT and be run by Paizo's Software Architect, Brian Bauman. Players will be provided with pregenerated characters.
7 p.m.–7 p.m. PDT Pathfinder Battles and Beyond: 2025 releases from WizKids (Twitch)
Join Magellan Mulligan, RPG Project Production Manager/Producer at WizKids, for a look at some exciting new releases coming this year and next for Pathfinder Battles and more!
8 p.m.–9 p.m. PDT Jackbox: Get Pathlashed! (Discord Stages)
Join the community in an evening of Jackbox nonsense to kick off PaizoCon Online 2024! There will be adult language/themes in this event.
Planned schedule:
Round 1: Lie Swatter! Up to 100 participants can play this game of spotting falsehoods and nonsense.
Round 2: Pathlash! It's Quiplash, but with a Pathfinder and Starfinder twist!
Round 3: Community choice! I'll present several fan-favorite games for vote at the top of the event and we'll pick one to close things out.
10 p.m. PDT Organized Play Game Block 2 (Tabletop.Events & Discord)
Pathfinder and Starfinder Society scenarios begin at the start of this timeslot. Shorter adventures, such as Quests or Bounties, may also be available. Visit the tabletop.events schedule for full details on all Organized Play offerings!
4 a.m. PDT Organized Play Game Block 3 (Tabletop.Events & Discord)
Pathfinder and Starfinder Society scenarios begin at the start of this timeslot. Shorter adventures, such as Quests or Bounties, may also be available. Visit the tabletop.events schedule for full details on all Organized Play offerings!
9 a.m.–10 a.m. PDT Roll20: Bridging the Gap Between Digital and Physical Play (Twitch)
Join members of Roll20's staff as they discuss the platform's long-term investment in Pathfinder and Starfinder and share how user feedback is driving the development of powerful, reliable tools to make play easy, wherever you are.
10 a.m.–11 a.m. PDT An Adventure Path Retrospective (Twitch)
With the release of Seven Dooms for Sandpoint, we've reached a milestone of our 200th adventure path! Join the Narrative Team as they talk about the history of the Adventure Paths, things we’ve learned along the way, and ways we at Paizo have innovated the format and challenged traditional norms in the industry through our stories.
11 a.m.–12 p.m. PDT Journalism & TTRPGs (Twitch)
Take part in a roundtable discussion with journalists from around the tabletop space. Learn how journalists breathe life into the industry and shine a light on projects—and learn how you can help support them in return!
12 p.m.–1 p.m. PDT Transitions from Starfinder First Edition to Second Edition (Twitch)
Join the Starfinder team while they talk about working on Starfinder, the final adventure path; Mechageddon!, and what we can expect while transitioning into Starfinder Second Edition!
12 p.m.–1 p.m. PDT Backmatter Speed Round! (Discord Stages)
We’re testing participants on their Paizo knowledge! Taking the backmatter from spells, item descriptions, or anything the host choses, the participants must race to guess the name or adventure that the choice description comes from!
1 p.m.–2 p.m. PDT Pathfinder Project Remaster (Twitch)
Join the team while they talk about the Pathfinder Remaster project, what's happened so far and where we plan on taking it in the future!
1 p.m.–2 p.m. PDT Paizo Games - Board and Card Games from Paizo (Discord Stages)
Come learn about Paizo Games, a new initiative to bring the worlds of Paizo to board and card games. Learn about our previous games and get some enticing hints about what is to come!
2 p.m.–3 p.m. PDT VTTs Enhanced (Twitch)
Join the team while we discuss where we’ve been and where we’re going with virtual tabletop content, producing soundtracks for Adventure Paths, and maybe even some peeks at what the future holds!
3 p.m.–4 p.m. PDT Whimsy in TTRPGs (Twitch)
In PaizoCon years past we've had panels such as Horror and Mysteries in RPGs, and this year we're bringing it back with Whimsy in RPGs! Join the team while they talk about how to have the most fun possible during your game!
4 p.m. PDT Organized Play Game Block 5 (Tabletop.Events & Discord)
Pathfinder and Starfinder Society scenarios begin at the start of this timeslot. Shorter adventures, such as Quests or Bounties, may also be available. Visit the tabletop.events schedule for full details on all Organized Play offerings!
4 p.m.–6 p.m. PDT PF Live Play with the Narrative Team (Twitch)
Join the Narrative Team for a one-shot adventure of epic proportions!
4 p.m.–8 p.m. PDT Chickens in the Mist (Tabletop.Events & Discord)
Student reporters for the local university paper investigate rumors of a cockfighting ring hidden in the homesteads adjoining Big Thicket National Preserve in eastern rural Texas.
System: Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition)
This session will use Foundry VTT and be run by Paizo's Software Architect, Brian Bauman.
7 p.m.–8 p.m. PDT
Make Some Magic with AbyssalBrews (Twitch)
AbyssalBrews has been creating third party magic items, systems, creatures, and more for Pathfinder 2E for over a year now. On that road, they’ve learned a lot about writing and a little about business. Join writer Matthew Ross and Illustrator Fernando Dominguez as they talk about being a third party creator and work on creating a specific magic item for Pathfinder 2E right in front of you. Ask anything about being a third party creator and see how the process unfolds!
9 p.m.–10 p.m. PDT
Paizo Con Paint-Along with WizKids (Twitch)
Join WizKids painting instructor JD Wiker (IG: @JeDiWiker) at your favorite local game store, or from the comfort of your own home, as he walks you through how to paint the Pathfinder Wood Giant from start to finish.
10 p.m. PDT Organized Play Game Block 6 (Tabletop.Events & Discord)
Pathfinder and Starfinder Society scenarios begin at the start of this timeslot. Shorter adventures, such as Quests or Bounties, may also be available. Visit the tabletop.events schedule for full details on all Organized Play offerings!
4 a.m. PDT Organized Play Game Block 7 (Tabletop.Events & Discord)
Pathfinder and Starfinder Society scenarios begin at the start of this timeslot. Shorter adventures, such as Quests or Bounties, may also be available. Visit the tabletop.events schedule for full details on all Organized Play offerings!
10 a.m.–11 a.m. PDT Infinite Possibilities: How to write for Pathfinder and Starfinder Infinite (Twitch)
Join Dustin Knight, Meredith Gerber, and Alexander Augunas as they relay their experiences, offer advice, and answer questions about how to publish on Pathfinder Infinite, including where to find creator resources and collaborative creator spaces!
11 a.m.–12 p.m. PDT Teaching & TTRPGs (Twitch)
TTRPGs are becoming more familiar in classroom settings. Join Paizo staff and guests with teaching backgrounds as they share their experience using RPGs in the classroom, running afterschool clubs, and how they think games can be used in educational settings going forward.
12 p.m.–1 p.m. PDT Tips & Tricks: Ask the Paizo GMs (Twitch)
Get your questions ready! Get answers about the games you love from the people who love to make them!
1 p.m.–2 p.m. PDT Exploring Tian Xia (Twitch)
With the Tian Xia World Guide out and the Character Guide coming soon, join the team as they share their inspiration, process, and maybe some favorite art from the guides! We’ll be answering as many questions as we choose—but not all secrets will be revealed.
2 p.m.–3 p.m. PDT Therapeutic TTRPGs (Twitch)
Clinical professionals from Take This join Paizo staff for a panel on therapeutic TTRPGs and safety in therapeutic roleplay.
3 p.m.–4 p.m. PDT Walking the Tightrope: Balancing Encounters in Your Adventure (Twitch)
Want the perfect mix of monsters, mayhem, and roleplay? The Paizo devs are here to talk about their favorite tips and tricks to balancing encounters!
4 p.m. PDT Organized Play Game Block 9 (Tabletop.Events & Discord)
Pathfinder and Starfinder Society scenarios begin at the start of this timeslot. Shorter adventures, such as Quests or Bounties, may also be available. Visit the tabletop.events schedule for full details on all Organized Play offerings!
4 p.m.–5 p.m. PDT Suit Up, Save the World! (Twitch)
Join developer Jenny Jarzabski and the authors of the Starfinder Mechageddon! Adventure Path as they talk about their inspiration, process, favorite mechs, monsters, and spoilers!
4 p.m.–8 p.m. PDT The lightless Beacon: Call of Cthulhu 7E (Tabletop.Events & Discord)
In the mid 1920s, the passengers of the SS Essex County must investigate an unlit lighthouse off the coast of Rockport, Massachusetts. Was the lighthouse's lantern extinguished by inclement weather, or is something more sinister afoot?
This session will use Foundry VTT and be run by Paizo's Software Architect, Brian Bauman. Players will be provided with pregenerated characters.
5 p.m.–7 p.m. PDT Bixby’s Mail Adventure Part Two: The Mailening (Twitch)
Join GM Alex Speidel, Paizo staff members Katina Davis, Rue Dickey, Valentine Luneau and former Paizo staffer Jackson Wood on another wild Pathfinder adventure! Bixby has one job: deliver a letter through the Maze of the Open Road. What could possibly go wrong?
8 p.m.–9 p.m. PDT Mapmaking With Dungeon Alchemist (Twitch)
Join us as we use Dungeon Alchemist to make professional quality, custom maps for your Pathfinder games in seconds!
10 p.m. PDT Organized Play Game Block 10 (Tabletop.Events & Discord)
Pathfinder and Starfinder Society scenarios begin at the start of this timeslot. Shorter adventures, such as Quests or Bounties, may also be available. Visit the tabletop.events schedule for full details on all Organized Play offerings!
4 a.m. PDT Organized Play Game Block 11 (Tabletop.Events & Discord) Pathfinder and Starfinder Society scenarios begin at the start of this timeslot. Shorter adventures, such as Quests or Bounties, may also be available. Visit the tabletop.events schedule for full details on all Organized Play offerings!
10 a.m. PDT Organized Play Game Block 12 (Tabletop.Events & Discord)
Pathfinder and Starfinder Society scenarios begin at the start of this timeslot. Shorter adventures, such as Quests or Bounties, may also be available. Visit the tabletop.events schedule for full details on all Organized Play offerings!
4 p.m. PDT Organized Play Game Block 13 (Tabletop.Events & Discord)
Pathfinder and Starfinder Society scenarios begin at the start of this timeslot. Shorter adventures, such as Quests or Bounties, may also be available. Visit the tabletop.events schedule for full details on all Organized Play offerings!
4 p.m.–8 p.m. PDT Chickens in the Mist (Tabletop.Events & Discord)
Student reporters for the local university paper investigate rumors of a cockfighting ring hidden in the homesteads adjoining Big Thicket National Preserve in eastern rural Texas.
System: Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition) This session will use Foundry VTT and be run by Paizo's Software Architect, Brian Bauman.
If you’ve already bought a ticket, keep an eye on your inbox as we release early sign ups for art and writing portfolio reviews! If you haven’t bought a ticket yet, don’t worry, we’ll be sending out another sign up email before review slots open up to the public on April 17.
Game Signups!
As said in a previous blog we’re doing game signups via Tabletop.Events this year. Game sign ups open to ticket purchasers on April 17 at 9 a.m. PDT, with GM early sign ups opening on April 10 at 9 a.m. PDT!
See you soon!
Don't forget to join us on the PaizoCon Discord for even more programming! Some of our partners and digital content guests will be hanging out in our online "exhibition hall" with their own channels to answer questions and show off their amazing products!
Convention season is in full swing! There are dozens of local conventions happening this spring around the world and online. Check out the Paizo Conventions Calendar for details on everything going on in the months to come.
Of course, the convention looming largest on my mind is PaizoCon! We’re less than two months away from Paizo’s first major convention of the year, and I cannot wait. Badges are on sale now; stay tuned to the blog later today for more news on signing up for events.
Sanctioning Updates
The Pathfinder Remaster has gained another pillar! Last week we released Pathfinder Monster Core, available now on paizo.com or at your FLGS (with an exclusive sketch cover!). Sanctioning for Pathfinder Monster Core has also been added to the Pathfinder Character Options page, though the vast majority of this content is only relevant for those of you with summoning spells.
Additionally, the Pathfinder Core Rulebook got a slight tweak thanks to the Remaster. Any deity who grants dreaming potential instead grants their followers illusory scene, effective immediately.
Unfortunately, I botched the calendar, so the sanctioning documents for Seven Dooms for Sandpoint have been delayed slightly. At press time for this blog, they’re not ready yet, but I expect them to be available very soon!
This month sees the release of the Pathfinder Lost Omens Tian Xia World Guide, the first of our two Tian Xia-focused books, to be followed by the Tian Xia Character Guide at the end of August. I expect sanctioning for this book to go live on street date! After that, May sees two exciting releases with Howl of the Wild and Mechageddon!, the final Adventure Path for Starfinder First Edition.
GM Recognition
GM Ranks
Whether stars, novas, or glyphs, achieving a 5 ranking in any program involves a substantial amount of time. To achieve the 5th milestone, a GM must run 150 games, of which at least 50 must be unique scenarios and 10 special scenarios as well as run between one and three games for venture-captains (program dependent). A conservative estimate of the time needed to reach the 5th milestone is 650 hours!
This month, we had one GM earn their 5th rank!
5th Nova (SFS1): Joel Hager
That’s all from me this month, folks! Until next time - Explore! Report! Cooperate! And enjoy the eclipse!
Hail and well met! With April kicking off, we’ve got a handful of Paizo streams to announce! Be sure to follow us on twitch.tv/officialpaizo to be notified when we go live!
Paizo Streams – April 2024
Wednesday, April 3, 2024
Hail and well met! With April kicking off, we’ve got a handful of Paizo streams to announce! Be sure to follow us on twitch.tv/officialpaizo to be notified when we go live!
Pathfinder: Gallowspire Survivors Launch – April 4 at 9 A.M. Pacific
Paizo Community Manager Jon Morgantini joins the BKOM team for this special launch day co-op playthrough of Pathfinder: Gallowspire Survivors!
Paizo LIVE – April 5 at 4 P.M. Pacific
Join us Friday, April 5th for this month’s Paizo LIVE! We’ll be chatting with James Case about the upcoming Pathfinder Howl of the Wild rulebook, the Starfinder team about Starfinder Second Edition, and James Jacobs and Bill Fischer about Abomination Vaults for 5th Edition!
War of Immortals Kickoff – April 16 at 4 P.M. Pacific
The wait is over! Join members of the Pathfinder team as they lay out the War of Immortals Meta Event! Plus—an extra special (godly) death announcement!
We’ve got some very fun stuff to unveil this month. We hope to catch you at one of our streams! If you can’t make it to the stream live, be sure to watch the VODs on our YouTube channel!
As I near the end of my review of the Godsrain Prophecies, I’m reaching the part of any research project that’s the most daunting—the conclusion. While it will of course be up to my Lady to decide what, if anything, to do with these prophecies, I plan to present her with the two or three reasons for their existence that I believe are the most plausible (other than them all being true, which I maintain is nearly impossible).
The Godsrain Prophecies Part Nine
Wednesday, April 3, 2024
As I near the end of my review of the Godsrain Prophecies, I’m reaching the part of any research project that’s the most daunting—the conclusion. While it will of course be up to my Lady to decide what, if anything, to do with these prophecies, I plan to present her with the two or three reasons for their existence that I believe are the most plausible (other than them all being true, which I maintain is nearly impossible).
Unfortunately, this need for clarity means that I must dismiss (or at least deemphasize) one of the more exciting ideas I have come up with thus far: that these are a collection of the gods’ fears. I have noted throughout these pages that there are responses to the gods’ deaths in each of the prophecies that seem out of character, either for the other gods or their followers, but I don’t believe this lack of consistency is due to these being reflections of what a god would worry over. In truth, I am not sure that gods fear anything at all. Is fear not driven by a sense of mortality, or at least, the potential for one’s role in the world to change or end at a moment’s notice? I wonder if, instead, the “prophecies” are intended to help the gods develop fear, to remind them that they are not beyond the reach of death and give them a small taste of mortal terror. Though to what end, I do not know. Who would want to give a god a nightmare?
–Yivali, Apprentice Researcher for the Lady of Graves
The “Death” of Irori
Irori is not one for dying. Death is common. Death is normal. Death is there for mortals who have not yet mastered how to reach new levels of perfection, who have not willed themselves into attaining the divine. Death might take some weaker god if given the right circumstances, starting with those cheaters who let the Starstone grant them power, grabbing godhood like some prize for drunks and thieves and zealots. But for a god like him, who’d worked and willed himself to godhood? Death is something of the past and he is moving forward.
Irori’s never rested long, no matter his successes. There’s always some new path to take at any well-earned milestone, some new technique to master, some new knowledge to find. Yes, it was good to be a god, if for no other reason than to share new possibilities with those who’d turn their will toward doing better with their lives. But he is one of many gods—some virtuous, some indolent—and so there must be something more, some way that he can still evolve. Some new route toward perfection.
Irori works with diligence, the way that he has always done, reaching beyond the world he’s known to better what he has become. Until one day, he grasps it all—the spaces in the sum of things, the power in the truth of everything that was or will be. And though total enlightenment is only for a moment, slipping between his fingers like a cloud of windblown sand, he still can feel the barrier between himself and something more, as pliable and thin as what once kept him from divinity. While he has it in his reach, he passes through the boundary, as bracing and as easy as a step through falling water. Irori, once a mortal, is now much more than deity.
Irori savors everything, if only for a moment. He takes a breath in every plane, his heartbeat now a multiverse, and feels the coursing power as it crashes through his veins. But he has departed our reality, has left a tear along the border of the way of things, and everything, on every plane, begins to shift toward him, as if he were a beacon for something within the Great Beyond—a single life, a single god, become a singularity. Gruhastha is the first to fall, the Keeper’s arms stretched uselessly, hands grasping at the emptiness he finds beside Irori’s feet. He’s swallowed by a void that somehow still contains a multitude, his body torn asunder in a bright and blissful darkness, his lips mouthing his gratitude, his throat choking on screams.
Irori is a magnet now, pulling those closest to him; Chaldira’s luck lost in a cry while Magrim’s runes go tumbling, some force dragging them both to places even he can’t follow. All he can do is close the gap before it sunders everything, using the power that he holds, still far beyond what it once was, to fix whatever he has done (or is doing or one day will, time half-unraveling in his hands). As he repairs the barrier, still dripping with the power that he touched from passing through it, Zon-Kuthon comes to stand beside him, image of the blinding void reflected in his longing eyes, and Nethys tries to touch the power nestled just beneath his skin, hands clawing unknown patterns of magic in the air. Both soon become his shadows, hounding every move he tries to make, Zon-Kuthon chasing memories and Nethys seeking answers, with Torag always close behind, holding his brother Magrim’s blade with vengeance on his mind. Some of Irori’s followers also trail behind him; those who were deep in prayer at the moment that he moved beyond, unable to unsee the void, dedicate themselves to its return, doing whatever they can to hasten the end of all things.
But Irori has a new path now, divinity left far behind as he masters the power that’s now deep within his bones. He sees things now—beneath the ground, between the breaths, inside the skin—and knows that they will take him where Gruhastha and the rest have gone, that what tore them apart will help him make himself anew. If there are prayers for him to hear, he is no longer listening. If rakshasas take his guise and use his faith to build their power? If Urgathoa’s clerics tell his followers that next time he will end the world and they should eat and drink and die with no thought for tomorrow? How can he care when there’s a new path for him to gain perfection? And if the world unmakes itself, if he had to unmake the world, if that brings him enlightenment, then that’s what it must be.
What lies beyond divinity, and who better than Irori to first achieve such exquisite perfection that he leaves even other gods behind?
Well, that was certainly involved. Multiverses? Singularities? Bright voids? And yet, in all of that, I almost see a pattern. I have tried not to reference other prophecies in my notes here; if my Lady chooses to read them out of the original order that I chose, I would hate for her to learn a piece of information in these notes that would be better divulged by the original text. Still, I am reminded of the prophecy regarding Desna, which also mentions a void. And there are similarities between this prophecy and the one for Nethys, not only in their reciprocal mentions but in their fascination with the fundamental properties of our universe. Perhaps instead of looking at the prophecies individually, I should be looking for these types of commonalities—could things that are repeated be elements of some underlying message, or a hint as to what among these “prophecies” might be true amidst the overstatements and suppositions? If there was ever a time to make a chart, that time is upon us.
About the Author
Erin Roberts has been thrilled to be able to contribute a few small threads to the fabric of Golarion in the pages of books like Lost Omens Firebrands, Lost Omens Highhelm, and Lost Omens Travel Guide. In addition to her work for Paizo, she freelances across the TTRPG world (and was selected as a Diana Jones Award Emerging Designer Program Winner in 2023), has had fiction published in magazines including Asimov’s, Clarkesworld, and The Dark, and talks about writing every week on the Writing Excuses podcast. Catch up with her latest at linktr.ee/erinroberts.
The next morning dawned bright and clear, no trace of the previous day’s storm left on the horizon. Dr. Pom joined me on the research deck for our customary morning tea, sipping in companionable silence until we’d finished our first cup and were contemplating our second.
Zoetrope Logs, Part Three: Potential for Change
Tuesday, April 02, 2024
The next morning dawned bright and clear, no trace of the previous day’s storm left on the horizon. Dr. Pom joined me on the research deck for our customary morning tea, sipping in companionable silence until we’d finished our first cup and were contemplating our second.
“How are you feeling, Baranthet?” she asked kindly as she held out her cup for a refill. “That was an intense day of travel yesterday.”
“Quite well, thank you,” I said as I poured, reveling in the wisps of aromatic steam rising from our mugs. “How are you? Are you used to storms like that where you’re from?”
She took a moment to consider this, her eyes following the gulls soaring over the cliffs. “We did have some mighty storms, yes, but it’s different now,” she said thoughtfully. “The instinct to seek shelter is the same, of course, but there’s... a deeper appreciation, I suppose. A sense of thinking about the past and the future, whereas before there was only the present moment. I find joy in their beauty and feel appreciation for the sheer primal power of the skies. Though,” she said with a laugh, “I never expected to be flying in those skies in the middle of one!”
“Neither did I,” I admitted, grinning. “A humbling and awe-inspiring experience, to be sure!”
We sat in comfortable silence for a while as the others drifted in for breakfast or set about their tasks for the day. I wondered idly where my Spiridendra book had gone and what we might find next in our journey as I watched Telero and Ten examine one of the ship’s wings—they’d been busy checking and recalibrating this and that after the flight through the storm the day before. For my part, it was nice to have a slower morning before returning to the expedition.
“It’s wild, isn’t it,” Dr. Pom said softly, “looking back on the changes you’ve weathered in your life?” Her eyes met mine, and though we were close in years, I sensed she wasn’t talking merely about aging.
“I certainly never thought I’d go from ink-stained librarian to bold explorer,” I said fervently, and she chuckled, her small spectacles slipping down her striped snout. “When you awakened, did you ever plan on having such adventures?”
“It was hard to make plans at all, at first.” She adjusted her glasses and looked back out over the cliffs. “Awakening is... a turbulent time, for most. There’s a lot of information to process all at once, and many of us are overwhelmed by the concept of a vaster and more specific future than what we’d previously had the capacity to consider. But I always felt called to be a healer,” she added, and smiled again. “I know what it’s like to be hurt, and afraid. It gladdens me to provide comfort and support where I can.”
I reflected on this as I watched Telero hoist Ten higher up the wing, where they began to hammer at one of its joints. Suddenly, tension released in an explosive pop, the wing springing back into place… and catapulting our mechanic overboard, falling past Telero’s arms to land with a thud and a yelp in the water below.
“Goodness, not again!” Dr. Pom and I were on our feet at once, tea abandoned. Grefu surfaced in the waves near our mechanic (no doubt he was enjoying his morning constitutional), and swam Ten over to the research deck, hoisting them aboard. Their eyes blinked rapidly at us as we gathered around.
Dr. Pom knelt next to them, illuminating the lamp at her shoulder and setting her bag down as she looked them over.
Light writer plates of Dr. Gulnara Pom and Whose Antenna Is Askew (“Ten”), from official Zoetrope expedition logs. Art by Gunship Revolution.
“It’s my fault, Professor,” Telero said in anguish. “I tried to catch them—”
“It is not his fault; the wing was badly jammed from the storm; it was more badly misaligned than I thought,” Ten chirped in their customary staccato tone, their eyes glittering as Dr. Pom shone her light in one and then the other. “Do not fret; I feel fine; and that should be the last of the repairs!”
“I keep telling you to use your safety lines when you’re doing repairs,” said Dr. Pom, ignoring this tale of triumph as she peered into her patient’s eyes. “You seem coherent, but I’d like to confirm, please. What’s your name?”
“Whose Antenna Is Askew,” they replied promptly, wiggling the appendage in question. “You know me; I am the ship’s mechanic; you’ve patched me up many times before.”
Dr. Pom smiled wryly and looked up at me. “They’re all right.” She rummaged about in her belt, retrieving a slip of paper and weighing several powders and herbs onto it. “Take this before you tuck in tonight. It should help your carapace mend.”
An aggrieved Telero relaxed slightly next to me as Ten withdrew the frayed checkered cloth that was always at their toolbelt and dried their face. “Telero; now the repairs are done; do you want to check the cliffs for geodes?” they said, pointing at the shore.
Dr. Pom and I left the young friends to their explorations as they boarded the airskiff for shore, but I checked in on our mechanic later that evening. They were in the engine room, as usual, cleaning various gears and leaning close to the engine to listen to its steady hum.
I knocked on the doorframe. “Doing all right, Ten?”
They jumped and dropped what appeared to be an armful of wrenches, the tools clanging on the floor and narrowly missing their feet. “So sorry; you surprised me; please come in; hello.”
“Oh! The fault is mine,” I said, crouching down to help them collect everything. “You’re still feeling well?”
Ten nodded. “My carapace is very tough; it’s held up through worse falls; I am fine; thank you.”
I smiled at their earnest assurances. “I’m glad to hear it! And the Zoetrope? Everything running smoothly?”
“Running like a dream,” Ten said, casting their expert eye over the complex machinery that made our expedition possible. “The good kind of dream; the ones with friends; and cookies; and adventures. Like what we have.”
How had I been so fortunate as to find such bright, kind, brave, and talented companions? “Like what we have,” I agreed, handing over the last of the wrenches. “A dream come—”
“Come quick!” a voice yelled from above. “One of the specimens has escaped from the menagerie!”
About the Author
Baranthet Zamendi cultivated his love of the natural world at a young age, enamored with his grandmother’s awe-inspiring tales of the legendary Wardens of the Wild. He briefly attended Almas University before returning home to rebuild Droon’s public library, eventually becoming its head archivist. His upcoming book on the crew of the Zoetrope and their search for the wardens is his first, but he’s already planning his next adventure.
Support for Mr. Zamendi by
Simone D. Sallé is a senior editor at Paizo and has written for numerous Pathfinder and Starfinder books, including more of Baranthet’s tale inPathfinder Howl of the Wild, the primal treatise and witch journals in Pathfinder Secrets of Magic, and Starfinder Bounty #12: Under Pressure. When she’s not extolling the virtues of the en dash, she enjoys playing as many narrative games as her schedule allows and wandering the woods with her Disreputable Dog.
Hi everyone! James here again to talk about the last two ancestries featured in Howl of the Wild. We’ve saved the awakened animal and surki for last, as they’re quite different from the ancestries we’ve put out so far! Each uses its heritage in a pretty different way than any ancestries we’ve published previously, so we’ll be previewing those here instead of some feats.
The awakened animal freely chooses their size (from Tiny to Large) as a part of character creation, which also determines their starting Hit Points. Afterward, they choose a heritage that represents their general body plan. Your heritage will usually give you some suggestions for an unarmed attack that replaces the fist attack that most ancestries get, but given how broad the animal world is—some aquatic animals have wing attacks, after all—these are treated as suggestions to work out with your GM rather than as hard restrictions. The climbing animal heritage showcased below is great for a bipedal animal, like Dr. Pom.
Climbing Animal Heritage
You are an animal whose limbs are adapted to grab, climb, and brachiate. You might be dexterous and ready to use tools like a chimpanzee or otter, or you may simply be a quick climber like a bear, raccoon, or sloth.
You have a land Speed of 20 feet, a climb Speed of 20 feet, and one animal attack of your choice (typically claw, fist, or jaws; see the animal attacks sidebar).>[?
Surkis also approach heritages in an unusual way. Surkis absorb magic as larva and young adults, which accumulates in nodes throughout their bodies. All surkis freely choose a tradition of magic at character creation that represents the type of magic they most consumed as a larva, which affects the tradition of their magical abilities (plus a few others). Then, they also choose a heritage. A surki can then, later in life, undergo metamorphosis to develop these nodes into unique magic-projecting organs. Each surki heritage has a base ability as well as two possible directions they can evolve the ability later by taking feats such as the 9th-level Grand Metamorphosis. Surkis can even gain multiple heritages or change their heritage late in life with various feats as well! We can take a look at this with the light-emitting lantern surki heritage below:
Lantern Surki
The nodes in your abdomen are particularly luminous. You can use an Interact action to shed light from your abdomen in a 20-foot radius (and dim light for the next 20 feet). This is a magical light effect with a level equal to your own. You can change the color of the light or extinguish it with another Interact action.
Evolution Your abdominal nodes have evolved into a pair of secondary limbs that project a magical focusing lens. You gain the Lantern Beam action. Lantern Beam [one-action] (light, fire, magical) Requirements Your lantern light is shining; Effect Your lenses focus your light into a searing beam. You deal 5d4 fire damage to all creatures in a 30-foot line, with a basic saving throw against the higher of your class DC or spell DC. Your lantern light then extinguishes, and you can’t use this ability or use your lantern light again for 1d4 rounds. At 11th level and every two levels thereafter, the damage increases by 1d4.
Evolution Secondary light emitters grow from your shoulder nodes that flash in time with your lantern. You gain the Lantern Strobe action. Lantern Strobe [two-actions] (light, magical, visual) Frequency once per hour; Effect As you pulse your lantern, your emitters flash erratically, disorienting your opponents that see it. Each opponent in a 15-foot cone must attempt a Fortitude save against your class DC or spell DC (whichever is higher). On a failure, the creature is dazzled for 1 round. On a critical failure, the creature is blinded for 1 round and dazzled for the following round.
“But wait,” you might be asking. “My explosive surki sorceress, Blastrellina, isn’t just a surki; she’s also a nephilim because she fed upon the lingering unholy magic of the Worldwound! How will these ancestries interact with versatile heritages?” We know that versatile heritages are very popular, and so if you want to take one with either an awakened animal or a surki, you can! In this case, you still select a heritage purely to define your character’s story and cosmetic appearance, and you gain some basic benefits but not their specialized heritage abilities. However, you can take either the Late Awakener or Secondary Adaptation feat later to gain these benefits.
The awakened animal ancestry is embodied by the ship’s doctor, Dr. Pom, and the surki ancestry by its mechanic, Whose Antenna Is Askew (“Ten”)! Art by Gunship Revolution.
It’s hard to believe it, but our next chapter is the conclusion to this run of Zoetrope logs! If you don’t think you can wait that long for more Howl of the Wild, be sure to tune in to this Friday’s Paizo LIVE, where we’ll be talking a bit more about the book!
But that, explorers, is a story for another day.
James Case Senior Designer
For the fourth and final chapter of the Zoetrope Logs, click here.
We’ve mentioned before that every now and then, someone makes a typo and realizes that they’ve accidentally created a pun or joke so bad that they must immediately drop it into their team’s work chat, triggering a wave of snickering when we were in office, and now a wave of reaction gifs via the office chat. We’ve even statted them up for previous April Fools’ Day posts.
It's Foolish To Go Alone
Monday, April 01, 2024
We’ve mentioned before that every now and then, someone makes a typo and realizes that they’ve accidentally created a pun or joke so bad that they must immediately drop it into their team’s work chat, triggering a wave of snickering when we were in office, and now a wave of reaction gifs via the office chat. We’ve even statted them up for previous April Fools’ Day posts.
It’s been so fun that I’ve started stashing anything I’ve deemed April Fools–worthy, to the point where if someone else deems it worthy of The List, I’m summoned to add it immediately. Around a month ago, I added to the goblins’ ever-full dance cards by releasing The List into the wilds of the Paizo Chat. So with a year’s worth of out-of-context inspiration, the goblins responded to me with this year’s foolish wonders!
Maryssa Mari Web Content Manager
Wordsmith
With every strike of a wordsmith’s hammer, a new onomatopoeia is formed. They swiftly grab the word as it flies off the anvil before nailing it to the pages of our favorite comics. POW! WHAM! SPLAT! The hammer crafts each and every sound. The humble wordsmith is often overlooked by their artisan peers, whose pictures are the primary focus of readers. However, many don’t realize that while pictures can be sent to the printing press, sounds are not captured so easily on the page and must be hammered into place by a skilled wordsmith.
While most wordsmiths are content to forge their words out of sight of the public, they are fierce defenders of their work and are quick to fight anyone who belittles it. They know the pen is mightier than the sword, but the hammer is mightiest of all, and they use it mercilessly to SMASH! through their foes.
Though many wordsmiths are dwarves, they come from all kinds of backgrounds, each bringing their own unique sounds and noises from their culture. Tengu wordsmiths particularly favor onomatopoeias similar to bird calls like cawfor crows or okalee for red-winged blackbirds. Meanwhile, leshy wordsmiths favor sounds inaudible to most non-plant creatures, such as the tr-tr-tr that reflects the sound of a plant growing.
Wordsmith Creature — 4
Medium, Dwarf, Humanoid Perception +10; hearing (precise) 60 feet Languages Common, Dwarven; truespeech Skills Athletics +10, Crafting +14, Occultism +10, Scribing Lore +12 Str +4, Dex +3, Con +4, Int +6, Wis +2, Cha +2
Items anvil and hammer (sterling artisans’ toolkit) AC 19; Fort +13, Ref +8, Will +11 HP 70; Resistances sonic 7
HP 70; Resistances sonic 7 Word Warp [reaction] (auditory, occult) Trigger The wordsmith is the target of a linguistic effect; Effect The wordsmith twists the words and attempts to counter their foe’s utterances with their hammer (counteract +16, 3rd rank). Speed 25 feet
Melee [one-action] hammer +14 (forceful, occult, sonic), Damage 2d6+4 bludgeoning damage plus 1d6 sonic plus forge onomatopoeia
Forge Onomatopoeia (occult, visual) The wordsmith slams their hammer against a creature, creating a visual onomatopoeia like CRACK! or SMASH! that flies off at the site of impact. The target of the strike must attempt a DC 24 Will save. Critical Success The creature is unaffected. Success The creature is stupefied 1 for 1 round. Failure The creature is stupefied 1 for 1 minute. Critical Failure The creature is stupefied 2 and gains weakness 1 to sonic damage for 1 minute.
Mightier than the Sword (occult) Any hammer gains the forceful trait, can’t be disarmed, and becomes a +1 striking hammer while the Wordsmith wields it.
By Felix Dritz Editor
Moowhip
Disarm, Finesse, Grazing, Professional (Cook), Reach, Tech Price 10 credits; Damage 1d4 S; Bulk 1 Hands 1 Type Melee; Category Advanced;
Group Flail
Moowhip: The self-replicating nanites in this handheld weapon can use the kinetic energy of your swings to turn air into interwoven monofilament sharp cheddar cheese fibers capable of cutting through any enemy or any hunger.
Grazing: If you Strike with this weapon and your next action is to use an ingested consumable or Interact with the weapon to eat some of the generated food, restore 1 Hit Point per weapon damage die.
Professional: A weapon with this trait can be used as a tool for the listed skill. Add the weapon’s item bonus to attack rolls as an item bonus to skill checks using the listed skill. Your proficiency with this weapon is equal to your proficiency with the listed skill (up to your proficiency in simple weapons).
By Dustin Knight Starfinder Developer
Chain Letters of Golarion
Armiger Khelum,
If this letter comes across my desk one more time, I’ll be reporting you to Lictor Stought. I understand the fear one carries when confronted with the possibility of hags, but I can reassure you that the Bloddey Glass Hag is not one to fear because she does not exist.
“You are now cursed!! You must copy this letter and send it on or you will be killed!!! In a fortnight at twilight the Bloddey Glass Hag will crawl out from under your mattress! This isn’t a joke! She will stab your chest and pull out your eyeballs with a fork and if you don’t have eyeballs she will pull out your liver and if you don’t have a liver she will pull off your skin and use it to make a newe dress! And then she’ll take your corpse and she’ll stuff it under your bed or she’ll put you in the closet! What will your Maralictor tell your family??? It won’t be funny then! Send this letter to ten other Hellknights to break the curse! Remember, the Bloddey Glass Hag is watching you sleep!!!”
This is ridiculous, armiger.
I’ve sent copies of this to my fellow Paralictors, the Master of Blades, the Maralictors, and the Paravicar of our Order, just so they also have copies of this... ghost story of yours. I don’t want to see it again.
Signed,
Paralictor Shudi Osra
Kreighton,
Never let it be said that I’m not grateful for the random bits and bobs that you’re able to submit to the archive that tell us more about pre–Age of Darkness Kyonin. But this one does seem a little... strange. Perhaps you could provide more context?
— Gorm
“I was dining with my youngest child at the Viridian Crystal, and we had the most wonderful little cakes. I asked the chef’s familiar if we might have the recipe and the little jay twittered and said that while he couldn’t give away the lady’s recipe, I would be able to purchase it. Of course, being quite sensible I requested the price and was told ‘two pieces.’ This seemed very reasonable, so I accepted, and I was told it would be added to my bill.
The next day, I was going through my letters and found my bill from the Crystal, and I was being charged two platinum, 32 silver. Of course, 20 silver for dinner, 12 silver for the lovely crystal tiara I purchased for my child, but apparently the two platinum were for the recipe for the little cakes! Well, I threatened to take this up with the Edasseril family, only to be told that I could put the recipe wherever I wanted, so here I am. I’m sharing this recipe with everyone I know and hoping that they’ll send it to everyone they know, and I hope that Chef Avie Vandlade enjoys her comeuppance!
Viridian Crystal Cakes
1 and a quarter cups flour, weighed
Three-fourths cup and two tablespoons fine white sugar
Three-fourths teaspoon baking powder
One-fourth teaspoon baking soda
One-fourth teaspoon salt
Six tablespoons unsalted butter, soft
Two tablespoons oil (vegetable)
One whole egg and one egg yolk, at room temperature
One and one-half teaspoons vanilla
One-half teaspoon butter flavor
One-half cup soured cream, room temperature
Activate your fire elemental and put your oven at cake temperature. Well grease a half-foot round pan.
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt gently in a medium bowl. Add softened butter and oil and mix until it looks like delicate sand.
In a small bowl, combine egg, yolk, vanilla, butter flavor, and soured cream. In batches of three, add the wet to the dry and beat until smooth. Scrape the bowl for any pockets of dry goods and make sure everything is fully combined. Once all thirds are in, beat for another half-minute until fully incorporated.
Pour into round pan, bake for around 40 minutes, or until a skewer comes clean. Cool in the pan for ten minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Cut into small circles or squares. Top with chocolate frosting.”
Dearest Gorm,
Yes, of course, I realize this letter was slightly obtuse. Cake temperature is 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
With care,
Kreighton
Do YOU want to be RICHER than ABADAR? Do YOU want to be PRETTIER than SHELYN? Do YOU want to be STRONGER than KURGESS?
Send my letter to your TEN CLOSEST FRIENDS and YOU will receive the BLESSINGS OF THE GODS!
If you THROW THIS LETTER OUT then YOU will find NORGORBER in YOUR HOME in ONE WEEK!
Since Starfinder’s initial release in 2017, a larger-than-life mystery has loomed over the setting. What happened to Golarion? How did Absalom Station come to be? And what was stolen from the memories of everyone who lived through the period of time known only as The Gap?
Learn the Secrets of The Gap!
Monday, April 01, 2024
Since Starfinder’s initial release in 2017, a larger-than-life mystery has loomed over the setting. What happened to Golarion? How did Absalom Station come to be? And what was stolen from the memories of everyone who lived through the period of time known only as The Gap?
Triune has long worked to keep these secrets hidden, but with a new edition on the horizon, the Starfinder team is ready to pull back the curtain…
Under the supervision of Managing Creative Director Thurston Hillman and Senior Developer Jenny Jarzabski (and snuck under the nose of Publisher and Chief Creative Officer Erik Mona), The Gap is a Starfinder book like no other! Learn the secrets of the most mysterious time in the Pact World’s history—but you’d better act fast! This book is only available today, and in very limited quantities.
Buy The Gap now to unlock the history of the universe before Triune silences the whispers that echo through space and time!
Note: Starfinder The Gap is an April Fool’s Day limited-run product. Please read the product description on the webstore page before purchase. This book was printed in extremely limited quantities and is only available while supplies last.
Salutations! It’s me, Luis Loza! I am saddened to say that we are at the end of our draconic journey. Last week, we took a look at the mighty and benevolent empyreal dragons. This week, we close out our exploration of dragons by looking into the crystal ball and revealing the mysterious omen dragons. Let’s have a look!
A Fated Encounter With Dragons!
Friday, March 29, 2024
Salutations! It’s me, Luis Loza! I am saddened to say that we are at the end of our draconic journey. Last week, we took a look at the mighty and benevolent empyreal dragons. This week, we close out our exploration of dragons by looking into the crystal ball and revealing the mysterious omen dragons. Let’s have a look!
Illustration by Kent Hamilton
Omen dragons are tied to the occult tradition, granting them strange powers. In the case of omen dragons, those powers are connected to prophecy and fortune-telling. Although proper prophecy no longer works in the world, short-term fortunes like those explored via augury still function. Beyond that, fortunes become less accurate, but might still have nuggets of truth within them. It’s these short- to medium-length fortunes in which an omen dragon dabbles.
Every omen dragon is constantly seeing glimpses of possible futures. These dragons’ occult nature compels them to share what they see with the relevant parties, regardless of the people involved or the nature of the future glimpsed. The dragon usually shares this future through their prophetic wings. An omen dragon’s wings have a reflective inner portion that is much like a mirror. The dragon can use their ability to allow another person to glimpse their future, sometimes months into the future, within the wings. Since an omen dragon has no other information beyond what it shares in the glimpse, they leave the task of deciphering the vision and dealing with the future to the people involved.
Omen dragons have a number of additional abilities tied to the fate and prophecy. Every omen dragon is unbound by the restrictions of fate, making them immune to fortune and misfortune effects except when the omen dragon chooses to be subject to them. They can also twist the immediate future to force misfortune on foes who attempt to attack the dragon. Even the breath weapon of an omen dragon is tied to fate and future. An omen dragon’s breath grants victims a small taste of an omen dragon’s power, inundating the victim with countless visions of possible futures that can overwhelm.
As they’re always seeing these future glimpses, omen dragons often collect items and treasures related to the future. Omen dragon hoards tend to be smaller than that of a typical dragon, but most omen dragons maintain several hoards at once. Most of these hoards hold items of some future importance, such as a weapon that will strike down a great power or a relic that can save an entire village. People who want or need these items can speak with the dragon in an attempt to claim the items, but doing so can be a difficult feat!
That’s the omen dragon, and with that we’ve finished our look at all the dragons in Monster Core! The book has been out for a few days now and I’m sure some of you reading this already had access to your PDFs or received your physical copies and learned about the omen dragon. In a way, you got to see the future before others, making you not unlike an omen dragon! I want to thank everyone who followed these draconic previews and I hope you’ve had a good time reading them. Also, special thanks to Kent Hamilton for his incredible work and being a great collaborator in helping create these dragons. These dragons wouldn’t be what they are without him!
As the author for the new dragons, I’ve been excited to talk about them, but I’m more excited to hear how everyone uses them in their games. I look forward to exciting stories in the months and years to come!
You know, I genuinely thought that this column would be much quieter than the delicious solstice report from last time but, by Calistria’s sweet whip, there has been so much hustle and bustle, I barely know where to start!
Venture-Gossip on the Town
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Hello, Pathfinders!
You know, I genuinely thought that this column would be much quieter than the delicious solstice report from last time but, by Calistria’s sweet whip, there has been so much hustle and bustle, I barely know where to start!
Okay, so first off: there’s mutterings about sending a group of Pathfinders up to Freedom Town. Apparently Old Baphy is sending more undead to harass them, so I’m hoping this means we’ll be seeing more of Mr. I’m So Handsome Uirch!
Left to Right: Uirch of the Burning Sun by Fabio Di Bernardi, and Watcher-Lord Ulthun by Hassan Tabrizi
Also, I was out and about at the Grand Bazaar, like I usually am on my off hours, poking around who knows what and who knows where and I saw a certain watcher-lord shopping with a fancy lady! Now, we all know there’s been certain glances between this lord and an acting leader, but it seems those may have just been glances, because her arms were very firmly around his (well-built) upper arm.
Oh, and the biggest news is that Eando Kline was seen storming out of a meeting with all of leadership and the Waterfall! He’s extremely displeased about something, and you know I’m on my way to find out! I tried to peek in and see what was occurring, but Old Muttonchops sent me on my way, as usual.
Don’t you worry, I’ll figure out what’s happening and will report on it in my next update!
Keep your eyes peeled for my next column, and enjoy your adventures, Pathfinders!
One of the theories that I intend to run by my Lady in my compilation of these so-called Godsrain Prophecies is that they may be warnings of some kind. This is a relatively new addition to my admittedly large list of potential reasons for their existence, which range from sensible hypotheses to outlandish theories, including one recent concern that this has all been a test by my Lady to discern whether I am trustworthy and analytical enough to handle some of her more complex research needs. I know she would never do such a thing, in truth, but after a particularly vivid dream (involving my being back in one of Lorminos’s classes and asked to deliver a talk about a research paper I had somehow forgotten to do), my anxiety briefly took hold.
The Godsrain Prophecies Part Eight
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
One of the theories that I intend to run by my Lady in my compilation of these so-called Godsrain Prophecies is that they may be warnings of some kind. This is a relatively new addition to my admittedly large list of potential reasons for their existence, which range from sensible hypotheses to outlandish theories, including one recent concern that this has all been a test by my Lady to discern whether I am trustworthy and analytical enough to handle some of her more complex research needs. I know she would never do such a thing, in truth, but after a particularly vivid dream (involving my being back in one of Lorminos’s classes and asked to deliver a talk about a research paper I had somehow forgotten to do), my anxiety briefly took hold.
The warning theory is of particular interest to me because it reflects an ongoing scholarly debate about the ability to prevent a true prophecy. As noted in Beyond Aroden (which I believe I have already mentioned in these pages), there are some who believe in the Fate’s Chain theory, which holds that any action taken to prevent a foretelling only hastens its speed and effects. Conversely, others believe that all prophecy presents the opportunity to exert free will. In the words of one notorious scholar, “those who lie down in front of the hooves of prophecy instead of taking the reins of their lives deserve to be trampled to dust, even if only metaphorically.” Fiery words, and ones I am not sure I believe, but given the gravity of this particular set of prophecies, I do like the idea that this might be an opportunity to shift the course of the future.
–Yivali, Apprentice Researcher for the Lady of Graves
The Death of Desna
The thing about journeys, especially the good ones, was how easy it was to lose track of the past. Hard to move forward while looking behind you. Desna had always believed that. Each new night, each new step, had something new to offer up—a bit of knowledge to excite her, a dark horizon to invite her, a way for love to keep her grounded as she wandered from place to place.
But something else was out there. A threat that she’d forgotten from the void between the stars, seeking only to expand its brutal, ceaseless silence. Not an enemy that could be caught or stopped forever, but something she’d held at bay as it consumed star after star, by making them anew as she had done since the beginning. Back then she’d set the stars like jewels, each a perfect piece of art, and now they were a chorus that only she could truly hear, gentle bells that softly chimed and brought new hope to dreamers.
Except with so much journeying, she’d let the task slide down her list, forgetting to replace the stars that steadily winked out. She hadn’t heard their quiet ringing slowly growing quieter, as something more than silence brought new fury to its form. And by the time it reached her ear, that music wasn’t quite as rich, and starlight twinkled that much less, and butterflies flapped weakly. Absence had turned to abscess turned to deep vulnerability, and what was of the past became the killer of the present. In one fell swoop of emptiness, no longer held back by her lights, something of the Dark Tapestry she thought she’d left behind took her and Cynosure as one, and with her all the stars that filled the skies above Golarion.
Desna was loved by many, and all stepped up to play a part and try to build a new world in the space left by her death. Cayden Cailean raised cups “to Desna and to freedom” (though he stayed still for many months, sometimes with Kurgess by his side, drinking to his memories and running up his tab). Shelyn offered welcome to those who sang in Desna’s name, collecting songs and poems so she would not be forgotten. (And when they sounded out of tune, as if something was missing, she called them Desnal melodies and blessed those who repeated them, ignoring art’s new promise for the haunting elegies). Sarenrae sought her vengeance but had no one to strike out against, and so she turned to healing in its place (by never letting hurt inside, and building walls around her heart she dared Shelyn to climb).
No one could prove the daytime light was any different than before, but even on the fairest day, there was something in the air—a stagnant sort of thickness that weighed upon the spine. Scouts moved slowly, and travelers lingered though they knew to hurry (to get themselves to safety long before the starless night). With no means by which to navigate, sailors called off voyages, reduced to tiny odysseys that kept the shore in sight. And while the feeling dissipated, slowly easing day by day, everything about the world felt dormant for a time.
Even as the pace picked up, no stars returned to fill the sky. At night, only the moon shone down, and paths forward could change in ways unlucky and impossible; more often did travelers disappear from the shadowed roads ahead. And while some blamed her ancient nemesis, Ghlaunder, who was emboldened by Desna’s demise, or Zon-Kuthon, who reveled in the new depth of the darkness, only Desna would have known that what killed her waited, determining its next advance, growing in the spaces left within a starless night.
Do the stars and their keeper, Desna, truly protect the Universe from some fell threat that hides in the darkness beyond them? May the stars shine forever, if so!
The Dark Tapestry? It has been some time since I thought about that void of space, which has long been reported to be the home of godlike beings far beyond my comprehension. Maybe this is why I am the most intrigued about Desna’s seeming knowledge of the place and its dangers. It is the first I am hearing of a potential connection, though that may simply be because I do not attend the right discussion groups. Whether or not this prophecy turns out to be true (or, again, maybe a warning that my Lady might be able to give to Desna to prevent this outcome), I will add a note about the possible link between Desna and the Dark Tapestry to my collected papers covering her works as a deity. I am not sure when or if I will have the time to publish any of the works I have begun to write, or if there will be room in my papers for all of the data I now have, but I am glad that I have at least begun collecting information. If these prophecies make nothing else completely clear, my own takeaway is this: it is important to understand what you know (and don’t) about the gods.
About the Author
Erin Roberts has been thrilled to be able to contribute a few small threads to the fabric of Golarion in the pages of books like Lost Omens Firebrands, Lost Omens Highhelm, and Lost Omens Travel Guide. In addition to her work for Paizo, she freelances across the TTRPG world (and was selected as a Diana Jones Award Emerging Designer Program Winner in 2023), has had fiction published in magazines including Asimov’s, Clarkesworld, and The Dark, and talks about writing every week on the Writing Excuses podcast. Catch up with her latest at linktr.ee/erinroberts.
Hail and well met, Pathfinders and Starfinders! This month’s new releases call on heroes to save the town of Sandpoint, bring a host of remastered monsters to your table, and send you into Azlanti Space!
Find Your Path — March 2024
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Hail and well met, Pathfinders and Starfinders! This month’s new releases call on heroes to save the town of Sandpoint, bring a host of remastered monsters to your table, and send you into Azlanti Space!
In celebration of Pathfinder Monster Core’s release, we’ve got a special “Who’s That Monster?!” stream today, March 27th, at 12 p.m. Pacific on twitch.tv/officialpaizo!
Never miss a release with our Paizo Subscriptions—for everything from rulebooks to accessories.
The town of Sandpoint has seen more than its fair share of danger over the years, including harrowing fires, prolific serial killers, goblin raids, and attacks by giants and dragons, but now the so-called Light of the Lost Coast faces its greatest threat yet! Something sinister has been manipulating events all along, and a new band of heroes must step in to save this legendary small town from seven deadly dooms! Return to the town where it all began with the Seven Dooms for Sandpoint Adventure Path—a full campaign for 4th- to 11th-level characters that’s presented in its entirety in this super-sized volume!
Intense battles call for intense monsters! Inside Monster Core, you’ll find over 400 creatures, including fantasy classics like elves, ogres, and all-new dragons; wild animals from giant ants to ferocious wolves; and unique monsters that threaten the world of Pathfinder, like sinspawn and noxious needlers. These creatures cover all levels of play, from the slow and mindless zombie shambler to the ultrapowerful demonic Treerazer! This collection is an ideal resource for Game Masters planning their next battles and player characters looking for monstrous allies to summon.
Pathfinder Monster Core is also available as a Special Edition Hardcover, faux-leather bound with foil debossing and an in-bound ribbon bookmark.
Also, check your FLGS for the hobby retailer exclusive Sketch Cover!
From the hustle and bustle of a busy shopping center to the dilapidated, overgrown shell of a once-appealing plaza, there’s adventure to be found in malls across the galaxy. One side of this Flip-Mat depicts a futuristic mall, with an open entryway for crowds to mingle, numerous shops, and a luxurious food court to enjoy a bite to eat. The opposite side shows an abandoned mall and is the perfect site for a haunting or the remnants of a post-apocalyptic civilization.
Starfinder Flip-Mats present ready-to-use science-fantasy set pieces for the busy Game Master. With Starfinder Flip-Mat: Shopping Mall, you’ll be ready for the next encounter!
Whether your players are students themselves or the ones responsible for solving a tricky problem before things get out of hand, turn to Pathfinder Flip-Mat: Boarding School. From frightful legends that students speak of in hushed whispers, to struggles to contain failed alchemical experiments, to lighthearted stories of schoolyard mischief, these school buildings feature everything you need for an academic adventure, including classrooms, dormitories, a lunchroom, and a library.
A Starfinder Society Scenario designed for 11th- through 14th-level characters.
The Azlanti Star Empire is a vast union of diverse species, worlds, and star systems under the tyrannical dominion of humans who left Golarion for the stars long before the Gap. Under the leadership of Star Imperators Iorian and Yridela Ixomander, the Azlanti Star Empire seeks to bring all inhabited worlds under its hegemony, exploiting their knowledge, labor, and resources for the good of the empire. With a navy rivaling that of the Pact Worlds and the Veskarium combined, its ruthless legions of gem-augmented Aeon Guard pose a terrifying threat to the inhabitants of the galaxy. Most systems—including the Pact Worlds—have forbidden their citizens from entering Azlanti space, lest they draw the Imperators' covetous eyes.
Yet, a foe as powerful as the Azlanti Star Empire can’t be ignored, and numerous factions have dispatched agents into the Star Empire to operate in secret, acting as the eyes and ears of the Pact Worlds—a first line of defense against invasion.
When an undercover Starfinder broadcasts an emergency call for extraction from New Thespera, at the heart of the Azlanti Star Empire, Venture-Captain Naiaj dispatches a team of highly experienced Starfinders to answer the call. Infiltrate the Azlanti Star Empire, retrieve a Starfinder in peril, and escape with your lives—if you can!
A Pathfinder Society Scenario designed for 1st- through 4th-level characters.
The Maze of the Open Road has mostly been stabilized, and yet agents are still ending up at the wrong destination. While no one has been hurt, Venture-Captain Sigvard Tornkvist fears that it might be a matter of time until injury or worse results. She tasks the PCs with investigating the cause of these mishaps, and dealing with it, if possible. Little do the PCs know what they’ve gotten themselves into, but there’s a nonzero chance they’ll find themselves in a dance-off before their mission is complete.
A Starfinder Bounty designed for 4th-level characters.
Illegal gas mining operations are nothing new on the enormous Pact Worlds gas giant Liavara, but mining platform pilot Alana Eledin thought she had a foolproof plan to get past the mining syndicates’ and the Confluence Agents’ watchful gaze. She and a crew of desperate fortune seekers would power up a derelict platform they used to work on and take it down into the depths, to the limit of the structure. Of course, no plan is perfect, and reactivating the maneuvering systems on the old rig sent out an alert. Now a Confluence Agent, with Deep Station’s troubles still fresh in mind, has assembled a team of deep pressure specialists and the PCs to, if possible, rescue the derelict and learn what sent it plunging into the clouds. What no one involved has realized is that there’s a greater danger than the immense pressure facing everyone involved.
A Pathfinder Society Scenario designed for 5th- through 8th-level characters.
The simple mission is: deliver a letter. However, upon entering the magical hedge maze to do so, the Pathfinders find that two of their sticky-fingered friends have arrived at the same time and intend to hide a powerful elemental artifact within the Maze of the Open Road! This completely realigns the keystones of the maze, leading to planar interruptions and wild disruptions to operations. It's up to the Pathfinders to realign the keystones, calm down an angry genie, and help everyone who's been misplaced along the way! (And just maybe get that letter delivered!)
From Our Partners:
Our partners at Archives of Nethys, Demiplane, Fantasy Grounds, and Hero Lab Online are dropping new content this month as well! Buy your PDF on paizo.com to get a discount via the PaizoConnect API. Or pay full price on their platforms, sync your account, and get a complimentary PDF on the Paizo Store.
Prepare to face Gallowspire's hordes for as long as it takes…Pathfinder: Gallowspire Survivors launches on Thursday, April 4. Brave heroes can buy Pathfinder: Gallowspire Survivors on Steam in Early Access today, or try the demo, as they await the Whispering Tyrant’s return. Wishlist and follow the game on Steam to get notified of the launch. Keep up to date with all the information by joining the official Discord server, Facebook page and following BKOM Studios on X (formerly Twitter).
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Welcome back to another exciting collection of Pathfinder Infinite & Starfinder Infinite Top Performers!
Infinite Top Performers—Feb ‘24
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Welcome back to another exciting collection of Pathfinder Infinite & Starfinder Infinite Top Performers!
What is Infinite?
Pathfinder and Starfinder Infinite is a program that allows you to create content (adventures and locations; monsters; character classes, archetypes, and backgrounds; fiction; etc.) based on Paizo’s intellectual property (IP), including Pathfinder’s Lost Omens campaign setting, and to make some money while you’re at it. Your work might even be recognized by the community and earn you an invitation into the Infinite Masters elite creator program.
For more info on Pathfinder Infinite, Starfinder Infinite, and how to get started, check out the FAQs!
February’s Top Performers
Titles are ranked by an average of units sold and revenue earned and presented in alphabetical order. Asterisks indicate titles that have been on a best-seller list previously. Because they’ve consistently topped the list, and due to the number of their titles that typically take up spots, “Team+” and “Team Index” have asked to be removed from the calculations for ongoing top performers lists. This will allow newer publishers or book series to get more attention. Thanks, all!
Dive deeper into the new system of Edicts and Anathema from the Pathfinder Second Edition remaster. Over 700 edicts and anathemas for the ABCD of character creation: Ancestry, Background, Class, Deity.
The All-Seeing Eye is often derisively referred to as the "god of wizards." While that's not entirely wrong, it isn't exactly right, either. Faith's Reward—Nethys examines the influence of Nethys as the god of magic, including new spells, new feats, new items, new archetypes, and a new spell research subsystem to allow you to build or modify spells!
When Yivali held death in her talons, she feared delivering such terrible warning without also hope. Included in her annotations was research into what the world might become if each god’s death were to occur, and thus what contingencies could be made.
This product contains a handful of player options for each scenario. While there is a primary focus on the fall out for followers of each god, there are options for many types of players. The centerpiece is the return to service ritual and how each god’s death leads to which potential successor gods, what that new relationship looks like, and providing which potential benefits.
Providing an in-depth expansion of Pathfinder Second Edition's vulpine ancestry, Kitsune of Golarion Remastered provides players and GMs alike with everything they need to make this vibrant ancestry of shape shifting fox folk feel at home in the Age of Lost Omens. Based on Gold Best-Selling product Kitsune of Golarion, this product aims to not only remaster, but redefine the content from this original offering into an indispensable product for the entire table, tailless or not.
Has inspiration struck, but Player Core 1 doesn't have a subclass to fit? Whether you are looking for a Cleric spy, a swaggering Rogue, or a Druid with a will of steel, you will find myriad options within, made by 4 Infinite Masters and specially tuned for the PF2e Remaster! Feats, subclasses, focus spells, and more for the classes of Player Core 1.
A wide variety of subclasses, feats, and alternate class options—whether it comes from mastering the use of sound to bringing religion to the more physical classes. And let us not forget options of various levels of technology, from Steampunk, to tech which is science fiction even to Starfinder, to bringing forward old favorites from Pathfinder.
Experience the new Enhanced mechanic—revised for balanced and easier play. This expansion includes several new and revised mechanic tricks, drone chassis, and drone mods.
This is a brand-new adventure card game core set based on the award-winning first Starfinder adventure path, Dead Suns. This game uses the basic ruleset of the Pathfinder Adventure Card Game Core Set, but expands upon it in several ways, with new card types, mechanics, and characters. This download includes all of the rules necessary to play the Starfinder Adventure Card Game, a set of eight characters designed to be used with the game, and three full adventures based on the first three books of Dead Suns.
When the lights go out somewhere in Absalom Station, station staff already stretched thin find themselves unable to cope with a forced entry into the maintenance passages. Will the player characters be able to find out what went wrong and start to set things right?
In this standalone adventure, the players find themselves as prisoners trying to clear their name. They start their adventure competing in the fighting pits of Akiton in order to survive. Given a mission, will the heroes be able to purge their record of any wrong deeds and escape? What is the mission? How will they complete the task? Can they be sure others will keep up their end of the bargain? Can they track down the real criminals responsible and bring them to justice? bargain? Can they track down the real criminals responsible and bring them to justice?
New & Exciting from Infinite Masters!
Want to see what’s been cooking in the Infinite Masters’ alchemy lab? Here’s a selection of new products from some of our Infinite Masters—and some pieces that have caught their eyes!
Clerics+—The expansion on Clerics from Team+ is now remastered!
It’s 30 minutes until midnight and the river’s delta is gleaming with bits of gold dust coming off the tips of the fires scattered about. Dragon-tailed lanterns illuminate the paths as multi-generational families recount raucous stories.
Tian Xia Days: The Dead Eat First
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
It’s 30 minutes until midnight and the river’s delta is gleaming with bits of gold dust coming off the tips of the fires scattered about. Dragon-tailed lanterns illuminate the paths as multi-generational families recount raucous stories.
Overheard, a gravelly voice mixed with sincerity comes from an elderly kobold: “Do you remember that time when...”
Cut off, an innocent yet bright voice coming from a toddler yells, “We’ve already gone over this, ông nội! I wasn’t even born yet! You and grandma met ages ago...!”
A family of seven bursts out into loud laughter as they filter into the streets, seamlessly mixing in with the noises of carts carrying crafts and garments, silks and spices; from afar, melodies of wood, wind, and percussion firmly grace the air.
It’s the second day of the Festival of the Loss: Xa Hoi’s yearly celebration of the lives of the recently deceased, but also the ancestors that have been watching over the collective for centuries.
Bordering each side of the river, home cooks, restaurant chefs, and food stall owners squat, cooking fragrant foods on portable stoves and fires. Closer to the water are tables draped with lucky red fabric, used year after year, dishes placed carefully. The food is surrounded by burning incense that wafts up to the heavens:
· Pillowy, perfectly cooked rice next to crisped, barbecued game glazed with a translucent, sweet red sauce that reflects all the lanterns and lights.
· Bowls of fragrant broth, simmered for a full day prior to pull the flavor from livestock bones and aromatics into the perfect infusion, filled with tender noodles and garnished with fresh herbs.
· Beautiful golden pancakes still sizzling on the griddle, loaded with glowing leaves and minced meat, folded into half-moon parcels.
· Rice paper rolls stuffed to the brim with fresh vegetables, herbs, noodles, and steamed prawns caught and delivered just the morning prior, served next to a sweet, crunchy peanut sauce.
· A three-layered bean and jelly parfait drizzled with a viscous cream, multicolored glutinous rice dumplings in a ginger syrup, and big, round fried pastries covered with seeds, filled with a mixture of locally harvested sweet beans.
Yet, no one has approached the tablescape. Though outsiders might be curious why this mile-long spread adorning the riverside isn’t being touched, for the people of Xa Hoi, it’s because it’s tradition. You see, the dead always eat first.
Legends have been told of ancestors who moved to the afterlife and existed miserably because they were forgotten. Instead of joining those who've moved on peacefully to look over their family’s health and luck, these now-lost souls are cursed for eternity. Wondering why their families have forgotten them they manifest as bad luck, nightmares, or even come to our mortal plane themselves, seeking attention and respect.
This is why the dead always eat first. The meals are put out under the full moon of the Festival of the Loss to invite those who protect Xa Hoi to join in celebration, feast, and remembrance.
Illustration by Luis Salas Lastra
As the hour and minute hand of clocks join at midnight, there’s one more moment of silence. A single, unified prayer. One big breath inhaled together with hands pressed close to the hearts—families are sending final well-wishes to their loved ones. Then, as if on cue, the chaotic symphony of music and laughter and joyous conversation rises back to fill the streets along the river as families take turns making their plates and enjoying the delicious, jubilant dinner.
As some folks go back for seconds, many start making their way toward the center of the city of Ngon Hoa, where the rivers meet. Shining brighter than the lanterns that line the river, a stage next to the water is covered with vibrant tapestries lined with golden trim. Embroidered into the curtains are stitched portraits of dragons and warriors and empresses and flowers, seamlessly flowing into each other like scenes from a play, draping across the fabric.
Though performers have been rotating throughout the night, in and out of the larger festival grounds, with lighter crowds watching and cheering them on, now, people start to enter en masse, staking their place on the damp, grassy ground with blankets and stools to see the annual water puppetry show, Múa rối nước. On stage, the orchestra sets up gongs, wooden flutes, drums, chimes, and string instruments rarely seen outside of Xa Hoi. At the stage’s edge, closest to the water, lie ornate hand-carved wooden puppets, ranging from humans to dragons, merfolk, and nagaji, mirroring the crowd that has gathered around.
The spotlights bolt up and down, right to left, finally converging to shine over the river, and the water seems to slow down. The Sorcerer Storytellers rise enchantingly from below the surface and begin the show to roaring applause. They recount stories over the water to tell of this year’s troubles and successes, their magic manipulating not only the puppets from the stage, but shaping the water itself with swipes of their hands like a timeless dance that’s both familiar and not from this world. Their silken garments, meticulously crafted by masterful seamstresses, almost seem to enhance their dragon-blooded magic, each embroidered stitch exuding small glimmers of light as they perform. Dramatic scenes reenact wars with swelling, cacophonous music and powerful imagery, these darker moments interwoven with flashes of occasional victorious triumphs while plumes of water fly high to the sky in unison with the music.
As the show ends with a magnificent finale, swirls of iridescent water whipping around in a display of elegant magic, the festivities start to wane. At a glance across the river, the ornate and lavish outfits start to dwindle as workers change into their ordinary uniforms. The next day's tasks still must be done. The incense has burned down to the bottom, leaving small piles of gray ash at the base of ceramic bowls. Performers start packing up their instruments and tear down their festival stages. Carts that once held celebratory candies and toys are stowed away for household wares and common fabrics—the tables’ lucky red clothes are folded up and stored for next year’s celebration, too. Farmers head back toward their plots to tend to the crops and livestock. Store owners start opening shops for the last few hours before the sun starts to rise once more in Xa Hoi.
About the Author
Danny Quach (he/him) is a tabletop marketing professional by day and the internet’s emotional support himbo by night. He’s the author of Digital Thiccness, a substack dedicated to making information about marketing, social media trends, and building digital communities as accessible as possible, sprinkled with personal musings and projects and pop culture through a queer lens. When he’s not writing and collaborating on TTRPG projects, Danny can be found lifting heavy things, eating tasty things, watching scary movies, and listening to 2000s emo/screamo music. Follow him on Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram.
Are you ready for the return of PaizoCon Online 2024? Join us Memorial Day weekend, May 24th–27th, as we once again bring events to your screen with an amazing long weekend of panels, giveaways, and, of course, gaming!
Get Your Tickets for PaizoCon Online 2024!
Friday, March 22, 2024
Are you ready for the return of PaizoCon Online 2024? Join us Memorial Day weekend, May 24th–27th, as we once again bring events to your screen with an amazing long weekend of panels, giveaways, and, of course, gaming!
If you’re new to Pathfinder or Starfinder, PaizoCon is an annual weekend-long event where we celebrate our team, our community, gaming, and all things Paizo!
Like last year, parts of the show you know and love will remain free, but we’re continuing to have a ticketed event with community-run games and activities at the same time!
What to look forward to this year!
Some of you may have attended conventions hosted on Tabletop Events before, but many of us have not! If you haven’t, here’s how to get your badge for the show.
Click “Get/View Your Badge” under Attend in the top menu bar OR click “Buy Badges” on the right side of the screen.
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On this screen, you can also purchase a badge for a friend! Information on adding and purchasing badges for friends can be found on this page.
Click “Add to Cart” when you’ve finished entering your information. Once you have all your badges in the cart, click Checkout.
Follow the instructions to enter your credit card information, and you’ll be all set! Welcome to PaizoCon Online 2024!
Submitting Community Events
New this year, the community is able to submit events for inclusion in the PaizoCon Online schedule! These can be RPG events featuring Pathfinder or Starfinder, as well as other systems or even other types of games entirely! Want to introduce people to your favorite indie RPG? Looking for players for the new board game you just bought? Finally want to settle who the best Mario Karter in the community is? You can host all these events and more!
From the PaizoCon convention page, go to “Host” in the top bar, then click “Submissions.”
Click “New Submission” and choose an event type. For this explainer we’ll be using an RPG event, but most events will ask for the same or similar information.
Fill in the requested information! Let the staff and prospective attendees know as much as you can about the event you’re submitting. Once you’ve filled in the information, click Create!
After submission, staff will review events and either approve them (adding them to the schedule), contact you for more information, or reject them. We reserve the right to reject events for any reason.
You can submit events any time before May 24, 2024. However, if you want your event to be on the schedule before it initially gets released, it must be submitted by March 28, 2024.
If you have any questions about event submission, please reach out to us at paizocon@paizo.com.
Other Activities
Portfolio Reviews
After the success of last year’s Friday portfolio reviews, the Art team has added an extra day onto their review schedule! Portfolio reviews will remain free on a first-come, first-served sign up basis, but this year we’re giving ticket purchasers the chance to sign up early.
If you’re interested in having your writing samples reviewed, we’re also offering writing reviews on Friday and Saturday this year as well!
Stay tuned for more information and registration in the coming weeks!
Livestreams
Get ready for a weekend full of fantastic livestream programming including seminars, interviews, liveplays, and the annual weekend opening keynote on the Official Paizo Twitch channel!
Stay tuned for the full stream and activity schedule coming soon!
Friends of Paizo:
We’ll once again be joined by multiple friends of Paizo in the Discord this year! Chat with, ask questions of, and learn more about the amazing work of teams like BKOM Studios, Foundry VTT, Roll20, and more!
Last year’s convention was entirely online, but this year we’re introducing PaizoCon@! Our new pilot program allows you to experience PaizoCon in person with your fellow Pathfinders and Starfinders at participating local game stores! Check back on this blog to learn more.
We look forward to seeing you all online this year! Stay tuned for more updates and announcements about PaizoCon 2024!
Venture-Captain Naiaj is recruiting experienced agents for a highly classified mission. While details are scarce, whispered rumors circulating through the Lorespire Complex claim this is an undercover rescue mission slated to occur in the Azlanti Star Empire. Sounds dangerous!
March Digital Adventure Previews
Thursday, March 21, 2024
Hello, Starfinders!
Venture-Captain Naiaj is recruiting experienced agents for a highly classified mission. While details are scarce, whispered rumors circulating through the Lorespire Complex claim this is an undercover rescue mission slated to occur in the Azlanti Star Empire. Sounds dangerous!
Left to right, illustrations by Nicolas Espinoza and Lucas Fernando
Meanwhile, on the gas giant Liavara, a team of desperate fortune seekers have stolen a derelict mining platform and descended deep into the planet’s depths, to the limit of the structure, on the hunt for valuable gases. Reactivating the maneuvering systems on the old rig sent out an alert and now a Confluence Agent has assembled a team of deep pressure specialists to retrieve the mining rig and learn what sent it plunging into the clouds.
This month we’re diving deep into the Maze of the Open Road with two scenarios set inside that bizarre extraplanar transport hub. Between the return of two elemental planes and the efforts to stabilize the maze’s magic by setting new exits and entrances, it seems like some uninvited guests have made it in.
First off, someone is sending agents astray. Landmarks and signposts are being moved around, fog is leading people off course, and other similar happenings are causing agents to exit at entirely wrong locations. While no one has been hurt, Venture-Captain Sigvard Tornkvist is at her wits end with these endless mix-ups. It’ll be up to you to find out what’s behind these odd pranks and put a stop to them. But who knows what could be behind all of this? I do have it on good authority that, if you play your cards right, you might end up in a dance-off.
Meanwhile on the other end of the Maze of the Open Road, Gregaro Voth sends agents out to deliver an important letter to Ambrus Valsin, only for those lovable thieves Gedun and Yeyacha from this year’s intro to pop up and accidentally break the planar keys holding the Maze in place! It’s up to you and your party to retune the keys and help anyone else who might have gotten caught up in the elemental chaos. Let’s hope that whatever Gedun and Yeyacha stole this time isn’t something super valuable to someone super powerful…
Pathfinder Second Edition Guns of Alkenstar Humble Bundle
We’ve partnered with our friends at Humble Bundle to celebrate one of Pathfinder’s most unique and iconic settings: the steampunk kingdom of Alkenstar! With the Guns of Alkenstar bundle, you can pick up all the books you need to explore this technological wonderland and support a great cause! Whether you’re playing in person or online with the Foundry VTT virtual tabletop, the Outlaws of Alkenstar Adventure Path awaits. What’s more, this bundle features a hardcover copy of Pathfinder Guns & Gears at the highest tier. It’s an opportunity you can’t afford to miss.
Pathfinder Second Edition Guns of Alkenstar Humble Bundle
Thursday, March 21, 2024
We’ve partnered with our friends at Humble Bundle to celebrate one of Pathfinder’s most unique and iconic settings: the steampunk kingdom of Alkenstar! With the Guns of Alkenstar bundle, you can pick up all the books you need to explore this technological wonderland and support a great cause! Whether you’re playing in person or online with the Foundry VTT virtual tabletop, the Outlaws of Alkenstar Adventure Path awaits. What’s more, this bundle features a hardcover copy of Pathfinder Guns & Gears at the highest tier. It’s an opportunity you can’t afford to miss.
What is a Humble Bundle?
Bundles are limited-time collections of games, books, software, and more. Simply pay what you want and choose where your money goes, whether that be to the publisher, to Humble itself, or even to charity. Most bundles come in tiers starting at only $1—but the more you give, the more you get in exchange!
When you make your purchase on Humble Bundle, you’ll receive a series of digital codes to redeem on the Paizo Store, one for each tier of unlocked products, plus at the $30 level, three additional codes to redeem on Foundry VTT.
There are four tiers to this bundle, starting at $5 and going up to a $40 tier. It features the Outlaws of Alkenstar Adventure Path in both PDF and as Foundry VTT modules, Pathfinder Guns & Gears in both PDF and physical hardcover, and the Pathfinder Lost Omens Impossible Lands world guide and more!
A portion of your purchase goes to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), whose mission is to prevent and cure breast cancer by funding the most promising medical research worldwide. It’s a great cause at any time, but especially during Women’s History Month.
Our first Bundle tier starts at $5 and includes a code for four PDFs worth $45, including:
Pathfinder Adventure Path #178:Punks in a Powder Keg (Outlaws of Alkenstar 1 of 3)
Outlaws of Alkenstar Player’s Guide
Pathfinder One-Shot #3: Head Shot the Rot
For $15, you'll get the PDFs in the first tier, plus a code for 5 more files worth $120, including:
Pathfinder Adventure Path #179:Cradle of Quartz (Outlaws of Alkenstar 2 of 3)
Pathfinder Second Edition Core Rulebook
Pathfinder Second Edition Bestiary
Pathfinder Lost Omens World Guide
Pathfinder Lost Omens Character Guide
In the third tier, for $30, you'll get codes for the previous tiers, plus a code for additional 5 PDF files and 3 individual Foundry VTT codes, worth another $150, including:
Pathfinder Adventure Path #180: The Smoking Gun (Outlaws of Alkenstar 3 of 3)
Pathfinder Guns & Gears
Pathfinder Lost Omens Impossible Lands
Pathfinder Second Edition Advanced Player’s Guide
Pathfinder Second Edition Gamemastery Guide
Pathfinder Adventure Path #178:Punks in a Powder Keg (Foundry VTT module)
Pathfinder Adventure Path #179:Cradle of Quartz (Foundry VTT module)
Finally, at the $40 tier, we’ll provide you a code for a physical copy of the Pathfinder Guns & Gears hardcover—a $49.99 value—in addition to the digital products from all lower tiers. You’ll be responsible for shipping and handling, which you’ll pay at the time of checkout on the Paizo Store. We only have a limited number of this book available through this Humble Bundle, so don’t wait!
Humble Bundles offer great deals and support great causes. Purchasers get a say in how much of their donation goes to each participant at checkout.
Something that I have been mulling over for some time (but have yet to mention in these annotations) is the naming of the Godsrain Prophecies. By the time I first heard of them, they had already been given that title, but nothing I have read so far has given me any indication as to how or why. Personally, I would never presume to name a collection of this potential impact and importance without a very clear reason, lest I end up in a repeat of the Fatal Four disaster. (To think that one scribe’s decision to include a bit of wordplay in their recounting of a minor historical prophecy would lead to not one but two assassinations is truly beyond the pale!) Issues like this are the reason that Lorminos insisted I read Notorious Names and Narrative Novelties: Navigating the Nuance of Nomenclature early on in my studies (a book that could easily have been 150 pages instead of over 700, in my personal opinion). While I must make reading these prophecies a priority, I will also endeavor to track down the origin of the word Godsrain. For one thing, it is possible there was a mistaken transcription somewhere along the line. Perhaps they should instead be known as the God’s Reign Prophecies, alluding to the end of a specific god’s reign? It is something to at least consider.
The Godsrain Prophecies Part Seven
Wednesday, March 20, 2024
Something that I have been mulling over for some time (but have yet to mention in these annotations) is the naming of the Godsrain Prophecies. By the time I first heard of them, they had already been given that title, but nothing I have read so far has given me any indication as to how or why. Personally, I would never presume to name a collection of this potential impact and importance without a very clear reason, lest I end up in a repeat of the Fatal Four disaster. (To think that one scribe’s decision to include a bit of wordplay in their recounting of a minor historical prophecy would lead to not one but two assassinations is truly beyond the pale!) Issues like this are the reason that Lorminos insisted I read Notorious Names and Narrative Novelties: Navigating the Nuance of Nomenclature early on in my studies (a book that could easily have been 150 pages instead of over 700, in my personal opinion). While I must make reading these prophecies a priority, I will also endeavor to track down the origin of the word Godsrain. For one thing, it is possible there was a mistaken transcription somewhere along the line. Perhaps they should instead be known as the God’s Reign Prophecies, alluding to the end of a specific god’s reign? It is something to at least consider.
–Yivali, Apprentice Researcher for the Lady of Graves
The “Death” of Zon-Kuthon
Shelyn has tried countless times to touch the heart of Zon-Kuthon, but in the end her music is what dooms the Midnight Lord. He’s long ignored his sister’s tears, no matter how they stream or pool, collecting any that he can and using them as salt to rub into followers’ wounds. Her pleading declarations he considers almost background noise, a counterpoint that makes the pain that echoes through the Netherworld sound that much more divine. But when she finds the beauty in the way his Kuthites scream and whimper, weaves together suffering into a string of rousing chords, builds melodies from dripping blood and rhythms from a clanging chain? Only she could find the art in all the suffering he wields, a dulcet murmuring that calls out from an orchestra of pain. Dou-bral, brother, I love you still. Dou-bral, come back to me.
With newfound strength, Dou-bral returns, soul breaking through its cage of bones and kicking out the usurper who’d lived beneath his skin. But even free he’s trapped inside a body built for cruelty, his face a mask of agony that tells a brutal story—scars and cries and sharpened blades, blood and tears and pain. The anguish he has known and caused, the torment Zon-Kuthon embraced—how can he reconcile himself with all he now remembers? He tries to flee back to his cell, to turn back into what he was, but Zon-Kuthon is memory now and only he remains.
Dou-bral can feel divinity like sparks beneath his fingertips, but with all that he’s done and been, he cannot now reward himself and let himself play god. He takes the power in his hands (so good now at destroying things) and rips it from his very being, leaving something more than man but less than deity. He stumbles from the Netherworld, his ears ringing with tortured screams (most of which are not his own), and makes his way to Pangolais, as if Zon-Kuthon’s capital will help him understand the things his other self has done. And when Shelyn walks next to him, her arm outstretched in kindness, the glaive she’d taken from him offered up with open hands, he turns his back and walks away, her music souring in his ears, reminding him of every chain he used to break their father.
Art and beauty pay a price for all that Shelyn’s sacrificed—the nightmares that disturbed her rest as she crafted a song of pain, the knowledge that Dou-bral is back but still wrapped up in suffering, the loss she feels from victory that’s nothing like she’d hoped. In theaters and galleries, on stage and page and instrument, creative minds start struggling—the colors dim, the music fades, the movements don’t flow smoothly—and lovers’ disillusions grow as nothing feels the way it was, until the disappointment drives some life-long pairs apart, an echo of a sadness that she cannot seem to shake.
Dou-bral’s other flesh and blood, the spirit-wolf turned Prince in Chains, roams the grounds of Xovaikain, trying to fill the absence that his son has left behind. But for all his vicious howling, what is left of Thron is not a god, and soon two new contenders come with plans to claim the Netherworld—Asmodeus who wants to bring new pain to the unworthy, adding a few new items to the tools he has for torment, and Iomedae, who seeks to free the souls still left within the realm, turning their search for pain into a sacrifice for glory. Neither willing to back down, they fortify positions, preparing for a battle that will change the Netherworld.
Far from the squabbling of the gods, Dou-bral travels through Nidal, hoping that he will find some path to redemption. Instead, he watches Cheliax, no longer held by ancient pact to stay within its borderlines, begin to take Nidalese lands, while members of the Umbral Court each claim to be Zon-Kuthon’s heir and stab each other in the back to claim his legacy.
Is the tainting of love and beauty worth Shelyn’s sacrifice if the shadow her brother’s replacement leaves behind remains to darken the world?
I will be completely honest here: Zon-Kuthon terrifies me! Always has. And yet this prophecy wasn’t scary at all. At least not to me. My Lady, I know, fears little, but I have been feeling the whole set of emotions during these annotations—terrified one minute and smiling the next. I truly thought I would be shivering after reading this, but I think I feel more sad than anything. Miss Shelyn trying so hard to free her brother and achieving her goal, only for him to reciprocate no love? It almost reminds me of my role in collecting these prophecies. I have wanted to be a part of something big to show my Lady how I can be of help to her for some time, and yet that means collecting a group of so-called prophecies that could be devastating in the wrong hands. It is odd to think of the gods having the same types of problems that the rest of us sometimes do. We revere them, and yet, especially as I read these prophecies, they seem more… mortal somehow? Or not. I hope that doesn’t sound too disrespectful. Best to leave this line of thought behind and move on to the next prophecy.
About the Author
Erin Roberts has been thrilled to be able to contribute a few small threads to the fabric of Golarion in the pages of books like Lost Omens Firebrands, Lost Omens Highhelm, and Lost Omens Travel Guide. In addition to her work for Paizo, she freelances across the TTRPG world (and was selected as a Diana Jones Award Emerging Designer Program Winner in 2023), has had fiction published in magazines including Asimov’s, Clarkesworld, and The Dark, and talks about writing every week on the Writing Excuses podcast. Catch up with her latest at linktr.ee/erinroberts.
After a lovely day and night spent in the river canyons, it was time for our next adventure. “What do you think?” I asked Lythea the next morning, spreading the rough map of the coastline that we’d pieced together out on the table in the galley. “The cartography of this region is incomplete, but my notes suggest that several migratory species congregate in and below the cliffs along the shoreline, somewhere—” I gestured diffidently with a claw. “—near here?”
Zoetrope Logs, Part Two: Water in the Storm
Tuesday, March 19, 2024
After a lovely day and night spent in the river canyons, it was time for our next adventure. “What do you think?” I asked Lythea the next morning, spreading the rough map of the coastline that we’d pieced together out on the table in the galley. “The cartography of this region is incomplete, but my notes suggest that several migratory species congregate in and below the cliffs along the shoreline, somewhere—” I gestured diffidently with a claw. “—near here?”
She laughed at my hopeful expression, the water gently sloshing in the supramarine chair she affectionately called her “Little Sea” as she leaned forward and scrutinized my attempts at map-making, tracing the jagged lines with her finger. “We’ll aim for here,” Lythea said, her tone decisive, “and then work our way up the coast if we need to. No need to worry, Baranthet.”
“There’s occasionally some need,” I protested as Grefu approached, his finned arms delicately balancing several platters. “Here, let’s clear some space.”
Our stoic cook grunted his thanks as we swept the papers away and helped him unload the eclectic breakfast he’d prepared. We left the menu up to him, but he always seemed to find a way to accommodate everyone’s favorites (today’s breakfast included multi-seed scones for me and seaweed wraps for Lythea, among other delicacies). The others joined us shortly thereafter: Dr. Pom emerging from her cabin and blinking in the bright sun; Telero and Chari putting away their spyglass and sketchbook, respectively, as they returned from vantage points at the prow; Ten scuttling down from the central mast to arrive before the others and take first pick of the bounty. Grefu’s eyes twinkled as the young surki loaded their plate with one of everything and tucked in, their mandibles moving with wordless delight.
Lythea and I continued to discuss our plans as the others settled in. “With fair winds, it should only take a few hours, but... I’m not sure the weather will hold,” she said, evaluating the horizon with a critical eye.
Grefu politely refrained from smoking his coral pipe during mealtimes, but he was never without it, and now he gestured toward the clouds with it in hand. “She’s right. Storm’s movin’ in.”
This succinct observation complete, he stood and began clearing plates as I looked anxiously at Lythea. “The winds will guide us either way. There’s no cause for concern,” she reiterated with a smile.
Several hours later, I certainly felt there was a cause or two as I clung to the controls on the exterior deck, rain stinging my face. I much would have preferred, dear reader, to pilot the ship from the safety of the main bridge, the Zoetrope's sturdy panes shielding us from the elements, but some curious property of the storm had rendered our instruments erratic and unreliable, leaving us no choice but to conduct an open-air reading. Lythea watched the clouds and the sea below us with unflappable focus, fiercely calling directions over the thunder snatching at her words. But our navigator’s faith in our trusty ship and crew was not misplaced, and—trembling a bit from the effort, but still upright—I managed to set us down precisely where she wanted us with only minimal mishaps.
As I unclipped my safety line and sagged against the helm to catch my breath, Ten scampered by on their way to the engine room, looking as though they’d just had the time of their life despite an obvious abrasion on their arm. Grefu soon joined us, his coral pipe clenched in his mouth, and passed over a thermos of giant swordfish soup. I let the spicy aroma soothe my frayed nerves and permitted myself a moment to reminisce about the thunderstorms I watched in my youth with my pet protoceratops, Lin, my grandmother’s stew simmering away as she told us of the wardens.
Grefu’s gruff voice broke my reverie. “Nice flyin’, you two.”
I toasted him with the thermos. “Excellent cooking. Soup during a storm, imagine!”
He nodded, silently accepting the compliment, but his eyes were on Lythea, who’d accepted a thermos of her own but was staring off at the water.
“Lot of memories in storms,” he said, his voice gentle. “Lot of stories. This recipe was born in one, you know.”
Light writer plates of Grefu and Lythea, from official Zoetrope expedition logs. Art by Gunship Revolution.
Grefu leaned against the control panel, adjusting the satchel of herbs and salts that was always at his hip. His gaze as faraway as Lythea’s, he ventured, “Several generations back, my community was in a great famine. The matriarch of our clan had led us well for many years, but she was old and tired, and so we were looking for new leadership—normally a celebrated transition, but a grim one this time.
“My great-grandmother knew one good hunt could see us through. No one had ever dared to face the legendary swordfish lurking in the depths, beyond the coral walls of our home. Still, she was hopeful it could feed us for many seasons if she could only catch and prepare it properly.”
I was lucky the thermos was keeping my soup warm, because I had completely forgotten about it, so enraptured was I in Grefu’s story! Lythea, too, seemed to be hanging on every word.
Grefu blinked in that slow, measured way of his and continued. “She organized a group of our finest eel riders, even recruiting some from a nearby community, and set off into the dark. I imagine it must have been a terrific battle. But they returned, bearing the great beast—and she prepared and served it for her ascension feast, when the village unequivocally nominated her as our matriarch’s successor.”
“She sounds like an inspiring woman,” Lythea said, a small but genuine smile brightening her face. “Do you miss your family, Grefu?”
He considered this a moment. “It’s natural to do so, when you leave a close-knit community,” he said finally. “And I do. But they’re with me still, when I make a family recipe or repair the same nets their hands worked before mine.”
“Have either of you considered writing down some of your family’s stories?” I asked, ever the librarian.
“I sing of mine,” Lythea said, shaking her head. “That’s what keeps them close, for me.”
Grefu seemed to agree. “That’s more your wheelhouse, Baranthet—or Charikleia’s. Though I’ve thought about putting together a recipe collection, maybe.”
“A cookbook!” I was delighted. “Oh, you must—I’ve never eaten so well in my life as I have on this voyage.”
He huffed in amusement. “We’ll see. Maybe our navigator here can help me find a few of the rarer ingredients I’ve been missin’.”
Lythea’s lyrical laugh filled the bridge as she clinked her thermos to ours. “I’m always up for a dive!”
Baranthet Zamendi cultivated his love of the natural world at a young age, enamored with his grandmother’s awe-inspiring tales of the legendary Wardens of the Wild. He briefly attended Almas University before returning home to rebuild Droon’s public library, eventually becoming its head archivist. His upcoming book on the crew of the Zoetrope and their search for the wardens is his first, but he’s already planning his next adventure.
Support for Mr. Zamendi by
Simone D. Sallé is a senior editor at Paizo and has written for numerous Pathfinder and Starfinder books, including more of Baranthet’s tale in Pathfinder Howl of the Wild, the primal treatise and witch journals in Pathfinder Secrets of Magic, and Starfinder Bounty #12: Under Pressure. When she’s not extolling the virtues of the en dash, she enjoys playing as many narrative games as her schedule allows and wandering the woods with her Disreputable Dog.
Hello again, explorers! Today, we take a look at some of the aquatic content coming in Howl of the Wild: the athamaru ancestry and the merfolk ancestry! First are athamarus, Grefu’s amphibious people, who sculpt coral, communicate (and defend themselves) via scent, and practice eel rearing. Athamaru eel riders are a fearsome force, and your character can saddle up and lead the charge with abilities like Riptide Mount!
RIPTIDE MOUNT [one-action] — FEAT 5
Athamaru Requirements You are underwater and adjacent to a creature that is at least one size larger than you, has a swim Speed, and is willing to be your mount.
After working with aquatic beasts of burden for years, you have learned how to easily mount and dismount them. You Mount the creature and Command an Animal to issue it an order of your choice.
As a merfolk, Lythea has quite the voice. Merfolk are one of the most magical ancestries coming in Howl of the Wild, with abilities like manipulating water, cursing sailors, or turning their tears to pearls. But a merfolk’s most famous ability is their enchanting song—quite literally with the Siren Song feat!
SIREN SONG [three-actions] — FEAT 9
Auditory, Mental, Merfolk, Primal Frequency once per day
Prerequisites expert in Performance
You can beguile and bewitch with your song. All creatures in a 60-foot emanation must attempt a Will save against your Performance DC. On subsequent rounds, you can Sustain the song, causing each creature in the area currently affected by your song to attempt another Will save. Typically, creatures that have traveled with you for a significant time, such as your fellow party members, are immune to your Siren Song.
Critical Success The target is unaffected and becomes immune to your Siren Song for 24 hours. Success The target is fascinated with you until the end of your next turn. Failure As success, and the target is stupefied 1 for as long as it’s fascinated. Critical Failure As success, and the target is stupefied 2 for as long as it’s fascinated.
The athamaru ancestry is embodied by the ship’s cook, Grefu, and the merfolk ancestry by its navigator, Lythea! Art by Gunship Revolution.
We’ll continue passing on any reports from the crew that come our way, so keep an eye on the horizon for the next log from the adventures from the good ship Zoetrope.
But that, explorers, is a story for another day.
James Case Senior Designer
For the third chapter of the Zoetrope Logs, click here.
March is Women’s History Month here in the United States, and all of us here at Paizo want to take time to uplift and appreciate some of the women who bring our games to your tables!
It’d be silly not to mention that our CEO and Founder, Lisa Stevens, is a prominent woman in the TTRPG community and has been a cornerstone of Paizo since the beginning. You can enjoy some of her stories about her time working in games by checking out Auntie Lisa’s Story Hour!
Now, to showcase and give space to some more of the phenomenal women who make Paizo’s worlds better and brighter! As the theme of this year’s Women’s History Month is “Advocating for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion”, we’re also celebrating the work these people do in those regards!
Caryn DiMarco, she/they
You may have seen my name on PFS scenarios or in Lost Omens Highhelm—or on some soon-to-be-released products! I am so proud of this achievement, but when I'm not writing for Pathfinder, I obviously do play a lot of Pathfinder. This includes Pathfinder Society (forever GMs unite) and one question that's always on my mind is how to make sure every player feels welcome at our games.
I've been at a lot of tables where I'm the only member of a certain group, and that's never a fun situation to be in. But often it's the only way to get more people to show up. I want to thank everyone who's signed up for a table or showed up to GM despite being a minority in their community; it's always a risk, but it's work that makes this community more welcoming for the rest of us. If this doesn't apply to you, I hope you walk up to each table with the goal of getting to know all the players and doing your part to create a safe and welcoming environment for them.
Pathfinder is a game for everyone, but it takes everyone's effort to make that true.
Solatra Lilac Harvinkai, credited as Sasha Laranoa Harving (nov/nov and dune/dune)
To advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the world of women is a difficult topic to broach. I am, personally, as a tall butch nonbinary lesbian who underwent estrogenizing hormone treatments for several years, and who has felt like a boy and a girl and a woman and am none now... am not often advocated for in the inclusion of.
I feel like when people aim to include women, they want to say that anyone who considers themself a woman is welcome. Often, I’ve seen them explicitly turn away trans women who are not able to safely come out for having some facial hair, or implicitly for not speaking the same language as the majority at the function by not having interpreters, or for being disabled by being in a venue with three steps up.
This is me saying to include them. Include everyone affected by misogyny. Fight the venue to get a ramp put in. Yell when they don’t want to spend money for an interpreter. If you have any form of privilege, weaponize it for those without.
We do not win alone. And there will come a day when our voices demand more attention than their silence.
Sara Jeffers (she/they)
Sara Jeffers (she/they) is an Indigenous Two Spirit game designer and graphic designer who utilizes traditional Salish art and storytelling structures to help de-colonize game design and add to the growing representation of First Nations and Indigenous North Americans in the industry. They also professionally GM a number of systems and games, focusing on combining horror with wholesome. When not writing or playing TTRPGs, Sara can be found hanging out with the coolest kids on the planet (theirs) and watching Bluey.
Their previous published work includes Starfinder Bounty #10 and several solo TTRPGs available on itch.io. She is currently writing a full level 1-20 campaign for Pathfinder Second Edition and starting production on a murder mystery Actual Play set in the world of Thedas. Her most recent graphic and motion design work can be seen on an upcoming Thirsty Sword Lesbians Actual Play on Enchanting Sorcery Productions on Twitch and YouTube.
In the future, Sara wants to be part of the movement in the TTRPG industry that leads towards something more exciting and less problematic than 4X play.
Lynne M. Meyer (she/they)
Hello! I’m Lynne, one of Paizo’s editors. I’m a queer femme and an advocate for inclusive games. For over a decade, I worked in higher education as an interfaith and DEI educator—a role that included developing and implementing training programs for students and staff, and directly supporting students of all genders and sexual orientations.
This background now informs what I do in the gaming industry.
I'd been a player for many years, but it was a 2018 call for contributors to what would become Uncaged Anthology that inspired me to start writing for TTRPGs. An anthology of one-shots, each centered on a feminist reimagining of a traditionally female mythological archetype and its origins? I had to do it! I battled my fear and pitched an adventure. Almost everyone on the team was of a marginalized gender, and the support we gave (and still give) each other was life changing. For most of us, it was the first time we’d experienced anything like that.
I then helped edit all the subsequent Uncaged books. That work led to more projects, and more opportunities to grow my skills. Eventually, that led me to Paizo!
Find me on Bluesky (@lynnemeyer.bsky.social) and Twitter (@Lynne_M_Meyer).
Elizabeth V Nold (she/her)
Hello! My name is Betsy (she/her) and I am a player, GM, and freelance writer of TTRPGs. I most recently got to work on [redacted], but, in the meantime, you can check out my work on the Pathfinder Society Scenario #3-05: Inheritor's Rite or Pathfinder Bounty 7: Cleanup Duty. I have also written for the Shadowrun system and contributed to the Attitude sourcebook.
I began my TTRPG adventure when my friend bought an AD&D book for $1.00 at a yard sale. I did not realize until years later how rare my all-girl group was at the time. In my 30+ years playing, GMing, and writing for games, I have seen women go from being a minority to being a common sight. Gaming has given me many opportunities. I have learned that I can write. Through GMing, volunteering as a Venture Officer, and helping to organize Paizo Organized Play Games Conventions (come say hi at Origins), I have learned to be confident in my abilities and how to convey that confidence.
Thanks to all the strong women and allies who have come before that made this possible for me. I hope that I can help keep the progress moving forward.
Jessica Redekop (she/they/he)
Hello! My name is Jessica Redekop (she/they/he), and I was one of two women with a cover credit on Pathfinder Rage of Elements. Women play games and belong in the gaming industry.
This month and every month, we appreciate the contributions women make to our games here at Paizo—and across the games industry!
In Solidarity,
Rue Dickey (they/he/xe) Marketing & Media Specialist
Greetings! Luis Loza, here! We’re just about done with our draconic tour of Pathfinder Monster Core. Last time, we took a look at the horned dragon, a remastered take on the green dragon of yore. This time around, we’re taking a peek at a brand-new design by checking out the empyreal dragon. Let’s have a look!
Be Not Afraid (of These Dragons)!
Friday, March 15, 2024
Greetings! Luis Loza, here! We’re just about done with our draconic tour of Pathfinder Monster Core. Last time, we took a look at the horned dragon, a remastered take on the green dragon of yore. This time around, we’re taking a peek at a brand-new design by checking out the empyreal dragon. Let’s have a look!
Divine Empyreal Dragon Design by Kent Hamilton
Around May of last year, we shared a preview for the diabolic dragon (the first dragon preview blog!). We are only just now getting around to their divine counterparts, the empyreal dragons. These dragons are connected to the plane of Heaven. They’re majestic beings with large, powerful frames and golden scales. Unsurprisingly, their divine nature grants them a breath that unleashes spirit damage with holy sanctification.
Their most noticeable feature is the golden halo that rests above their heads. This halo radiates an inspiring aura that grants allies benefits to saving throws and skills checks. Depending on the power of the empyreal dragon, the dragon can make use of additional abilities that originate from this halo. Some empyreal dragons can create a healing pulse that restores other creatures within the aura’s area. Others use their divine power to push creatures away. Particularly powerful empyreal dragons can even impose a mental burden on creatures in the area, causing them to become slowed. Thankfully, an empyreal dragon chooses who is or isn’t affected by these abilities so they can strategically help allies and hinder foes. The dragon can also deploy the halo, directing it to a nearby area and causing the aura to move with it. This allows an empyreal dragon to help or hinder from afar while focusing on a separate part of the battlefield.
All of these abilities complement empyreal dragons’ benevolent natures. They are compassionate beings who go out of their way to protect others. They even make their lairs particularly accessible, knowing that nearby innocents might someday make use of the treasures within. It’s not unlikely for an empyreal dragon’s lair to contain a multitude of magical armaments so that nearby innocents can stumble upon them in times of need.
That’s our look at the empyreal dragon! We’re just about finished with our look at the dragons from Monster Core, which releases in just a few weeks. We have one last dragon to preview for everyone. As has been foretold, we will take a look at the omen dragon in our final blog. See you then!
This encounter takes place in the small town of Navendale at the base of the Aspodell Mountains in Andoran not far from the Cheliax border. Your PCs could be passing through town or restocking and relaxing between adventures. Navendale is small, but it gets a fair number of travelers. One of the draws is the Red Rose Refuge, a popular lodge perched high on a rocky peak overlooking the town. The Refuge, as the locals call it, is known for having musicians play nearly every night, and tonight the famed Brastlewark Trio are performing.
This encounter takes place in the small town of Navendale at the base of the Aspodell Mountains in Andoran not far from the Cheliax border. Your PCs could be passing through town or restocking and relaxing between adventures. Navendale is small, but it gets a fair number of travelers. One of the draws is the Red Rose Refuge, a popular lodge perched high on a rocky peak overlooking the town. The Refuge, as the locals call it, is known for having musicians play nearly every night, and tonight the famed Brastlewark Trio are performing.
The PCs are in the town square below when a stableboy comes running down the steep road to the Refuge shouting for any attention he can gather. He heads straight for the PCs and says, “Hey! You! You gotta help! It’s real bad up there!” If he’s calmed and asked what’s going on, he continues, “I was working in the stables brushing the horses when all of a sudden they got spooked, and then a real bad stink rose up. I nearly urped; smelled like when you stumble across a dead goat out on the mountainside. Then I heard all the yelling and screaming. A couple people stumbled out into the snow all bloody. You gotta get up there and do something!”
The PCs can run up the steep road and get to the Refuge in about two minutes. When the PCs arrive, the first thing they encounter is a stench of death carried on the cold spring wind. The Refuge’s door hangs open and the sounds of gruff voices, sobbing cries, and violence spill from the doorway. Inside, tables sit askew, and chairs are sprawled out on the floor amid broken pottery mugs and shattered glass. Over a dozen bodies lie slumped and bloody on the floor.
Map: This map showcases a portion of the upcoming Pathfinder Flip-Mat: Showtime Multi-Pack, out next month on Paizo.com or your local hobby store!
Creatures: Forced from their warrens, this group of ghouls has been wandering the countryside to find a new home. They’ve also grown hungry, and instead of hunting in town, they decided to target the remote Red Rose Refuge. They slinked out of the woods, passing by the stables before entering the Refuge.
They immediately attacked anyone they could reach, killing a dozen staff and patrons before cornering the frightened gnome singers on the stage. Three of the ghouls have the performers restrained while they whisper into their ears using Ghoul Whispers, while the other three are feeding on their fresh kills so they can use Grave Knowledge to help them find new warrens under an old boneyard. As the PCs enter the room, all six turn their attention to the door and bare their teeth.
Str +1, Dex +4, Con +1, Int +1, Wis +2, Cha +2 AC 17; Fort +4, Ref +9, Will +5 HP 16, void healing; Immunities bleed, death effects, disease, paralyzed, poison, unconscious
Stench (aura, olfactory) 10 feet; A creature entering the aura or starting its turn in the area must succeed at a DC 14 Fortitude save or become sickened 1 (plus slowed 1 as long as it’s sickened on a critical failure). A creature that succeeds at its save or recovers from being sickened is temporarily immune to all stench auras for 1 minute.
ConsumeFlesh [one-action] (manipulate); Requirements The ghoul is adjacent to the corpse of a creature that died within the last hour; Effect The ghoul devours a chunk of the corpse and regains 1d6 Hit Points. It can regain Hit Points from any given corpse only once.
ForbiddenCravings (curse) SavingThrow Will, using the high spell DC for the ghoul’s level (GM Core 121); Stage 1 carrier with no ill effects (1 day); Stage 2 2d6 void damage and the target is sickened 1 until it consumes raw meat (1 day); Stage 3 as stage 2; Stage 4 as stage 2 unless the target has consumed raw meat in the past 24 hours, then it takes 4d6 void damage and is sickened 2 until it consumes raw meat; Stage 5 if the creature has eaten raw meat in the past 24 hours, it dies and rises as a ghoul, if not, it returns to stage 4
GhoulWhispers [one-action] (auditory, linguistic, occult) Requirement A grabbed, paralyzed, restrained, or unconscious creature is within the ghoul’s reach; Effect The ghoul whispers dark thoughts and vile cravings into the creature’s ears. The creature must save (DC 17) against the forbidden cravings curse.
GraveKnowledge (occult) Frequency once per hour; Effect The ghoul calls upon knowledge it retains from one creature it has consumed in the past 7 days. The ghoul attempts a skill check using a skill in which the consumed creature was trained (if it’s unclear whether the creature was trained, the GM decides). The ghoul is treated as trained and uses a +7 skill modifier. This takes the same amount of actions or time as usual for the check.
The ghoul can instead automatically learn something specific known by a creature it consumed in the last 7 days, like the location of a hidden treasure or the name of a loved one. The ghoul can do this only once for a given creature, no matter how much of its flesh the ghoul consumed.
SwiftLeap [one-action] (move) The ghoul jumps up to half its Speed. This movement doesn’t trigger reactions.
As the Starfinder team prepares for the launch of the Starfinder Second Edition Playtest later this summer, we’re releasing small snapshots of our work in progress. So far, we’ve previewed the soldier class, a couple of ancestries, and the mystic. Be sure to check out those Field Tests if you haven’t already! We appreciate all the discussion and hype around the Field Tests, which energizes and motivates our creative processes even more than coffee does (if you can believe it).
Speaking of motivation, Field Test #4 previews Starfinder’s “team player” and “party leader” class, the envoy! Inside, you’ll find our thoughts on the envoy’s role and capabilities, and an alpha version of the first 5 levels of the class, just like our earlier class previews. While you may have seen the envoy in action during the Starfinder team’s livestream playtest in October, or perhaps you were lucky enough to play a demo at a recent convention, this is your chance to see the actual draft of the class!
Oh, and did I mention new art? I’m sure you’ve met our iconic envoy, Navasi!
llustration by Kent Hamilton The Iconic envoy, Navasi, is ready for the field test!
So, what’s the envoy all about? They’re a Charisma-based class, and the Starfinder team generally thinks of envoys as “support” characters, though they’re quite likely to play a leadership role, whether as a mover and shaker in your campaign, as a “party leader” or “face” for the rest of the player characters, or all the above! For envoys in Second Edition, we’re trying a brand new mechanic in the form of “envoy directives.” These abilities—some of which you get automatically, and others which you can select as envoy feats—give some direction to the envoy’s allies and grant the envoy and their allies a small benefit for following through on the orders. Directives have a variety of uses, from singling out targets with “Get ‘Em!” to hustling the team into a better tactical position with “Get in There!” Envoys can also “lead by example,” following their own directive to grant everyone an additional bonus for the round. Combined with numerous other feats that grant envoys combat options (like doling out temporary Hit Points, buffs, and debuffs), the ability to wield awesome sci-fi weapons, and several unique reactions, envoys have a satisfying and flexible action economy. Every team will be happy to have an envoy along, and your ability to build an envoy character to fit a variety of party roles means your envoy will always have a team to call their own!
Illustration by Alexey Chernik Navasi lends a helping hand at a diner.
Envoys must be ready for anything, from performing community service to battling whatever horrifying creatures Thurston decides to throw at the rest of the team during internal playtests! So far, we think envoys are a blast to play. They almost always have time to get into a good position on the battlefield while consistently dishing out damage, granting benefits to their allies, and tackling unexpected situations with their variety of skills and adaptive skill feats. Sometimes a single turn for an envoy has a major impact on a fight, such as by repositioning the entire team after a nasty ambush. We’d love your feedback on how envoys play at your table, especially in different team compositions—or with multiple envoys in the same party!
So, what’re you waiting for? Get in there and read that field test! Finally, if you’re hoping to catch more snippets of the playtest, stay tuned for announcements about future playtest livestreams. We’ve still got more to show you between now and the playtest release at GenCon!
As I continue reading through the Godsrain “prophecies,” I have begun to develop a troubling new theory about their origin. I will admit up front that this idea may seem more in line with one of those Another Absalom tales of spies and skullduggery than a scholarly review (though I have always believed that those tales should be studied for their ability to keep the reader’s attention, something we researchers often do not do as successfully as we would like!), but I’ve noticed that several of the prophecies seem to strike at the core of what many think about the divine. This is not to say that gods cannot die, or falter, or fail in some way, but the more I read these documents, the more I can imagine negative outcomes that I might once have dismissed as distant possibilities. What if this is deliberate?
The Godsrain Prophecies Part Six
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
As I continue reading through the Godsrain “prophecies,” I have begun to develop a troubling new theory about their origin. I will admit up front that this idea may seem more in line with one of those Another Absalom tales of spies and skullduggery than a scholarly review (though I have always believed that those tales should be studied for their ability to keep the reader’s attention, something we researchers often do not do as successfully as we would like!), but I’ve noticed that several of the prophecies seem to strike at the core of what many think about the divine. This is not to say that gods cannot die, or falter, or fail in some way, but the more I read these documents, the more I can imagine negative outcomes that I might once have dismissed as distant possibilities. What if this is deliberate?
Perhaps the author of these works is no prophet at all, but someone who seeks to weaken what we understand of divinity. I am not certain who or what would seek that as an outcome, but any entity that benefits from faltering faith is one that cannot have the best interests of Golarion at heart. Still, if I am being candid, the thought of some mysterious villain appeals to me more than it probably should. Perhaps I simply wish to find a reason for these prophecies outside of any potential truth I might find in their pages. Or perhaps I have stumbled onto a workable theory. I will note the thought, but only as one of many I might bring to my Lady. False comfort can too often be found within visions of conspiracy.
–Yivali, Apprentice Researcher for the Lady of Graves
The Death of Nethys
Mind. Matter. Spirit. Life. Four essences. Four building blocks. Four cornerstones whose intersections shape the way that magic works. And in that four, two pairs that are too different to be joined together. Matter never blends with Spirit; Mind and Life remain apart. Nethys knows the truth of this, but never quite believes it fully. (Is he not the proof that there is power in duality?)
As the centuries progress, he keeps returning to this quandary, tells himself that he alone can meld the two opposing pairs. He can be the font of knowledge. He can give the world new magic. He can take the contradictions, put them through a transformation. He can start two new traditions. Mind and Body. Heart and Soul.
Does he succeed? Perhaps he does. Perhaps he stands awash with pride, his fingers trembling at the feeling, ready to share something of the magic he has wrought. But if he feels triumphant, it is only for a moment—a breath of jubilation as he soaks himself in magic, followed by a cry of horror as his body falls apart. Nethys, by sheer will and power, holds himself together briefly, fractures crawling down his arms, breaking him to pieces like a chunk of splintered glass. He remains alive just long enough to see the power of his folly, spreading from his fingers to the very building blocks of magic, tearing them asunder as his body turns to ash.
In an instant, magic changes—bends and rips and stretches thin, settling like a shredded cloth pulled tight across the world. Where it is torn, all magic ceases. Long-held items lose their power. Spells are nothing more than words. Spellcasters within these hollows lose all tether to their magic, even if they only cross the boundary in the aftermath. Some regain their skills with time, but others never quite recover, every magic word they utter turned to dust between their lips. Some don’t even make it that far, dying when the magic ends, falling from the skies above, losing shields that keep them safe, gulping down a healing potion turned to flavored water.
At first, the new uncertainty inspires mass devotion, but there is little solace from the other gods. Pharasma asks for a report. Irori swears to make it right. Their followers still cannot cast a single spell within the hollows. And those who lose the taste for magic, prayers dying in their mouth? They do not seem to gain a thing from all their dedication.
For those who never cared for magic, hollows are a place of refuge, leveling the playing field in favor of the fist and sword. Many flock who follow Nethys, loyal to his knowledge still, believing this to be some test that leads them to a new reward.
Many on Golarion relocate from their hollowed homes, fearing what it means to lose the magic in their lives. But travel is no easy thing, not even with the scout and map and herbal kits (now free of magical augmentations) that have become requirements for any trip outside. Rumors abound of hidden dangers scattered through the Great Beyond: places where the magic varies, strong one day and weak the next, turning one night’s cantrip to the morning’s deadly strike; villages consumed by all the magic stolen from the world, drowning in a power they have no way to unmake.
Magic is so fundamental to our reality that the thought of its absence or unreliability on a multiplanar scale is nearly as unfathomable as the concept of Nethys’s own ambition being magic’s undoing!
Magic has never been among my preferred subjects to study, but I now wish I’d learned more of it! It would help me to properly evaluate what, if anything, within this prophecy is truly feasible. Could one death (even the death of a god) create this level of chaos within such a fundamental part of life? This prophecy seems to indicate that magic is forever changed by Nethys’s actions, but even a disaster of the magnitude described seems unlikely to change fundamental principles of magic (a statement I would be much more convinced of were I sure that I fully understood them). While I doubt that this prophecy would come true, I am now curious if there are any projects that Nethys has undertaken that might lead to his attempting something on this scale. Perhaps I judged too quickly, and these are less dastardly plot than desperate warning? I need more information to be sure.
About the Author
Erin Roberts has been thrilled to be able to contribute a few small threads to the fabric of Golarion in the pages of books like Lost Omens Firebrands, Lost Omens Highhelm, and Lost Omens Travel Guide. In addition to her work for Paizo, she freelances across the TTRPG world (and was selected as a Diana Jones Award Emerging Designer Program Winner in 2023), has had fiction published in magazines including Asimov’s, Clarkesworld, and The Dark, and talks about writing every week on the Writing Excuses podcast. Catch up with her latest at linktr.ee/erinroberts.
The basher arcade was filled with battle cries and frenzied advice from spectators as servers smoothly weaved between groups with cheap drinks for their patrons. Students from all over the city crowded every corner, cheering and booing each game’s combatants. Soo-jin took a long sip of tea, wincing at the strong aftertaste as onlookers shouted at the small figures projected in the middle of their table.
“Get him!” one of the boys from Sage Plum Academy cried as an alley basher kicked her opponent in the head. “To the right, to the right!”
The tiny figures clashed again, fists flying as their players maneuvered them to victory. Nga’s eyes were locked onto the projections as she rolled her fighter into a defensive position, raising his arms to shield his chest. Her opponent grinned, his hands deftly moving levers while his fighter pressed in with punches and kicks.
Soo-jin watched the brawl with gritted teeth, waggling her fingers nervously. One boy’s eyes met hers and he pointed a finger at the SPELLS ARE CHEATING sign; irritated, Soo-jin raised her hands and pointedly showed they were free of magic auras before setting them on the table.
The opposing fighter grabbed Nga’s by the waist. Soo-jin’s nails now clacked against the table in a nervous drum beneath the frenzied shouts for a finishing blow. With a smirk, Nga flipped a lever, and her fighter’s elbow smashed downward, his leg swooping up into a powerful kick. There was a shout—a blare of music—and Soo-jin jumped so fast her chair fell over.
Nga beamed triumphantly as the Sage Plum boy groaned, his friends laughing and sighing at his loss. Nga’s tiny fighter raised his fist, roaring silently in victory, and illusory fireworks exploded across the table to illuminate expressions of both dismay and glee around the table.
“Pay up, all!” Soo-jin laughed. Groans echoed above the victory music, followed by the clink of coins falling into her purse as she collected her friend’s winnings. Another round was suggested and a new challenger was already settling into the open seat, cracking their knuckles dramatically as the battle music started back up. Soo-jin cast a quick cantrip over the purse, checking the total, before nodding a quick farewell to the other students and following Nga toward the exit.
Art by Sandra Posada
The heavy scent of cheap tea and fried snacks gave way to the aroma of hot buns and saucy chicken. The sun was bright outside the basher arcade, the shouts of stall vendors replacing the cheers of students. Tired laborers grumbled about the lack of progress on the Surepath highway while young children ran past, yelling about spotting a sundaflora in the gardens. A girl from Soo-jin’s cram school waved politely from a shop known for its buns; Soo-jin awkwardly waved back, trying and failing to remember anything except that the girl had a duck as a familiar.
Nga and Soo-jin walked leisurely to their usual kopi-tiam, greeting Uncle Moon as the smell of coffee wafted toward them. Uncle Moon shouted a greeting back, merrily flipping hot taiyaki from a pan into a wax paper bag. Momo slept peacefully on the counter, purring with one small paw curled protectively over a copper piece.
“May I take your order?” a short tengu server asked as they sat down.
“Two taiyaki, one Xa Hoi coffee, and—” Soo-jin looked over the menu, and something newly added distracted her from her usual order “—one sparkle tea, please.” The server nodded and shuffled off, stopping to check on another customer. Soo-jin added the day’s total to a column in her notebook. “We’re so close, Nga. Just a few more silver pieces and we’re set!”
“I’m getting paid for tutoring on Moonday, so you can add that to our current amount.” Nga accepted the arriving tray from the server and took a leisurely sip of coffee. “You know, if you would take up tutoring—”
“I would rather let Mogaru eat me.” Soo-jin looked out the window. It hadn’t been that long since the giant monster’s attack, but she could scarcely see the water for all the bamboo scaffolding that had sprouted up in the aftermath. The city would be back, bigger than ever, in no time.
“Come on! Everyone wants a Willow Branch student to teach their kids, you’d make enough money for a concert ticket after a week.”
“You’re just as good as any twig,” Soo-jin scoffed, biting into her taiyaki and regretting it immediately as piping hot red bean paste scalded her mouth. She gasped, huffing desperately to try and cool down. Momo opened a judgmental eye from the counter. “You should try to test into another school.”
“As much as my parents would love for me to become a ‘twig,’ I’d rather be the best where I am than become average at a fancy academy.” Nga took a smug sip. “Unlike you, I’m in the top ten in my class.”
“Well, Miss Top Ten, keep up the good work and we’ll get our concert tickets in no time.”
Soo-jin’s eyes swept past Nga’s head to the wall of advertisements behind her, lingering on a poster announcing the upcoming Shining Crystal Muses concert in celebration of Harmonious Spring. Vivid ink paintings of the four Muses reached out to a prism floating above them, enchanted pigments creating tiny flecks of rainbow light that danced across the poster. Even in an ink portrait, Haru’s handsome face stood out, smiling coyly.
Goka had everything—peoples and food and buildings and magic from everywhere on the continent—but the one thing it had that Soo-jin cared about more than all of that was the Shining Crystal Muses. In only two weeks, she was going to meet Haru in person. It was a shame the concert hall wasn’t in its full splendor, as the authorities had foolishly deemed it lower priority for reconstruction.
What if that kaiju comes back? Soo-jin’s mother had fretted, but if Mogaru inconvenienced the city at the most important moment of her life, Soo-jin would personally put the kaiju down and no one could stop her. She smiled back at the poster, sipping her sparkle tea as worries of exams slipped out of her mind, and she focused on what really mattered: supporting her favorite band.
Introducing the Seven Dooms for Sandpoint Player’s Guide
Sandpoint is in trouble again—are you the heroes to step in to save the day?
Introducing the Seven Dooms for Sandpoint Player’s Guide
Friday, March 8, 2024
Sandpoint is in trouble again—are you the heroes to step in to save the day?
Varisia’s Lost Coast has seen more than its fair share of danger over the past few decades, and the town of Sandpoint, known also as the “Light of the Lost Coast,” has been at the epicenter of much of that danger. Goblin invasions, attacks from giants and dragons, deadly fires, murderous rampages, and natural disasters have tested the limits of those who dwell here, and many have wondered why the Lost Coast, and Sandpoint in particular, has had such a run of bad luck recently.
There is a reason. And now, nearly two decades after Runelord Karzoug rose from his slumber to threaten the realm, those reasons are coming to a boil. A new band of heroes must step up to save the town from a sinister conspiracy that would bring doom seven times over to Sandpoint.
Seven Dooms for Sandpoint is a very special adventure: it marks the 200th volume of the Pathfinder Adventure Paths by returning to the town where it all began! Serving as a sequel to Burnt Offerings, the first adventure in Rise of the Runelords, Seven Dooms for Sandpoint is a fully self-contained campaign in a single 200-page volume that brings your characters from 4th to 12th level. Along the way, you’ll discover the true nature of the supernatural forces that have loomed in the background of all that has occurred in this small coastal town.
Inside the Seven Dooms for Sandpoint Player’s Guide, you’ll find player-friendly, spoiler-free information and tips to help you make an exciting new character perfect for the Seven Dooms for Sandpoint Adventure Path.
This player’s guide contains:
Character suggestions, including recommendations for ancestries, classes, faiths, languages, skills, feats, archetypes, and gear well suited for this Adventure Path.
Advice for how to tie your Seven Dooms for Sandpoint campaign to previous adventures, be they recent releases like Rusthenge, or old classics like Burnt Offerings.
Eight new backgrounds to contextualize your character’s history in Sandpoint.
A gazetteer of the town of Sandpoint that provides new information on influential factions in the town (from established groups like the Sandpoint Cathedral and the Town Watch to newcomers such as the Runewatchers or the Scarnetti Consortium), details on living in Sandpoint (including tips on earning income, earning reputation with the town’s seven most influential factions, or securing downtime support from individual NPCs and locations), and a gazetteer of 50 of the town’s most important locations.
An interactive narrative that you and the other players can read through as a group to help generate a brand new “adventuring history” for your first three levels of experience, if you prefer to build brand new 4th-level characters to play this Adventure Path rather than bring in established characters from a previous adventure.
Seal Away the Whispering Tyrant in Pathfinder: Gallowspire Survivors
The Whispering Tyrant awaits… Pathfinder: Gallowspire Survivors has officially launched into Steam Early Access! Developed by BKOM Studios in partnership with Paizo, this roguelite bullet hell survivor game allows you to experience the renowned world of Golarion through a whole new lens. Arm-in-arm with a trusted ally, delve into Gallowspire and confront the legendary villain Tar-Baphon!
Seal Away the Whispering Tyrant in Pathfinder: Gallowspire Survivors
Thursday, March 7, 2024
The Whispering Tyrant awaits… Pathfinder: Gallowspire Survivors has officially launched into Steam Early Access! Developed by BKOM Studios in partnership with Paizo, this roguelite bullet hell survivor game allows you to experience the renowned world of Golarion through a whole new lens. Arm-in-arm with a trusted ally, delve into Gallowspire and confront the legendary villain Tar-Baphon!
As it exits Early Access, Pathfinder: Gallowspire Survivors introduces a host of highly requested features from the community, as well as UI improvements, overall gameplay balancing, and Steam Deck compatibility. Players may now brave the depths of Gallowspire with a friend in both local co-op and Steam Remote Play. Escape incoming damage in a blink of an eye with the all-new dash mechanic, and gain run-deciding buffs with a strategic sip from the potion belt. With the addition of dedicated chapters, faster character progression, hyper mode, and new Pathfinder collectible cards with official artworks that provide permanent upgrades, every attempt towards sealing away the disgraced lich-emperor brings great reward.
Within the depths of Gallowspire lies the disgraced mythic lich Tar-Baphon, one of Pathfinder’s most ancient and powerful villains. While sealed away beneath his ancient seat of power, he has been deftly plotting his grand return. As the magic that contains him begins to fail, three fearless heroes will rise to the occasion, tasked with venturing into Gallowspire's depths to defeat Tar-Baphon and repair the wards that seal him away.
Step into the role as one of three daring heroes and battle through the horrors of Gallowspire. The Fighter, Wizard, or Rogue all come with their own strengths and talents that will aid them in their efforts against Tar-Baphon. Choose an ally to fight alongside you as you slay hordes of Tar-Baphon’s undead minions, collect and upgrade your arsenal of spells and weapons, and extinguish Gallowspire’s callous bosses. There will be many failures throughout your journey, but aided by an ancient medallion, the heroes can escape death and grow stronger with each attempt.
Choose your class: Fighter, Wizard, or Rogue—each featuring unique talents, powers, and playstyles.
Invite a friend to take over one of your heroes, to act as your companion. Even if you are playing solo, your companion always follows you into battle. Your companions will be as powerful as you have grown them to be!
Run the gauntlet of Gallowspire! Delve into battle and overcome all four sections and their bosses to mark a successful run.
Multiple Gameplay mechanics: dash, potion belt, aiming, unique feats for each character, and much more.
Defeat enemies and collect their essence to obtain and upgrade your powers during the run.
Earn experience to level up your heroes, and spend talent points to permanently enhance and customize their powers based on Pathfinder 2nd edition mechanics.
Collect cards showcasing official Pathfinder art to unlock permanent upgrades for all your heroes.
Complete quests, engage in challenging boss fights, and battle the Whispering Tyrant himself.
Customize your challenge level across 5 tiers of difficulty. The quest to contain Tar-Baphon is endless!
Version 5.10 of the Guide to Organized Play: Pathfinder Society has been published! This version contains some important updates, including removing axiomatic and anarchic runes, which must be returned for a full refund as they no longer function with the removal of alignment; and making some remaster-related changes to Spellcasting Services and PCs with Disabilities.
A full changelog is available here. Please let us know if there are any further questions or concerns!
FAQ Updates
To go along with the Guide, we’ve added a couple new FAQ answers to the Pathfinder Society FAQ page! Specifically, there is now suggested guidance on running Influence encounters in PFS, as well as clarity on how to get items made from special materials.
Sanctioning Updates
February might be our quietest release month in recent memory, with just a single flip-mat on top of our OP scenarios! But of course, that’s all due to next month’s Seven Dooms for Sandpoint, a double-length AP taking you back to where it all began. As such, the sanctioning machine is kicking up again!
We expect Seven Dooms to be sanctioned for PFS play upon release, and players will get access to a pretty cool item for completing the adventure! No spoilers, yet. We’ll also be sanctioning the Pathfinder Monster Core but, other than summoning creatures, there aren’t very many player-facing options in this book.
In April, we expect to drop sanctioning for the Tian Xia World Guide, and then in May we’ll turn our attention to Howl of the Wild as well as our final Starfinder First Edition release, Mechageddon! Lots of new content on the horizon for you all, hope you’re excited!
GM Recognition
GM Ranks
Whether stars, novas, or glyphs, achieving a 5 ranking in any program involves a substantial amount of time. To achieve the 5th milestone, a GM must run 150 games, of which at least 50 must be unique scenarios and 10 special scenarios as well as run between one and three games for venture-captains (program dependent). A conservative estimate of the time needed to reach the 5th milestone is 650 hours!
This month, we had two GMs earn their 5th rank!
5th Glyph (PFS2): Zackery Kuehn and Jess Miller-Camp
That’s all from me this month, folks! Until next time - Explore! Report! Cooperate! And get ready for convention season!
One interesting line of thought that I have yet to formally consider goes beyond the question of whether these “prophecies” should be considered equally as a whole to whether the whole of each of them should be equally considered. If, for example, I dismiss the effects of a particular god’s supposed death, does this mean that I am dismissing their prophesied death altogether? Does every part of a prophecy have to come true for it to be considered prophetic? If the vast majority proves true, what is wrong could be an error of translation, interpretation, or prophetic understanding. On the other hand, if most of a prophecy is false, what is accurate is likely a lucky guess. The Windsong Corollaries never reach this sort of sentence-level consideration (a gap that I might perhaps publish a small paper in when my Lady does not need me, so long as I keep things strictly theoretical). I expect a reading of Beyond Aroden: Failed Foretelling in the Age of Prophecy is in short order to establish a bit of a baseline, but it will be up to my Lady (with my assistance, I hope!) to determine what level of possibility and accuracy any of these must have to be fully considered a work of prophecy.
The Godsrain Prophecies Part Five
Wednesday, March 6, 2024
One interesting line of thought that I have yet to formally consider goes beyond the question of whether these “prophecies” should be considered equally as a whole to whether the whole of each of them should be equally considered. If, for example, I dismiss the effects of a particular god’s supposed death, does this mean that I am dismissing their prophesied death altogether? Does every part of a prophecy have to come true for it to be considered prophetic? If the vast majority proves true, what is wrong could be an error of translation, interpretation, or prophetic understanding. On the other hand, if most of a prophecy is false, what is accurate is likely a lucky guess. The Windsong Corollaries never reach this sort of sentence-level consideration (a gap that I might perhaps publish a small paper in when my Lady does not need me, so long as I keep things strictly theoretical). I expect a reading of Beyond Aroden: Failed Foretelling in the Age of Prophecy is in short order to establish a bit of a baseline, but it will be up to my Lady (with my assistance, I hope!) to determine what level of possibility and accuracy any of these must have to be fully considered a work of prophecy.
–Yivali, Apprentice Researcher for the Lady of Graves
The Death of Erastil
Erastil runs. Gallops really. Hoof over hoof, his antlers gleaming, bounding over shallow stream and whirling under tree branch, his body flying forward in a streak of joyous motion. He cannot always be the stag, but there are times he needs to run and feel the wind across his legs, familiar as the dawn but as new as any sunrise. He runs until he’s just past tired and ready for a drink of water, shaking leaves from antlers in a spray of autumn colors and transforming back into the form his followers are used to—horned head and wiry body of an age-old master hunter.
But he is not the only age-old creature resting in this wood. Something emerges, slowly, from a refuge it has tired of, assorted sharp and fleshy parts dragging its pouch of hunger up from somewhere down below. Even Erastil’s well-trained eyes do not quite see it slowly crawling, clawing onto haunch and belly, drawing closer to the god and waiting for the perfect moment. Not until the instant that it rises up to strike.
Erastil runs. Scrambles really. Step after step, bow at the ready, preparing even as he flees, trampling through a clutch of bushes, plunging through the river’s cold, trying to stay ahead until he whirls around to face what hunts him, show it that he’s unafraid. But there are things that even Old Deadeye has no defense against. And when that something catches him, its jaw wide and devouring, it turns what once was hunting god to nothing more than helpless prey, only stopping its ravaging to marvel at the flavor. There’s something here it’s never savored, in between the crunch and squelch—divinely filling in a way that it has never known before and now can never be without. Once it has consumed its meal and all that’s left is bits of bone, it scents the air and twists its body, reveling in the aftertaste of something past mortality, and lurches through the undergrowth to find another morsel.
Followers of Erastil who felt his blessings fade track his remaining footprints to the place he fought and fell. (There’s luck in that, or Jaidi’s hand, steady despite a widow’s grief, putting firm hands against their backs until they find whatever place his hint of dust remains.) A hunt is called, a holy ride, in honor of the fallen god, to track and take whatever beast has left their altars bare. But all they find across their path are other grieving worshippers whose gods (most small in name and reach, their purpose only known by handfuls) now are merely carcasses, devoured by some wretched beast that no one ever glimpses. The Hunters offer shelter and a purpose to these wanderers, and some find comfort in the endless chase across the Great Beyond, even as they never seem to find the subject of their search. Whatever killed Erastil, whatever hunts the other gods, is always hidden from their view, is always one quick turn away, is always adding to the trail of carnage just ahead.
The gods take notice of the beast, each readying their own defense. Some draw together, forming pacts and promising to shield each other—the radiance of the Dawnflower reaches the realm of the Midnight Lord, Norgorber and Iomedae draw swords with Cayden Cailean, the half-abandoned Summerlands fill up with frightened deities—but others use the moment as the perfect time to strike. Gorum turns on the cowardly and sharpens blades against their backs, Asmodeus carves clauses into those he has a contract with, Calistria builds safety from the ashes of revenge. Pantheons rise and fall and splinter in the shadow of the beast, endlessly repositioning even when it has gone to ground, its hunger sated only briefly every new time that it feeds.
Among the mortals, fear takes root as one god or another falls, and those who live are sometimes absent, too caught up in safety to give followers their strength. Some flourish in these absences that gods might once have kept in check, selling hope or cruelty as counters to divinity, creating order from the chaos any way they can. And when the gods grow used to fear and venture back into the world (beast still lurking in the corners, drooling at the prey), some find their temples turned to rubble, dusty from years of disuse, or built over to some new purpose they can barely recognize, and must now find a new path in a half-godless Golarion, even as something in the shadows starts to hunt
When the god of the hunt falls prey to an unknown hunter, what chance do the beast’s other quarries have of avoiding a similar fate?
Much as I found it distasteful to read about, I wish this supposed prophecy had gone into greater detail about this “beast” with what I suppose is a taste for divine flesh (a prospect I can barely conceive of, let alone comment on!). While I did attempt to use my rudimentary artistic talents to create some sort of sketch, even my best guess at the appearance of this beast has fallen quite short, as it matches nothing I am currently aware of. Either my skills are not up to the task, the prophecy has purposefully been vague, or this beast has never been seen before. If the latter, this is yet another reason to doubt this prophecy in particular. Anything this powerful would surely be noted in someone’s annals. Beyond that, though, the breakdown of the gods noted here seems very unlikely. In both my studies and experiences of the gods, I have found them to be quite devoted to those who worship them (each in their own way, of course), even when to their own detriment. No matter how horrible the threat, I do not believe mortals would be abandoned in this way, nor that they would abandon their gods in return. Or, at least, I do not wish to believe it. Best, I think, to move on to some new, and hopefully less troubling, prophecy.
About the Author
Erin Roberts has been thrilled to be able to contribute a few small threads to the fabric of Golarion in the pages of books like Lost Omens Firebrands, Lost Omens Highhelm, and Lost Omens Travel Guide. In addition to her work for Paizo, she freelances across the TTRPG world (and was selected as a Diana Jones Award Emerging Designer Program Winner in 2023), has had fiction published in magazines including Asimov’s, Clarkesworld, and The Dark, and talks about writing every week on the Writing Excuses podcast. Catch up with her latest at linktr.ee/erinroberts.
To truly immerse oneself in the natural world, one must view it up close! Though our ultimate goal was to find the Wardens of the Wild, we couldn’t neglect the incredible opportunities for study we found over the course of our investigations, and we made frequent stops to survey the wilds on foot (or on fin or wheel, in Lythea’s case). I hesitate to call them “side expeditions,” for they were valuable in their own right; Chari’s notes and sketches filled several folios we’re still disseminating now that we’ve returned—ah, but I outpace myself.
Zoetrope Logs, Part One: Hooves on Stone
Tuesday, March 5, 2024
To truly immerse oneself in the natural world, one must view it up close! Though our ultimate goal was to find the Wardens of the Wild, we couldn’t neglect the incredible opportunities for study we found over the course of our investigations, and we made frequent stops to survey the wilds on foot (or on fin or wheel, in Lythea’s case). I hesitate to call them “side expeditions,” for they were valuable in their own right; Chari’s notes and sketches filled several folios we’re still disseminating now that we’ve returned—ah, but I outpace myself.
In any case, these excursions were where our scout, Telero, and our scribe, Charikleia, really had a chance to shine. One day, early in our voyage together, we were flying along a river that gradually carved the land into a breathtaking gorge, its cascading tributaries branching like the roots of a great tree in the rocky canyons spread out below us.
“Professor!” called Telero from the starboard rail, his voice ringing bright and eager as always. “This could be the perfect place to look for more sage aconite!”
(I feel I must pause to note, dear reader, lest it cause confusion: I am not, in fact, a professor in any official capacity! A lifelong scholar, certainly, and a dedicated librarian and archivist, but circumstances led me away from my university studies long before I advanced to any sort of teaching career. Nonetheless, I’ve been “the professor” to Telero since our first day aboard the Zoetrope, and I must say I find the epithet endearing, despite its inaccuracy.)
Telero grew up among talented herbalists and knew botany was a special interest of both mine and the doctor’s; we also knew that where interesting flora grew, interesting fauna was sure to follow. Who could say what new discovery might lead us to the wardens? I set us down on the rocky riverbank—my landings were getting smoother with practice—and called our small crew together to prepare for the journey.
We quickly decided that, due to the branching nature of the canyons, a group survey wasn’t the most efficient course of action. “Let me go, Professor,” said Telero, eying the lodestone in his staff and tying off a bearing. “I spotted a waterfall a few miles in when we flew over. I can find it and then come back for everyone else!”
I could tell asking him to wait for someone who hiked at my speed—that is to say, glacial—would be futile. “A wonderful idea, Telero,” I said, smiling at his irrepressible enthusiasm. “But it did look like there were several possible routes. Why don’t you take Charikleia with you?” The two had already bonded over similarities in their childhoods, and the young nomad hung on the more seasoned adventurer’s every word when she shared tales of her exploits before our voyage. I also suspected Chari’s measured and experienced approach would be a good balance to Telero’s hastier decisions on the trail.
My friend and fellow scholar nodded, already tucking her sketchbook into her bag. “I am quite familiar with mazes,” Chari teased, “and I’d love to sketch the falls—”
“Last one there’s an egg full of broodpiercers!” Telero’s hooves thundered down the gangplank as he charged off into the gorge, no longer able to contain his zest for adventure.
“Careful to boil those first!” Grefu warned after him. Chari laughed and waved to the rest of us as the two set off, the clatter of their hooves echoing off the mossy basalt walls of the gorge long after they faded from view.
Dr. Pom and I had barely finished our second leisurely cups of tea when Telero came galloping back. My concern over his haste and Chari’s absence was quickly allayed by the exuberance on his face. “Professor, everyone, we found it! You’ve got to see this!”
Our intrepid scout deftly guided us through the canyon, at times splashing through the river itself as the mossy rock walls closed in around us, only a line of blue sky visible far above. “How did you find it so quickly, Telero?” I asked, marveling at his surety as the canyon widened and the river diverged. He led us down the left-claw path, stopping often so those of us on two legs could keep up.
“It’s easy,” said our young guide, his eyes earnest. “You just have to listen to the river and watch the wind.”
Light writer plates of Charikleia and Telero, from official Zoetrope expedition logs. Art by Gunship Revolution.
I’m afraid this surprisingly poetic insight has not yet improved my own sense of direction, but perhaps it will resonate with you, dear reader. If nothing else, the boy’s words remind us of the importance of being alert and appreciative of the world around us.
The roar of the falls drowned out further conversation as we rounded a final bend and came to a large canyon pool, fed from the endless water cascading over the cliff ahead. Telero beamed as we silently took in the thunderous serenade, the mist covering our awed faces.
It was nearly a full minute before I realized, with a shock, that Chari was sitting on a nearby rock, pencil in hand as she sketched the scene in front of us for our logs. She looked up and smiled as I took a seat next to her. Grefu and Dr. Pom began unpacking our picnic lunch while Lythea, Telero, and Ten charged into the pool, their laughter barely audible as they dove into the spray.
Chari passed me several sketches. “Signs of stony bat spit, similar to those of other gorgon subspecies detailed in the Kirisiel report, but I thought I’d document the flora first and wait for you to investigate.”
I paged through her neat drawings, all precisely labeled in her steady hand. “These are wonderful, Charikleia. How lucky we are to have you along. How was the trek?”
She laughed. “Telero’s a natural. He’d be right at home in the training mazes back home. I’d love to see him race my siblings sometime.”
Though I can’t fathom how he could have heard us over the waterfall, Telero bounded forward from the pool, narrowly avoiding soaking Chari’s sketchbook. “Chari could have found it first!” he protested, shaking water from his hair. “But she had to stop to draw everything.”
I traded a smile with my fellow researcher as she restacked her notes and moved them away from the pool. “I’m glad you’re both so thorough in your own ways,” I said. “The smallest detail could be the clue that leads us to the wardens.” I sighed, equal parts grateful and wistful, the sun warm on my scales. “Now, if only I were as organized as you are, Charikleia. I don’t suppose you know where I placed volume three of The Thrilling Tales of Spiridendra, do you?”
“You’re the librarian, Baranthet, not me,” she joked, standing and offering me her hand. “Care to join us by the falls? I think I saw some likely nesting spots in the rocks behind the water.”
Telero leapt forward. “I saw that too! C’mon, Professor!”
I accepted Chari’s hand with a smile as she helped me to my feet. “Lead the way!”
About the Author
Baranthet Zamendi cultivated his love of the natural world at a young age, enamored with his grandmother’s awe-inspiring tales of the legendary Wardens of the Wild. He briefly attended Almas University before returning home to rebuild Droon’s public library, eventually becoming its head archivist. His upcoming book on the crew of the Zoetrope and their search for the wardens is his first, but he’s already planning his next adventure.
Support for Mr. Zamendi by
Simone D. Sallé is a senior editor at Paizo and has written for numerous Pathfinder and Starfinder books, including more of Baranthet’s tale inPathfinder Howl of the Wild, the primal treatise and witch journals in Pathfinder Secrets of Magic, and Starfinder Bounty #12: Under Pressure. When she’s not extolling the virtues of the en dash, she enjoys playing as many narrative games as her schedule allows and wandering the woods with her Disreputable Dog.
Hi everyone—James here! As we get closer to Howl of the Wild’s May release date, we thought we’d share with you some logs of the wildlife expedition of the airship Zoetrope and its crew of naturalists as they seek the mythical Wardens of the Wild, which Simone has diligently sourced. As you may know, Howl of the Wild presents six new playable ancestries , each of whom is represented by a different member of the airship’s crew—alongside Baranthet, the expedition’s iruxi leader.
Since we got a look at Charikleia and Telero today, this seems like a good time to show off feats for the centaur and minotaur ancestries coming in the final book! Centaurs can be pretty competitive, and young Telero’s no exception:
FIERCE COMPETITOR [one-action] — FEAT 9
Centaur, Mental Frequency once per day
You challenge a single ally to a physical competition. This competition must involve accomplishing a specific goal for a specific use of the Acrobatics or Athletics skill, such as Climbing to the top of a wall, Tripping a specific foe, or Long Jumping across a chasm. You and your selected ally gain a +2 circumstance bonus to the associated skill check for 1 minute or until one of you wins the challenge, whichever is first. If you win this competition, you gain a +2 status bonus to Intimidation checks for 1 hour.
You wouldn’t really expect someone as soft-spoken as Chari to be scary, but it turns out minotaurs are frighteningly good at disappearing into mazes and other cover.
ALARMING DISAPPEARANCE — FEAT 5
Minotaur Prerequisites expert in Stealth
Your ability to move unseen is startling for one your size, causing panic among your enemies. When you successfully Hide when previously observed, creatures you are hidden from become frightened 1. They are then temporarily immune to Alarming Disappearance for 1 hour.
The minotaur ancestry is embodied by the ship’s scribe, Charikleia, and the centaur ancestry by its scout, Telero! Art by Gunship Revolution.
We’ll be checking back in with Baranthet and the crew over the next few weeks, so look forward to getting to meet the rest of our intrepid naturalists in greater detail in the future!
James Case Senior Designer
For the second chapter of the Zoetrope Logs, click here.
Hola! It’s me, Luis Loza! I’ve been taking you through a grand tour of all our new dragons, such as our look at the fortune dragon last time. This time things are a little different. You’ll see what I mean once I start to tell you about the horned dragon. Let’s have a look!
Mess With the Dragon, Get the Horns!
Friday, March 1, 2024
Hola! It’s me, Luis Loza! I’ve been taking you through a grand tour of all our new dragons, such as our look at the fortune dragon last time. This time things are a little different. You’ll see what I mean once I start to tell you about the horned dragon. Let’s have a look!
Illustration by Kent Hamilton
One of the challenges with the update to the Second Edition remastered rules was having to leave a lot of old favorites behind. In addition to classic spells, notable magic items, and other memorable mechanics, we also had to leave behind some monsters. Unfortunately, in some cases, a variety of reasons makes leaving behind strigiform-ursine hybrids or cuboid gels the best option for us. There are other cases where a bit of cleaning up and a makeover leads to something we can still use in the new remastered environment. That’s the approach we took with the horned dragon—a dragon who you might previously remember for its focus on the color green.
Horned dragons are our second primal dragon offering in Monster Core. Like other primal dragons, horned dragons are powerful and more bestial than other dragons. This manifests most notably in the form of their massive, paired horns. In addition to simply striking others with their horns, a horned dragon charges their prey and impales these unfortunate victims on the horn. Once impaled, the prey is stuck and goes wherever the dragon goes until the prey manages to escape impalement.
Beyond that, the horned dragon should feel relatively familiar. Their personalities are relatively the same, their other abilities such as their poison breath and twisting tail reaction are still around, and they still generally live in forested regions and swamps. When updating monsters for the remaster, we wanted to make these changes as unintrusive as possible and allow updated monsters to generally fill the same role they had prior to their update.
We also took these opportunities to update monsters in interesting ways where we could, thus the shift from the dragon’s color to their horn and the addition of their impaling charge. The change in focus allows us to make the dragon more of our own and even opens them for future possibilities. While the horned dragon in Monster Core is green and lives in forests, there’s a decent chance you could see a blue horned dragon that lives in a lake or a tan horned dragon that lives in a desert sometime in the future!
That’s our look at the horned dragon! Make sure to keep an eye out for this dragon and lots of other new dragons when Monster Core releases in March. Stay tuned for more draconic previews in the coming weeks. Next time, we’ll take a look at the majestic empyreal dragons. See you then!
Hail and well met, Pathfinders and Starfinders! This month’s new releases bring the Pathfinder Remaster Project to your pocket (edition) and pit the Starfinder Society in a race against doomsday!
Find Your Path – February 2024
Thursday, February 29, 2024
Hail and well met, Pathfinders and Starfinders! This month’s new releases bring the Pathfinder Remaster Project to your pocket (edition) and pit the Starfinder Society in a race against doomsday!
Join us this Friday, March 1st at 4 P.M. Pacific for Paizo LIVE. This month’s topics include Starfinder Mechageddon!, the Wardens of Wildwood AP, and an update on conventions and events!
Never miss a release with our Paizo Subscriptions–for everything from rulebooks to accessories!
A world of adventure awaits, but it needs you to be the hero of the story! Take on the role of a daring adventurer with Pathfinder Player Core. This tome contains everything you need to create a player character and outfit them with mighty weapons and powerful spells, and it provides all the tools necessary to survive in a world filled with deadly monsters, nefarious villains, and fabulous treasures! The first page of your amazing adventure starts here.
The pocket edition presents the same contents as the standard edition in softcover and a smaller size for a lower price and better portability.
Creating a compelling tale takes more than just heroes—it requires a complex cast of allies, adversaries, and villains! As the Game Master, your job is to narrate the story, working with the players to imagine an epic adventure. PathfinderGM Core is here to help you with every facet of the game and includes guidelines on story structure, tips on creating thrilling combat, and amazing treasure to reward your heroes for saving the day! This book has everything you need to become a legendary Game Master.
The pocket edition presents the same contents as the standard edition in softcover and a smaller size for a lower price and better portability.
In a world steeped in divine magic, temples serve as centers for the power of the gods. Whether your heroes are in search of a holy place to defend or a profane temple to defeat, Pathfinder Flip-Mat: Temples Multi-Packhas you covered. This trove of temples features a tranquil sanctuary of healing, a rugged seaside temple devoted to a violent god, a temple of undeath nestled in a dilapidated graveyard, and a diabolical temple where the stage has been set for the arrival of hellish terrors.
This set includes two flip-mats, each measuring 24" × 30" unfolded, and 8" × 10" folded. A flip-mat’s coated surface can handle any dry-erase, wet-erase, or even permanent marker. Usable by experienced GMs and novices alike, Pathfinder Flip-Mats fit perfectly into any Game Master’s arsenal!
A Starfinder Society Scenario designed for 5th- through 8th-level characters.
Time is running short as the nefarious Order of Dawning Fate turns their experimental doomsday weapon upon a defenseless metropolis in the Vast! With millions of lives in danger, it’s up to the Starfinder Society to navigate the streets of the crumbling city, locate and destroy the doomsday weapon, and save the city from destruction! Yet fate is not on the Society’s side as Kebzec, a founder of the Order of Dawning Fate, oversees the weapon’s deployment and defenses. Will the Starfinders emerge victorious, or will they meet their end at the hands of the Order of Dawning Fate?
A Pathfinder Society Scenario designed for 7th- through 10th-level characters.
A mysterious abandoned laboratory is discovered in the Arcadian Ocean, with clear signs of occult experimentation having occurred within it at some point. The Waterfall, strangely fascinated by this new find, sends a group of Pathfinders to investigate and gather whatever research they can find inside, while also ensuring that the building poses no further threats. Deep inside, a soul and forgotten memories await, hungry to be found and revealed to the light. The research and artifacts inside seem like they'll lead to answers about the enigmatic Waterfall, though this information may turn out to be unwanted.
A Starfinder Society Scenario designed for 1st- through 4th-level characters.
For months, citizens of the kasathan colony ship, Idari, have vanished without a trace, disappearing from the idyllic Sea of Grass for a fate unknown. As the number of missing increases, all eyes turn to the nearby Red Corridors, a subterranean neighborhood home to anarchists, malcontents, criminals, and other kasathas looking to flout the deeply ingrained traditions of modern kasathan society. Representatives from the Red Corridors vehemently deny any involvement in the abductions, but rising tensions and the desperation of those who have lost are primed to spark violence. With citizens of both the Sea of Grass and the Red Corridors distrustful of the ruling Doyenate and refusing to cooperate with ship security, the captain of the Idari calls for help from an old friend: Ehu Hadif, current First Seeker of the Starfinder Society.
A Pathfinder Society Quest designed for 1st- through 4th-level characters, playable in 2-3 hours.
A down-on-his luck Aspis Agent, relegated to Thuvia where Aspis operations have all but ceased, has found an unexpected opportunity for revenge. Zarta Dralneen is making a purchase in Merab, and what her purpose could be is the talk of the town. The vengeful Aspis twists these rumors toward talk of the sun orchid elixir, and while no one of any competence or understanding would ever fall for such a flimsy rumor, Merab has more than its share of desperate fools. As the PCs transport Zarta's mundane purchases back to port, these desperate fools strike, making a simple escort into a fight for survival.
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Captain Blazo Orane’s career as a notorious pirate captain was cut short when a freak storm capsized his ship not far from the city of Riddleport. As stubborn as he was cutthroat, Blazo went down with the ship but awakened several hours later to find himself in the cave of a sea hag named Cyclona. The hag had spared Blazo’s life, but in return, she demanded the captain’s eye. Blazo balked, of course—like any good pirate, he only had one eye left to spare. Unfortunately, his captor was in no mood for mercy. Cyclona plucked Blazo’s remaining eye from its socket, leaving the now-blind man to bleed out while she transformed her grisly reward into a hag eye.
Pathfinder Encounter: Eye for an Eye
Wednesday, February 28, 2024
Continuing our series of encounters to challenge your players, featuring creatures debuting in the forthcoming Pathfinder Monster Core, Bill Fischer takes us to the dank grotto lair of a remastered sea hag, as depicted in Pathfinder Flip-Mat: Temples Multi-Pack.
Eye for an Eye — Moderate 1
Captain Blazo Orane’s career as a notorious pirate captain was cut short when a freak storm capsized his ship not far from the city of Riddleport. As stubborn as he was cutthroat, Blazo went down with the ship but awakened several hours later to find himself in the cave of a sea hag named Cyclona. The hag had spared Blazo’s life, but in return, she demanded the captain’s eye. Blazo balked, of course—like any good pirate, he only had one eye left to spare. Unfortunately, his captor was in no mood for mercy. Cyclona plucked Blazo’s remaining eye from its socket, leaving the now-blind man to bleed out while she transformed her grisly reward into a hag eye.
Miraculously, Captain Blazo managed to free himself from his shackles—striking Cyclona with his cold-iron scimitar in the struggle—and stumbled his way back to Riddleport. Now, still weakened from his ordeal, Blazo hires the PCs to retrieve his stolen eye. If the PCs express doubts Blazo will regain his sight even if his eye is recovered, the pirate seems unconcerned. “If I can’t have my eye,” he grumbles, “I’ll settle for revenge.” Blazo lends the PCs the only thing of value he has left, his cold-iron scimitar, with the promise they can keep the weapon if they return with his eye or proof that Cyclona is dead.
Map: This map showcases one of the maps included in Pathfinder Flip-Mat: Temples Multi-Pack, out this month on Paizo.com or at your local hobby store!
Approaching the Cave: Cyclona’s cave is a half-day’s walk from Riddleport. If Blazo’s understandably vague directions aren’t enough for the PCs, most anyone in the city can direct them to the place.
The remnants of an ancient sea wall stretch to Cyclona’s cave like a trail of stepping stones. Slick with algae, the wall is uneven ground. Once during the crossing, each PC must make a successful DC 13 Acrobatics check to Balance or fall into the surf. Any PC who fails this check alerts Cyclona to the party’s arrival, granting her a +2 circumstance bonus to initiative. Alternatively, the PCs can approach the hag’s cave along the weed-choked shore to the south. This approach doesn’t require skill checks, but the ground is difficult terrain, and the party’s noisy arrival automatically alerts Cyclona.
Creatures: When the PCs arrive, Cyclona lurks in the northern alcove, admiring an amulet set with a blue gemstone: Captain Blazo’s eye transformed into a hag eye. Loath to surrender her new treasure, Cyclona lunges at intruders, opening with her Dread Gaze before slashing with her claws. The hag remembers all too well the bite of Blazo’s scimitar, granting the PC holding the weapon a +1 circumstance bonus to Demoralize the hag. If reduced to 15 Hit Points or fewer, Cyclona dives into the sea, dropping the hag eye in her panic.
Treasure: The PCs might not recognize Captain Blazo’s eye in its current state, but anyone who interacts with the amulet feels its wet, sticky surface, allowing the character to attempt to disbelieve the illusion (DC 19). Like all hag eyes, the amulet produces no direct benefit for the wearer (and doesn’t restore Blazo’s sight if given to him), but it allows Cyclona to peer through the eye using the Seek action. Any damage dealt to the eye destroys it. If this happens while Cyclona is looking through it, the hag is blinded for 1 hour.
Sea Hag — Creature 3
Medium, Amphibious, Hag, Humanoid Perception +10; darkvision Languages Aklo, Common, Fey, Jotun, Thalassic Skills Acrobatics +8, Athletics +11, Deception +10, Occultism +8, Stealth +8 Str +4, Dex +3, Con +4, Int +1, Wis +3, Cha +3
Coven A sea hag adds humanoid form, mariner’s curse, and water walk to their coven’s spells. Their spell DC when leading a coven is 20.
AC 19; Fort +11, Ref +8, Will +10; +1 status to all saves vs. magic HP 45; Immunities polymorph; Weaknesses cold iron 3 Speed 25 feet, swim 35 feet
Dread Gaze [two-actions] (curse, emotion, fear, mental, occult) The hag gazes upon a creature, afflicting it with a gnawing sense of impending doom, with a result depending on its Will save (DC 20). The target doesn’t need to be able to see the sea hag.
Critical Success The creature is unaffected. Success The creature is frightened 1. Failure The creature is frightened 1 and is slowed 1 for 1 round. If the target was dying, it remains unconscious for 1 day. At the end of the day, it must attempt a Fortitude save against the same DC; if it fails, it dies. Critical Failure As failure, but the creature is frightened 2 and slowed 1 for 1 minute.
Sea Hag’s Bargain (concentrate, exploration, occult, polymorph) The sea hag can make a bargain with a willing creature who must be of sound mind. The creature gives away a special or cherished quality—such as its courage, its beauty, or its voice. In exchange, the sea hag spends 1 minute polymorphing the creature into a form the target desires.
This functions as Change Shape. It might be a total transformation or just changing one or more aspects of the target’s body, and it can’t make the creature more than one size smaller or larger. The creature changes its Speeds as appropriate for the new form. It doesn’t change the attack and damage bonuses with its Strikes, but it might change the damage type the Strikes deal. This has an unlimited duration, and as long as it’s transformed, the creature is sickened 2 and can’t reduce its sickened condition below 2. The creature can slowly and carefully eat and drink despite being sickened. The only way to restore the lost quality used as payment is to defeat the sea hag or make another bargain for its return. Ending the bargain in this way also removes the transformation.
It may seem odd that I have not made any notes within the margins of the prophecies themselves. It is certainly not for lack of opinions, but out of an abundance of caution; some of the most heated debates that I have ever witnessed during my studies dealt with the supposed impartiality of the researcher, with some believing that we should be as unbiased as my fellow psychopomps in their judgments of souls in the Boneyard and others noting that our beliefs influence everything we do, and should be acknowledged and even used within the way we work. The arguments grew heated more than once, and while it cannot be said for sure that they led to what some call “The Dueling Quills Incident,” they certainly caused plenty of frayed nerves.
The Godsrain Prophecies Part Four
Wednesday, February 28, 2024
It may seem odd that I have not made any notes within the margins of the prophecies themselves. It is certainly not for lack of opinions, but out of an abundance of caution; some of the most heated debates that I have ever witnessed during my studies dealt with the supposed impartiality of the researcher, with some believing that we should be as unbiased as my fellow psychopomps in their judgments of souls in the Boneyard and others noting that our beliefs influence everything we do, and should be acknowledged and even used within the way we work. The arguments grew heated more than once, and while it cannot be said for sure that they led to what some call “The Dueling Quills Incident,” they certainly caused plenty of frayed nerves.
This particular debate has taken on new meaning for me now, though, in reading of one supposed divine death after another. Maybe it is something I will grow out of one day, but it is hard not to be affected by these, whether I am mourning the potential loss of the Lady I serve or learning of the potential demise of a god I do not care for. I’m not sure I would ever want to view them and feel nothing but analysis. Passion drove me to this work and passion should be part of it—for all I know, that may even have been what brought me to my Lady’s attention. Still, I will present the prophecy with no further comment, and fear that once I have read it fully, even my small bit of glee will dissipate. As always, momentary gains bring unexpected consequences.
—Yivali, Apprentice Researcher for the Lady of Graves
The Death of Urgathoa
The feast is a sumptuous spread of delights if that’s the sort of thing you like. Piles of sweets and meats and cheeses, decadence on decadence, to celebrate a distant plague gone better than expected. Urgathoa is smiling as the undead shovel down the food, the flavors barely noticed in their urge to sate their hunger. It would all make Arazni sick, if that was still a thing she felt, and if she wasn’t steeled by something greater than revulsion. For all the gods Urgathoa hates, and all who hate her in return, she hasn’t even bothered to secure her own protection, relying on the undead to sniff out any intruder. Except they know Arazni’s scent. A tiny boon from all her years forced into undead servitude, now sharpened to a weapon to take down the god who dared to bring undeath to the unwilling.
Arazni moves in shadow, and if the diners notice, they barely pause their latest gulp to see her blade unsheathe. Urgathoa dies easily, falls lengthwise on the table, face-first into a centerpiece of something rich and juicy. As panic and dismay begin to spread throughout the Bloodrot, Arazni leaves the way she came, a vengeful shadow baring teeth in something like a smile. Divinity is still a thing she’s learning to inhabit, but this almost makes everything she’s suffered seem worthwhile.
Arazni waits, for…something—some rest for those trapped in undeath, some halt to necromantic work, some alteration in what had been a truly loathsome status quo. And there are places in the world where she can see the fruits of her handiwork—the Whispering Way is driven back, Geb’s Blood Lords struggle for control—until the undead start to rise from any perished soul. Not all, but some, begin to turn without a necromancer’s aid, and stagger from their resting places trying to fill their hunger. Without Urgathoa to lend some order to the chaos, some dead stay locked inside their graves, while others now reanimate with no real rhyme or reason, rising from their tombs and slowly crawling off battlefields, horrified and terrified and sometimes all too eager to see what unholy agenda their new bodies can pursue.
In places where undead have always been a threat to life and limb, the champions against them try their best to hold the line, not looking at the faces that are suddenly familiar, comrades-at-arms turned into bodies cut down by their blades. Some look to magic to protect the bodies of the newly-dead, but magic has its limits, and others fall to the horror they once tried to quell. At least they know how to respond, unlike those who are wrapped in grief, only to see a loved one rise as some new transformation. Do you love or do you fear? Do you watch or do you help? Do you wait or do you run and run and keep on running?
Some families go missing now. Some villages are overrun. Some cities bar their crypts and add guard shifts to every other street. Some call undeath a blessing, see the change as nectar from the gods. Some view it as a threat to something they once lived and died for. Others search for patterns, narrow in on who or what is to blame, let something they don’t understand consume their baser instincts, and rain fire down on those they think have brought this new world forth.
Arazni owns what she has done, seeks out the help of other gods, but they know just as little and have found themselves just as besieged, as undeath spreads like the diseases Urgathoa once held dear, refusing to contain itself to one singular plane. And as the numbers slowly rise, a flood that grows by sodden inches, one undead soul at a time from Axis to the Boneyard, some say the Pallid Princess watches from some place beyond undeath, relishing the moment like a feast to truly savor.
The severity of this prophecy ensures that even I, a loyal servant of the Lady of Graves, take no joy in the foretold destruction of the Pallid Princess. May that these prophecies prove untrue!
That was, to say the least, unexpected. While the horrors of undead potentially coming from every grave are one thing (and something that I know my Lady will not enjoy, no matter how untrue this prophecy may turn out to be), Arazni’s direct role in this cataclysm is not something I am quite sure how to parse. She has broken free from her centuries of servitude as Geb’s unwilling lich queen, and in so doing attained true divinity, a risen herald. With her newfound power, is she capable of slaying a fellow god? Is this merely one facet of the unreliability of these prophecies? Perhaps I should begin watching Arazni more closely, as some sort of harbinger, a sign that this alone among the prophecies is true? Does she have knowledge of this prophecy, and if not, is this something to warn her of? I will be dusting off my copy of What the Future Holds: The Ethics of Prophecy immediately. In the meantime, my Lady will know what to do with this. All I must do now is move forward.
About the Author
Erin Roberts has been thrilled to be able to contribute a few small threads to the fabric of Golarion in the pages of books like Lost Omens Firebrands, Lost Omens Highhelm, and Lost Omens Travel Guide. In addition to her work for Paizo, she freelances across the TTRPG world (and was selected as a Diana Jones Award Emerging Designer Program Winner in 2023), has had fiction published in magazines including Asimov’s, Clarkesworld, and The Dark, and talks about writing every week on the Writing Excuses podcast. Catch up with her latest at linktr.ee/erinroberts.
Sichen was three when the grandmasters first clashed in Zhining Village. She remembered it clearly. The magistrate’s villa was torn from the earth like an obstinate weed, which made everyone cheer, then it was thrown into the drinkhouse, which made everyone groan. But the grandmasters didn’t care. On her father’s back, her small body bouncing to the cadence of his footsteps as they fled their family’s inn, Sichen watched the fighters with unafraid curiosity. Even as ceramic shattered and geese honked and people shouted, even as a broken oxcart flew into the air with a braying ox in tow, even as magic tightened like a fist about to strike, the grandmasters had eyes only for each other.
Tian Xia Days: A Single Drop of Water
Tuesday, February 27, 2024
Sichen was three when the grandmasters first clashed in Zhining Village. She remembered it clearly. The magistrate’s villa was torn from the earth like an obstinate weed, which made everyone cheer, then it was thrown into the drinkhouse, which made everyone groan. But the grandmasters didn’t care. On her father’s back, her small body bouncing to the cadence of his footsteps as they fled their family’s inn, Sichen watched the fighters with unafraid curiosity. Even as ceramic shattered and geese honked and people shouted, even as a broken oxcart flew into the air with a braying ox in tow, even as magic tightened like a fist about to strike, the grandmasters had eyes only for each other.
Sichen was fourteen when the grandmasters clashed again. One moment, she was blearily feeding the chickens, catching what she could of the morning light streaking through the yews, and then the earth was shaking and Old Man Ping’s house was gone. He was still there, yawning in bed, before he realized he had no walls. (To this day, the people of Zhining were still finding bits of Old Man Ping’s roof scattered across town, like fragments of broken teeth.) He made a noise Sichen thought only harpies could make, said a word she wasn’t allowed to say, then took off toward the nearest building for shelter, which unfortunately was the inn. As her fathers came out with blankets and mortified expressions, Sichen stared at the rubble, pulverized in a blast of concentrated qi that arced from across town, which could only mean one thing: the grandmasters were back.
Sichen eagerly stepped into the street to get a better look, but then her dad’s hand was on her shoulder and her father was calling her from inside. It wasn’t safe, she was a child, she had chores. “Little Chen,” her dad scolded, guiding her away from the street. “Those grandmasters despise each other. You don’t want to be caught in their fury, do you?”
With a final, forlorn look in the direction of the grandmasters who despised each other, Sichen trudged indoors.
Sichen was twenty-two when the grandmasters clashed again. Old Man Ping’s granddaughter Leyue had come back to Zhining to take care of him and was helping out at Sichen’s inn to earn extra coin. Even outside of work, Sichen found herself spending time with Leyue: wasting coppers at the drinkhouse, laughing about nothing, teaching each other martial forms they’d picked up here and there. Neither were cultivators, but that idle Quain hope was strong in their hearts: “maybe one day.” They were sitting by the docks, the glistening waters of the Dragon Sweat Run as bright and promising as gold. Their hands touched; Sichen’s pulse quickened. She leaned in, but the river surged.
Roaring like a dragon made of shimmering taels, the water smashed onto the bank three hundred bu away. Sichen grabbed Leyue’s wrist and pulled her from the crumbling jetty. Waves undulated, subsuming fishing boats and spitting angry brine at the shouting, fleeing harborside merchants. A cultivator stood on the bank, a single arm outstretched, the pummeling deluge of river water parted in dark slices at her feet. She was a lithe, handsome woman with short black hair and a temperate face that made Sichen think of a temple statue. Sichen recognized her immediately: she was one of the two grandmasters from eight years ago; from nineteen years ago. Her face and body were virtually unchanged. A dim memory rose—her father, pulling her aside, having found the cultivation books Sichen had spent a whole month’s tips on. Cultivators are to commoners as the Dragon Sweat Run is to a single drop of water... and grandmasters are to cultivators what the ocean is to the Run.
A second cultivator flitted above the rushing, swirling water. Colorful robes billowed around her body. She was a fat woman, cloaked in power and magic, her face a pure halo of beauty that left Sichen breathless. Even after she and Leyue ran to safety, Sichen couldn’t shake the image of those two grandmasters glowering at each other, focused and limitless, as though each of them were the only thing the other could see.
Over the course of Sichen’s life, the grandmasters clashed a few more times in Zhining, making all other duels in the village seem trite in comparison. Although their property damage was considerable, the grandmasters’ blows never fell on bystanders. Stories of the decades-long rivalry spread throughout the province, drawing tourists and traders to such an extent that the magistrate’s son (by now the magistrate himself), commissioned the local stoneworker to erect two statues in their honor by the town gates with a simple plinth: “may their mutual hatred feed our village for years to come.” Some villagers even looked forward to the grandmasters’ clashes, taking bets on when they would next hurtle into town like an unexpected typhoon. Sichen always bet, and she always won.
Sichen was eighty-five when the grandmasters clashed for the last time in Zhining Village. She was managing the front desk of the inn when Leyue came out from the office. Her wife kissed her on the cheek and handed her a coin. “Extra from the ledgers,” she said with a smile. Sichen kissed her back and placed the coin on the ancestral shrine, which bore a small painting of her fathers and Old Man Ping. As she turned back to the customer, a cabbage smashed through the front doors before being drawn back by an implosion of air, shattering the windows on its way out.
Ilustration by Ilina Naydenova
The customers shouted and ducked for cover. Sichen exchanged a look with Leyue, her eyes bright and shining and eager. “Wait here,” she said, then grabbed her cane and ran outside.
The grandmasters were in the inn’s square—her square—and they were fighting with the same single-minded fervor they had for the past eighty-five years. One held a cabbage cart over her head with one arm. The other turned, tore a stone lion from the inn’s doorstep, and held it like a bat. As the other villagers shouted and ran, Sichen stayed at the threshold, watching intensely. The cart flew, the lion swiped through the air, wood exploded, and vegetables burst everywhere. One of the grandmasters grinned cockily as she ripped up another statue; the other raised a second cart over her head—
“Oh, that’s ENOUGH!” Sichen found herself yelling. “Just admit you like each other, already!”
The grandmasters startled. For the first time since Sichen had known them, they looked away from each other—and at her. The inexplicable courage that had filled her froze, like a stag caught in a hunter’s sights. The immensity of not one, but two grandmasters fixing her with their undivided attention was almost too much for her old, mortal body to handle; her heart palpitated, her nerves sang—
The handsome woman laughed. The woman in the colorful robes looked at her with a stunned expression, then she began laughing as well. The sound made Sichen think of Dragon Sweat Run at twilight, the water rushing over the rocks, Leyue’s head in her lap. Then the grandmasters stopped laughing; they took each other’s hands with an intimacy that made Sichen’s cheeks burn, and then they walked. They walked out of the square, they walked through the streets, they walked past the gates, and they were never seen in Zhining Village again.
Leyue came out of the inn, clucking at the damage. “Aiya! Couldn't they have left a tael or two as an apology?”
But Sichen just smiled. “Grandmasters are to regular people as the ocean is to a single drop of water,” she said. “They’re more powerful than anyone can imagine, but they forget the simplest things, like saying ‘I’m sorry’ or ‘Thank you.’” She turned to Leyue with a glimmering look that made her wife’s heart rise to the surface of her chest. “Or ‘I love you.’”
And with that, Sichen kissed Leyue, and they went back inside.
About the Author
Connie Chang (they/he/she) is a queer and trans Chinese-American actual play Game Master, TTRPG designer, and screenwriter who loves threading black-hearted apocalyptica with queer love. They're the GM and Creative Director for Transplanar RPG, an all-transgender, people of color-led, dark fantasy, TTRPG channel telling stories set in an original noncolonial, antiorientalist multiverse. He's currently working on GODKILLER, a two-person holypunk narrative game for one player, the Godkiller, and one Game Master, God. Check her out on Twitter, Itch.io, and TikTok!
To bring this and other Tian Xia stories to life in your Pathfinder game, check out the Pathfinder Lost Omens Tian Xia World Guide (releasing in April) and the Pathfinder Lost Omens Tian Xia Character Guide (releasing in August), both available for preorder now—Customers who subscribe to the Lost Omens product line will receive both books and a complimentary PDF of each upon their respective release!
The Deep Levels!
We’ve delved a lot of dungeons throughout Order of the Amber Die’s history. We’ve delved a few megadungeons too. There is this cool thing that happens when you pass the two-thirds mark of a megadungeon; in 2014, it happened when we reached the eleventh level of The Emerald Spire. In our earlier years, it happened when we reached the third poster map of the Ruins of Undermountain. It happened again during this marathon, when we landed on the eighth level of the Abomination Vaults. You’re close to the end. You can feel the immensity of the megadungeon above you, instead of below you. Barring teleportation, it takes longer and longer each time you trek back up to the surface. Everything is a bit more serious—the pressure to succeed is greater. You’re in what we call “the deep levels” of a megadungeon. Just reaching the deep levels is enough for hand-slaps and hugs around the table, but in the back of your mind is what awaits at the bottom.
The Abomination Arsenal: Part 5
Friday, February 23, 2024
The Deep Levels!
We’ve delved a lot of dungeons throughout Order of the Amber Die’s history. We’ve delved a few megadungeons too. There is this cool thing that happens when you pass the two-thirds mark of a megadungeon; in 2014, it happened when we reached the eleventh level of The Emerald Spire. In our earlier years, it happened when we reached the third poster map of the Ruins of Undermountain. It happened again during this marathon, when we landed on the eighth level of the Abomination Vaults. You’re close to the end. You can feel the immensity of the megadungeon above you, instead of below you. Barring teleportation, it takes longer and longer each time you trek back up to the surface. Everything is a bit more serious—the pressure to succeed is greater. You’re in what we call “the deep levels” of a megadungeon. Just reaching the deep levels is enough for hand-slaps and hugs around the table, but in the back of your mind is what awaits at the bottom.
To reach the deep levels of the Vaults, we first had to get past some devils who ran the prison level. Quite a few of them actually, but as devils go, one was more important than the rest. Determined to reach the bottom of this megadungeon and stop Belcorra, we cut a deal…with the devil. This is Order of the Amber Die and we’re playing the Black Powder Cadre, so one deal wasn’t nearly enough. We cut DEALS with devils. You can’t hand our GM a whole section of the Adventure Toolbox titled “Infernal Contracts,” without expecting him to entice us into nearly every contract available. Yet, when Adam asked our party of gunslingers if we had Legal Lore, you’d think the answer would be nothing short of silence and smirks. Instead, our Player Captain argued two marathons ago that every human gunslinger in the group should take Clever Improviser, which Matt said was one of the best feats in Pathfinder 2E. Legal Lore, you say? Why, we seem to have a party of outlaws and aspiring attorneys here!
If you need to get caught up, here is our story from the other levels of the Abomination Vaults:
This marathon saw a couple of gunslinger cameos as additions to the Black Powder Cadre. Grundak, “son of Bashdak,” is an orc gunfighter who joined us with his Barricade Buster from Pathfinder Treasure Vault. It’s worth adding that the clip on the Barricade Buster was impressive; the rest of us were busy reloading while the rookie was plugging away. We were also accompanied by a new companion from Pathfinder Lost Omens Impossible Lands, following the Way of the Triggerbrand and offering some potential melee backup. Our final cameo was from Auralee, playing the cocky yet enigmatic “Lady Sniper,” who likes to wait a while before unslinging her arquebus and quick-scoping a kill.
Adventure: Hands of the Devil/Eyes of Empty Death
Marathon Length: 59 hours
Session Hours: 40hrs, 30min
Every marathon feels different, and for this one we played our hours on level seven under the red light, which made for some serious immersion. We spent most of our three-day weekend trying to locate fragments of a pentagram that would allow us access to the levels below—along with permission from Urevian, a phistophilus. Tess Rajani, wife of Carman Rajani (the future mayor of Otari), signed away her firstborn in what she swore was a deal that outwitted even a contract devil. To make this moment even more intense, Adam laid an actual contract in front of Theodora to sign!
Highlights from Marathon 5:
□ Some of the devils in this megadungeon wield wicked Hellforged weapons. On level seven we found the Hellforge itself, then riddled its smith with bullets. Did you think we’d pass up a new forge, when one of us is married to the most famous blacksmith on this side of Kortos? “The Rajani Hellforge” is now operational, and ready to give Carman the boost to his reputation he’ll need in the next run for mayor! Should we mention our ownership of the Hellforge was part of the deal we signed?
□ Just like the levels above, we encountered more bearded devils on level seven. It could be something that every group experiences while playing the Abomination Vaults Adventure Path, but sustaining an infernal wound from a barbazu is definitely a rite of passage in the Black Powder Cadre. Thanks to PathfinderGuns & Gears, Cauterize effectively shuts down the worry of dying from one of these wounds, and it leaves a nice scar – we like to show them off.
□ We came across a gug that wanted nothing to do with us. Out-of-game, our vets have something personal against gugs. We faced them in The Emerald Spire Project, The Giantslayer Endeavor, and The Strange Aeons Experiment. Now one was right in front of us, sitting quietly in some kind of prison cell. We made a firing line and let the powder fly— only to be served once again by the power of a gug, regardless of what Pathfinder edition we’re in! Across the team, its Furious Claws ability spread out 207 damage in a single round with a few critical hits in there. The ground was littered with facedown gunslingers, and it’s the closest we’ve been to TPK.
□ We stumbled across one of the most memorable chambers of the entire Abomination Vaults so far: a stasis prison, holding an array of nasty creatures that formed a threat level high enough to cause the Core Rulebook to combust. Luckily, it wasn’t the prison that opposed us, but its witchfire warden. Our guns have names, and it was Vlai’s scattergun called “Collateral” that lit up the air like flak. Keep flying lady, you’re easier to hit.
□ One of the things we love about delving a megadungeon is how you get to make a different entrance onto each level, and level eight was hard to beat. We descended on an elevator into a large cavern filled with water, docks, and a few boats. Cypress Hill prepped the scene with “Cock the Hammer” as we spotted forms moving below – undead forms to be precise. One ran for a door and only made it to the handle. Another tried to launch a skiff and never had a chance. We dumped lead on them until the shouts of “cease fire!” echoed off the walls.
Character Deaths
□ With the assistance of devils, kind of dying doesn’t count. It’s all in the fine print.
The Arsenal
There were the occasional doubters when we started this all-gunslingers project. After reaching level eight of the Abomination Vaults, it’s about time to take some credit for just how well this party has handled the majority of what this megadungeon has presented. Let’s be clearer: we’ve just downright trashed a lot of encounters. First off, each gunslinger’s Initial Deed means that many of us start combat with hands free, which means on round one we can draw silversheen, a redpitch bomb, or even grab an edge if we need to. Do you think it’s a ghost? Have our Way of the Drifter draw her ghost touch shortsword. Oh, it a levitating seugathi? Pull! A hulking bone gladiator with resistance? Rocked it with concussive weapon traits. Creatures that climb walls? Just lead them a bit. Fearsome gibbering mouthers? Here’s some extra bludgeoning damage from the harmona gun. Mobs that rush you? That’s what hip-firing with Risky Reload is for. Just make sure to act out blowing on the tip of your barrel after the last shot is fired.
Best Quote from Marathon 5
(staring down a denizen of Leng and his companion—a giant crawling hand) Zoric: “We should try talking to this guy.” Tess: “Can’t talk to the hand…”
Current Situation
We disembarked from the elevator down to level eight, then Vlai gave the order: search and destroy. After cleaning out a couple of rooms containing bog-soaked undead, we debated whether or not we wanted to use one of the skiffs to explore the waterways down here. Water and firearms don’t mix, so we’ll likely keep scanning for another path around the level.
More Content:
Our table was brought to life with the help of Blue Table Painting for the miniatures, and Black Bard Studios for custom adventure-specific miniatures/terrain.
Welcome back to another exciting collection of Pathfinder Infinite & Starfinder Infinite Top Performers!
Infinite Top Performers—Jan ‘24
Friday, February 23, 2024
Welcome back to another exciting collection of Pathfinder Infinite & Starfinder Infinite Top Performers!
Pathfinder and Starfinder Infinite is a program that allows you to create content (adventures and locations; monsters; character classes, archetypes, and backgrounds; fiction; etc.) based on Paizo’s intellectual property (IP), including Pathfinder’s Lost Omens campaign setting, and to make some money while you’re at it. Your work might even be recognized by the community and earn you an invitation into the Infinite Masters elite creator program.
For more info on Pathfinder Infinite, Starfinder Infinite, and how to get started, check out the FAQs!
January’s Top Performers
Titles are ranked by an average of units sold and revenue earned and presented in alphabetical order. Asterisks indicate titles that have been on a best-seller list previously. Because they’ve consistently topped the list, and due to the number of their titles that typically take up spots, “Team+” and “Team Index” have asked to be removed from the calculations for ongoing top performers lists. This will allow newer publishers or book series to get more attention. Thanks, all!
Dive deeper into the new system of Edicts and Anathema from the Pathfinder Second Edition remaster. Over 700 edicts and anathemas for the ABCD of character creation: Ancestry, Background, Class, Deity.
A kineticist expansion from Eldritch Osiris Games. With 8 new elements, you can become a master of the elemental energies of: aether, awareness, light, shadow, spirit, time, vitality, and void! In addition, you can find expansions for the elements of: air, earth, fire, metal, water, and wood as well as composite elements and expansions to the monk class and houses of perfection!
Providing an in-depth expansion of Pathfinder Second Edition's vulpine ancestry, Kitsune of Golarion Remastered provides players and GMs alike with everything they need to make this vibrant ancestry of shape-shifting fox folk feel at home in the Age of Lost Omens. Based on the Gold Best-Selling product Kitsune of Golarion, this product aims to not only remaster but redefine the content from this original offering into an indispensable product for the entire table, tailless or not.
Has inspiration struck, but Player Core 1 doesn't have a subclass to fit? Whether you are looking for a Cleric spy, a swaggering Rogue, or a Druid with a will of Steel, you will find myriad options within, made by 4 Infinite Masters and specially tuned for the PF2e Remaster! Feats, subclasses, focus spells, and more for the classes of Player Core 1.
The reality of Golarion is coming undone after the loss of one of its greatest deities, and it's up to heroes like you to hold it together. Shattered Omens of Golarion is a collection of over 2 years of work consolidated into one tome. Inside, you'll find over 185 pages of Remastered player options, including new ancestry and class feats, backgrounds, heritages, spells, and magic items.
A wide variety of subclasses, feats, and alternate class options—whether it comes from mastering the use of sound to bringing religion to the more physical classes. And let us not forget options of various levels of technology, from Steampunk, to tech which is science fiction even to Starfinder, to bringing forward old favorites from Pathfinder.
Creatures from the Drift is a supplement for Starfinder players and GMs, introducing a vast array of new foes from the depths of the Drift. Ranging from Cybernetic Fae to Drift-warped animals, these beings are unlike anything seen in the Pact Worlds. But thankfully there are also new feats, themes, and a plethora of companion pets to help you survive the mysterious entities from the Drift—including a whole new playable race!
Experience the new Enhanced mechanic—revised for balanced and easier play. This expansion includes several new and revised mechanic tricks, drone chassis, and drone mods.
Towering mechs, ancient elementals, territorial kaiju, and many more mech-scale threats can be found in Starfinder Infinite: Mech Threat Manual! Inside, you’ll find a spread of the latest mech creations of the Outer Sphere, deadly carnivorous mechform mimics, oozes that can slip inside a mech to throttle the operator or take over the machine entirely, and more. This book provides a variety of themed threats for use in mech combat at all levels of play, and all mechs within were made in accordance with the recommended alternative rules for creating NPC mechs from Starfinder: Tech Revolution.
New & Exciting from Infinite Masters!
Want to see what’s been cooking in the Infinite Masters’ alchemy lab? Here’s a selection of new products from some of our Infinite Masters—and some pieces that have caught their eyes!
The Godsrain Contingencies—Player options based on the Godsrain Prophecies, including archetypes, feats, new deities, and more! Updating with each prophecy.
Our metaplot continues as the Order of Dawning Fate progresses their plans, unleashing a devastating disaster weapon against a planet in the Vast. Not yet certain which planet the Order is targeting, the Starfinder Society is forced to dispatch teams to numerous planets, spreading their forces thin. You’ve been assigned the planet of Relthune, which is currently experiencing extensive tectonic activity. Race through a city in chaos to find the Order of Dawning Fate, deactivate their weapon, and bring their schemes to an end. Yet, the Starfinders won’t go uncontested! You will face with enemies old and new and be opposed by one of the founders of the Order of Dawning Fate—the drow Kebzec!
February Digital Adventure Previews
Thursday, February 22, 2024
Hello, Starfinders! We’ve got a packed month for you, so let’s dive right in!
Our metaplot continues as the Order of Dawning Fate progresses their plans, unleashing a devastating disaster weapon against a planet in the Vast. Not yet certain which planet the Order is targeting, the Starfinder Society is forced to dispatch teams to numerous planets, spreading their forces thin. You’ve been assigned the planet of Relthune, which is currently experiencing extensive tectonic activity. Race through a city in chaos to find the Order of Dawning Fate, deactivate their weapon, and bring their schemes to an end. Yet, the Starfinders won’t go uncontested! You will face with enemies old and new and be opposed by one of the founders of the Order of Dawning Fate—the drow Kebzec!
With the fate of an entire city in your hands, every second matters. Better make it count!
Left to Right: Illustrations by José Luis Islas López and Kevin Sardinha.
Meanwhile, back in the Pact Worlds, a team of Starfinders is dispatched to solve a mystery!
For months, citizens of the kasathan colony ship, Idari, have vanished without a trace, disappearing from the idyllic Sea of Grass for an unknown fate. As the number of missing increases, accusations fly at the inhabitants of the nearby Red Corridors, a subterranean neighborhood home to anarchists, criminals, and kasathas looking to flout the deeply ingrained traditions of modern kasathan society. Despite the danger, citizens of both the Sea of Grass and the Red Corridors remain distrustful of the ruling Doyenate and refuse to cooperate with ship security. Fearing that rising tensions could erupt in violence, the captain of the Idari calls for help from an old friend: First Seeker Ehu Hadif and the Starfinder Society. It’s up to you to find the missing!
Hello, Pathfinders and welcome to your official second month of the year!
This month, the Equal Exchanges metaplot deepens further as a team of Pathfinders is sent to a strange island that defies all scrying and divination magic. The team is there to document whatever may have been left behind in a laboratory known as the Tsevel Center, previously run by the now-defunct Conference Z, the occult research section of the Aspis Consortium. The Waterfall has also tasked the Pathfinders with locating an artifact for her, that of a small, wooden box. As the Pathfinders explore the center, another soul lingers and watches them, wondering if they’ll prove to be friend or foe. Now’s definitely not the time to lose your head!
Left to Right: Illustrations by Rodrigo Gallo and Carol Azevedo
Meanwhile, things are heating up in Thuvia, at least for some unfortunate Pathfinder agents—namely you. Someone has spread rumors that the PCs are transporting the valuable sun orchid elixir, instead of some reference books ordered by Zarta Dralneen. Only the desperate and foolish would fall for such an obvious lie, but, as Pathfinders, they’re excellent at attracting trouble from those types in spades.
Specifically, this quest is set up so the GM has 3 groups of enemies to choose from, each bamboozled by the rumor, but can disrupt the actual mission just as well. Since it's repeatable, there will always be another rumor to squash. Just don't disappoint Zarta and get her books stolen.
While it would require someone with far more expertise to confirm this absolutely, I am now convinced that this set of so-called prophecies are all authored by the same hand. Some of this is due to the handwriting on the documents that have been found in more pristine condition (it is perhaps fitting that a prophecy dedicated to the death of the Lucky Drunk was found on a scrap of parchment that looked like it had been dragged through the floor of more than one tavern), but the rest I attribute both to the places in which they were discovered and, I believe, the rhythm of the writing (though I would be a bit more sure of that if I had read The Peculiarities of Prophetic Speech more closely despite what I believe to be a truly excessive number of footnotes). I am sure that Lorminos knows someone who can confirm my beliefs if needed. That is if, of course, my Lady wants a set of writings so inflammatory to be so widely seen. I am far from convinced of the truth of any of them, and a single author could point as much to a singular troublemaker wishing to create strife as someone with a sudden gift of foresight.
The Godsrain Prophecies Part Three
Wednesday, February 21, 2024
While it would require someone with far more expertise to confirm this absolutely, I am now convinced that this set of so-called prophecies are all authored by the same hand. Some of this is due to the handwriting on the documents that have been found in more pristine condition (it is perhaps fitting that a prophecy dedicated to the death of the Lucky Drunk was found on a scrap of parchment that looked like it had been dragged through the floor of more than one tavern), but the rest I attribute both to the places in which they were discovered and, I believe, the rhythm of the writing (though I would be a bit more sure of that if I had read The Peculiarities of Prophetic Speech more closely despite what I believe to be a truly excessive number of footnotes). I am sure that Lorminos knows someone who can confirm my beliefs if needed. That is if, of course, my Lady wants a set of writings so inflammatory to be so widely seen. I am far from convinced of the truth of any of them, and a single author could point as much to a singular troublemaker wishing to create strife as someone with a sudden gift of foresight.
—Yivali, Apprentice Researcher for the Lady of Graves
The Death of Cayden Cailean
Cayden Cailean had never thought himself a liar. A storyteller, sure, in the tradition of the tavern, where convincing someone of your worth might mean a refilled tankard. Who among his fellow patrons hadn’t added enemies to boost their tale of combat or invented some new twice-trapped room deep within the dungeon of a newly fallen foe? To claim that he’d become a god was more than normal boasting, but he couldn’t quite remember what had happened with the Starstone. Maybe he had passed its test and that was what kept him alive. Maybe he’d become a god and godhood felt no different than mortal existence. Maybe he would take another round of good ale on the house (a thank you from the barkeep for the honor of his presence). Maybe as he told his tale he could almost believe it. At least until the nightly dreams began.
They started off as flashes, tiny moments in the dark of night—a clanging sword that echoed down a long and shadowed hallway, the smell of new-cut marble turned impossibly acrid, the taste of blood and honey in the space behind his tongue. And still, no matter what they were, each vision woke him shuddering—skin drenched in sweat, heart racing wildly, cold breeze crawling up his spine, a voice he’d never heard before that whispered in his eardrums—liar, drunkard, cheater, thief. One day you will pay for this with everything you owe.
Cayden Cailean would never call himself a cheater. How could he know belief alone could make a deity? But every time the story spread that he had passed the Test of Starstone, something shifted in him, brought him that much closer to true divinity. By the time he heard his story chanted like a rowdy prayer, he was every inch the god that he had claimed to be. He did his best to share the gift, empower those who followed him, pass blessings out like cups of drink to those who strived for freedom. But no good deed had earned him pity from the voice that stalked his dreams, a whisper he now recognized as that of the Starstone itself, murmuring about the flask that he kept tight against his waist—forbidden, stolen, holy power. There will be a reckoning.
The flask was Cayden’s property from long before the Starstone, but now it held a draft he’d brought back from the Cathedral—a distillation of the power held within its core. And while he still could not remember what he’d done to make or bring it back, he knew that every sip gave him a taste of the divine. His followers’ convictions may have been the thing that made him a god, but all beliefs grow worn and frayed and faded over time. No matter who believed in him, he knew one thing down to his core: the liquid in his flask was what kept his lie alive.
But every tiny sip of nectar took his dreams on twisted paths, until he dreamt of death in the Cathedral every night. And after he had died each way the Test of Starstone could devise—some with the sound of steel on bone, some with the fall of flesh to floor, some with a bargain on his tongue that faded in a gasping breath—it left him with a final and unalterable verdict: time for you to pay your debt, return to mortal life.
Cayden Cailean had never minded being mortal, but as his story shifted, he mourned his legacy. Word spread, as words are wont to do, of his deceitful rise to grace, and those who’d raised his name in praise could barely muster pity. The innkeepers and brewers he’d counted as his worshipers now barred him from their premises, afraid they would be thought of as complicit in his lie, and soon the one-time god had faded out of public life, so far removed that no one knows quite how and where he died. Some say it happened in an alley, slumped over in the pouring rain, while others claim he died in battle fighting for a righteous cause, or braved the Starstone once again in one last fatal try.
Iomedae and Norgorber, as fellow gods Ascended, both moved to quell the rumors that they had also cheated to obtain divinity—Iomedae appearing on the front lines with her champions in tireless demonstrations of her prowess on the battlefield and Norgorber eliminating each one of his followers who dared to voice dissent or wonder who he used to be. But neither sees the true change that still lurks along the margins, as one after another shop begins to claim that, for a cost, you too can be transformed from mortal life to deity. If all it takes is stories and a liquor no one understands (as noted in a few reports of Cayden’s sad demise), then nothing stops a hundred shops from selling sugar water and a complement of town criers to those who feel that being god is next on their agenda—a warlord here, a despot there, the righteous and the vengeful—and what new revolution might they bring if they do rise?
A god created from belief alone? That is both deeply intriguing and somewhat baffling, as this is the first report I’ve read of such an occurrence. Surely if this were truly possible, I’d have encountered it before in my studies. This will require more research, though with what time I will pursue it I know not. It does make me wonder how many believers one might have to acquire to cross the boundary from mortal to god, and whether belief was nearly as important in this case as the Starstone nectar mentioned above. I have no doubt that if someone were able to distill a liquor from a source of pure divine power, it would be Cayden Cailean, but for those of us not blessed with that specific set of skills, I am struck by the idea that you could solve for number of believers and gain divinity simply by exceeding that threshold. Equations are not my strong suit, but I may see if I can find a collaborator and determine what that number might be. Though it might be difficult to do without revealing where the idea has come from. Perhaps it would be better to wait until I have all the prophecies properly analyzed and know what my Lady wishes to do with them before I begin making them a basis for a new research field, but it is hard not to get excited!
About the Author
Erin Roberts has been thrilled to be able to contribute a few small threads to the fabric of Golarion in the pages of books like Lost Omens Firebrands, Lost Omens Highhelm, and Lost Omens Travel Guide. In addition to her work for Paizo, she freelances across the TTRPG world (and was selected as a Diana Jones Award Emerging Designer Program Winner in 2023), has had fiction published in magazines including Asimov’s, Clarkesworld, and The Dark, and talks about writing every week on the Writing Excuses podcast. Catch up with her latest at linktr.ee/erinroberts.
Some two-hundred months ago, I was a wrecked ball of frazzled nerves as I waited for the verdict to come in on the very first Pathfinder Adventure Path. This was before Pathfinder was its own RPG, and while I had experience writing and developing three previous Adventure Paths, this was the first one that wasn’t tied to an established world.
Meet The Doomvelopers
Tuesday, February 20, 2024
What’s a Desna?
Some two-hundred months ago, I was a wrecked ball of frazzled nerves as I waited for the verdict to come in on the very first Pathfinder Adventure Path. This was before Pathfinder was its own RPG, and while I had experience writing and developing three previous Adventure Paths, this was the first one that wasn’t tied to an established world.
We were starting from scratch.
Not only was my adventure, “Burnt Offerings,” kicking off the first Pathfinder Adventure Path, but that volume also had to present a brand new campaign setting, complete with its own pantheon of gods, new weapons and items, world maps, new monsters, and more, all at the same time. Before “Burnt Offerings,” no one knew what a starknife was, who Desna was, or where Sandpoint was but me. All of those things (and quite a bit more) were part of my homebrew campaign, exported into the new Paizo setting largely as a time-saving stunt so that we didn’t have to build everything from nothing in a few months of frenzied creativity. Fortunately, we had an entire company of incredibly creative folks and amazing artists (in particular Wayne Reynolds and his iconic goblins) to support the adventure, and by the time that first Adventure Path came to a close, Golarion was off to the races.
And so here we are, waiting for the 200th volume of the Pathfinder Adventure Path to hit store shelves, and I just wanted to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of the folks who helped keep this thing going over the years—and to all of the gamers who kept their subscriptions going and spent countless hours exploring the adventures we’ve been creating. You’re all the reason we made it this far, after all, and unlike the first time I wrote about Sandpoint and its many troubles, this time I’m confident it’s here to stay.
Well... unless one of those seven dooms gets loose and has its way!
James Jacobs Narrative Creative Director
Shadows Under Sandpoint
Coming back to Sandpoint to celebrate the 200th volume of the Pathfinder Adventure Path isn’t just a return to the site of the very first Pathfinder adventure back in our very first volume in 2007—it’s a return to the town where the Pathfinder RPG was truly born, in the very first Paizo office campaign to use the new rules. As players around the world were playing one of our first four Adventure Paths, the Paizo creative staff itself (or at least a very large portion of it) gathered in our office conference room to explore James Jacobs’s Shadows Under Sandpoint campaign.
Players like Jason Bulmahn, F. Wesley Schneider, Rob McCreary, PaizoCon co-founder Tim Nightengale, Sean K Reynolds, Christopher Paul Carey, James L. Sutter, and more gathered weekly to explore the town, facing off against foes like Pillbug Podiker, the menacing undead Kanker, the maddening Red Bishop, and even the Sandpoint Devil itself in a campaign that spanned the first few years of the Pathfinder RPG era. Traces of these adventures have appeared in previous Pathfinder products. The old Pathfinder Chronicles NPC Guide contained early stats for the characters of everyone listed above, and in the few times we’ve revisited Sandpoint in print since Rise of the Runelords, more NPCs and other plot developments have worked their way in, a palimpsest record of our original adventures hidden between the sheets of official Pathfinder material. Heck, my own character in James’s game, Ostog the Unslain, is now a genuine regent in the Land of the Linnorm Kings, a development right out of the final session of that old office campaign.
Now, with Seven Dooms for Sandpoint, James has pulled together all these threads into a new narrative that features many of the same challenges and foes that went into our original game—an office game that literally influenced the development of the Pathfinder rules and world more than perhaps any other.
It’s not every day that a monthly periodical manages 200 volumes. The predecessor to Pathfinder Adventure Path, the venerable Dungeon Magazine, only lasted 150 issues. A rare milestone like this calls for reflection, and for celebration. We hope you enjoy facing off against the Seven Dooms just like we did in the Paizo offices more than a decade ago, when we weren’t even sure Pathfinder would last 20 volumes, let alone 200.
Here's to Sandpoint, to Pathfinder, and to at least 200 more months of adventure on the road ahead!
Erik Mona Publisher
This is Where I Came In
Let’s fiddle with the Scepter of Ages a little and bounce back to the quieter times of 2007. I learn that the excellent Dungeon and DragonMagazinesare ceasing publication and Paizo, this little company that put the excellence into those magazines says that they’ve got this monthly Pathfinder thing they’re making that will carry the torch of the Adventure Path forward. I liked their stewardship of the magazines, so I took the option to roll my subscription over to this new endeavor. When “Burnt Offerings” (Pathfinder Adventure Path #1) arrived at my house, I was greeted with a tale of evil wizards from a forgotten empire waking into a world already full of uncertainty and hard people eking out a living in a remote corner. And goblins. Delightfully maniacal goblins. I immediately volunteered to run it for my group as soon as we wrapped our current campaign.
Maybe it’s because it was my first taste or maybe it was because the place oozed with colorful characters full of life (and potential conflict), but Sandpoint has been a gold standard of the small fantasy town in my eyes. It’s small enough to have that “everyone knows everyone else’s business” thing going, but big enough that there’s always some shady goings on when the town goes to sleep.
Years later, I joined the company while we were working on “Skull & Shackles”—so, well after most of the foundational Runelords work was done or the return to Sandpoint in “Jade Regent”—but I helped out with “Shattered Star,” wrote for “Return of the Runelords,” and developed both Sandpoint: Light of the Lost Coast and this—the 200th volume of the Pathfinder Adventure Path, a return to Sandpoint to save the first town I came to love in the world of Golarion. I in no way created Sandpoint or the Runelord saga—that’s James’ crown to bear—but I’d like to think I’ve guided it a bit.
Adam Daigle Director of Game Development
And before any of y’all ask in the comments below... Yes, our digital-play-loving friends, this adventure is getting support from Foundry VTT and it will be available on the same day as the PDF! In fact, since this is a big deal—being the 200th Adventure Path volume and all—the team over there is pulling out all the stops and making this one fancy. In addition to the usual stellar maps and smooth play experience, It will include a fully-integrated, original musical score and special digital dice themed specifically for Seven Dooms for Sandpoint!
Howdy! Luis Loza here! Last time, we peeked at the cover for Player Core 2 and took a look at look at the conspirator dragon that had earned a spot on the cover. This time I’ve decided to share the draconic wealth and showcase the new fortune dragon. Let’s have a look!
Dragons Worth a Fortune!
Friday, February 16, 2024
Howdy! Luis Loza here! Last time, we peeked at the cover for Player Core 2 and took a look at look at the conspirator dragon that had earned a spot on the cover. This time I’ve decided to share the draconic wealth and showcase the new fortune dragon. Let’s have a look!
Illustration by Kent Hamilton
Fortune dragons are the other arcane dragon featured in Monster Core. Similar to the mirage dragon, the fortune dragon embodies direct control over magic. Unlike its cousin, the fortune dragon is less about a specific type of magic and more about raw magical power.
Magical energy and magical potential exist everywhere, and much like a person breathing in air, a fortune dragon constantly draws in magical energy from their surroundings. They use these energies to empower their magical abilities, or even heal their wounds. Though they are arcane dragons, their frames are noticeably bulkier than the typical frame of their other arcane cousins, and marked by one distinctive feature: their treasure. The constant drawing of magical energy creates a strange sort of magnetism that causes coins, gems, and magical items to cling to the body of a fortune dragon. This energy even flows through the items themselves, causing many of them to heat up and melt in the process.
Since fortune dragons are constantly drawing on magical energy, they have the capability of actively drawing from large surges of energy and using it for themselves. While they use spontaneous magic, a fortune dragon can recharge their magic by feeding upon other spells that affect them, turning a foe’s magic into fuel for their own spell. More powerful fortune dragons even have an aura of magical disruption, which makes consuming spells in this way an automatic process. Fortune dragons can unleash blasts of pure magical energy, manifesting as force damage, to hurt others. These blasts are disruptive as well, making others stupefied and leading to more disrupted spells that a fortune dragon can consume.
Of course, a fortune dragon has an enormous hoard of wealth in their lair. These hoards are typically larger than those of other dragons. A significant amount of a fortune dragon’s hoard is effectively worthless, however. Countless relics litter these hoards, each drained of their innate magic, with any inherent value left in the form of non-magical materials. A fortune dragon typically keeps their most valued treasures deep within their hoard or even directly attached to their bodies.
That’s our look at the fortune dragon! Make sure to keep an eye out for this dragon and lots of other new dragons when Monster Core releases in March. Stay tuned for more draconic previews in the coming weeks. Next time, we’ll take a look at the mighty horned dragons. See you then!
I’ve always been a fan of the immersion factor that music and sound bring to TTRPGs. I have fond memories from the olden times of collecting sound effect CDs from the Halloween store to use as background ambience for dungeon-crawling sessions (and then probably going through far too much effort trying to make the setting and the encounters at least sort of match the audio). Granted, those weren’t always the best—if you’ve never had the pleasure of engaging in a tense roleplaying session that keeps getting interrupted by random screams and cackling like an extra in a rubber clown mask at a third-tier state fair funhouse, you’re missing out—but fortunately, the breadth and quality of available sound and ambience options have come a long way since then.
Paizo Partners with Michael Ghelfi Studios
Thursday, February 15, 2024
I’ve always been a fan of the immersion factor that music and sound bring to TTRPGs. I have fond memories from the olden times of collecting sound effect CDs from the Halloween store to use as background ambience for dungeon-crawling sessions (and then probably going through far too much effort trying to make the setting and the encounters at least sort of match the audio). Granted, those weren’t always the best—if you’ve never had the pleasure of engaging in a tense roleplaying session that keeps getting interrupted by random screams and cackling like an extra in a rubber clown mask at a third-tier state fair funhouse, you’re missing out—but fortunately, the breadth and quality of available sound and ambience options have come a long way since then.
Music is the same way. When you’re sitting around the table and your GM hits play on something from the “Conan the Barbarian” soundtrack, you know it’s time for some bad guys to get sworded and/or sorceried. When you hear that Shire theme from the “Lord of the Rings” soundtrack, you know you’re about to enter a pastoral little hamlet full of relatable NPCs that your GM will make you fall in love with before shamelessly brutalizing and/or endangering them to raise the emotional stakes. There’s a track on the “Pirates of the Caribbean” soundtrack that I’ll always associate with a particularly nail-biting combat against a BBEG (more than I associate it with the movie itself) just because it happened to come on at exactly the right time.
Anyway, where was I going with this? If you read the final paragraph of our Season of Ghosts blog last week, you may have caught our announcement that Paizo has officially partnered with Michael Ghelfi Studios—one of the industry’s leading producers of music and audio specifically tailored for TTRPGs—to produce original music for select and upcoming Pathfinder Adventure Paths! You can go check out our official Season of Ghosts Adventure Path trailerfeaturing a taste of that music, and download the first track—aptly titled “Season of Ghosts”—absolutely free, right here!
Well, I’m excited to announce that our next two Adventure Paths—Seven Dooms for Sandpoint and Wardens of Wildwood—will both receive full-length soundtrack albums of their own, which we hope to release alongside the first volume of each Adventure Path so that you can use it to set the stage for your adventures from day one. Each album is being created completely from scratch by a member of Michael Ghelfi’s award-winning team of composers, working from input provided by each Adventure Path’s lead developer on key themes, inspirations, major characters, and story beats. It’s our hope that, not only will this awesome music enhance your games today, but that years from now you’ll be able to listen to a track from one of these albums and immediately associate it with a memorable NPC or moment from your own campaign, much as I associate this track with the time my character critically fumbled and accidentally dropped his weapon off the side of a boat.
We’ll be offering each of these albums as complete downloads on the Paizo store, and shortly after release, they’ll also be available on Michael Ghelfi Studios’ Bandcamp, Spotify, Opus, YouTube, and probably anywhere else you like to purchase digital music. Oh, and just because we think it’s cool, we’ll also be including the complete Seven Dooms for Sandpoint album with the adventure module for Foundry VTT, all cued up and ready to score your valiant attempts to save Sandpoint from utter destruction.
And there’s more on the way! We can’t share all of our plans just yet, but we can heavily insinuate that we don’t plan on stopping here. Watch this space!
This encounter takes place at a shrine for the Black Butterfly. Your PCs could have heard rumors of the shrine or have been invited to a heartbondritual taking place at the sanctuary. The shrine is a series of smaller altars and sanctuaries that were built to be traveled between in utter silence with respect to the Black Butterfly, allowing travelers to meditate on the silence between.
Pathfinder Encounter: The Sound of Love
Wednesday, February 14, 2024
Today, we debut a series of sample encounters previewing some of the creatures from the pages of Pathfinder Monster Core, the next release in the Pathfinder Second Edition Remaster Project. This encounter, from Josh Birdsong, features the first look at the quai dau to and makes use of Pathfinder Flip-Mat: Night Market & Shrine.
The Sound of Love — Moderate 11
This encounter takes place at a shrine for the Black Butterfly. Your PCs could have heard rumors of the shrine or have been invited to a heartbondritual taking place at the sanctuary. The shrine is a series of smaller altars and sanctuaries that were built to be traveled between in utter silence with respect to the Black Butterfly, allowing travelers to meditate on the silence between.
The PCs are given an opportunity to reflect on their previous adventures and meditate on their future choices. If they choose to travel in silence, they become more aware of the beautiful vista before them. They notice how green the trees are and how beautiful the nearby river sounds as it tumbles on its way, unconcerned with the happenings of the world around it. The air begins to smell fresher and cool against their skin. PCs who remain silent during their travels gain a +1 status bonus to Perception checks while traveling between the altars.
When the PCs arrive at the final altar, they are welcomed by a small gathering of nobles who decided this shrine was the perfect location for their heartbond ritual. When the ceremony begins, trumpets are sounded to announce the union to the world. Unbeknownst to the nobles, a quai dau to stealthily hunts nearby, and the sound of trumpets sends it on a rampage. It inflates and flies towards the ceremony with rage in its eyes.
Map: This map uses a portion of the Pathfinder Flip-Mat: Night Market & Shrine
Creatures: The local quai dau to normally hunts the river in peace, leaving the silent visitors of the shrine alone. However, they are very sensitive to loud noises and the trumpets, which caused the beast great distress. The quai dau to will attack the creature making the most noise. PCs can spend an action to calm the beast (DC 32 Nature check), provided they can get everyone else to become completely quiet. This DC is reduced by 5 if the quai dau to is reduced to 150 HP or lower. The beast will flee if reduced to 50 HP or lower.
Illustration by Gunship Revolution
Quai Dau To Creature 13
Huge, Beast
Perception +25; darkvision, mist vision, scent (imprecise) 120 feet Skills Athletics +27, Stealth +25, Survival +24 Str +8, Dex +4, Con +8, Int –3, Wis +5, Cha –1
Mist Vision The quai dau to ignores the concealed condition from mist and fog.
AC 32; Fort +26, Ref +19, Will +21 HP 300; Immunities blinded, dazzled; Weaknesses sonic 15
Frightful Sight (aura, emotion, fear, mental, visual) 60 feet. This aura functions as a DC 32 frightful presence aura (page 359), but a creature doesn’t attempt its save until it sees the quai dau to.
Reflective Scales [reaction] Trigger A creature within 30 feet casts a spell with the light trait or uses an ability with the light trait; EffectThe quai dau to adjusts its position to reflect the light off their scales in a blinding display. All creatures in a 30-foot emanation must succeed at a DC 33 Fortitude saving throw or become blinded for 1 round.
Drain Water [one-action] (manipulate) Requirements The quai dau to is within 10 feet of a body of water that’s at least 10 feet deep and their water sac is empty; Effect The quai dau to sucks water through their trunk to fill their water sac, lowering the level in the body of water by 10 feet. All creatures in the water within a 30-foot emanation are off-guard until the start of the quai dau to’s next turn.
Inflate [one-action] The quai dau to inflates their body. They become Gargantuan, gain a fly Speed of 30 feet until the end of their next turn, and then Fly. They deflate if they fall unconscious or Dismiss this effect.
Mist Breath [one-action] (primal, water) Requirements The quai dau to’s water sac is full; Effect The quai dau to empties their water sac to breathe out mist in a 10-foot emanation. All creatures within the mist become concealed, and all creatures outside the mist become concealed to creatures within it. The mist dissipates after 1 round.
Spout Water [two-actions] (primal, water) Requirements The quai dau to’s water sac is full; Effect The quai dau to empties its water sac to blast water from its trunk, dealing 9d10 bludgeoning damage to all creatures in a 90-foot line, with a DC 33 basic Reflex save. A creature that fails is pushed 10 feet (or 20 feet on a critical failure).
As I continue my reading of the Godsrain Prophecies’ dire predictions of the deaths of various gods, it should be noted (and will be, in the compiled report for my Lady), that their existence as a collection brings into question the validity of each one. I believe that a corollary of the Windsong Paradox explains this best (as unsettling as this discovery of “prophecy” has been, I relish the opportunity to apply one of my favorites!): each individual prophecy exists independent of the others, as if they each occur in their own solitary void (note, for example, the mention here of a living Pharasma).This means they cannot all be true and, per the corollary, the chance of any of them being true is lessened¹. A reassuring thought that I am happy to consider!
The Godsrain Prophecies Part Two
Wednesday, February 14, 2024
As I continue my reading of the Godsrain Prophecies’ dire predictions of the deaths of various gods, it should be noted (and will be, in the compiled report for my Lady), that their existence as a collection brings into question the validity of each one. I believe that a corollary of the Windsong Paradox explains this best (as unsettling as this discovery of “prophecy” has been, I relish the opportunity to apply one of my favorites!): each individual prophecy exists independent of the others, as if they each occur in their own solitary void (note, for example, the mention here of a living Pharasma).This means they cannot all be true and, per the corollary, the chance of any of them being true is lessened¹. A reassuring thought that I am happy to consider!
¹In all fairness, a counter-argument could be made that one of the Godsrain Prophecies is correct in full, with all others either invalidated by its truth or purposefully created to mislead, but I tend to believe my initial theory (perhaps, if nothing else, because it is a bit more comforting).
—Yivali, Apprentice Researcher for the Lady of Graves
The wound that kills Asmodeus has ached for countless eons, and still he has no memory of how Ihys drew blood. He knows the war between them, can hear the ringing battle cries as he fought hard for order, and Ihys, sympathetic fool, set chaos in his sights. He sees his brother’s hand outstretched, can feel the arm against his back, remembers what it tasted like to plunge his sword into his kin, but never feels the moment that some blade or nail sliced at his leg, has only blood upon his hands to prove that he was hit.
Some days the cut is barely there, a scratch upon his surface, a moment’s irritation as he moves from place to place. But other days, it festers into leaking, pulsing wetness, a shooting pain that drips and strikes and stops him where he stands. He spends those days in agony, sealed deep within the Catafalque, encouraging the rumors of his secret chamber of delights, returning only when the wound has calmed itself again.
He’s known, somewhere inside himself, that this would be what felled him, but somehow, in his final steps, he still feels disbelief. How can one cut unravel everything that he has been and done, the worlds that he has built and wrecked, the Hell he has created? He stumbles through the empty hall, his body crashing to the ground, a rictus of shocked agony carved deep into his face. Perhaps it is a mercy that he cannot see what happens next, does not perceive the brother who emerges in his place. Ihys, summoned by the force that kept the gash forever open. Ihys, who, with sorrowed glance, replaces him upon his throne. Ihys, who believed in taking mercy on the mortals, giving them their freedom even when they broke and twisted things, seeing good inside their souls as something worth the sacrifice. Ihys, now the Prince of Darkness. Ihys, Lord of Hell.
Deep inside the Catafalque, the new god works deliberately, taking time to understand the Hell his brother wrought. He finds a few things to preserve—the contract of creation and its binding power on the gods, the prison that holds Rovagug, whose key he’s now charged with keeping—and vows he will uphold them in Asmodeus’s name. The rest he’s ready to unmake, but slowly, with the greatest care. This time he will not act in haste. This time Hell works his way.
He first visits the archdevils, his enemies of ages past, who greet him with their surface smiles and offer false obeisance—some dripping poison-syruped words, some sharpening their blades and fangs, some gathering a mass of shades to wait for new wartime demands. But Ihys understands their ways and flaunts his new divinity, his scepter Archstar swinging in a show of all his power, and while the peace he gains from them may be a prelude to a war, he makes each of Hell’s denizens sign contracts to a new decree—a kinder, gentler punishment for those whose souls have damned them there, a way for those to free themselves who want to choose another path, a safe route as they journey back up from the depths of Hell.
He's visited by deities—some curious, some threatening—who see the shifting way of things and wish to understand. And while Pharasma alters how her psychopomps send souls to him and Sarenrae applauds an ancient ally on his newfound life, the Four Horsemen of Abaddon begin to seek advantages, to plan some future action they may one day undertake.
With Hell remade to suit his likings, Ihys settles on his throne, turns the power of his gaze to fixing mortal things. He pores through every contract that he must now enforce, underlining loopholes that invalidate the cruelest clauses, marking for destruction those he cannot bend or change. With every small relinquishing, the power in some region shifts, as those who felt their contract as a prison or a heavy weight now have the chance to change the old direction of their lives. But none change more than Cheliax, where House Thrune used the power gifted by the Lord of Hell himself to make the many contracts that have kept them on the throne. Ihys rescinds this favor and refuses to grant any more, leaves the realm of Abrogail to manage on its own.
As Ihys rests then, satisfied. He does not hear the whispers, as close as Mephistopheles and far off as Egorian, of bitterness and revolution, hanging in the air. Or if he does, he honors them as choices made of mortal will—whatever comes, he lives and breathes, and he can always start anew. If devils come to challenge him, if Cheliax is torn to shreds, he’s happy to rend everything (with Rovagug set free to feed) and make the world again.
While one might assume an end of Asmodeus’s treachery would presage improvements in the multiverse, this prophecy presents a very different potentiality.
I felt such relief while reading this to know that the death of Asmodeus (at least according to this still unproven and unidentified source) might not mean the release of the Rough Beast, only for the prophecy to suggest that Rovagug might still be unleashed? Those who claim that research has no excitement are simply in the wrong field of study. I also must confess that this prophecy has piqued my interest in learning more of the fallen god Ihys—a topic I might not otherwise have considered! It will, though, have to wait. I must reach some conclusion, and still have much to read through, before I can present this to my Lady.
About the Author
Erin Roberts has been thrilled to be able to contribute a few small threads to the fabric of Golarion in the pages of books like Lost Omens Firebrands, Lost Omens Highhelm, and Lost Omens Travel Guide. In addition to her work for Paizo, she freelances across the TTRPG world (and was selected as a Diana Jones Award Emerging Designer Program Winner in 2023), has had fiction published in magazines including Asimov’s, Clarkesworld, and The Dark, and talks about writing every week on the Writing Excuses podcast. Catch up with her latest at linktr.ee/erinroberts.
No fewer than three songs echoed through Hide and the deer kami as they strolled past the vendors lining the streets of Kasai. Unseen drums shook the air, the bass felt as much as it was heard, while flutes and shamisen competed for the rest of the matsuri’s soundscape. Hide’s stomach gurgled, but the festival food they passed—fried chicken, grilled octopus, and omelet-wrapped sausage—were ill-suited to either of their diets.
Tian Xia Days: The Matsuri
Tuesday, February 13, 2024
No fewer than three songs echoed through Hide and the deer kami as they strolled past the vendors lining the streets of Kasai. Unseen drums shook the air, the bass felt as much as it was heard, while flutes and shamisen competed for the rest of the matsuri’s soundscape. Hide’s stomach gurgled, but the festival food they passed—fried chicken, grilled octopus, and omelet-wrapped sausage—were ill-suited to either of their diets.
Ask her if she has one in green. The deer kami’s words appeared in Hide’s mind, as if revealed by receding mist. Similarly, Hide realized they were standing in front of a stall festooned with colorful strings of flowers and staffed by a woman in gray robes.
Nn. I will, Mister Kami.
Because it’s my favorite color.
Nn. I understand. Hide turned to the flower vendor’s stall. If you’d just allow me to—
“Taking your pet for a walk?” murmured the vendor from beneath her mask.
“No, he’s not a pet, he’s...” Hide trailed off as he realized the woman’s eyes were not on him. She snorted and turned her attention to Hide.
“Apologies, sir. I was speaking to your companion.”
“I was the pet?” Hide asked, barely holding his incredulity at bay.
“What can I do for you, sir?” the woman continued, without missing a beat.
“Do you have any green flowers?”
“Not exactly, sir, but I could apply a treatment to some yellow ones. The string won’t stay fresh as long, but—”
The kami pranced excitedly, hooves tippy-tappying in the dirt road. This time, the words he was trying to convey were completely unintelligible to Hide, though the sentiment was clear.
“I think we’ll take one.”
“Wonderful. I’ll just—”
Whatever the vendor said next was lost as the kami’s words washed over Hide. Tell her she doesn’t have to wrap it. The vendor cocked her head slightly and paused gathering her supplies, waiting for her customers’ mental conversation to complete.
“He wants to wear it?” the vendor asked.
“He wants to wear it,” said Hide. “How did you know?”
“Kami often have particular tastes,” replied the vendor. She tugged her mask up a little higher, then laid an ornament of yellow flowers across her table and started waving a wand over it. Blue and green sparks cascaded from her hand, so quickly and brightly that Hide jerked his head away and blinked rapidly. If the sparks caused the masked vendor any discomfort, she didn’t show it. Nor did she show the gold coins that appeared in her hand in a telltale subtle shimmer of transportation magic; they’d disappeared from Hide’s purse while he was blinded by the sparks.
Ilustration by Sammy Khalid
“May I ask,” Hide began, “Why are you dressed in gray while your stall is so colorful?”
The vendor’s eyes sank slightly, and Hide realized the woman had been smiling under her mask until now.
“Life everywhere in Minkai under the Jade Regent was... challenging. We all did what we had to do. And we don’t know what we’ll have to do next.”
Hide was suddenly very aware of the gold chains adorning his robes. His purse felt wrong. The pause lingered too long.
“I didn’t hurt anyone. I just... relocated things and information. Hence the dark gray,” the woman continued.
“I understand. I’ve done similar things. I’m sorry for asking so indelicately.”
“May I ask you a question, sir?” the vendor inquired.
“Of course.”
“Why are you a kami’s traveling companion?”
“This place was all forest once, you know?” said Hide. “That’s a silly statement. I apologize. Obviously, this was once forest. Everything was forest at one time. I mean to say that my friend remembered this place as it was and wanted to return—to see what we humans had done with the space and the trees.”
A smiling crinkle returned to the woman’s eyes. “How nice. I hope he’s not too put off by what he sees.” She paused and shifted her attention to the deer kami. It took a moment for Hide to realize the kami was mentally speaking with her once more.
“That’s a very charitable view of humanity, Mister Kami. Thank you.” The merchant said. She faced Hide again. “Now, it’s my turn to apologize. He pointed out that you didn’t answer my question. Why do you follow the kami?”
“Ah. You’re right. I didn’t,” Hide admitted. He looked to his companion somberly. “It’s something of my calling. After I traded in my sword for a political office, I found myself knowing too much to sleep soundly. I do not think the Empress will return the kami’s lands to them, but that doesn’t mean that kami like Green Rush here should have to stay confined to their forest.”
“So, you’re a chaperone?” the vendor asked.
“Something like that. Perhaps more of a bodyguard, truly.”
Green Rush turned his head towards Hide, as the razor-sharp points of his antlers caught the light. Truly?
“A bodyguard in the same sense that a professional fighter needs someone to limit the danger to would-be aggressors,” Hide answered aloud.
“I thought you said you put down your sword,” probed the vendor as she leaned over her stall’s counter, holding the newly green flower string out for Green Rush.
“I don’t need to use a blade to defend, just as you don’t need to use your hands to collect payment.”
The vendor’s eyes went wide, and she froze as Green Rush’s deadly antlers surrounded her hands. “I—” she started.
“I’m not judging you.” Hide cut her off. “I told you I’ve done similar things. I’m not even upset. You’re doing something nice for our kami guest, making sure he has his favorite color. That’s more than most would do.” Hide lifted his pouch slightly, checking its weight. “Yes, that seems like a fair trade. And it will undoubtedly help you transition to a more... conventional vocation, yes?”
“Yes. Of course, sir,” said the vendor, her relief reducing her voice to a mere whisper. She finished tying the flower string to Green Rush’s antlers, pushed herself upright, and regarded her customers once more. “Will that be all, honored guests?”
“I think there’s just one more detail we need to take care of.”
Beneath the vendor’s mask, a whimper started to form, despite Hide’s calm smile.
“Could I get a receipt? I need one so I can file a reimbursement with the Empress’ government.”
About the Author
Hiromi Cota (they/them) is a writer, developer, and storyteller who has worked on over 100 books and games for Paizo and other publishers. They are proud to have been a part of the phenomenal teams of Asian writers who created the Tian Xia World Guide and Tian Xia Character Guide. Their portfolio of work can be found at hiromicota.com.
To bring this and other Tian Xia stories to life in your Pathfinder game, check out the Pathfinder Lost Omens Tian Xia World Guide (releasing in April) and the Pathfinder Lost Omens Tian Xia Character Guide (releasing in August), both available for preorder now—Customers who subscribe to the Lost Omens product line will receive both books and a complimentary PDF of each upon their respective release!
Lore Masters is releasing a new question pack, aimed at broadening knowledge and proficiency in the spells featured in Player Core.
Lore Masters Releasing A New Question Pack!
Friday, February 9, 2024
Lore Masters is releasing a new question pack, aimed at broadening knowledge and proficiency in the spells featured in Player Core.
The pack contains 1,625 questions, comprehensively covering all 325 spells included in Player Core. Its distinct structure sets it apart from other question packs: each spell is accompanied by five questions, each reflecting a different level of difficulty. This design is beneficial for a wide range of players, from those just beginning their journey in wizardry to more seasoned spellcasters, providing challenges and engagement at various skill levels.
Another notable aspect of this question pack is the option to filter questions based on magical traditions—arcane, divine, occult, or primal. This feature allows players to customize their learning experience according to their specific area of interest or expertise in magic.
While the pack does not delve into every detail of each spell, it serves as a valuable resource for understanding key aspects of spellcasting, such as spell rank, casting time, range, and duration. The questions are carefully crafted to emphasize these essential elements, aiding players in grasping the fundamentals of magic and its use in the game.
This pack is highly recommended for those looking to deepen their knowledge of the magical arts.
Greetings, adventurers! We’re Natural Pengu, and we’re developing the Natural Pengu Mobile VTT. We want to bring Pathfinder to your phone and make it available for everyone, from beginners to veterans alike.
Natural Pengu Mobile VTT Is Now FREE To Use!
Friday, February 9, 2024
Greetings, adventurers! We’re Natural Pengu, and we’re developing the Natural Pengu Mobile VTT. We want to bring Pathfinder to your phone and make it available for everyone, from beginners to veterans alike.
We’ve been listening, and your feedback has been very valuable. Today, we’re thrilled to share some significant changes to our platform.
1. The Core Platform: Free and Accessible to All
The core platform is now free for all users! Simply log in at https://pengustudios.com, and you’ll have immediate access to Natural Pengu Mobile VTT and the Player Core Toolkit.
Remember, Natural Pengu Mobile VTT is still in Early Access, so there will be missing features and bugs.
2. GM Unlocks Rules for All
We want to make it easy for you to start a game. If you’re the GM of a room and you own Pathfinder Player Core on Natural Pengu Mobile VTT, your players can access those rules while playing in your room. It’s our way of lowering the threshold for your players to join your game.
3. Snack-Sized Adventures
To make it even easier and faster to start playing, we’ll regularly release Natural Pengu content packs. These include snack-sized mobile adventures with stories, maps, monsters, NPCs, and lore that you can access and play immediately on our VTT.
4. Help Us Keep the Dream Alive
Creating and maintaining a virtual tabletop needs funding, and we trust our community to support us in this endeavor. Simply put, we need to make money to survive. Here’s how you can contribute and support us if you like what we do.
Content Packs: Buy our content packs that give you snack-sized mobile adventures, stories, maps, monsters, NPCs, and lore. You can either access select packs through one-time purchases or subscribe and get every pack upon release. More information on content pack subscriptions coming soon.
Paizo PDFs & Integrations: Purchase Paizo PDFs and Natural Pengu Mobile VTT integrations from our marketplace.
Subscription Tiers: Consider subscribing to our Founder or Legend plans. Right now, only Legends can upload their own art and maps to their Natural Pengu Mobile VTT rooms.
Kickstarter Campaign: You can pledge to support our ongoing development with our upcoming Kickstarter campaign. Your contribution will directly shape the future of our platform. Sign up for our mailing list to stay updated here: https://pengustudios.com/mailinglist.
Thank You for Your Support!
To our incredible community, thank you for your support and valuable feedback. We can’t wait to hear more about your adventures on Natural Pengu Mobile VTT!
Hail and well met, Pathfinders and Starfinders!
February is recognized in the United States of America as Black History Month, a time when we honor the contributions of Black people to culture, cuisine, science, history, and more. The theme of this year’s Black History Month is African Americans and the Arts, focusing on art as a vehicle for empowerment and a way to preserve history and community.
Celebrating Black History Month 2024!
Thursday, February 8, 2024
Hail and well met, Pathfinders and Starfinders!
February is recognized in the United States of America as Black History Month, a time when we honor the contributions of Black people to culture, cuisine, science, history, and more. The theme of this year’s Black History Month is African Americans and the Arts, focusing on art as a vehicle for empowerment and a way to preserve history and community.
The Association for the Study of African American Life and History’s cover image for Black History Month, featuring a collage of photos of Black artists and musicians
In honor of Black History Month, Paizo reached out to our Black contributors, content creators, and community members and asked them to share their projects, their joy, and their art! We’re proud and grateful to have such a phenomenal community here at Paizo.
Basil Wright
Basil Wright (he/they/xe)
Basil Wright (he/they/xe) is a Black and Seminole Game Designer and Sensitivity Consultant located in Florida. When writing for Paizo, they wrote The Aucturn Dilemma, a Starfinder bounty. His work has also appeared in All the Witches, Backchannels (Backwater Games), and is forthcoming in Jukebox. Xe has provided sensitivity consulting for MCDM Productions, Brotherwise Games, and many others.
Currently, Basil is finishing Pelogos, their horror TTRPG about death, grief, and the afterlife. Players can either be an underwater paranormal investigator called a Lantern Keeper, or a sea ghost called an Echo, and can help the living come to terms with their loss. Once that project is complete, they'll be turning their attention to Rancher’s Respite: Call of Nature, an expansion to Rancher's Romance; both are a homage to their mother's expansive love of werewolf rancher romance novels. Their other long-term project is The Afrodyssey, where they intend to translate all 24 books of Homer's Odyssey into African American Vernacular English.
When xe's not working on games, Basil is either playing video games (visual novels, horror, etc.) or (lovingly) pestering xir sibling to make xem more banana jam for xir Monte Cristo sandwiches.
Dan 'Pan' Grossett started the Cosmopunk podcast (@Cosmopunkpod) with 3 friends and quickly found himself charmed by the passion and friendliness of the Paizo AP Streaming / Podcast community.
A huge fan of science fantasy, they can be found on Twitter (@Stellarencore) taking part in several other Starfinder shows like:
They are looking forward to Starfinder 2E while helping set up crossover events and dipping their toes into the world of Pathfinder 2E with Euro-focused group, Hoard Of Tales (@hoard_of_tales).
“Coming to the hobby fairly late, I was kicking myself for not taking up TTRPGs sooner. It's been a great source of new adventures and new friends. If you're even halfway curious but worried about what others may think, or about sticking out at the table, I promise you that if you find a good group and jump straight in, you won't regret it! More and more black folks are making their voices heard in the Tabletop RPG space, so lend us yours!"
Lin and Becka invite gamers of all kinds to where video games and tabletop adventures collide, a channel they have lovingly deemed Ten Times Ten.
While they have over a decade of combined experience, both past and present, as Game Masters, players, and innovative homebrewers, their passions extend beyond the TTRPG space as well.
Explore their TikTok with their ongoing episodes of Fascinating Playable Races for players, as well as their episodes of Crypt of the Dungeon Master, where they showcase monsters to enhance any game master’s arsenal.
On Spotify, they host deep conversations related to various forms of media, including video games, movies, and more.
Join in their Twitch for exposure to their favorite games and to observe local tabletop events unfold.
On YouTube, their channel offers videos that present a mix of their gaming knowledge, ventures, reviews, experiences taste-testing unusual snacks, and more!
Ten Times Ten is not just a channel; it's a community where gaming enthusiasts can find a fun and unique perspective on the gaming world, all while they keep it 100~.
Quinn Murphy
Quinn Murphy's journey with RPGs started when he "inherited" his brother's copy of Chainmail at the age of 11. He started running games for his friends and hasn't stopped for over thirty years. Though he's been building games his whole life, he started doing it professionally in 2009. Since then, he's written for a wide range of products and companies, including (but not limited to): Paizo (Pathfinder, Starfinder), Wizards of the Coast, Kobold Press, Magpie Games, and Onyx Path Publishing. Quinn loves TTRPGs of all shapes and sizes and relishes the thrill of finding the perfect form-factor to express a setting or idea. He believes that Imagination is for Everyone.
With his own company, Thoughtcrime Games, Quinn is currently running a Kickstarter for Community Radio, a wacky improvisational TTRPG inspired by Welcome to Nightvale.
Shan Wolf (he/they)
Hi everyone, I am a freelance game designer and contributing author on both the Pathfinder and Starfinder Lines. My credits include Starfinder Bounty #4: Poacher’s Prize, the Adventure Toolbox for the first part of the Drift Hackers Adventure Path, Starfinder Ports of Call, the Adventure Toolbox for the second part of the Strength of Thousands Adventure Path, Pathfinder Lost Omens Highhelm, as well as a few other projects.
My primary focus as a writer is in Black and Indigenous liberation narratives, monster creation, archetype creation, history and lore, and writing revolutionary and inherently anti-colonialist themes. Besides that, I am a huge Pathfinder and Starfinder booster. I love these games as they help bring to life amazing fantasies about being heroes and saving the world, or Universe, and that is always something I’m interested in doing, or just talking about in general.
If you’re interested in my work or hearing my views, feel free to take a look at my twitter, @Fenrirs_Chosen.You will see an outspoken and passionate advocate for Black liberation and making the tabletop space more open, safe, and inclusive.
We also want to spotlight some Black content creators and performers in the Pathfinder and Starfinder community! The shows on this list feature Black hosts, GMs, players, and/or producers—give them a listen and support them year-round!
If you’re a Black content creator in the Pathfinder or Starfinder space, we would love to hear from you! Shoot an email to community@paizo.com and introduce yourselves.
Thank you again to our Black contributors, content creators, and community members!
I begin my annotation holding death between my talons. An overly poetic beginning, that, and one I will certainly change when I report back to my Lady. Perhaps this a consequence of reading the Godsrain Prophecies, each with its dire tale of the death of a god and everything that comes after. I am reminded of the year I read What Comes Down: A Treatise on Mortal Falls and used the word defenestrate so often in my papers that Lorminos asked me to limit the word to once per page at most!
The Godsrain Prophecies Part One
Wednesday, February 7, 2024
I begin my annotation holding death between my talons. An overly poetic beginning, that, and one I will certainly change when I report back to my Lady. Perhaps this a consequence of reading the Godsrain Prophecies, each with its dire tale of the death of a god and everything that comes after. I am reminded of the year I read What Comes Down: A Treatise on Mortal Falls and used the word defenestrate so often in my papers that Lorminos asked me to limit the word to once per page at most!
As my earlier field notes on these works detail, I learned of the Godsrain Prophecies not long ago, and have acted with great haste to locate as many as possible, despite my many doubts as to their accuracy. I must confess that I have also felt a certain unanticipated exhilaration in bringing rigor to a rumor, despite the grim contents of the documents once discovered. I believe that I may almost understand the impulse of adventurers (a mortal drive that remains an obscure field of study), though I likely took as much joy from detailing my methods as I did in undertaking them. Research rarely moves at such a rapid pace, but then rarely has any researcher been so motivated!
What to make of these “prophecies” is a wholly different matter, and one that I must settle before reporting to my Lady, lest I stir up visions of doom with no attempt at context or framing, no better than a doomsday caller singing in the streets! Any thought of these being accurate seems at first impossible, given the current failure of prophecy overall, and their author has yet to be identified. I immediately recall the many false omens in the years after Aroden’s death, many of which had Golarion perishing brutally a thousand times (and will one day, I assume, make for a fascinating set of studies).
Still, there is something about these pages that makes me ill at ease. The detail, perhaps, or the nature of the futures they forecast. This is heightened, of course, by the subject of the first of them, which I hoped never to find but must still document faithfully, as I have below. Perhaps the thing that troubles me lies in this simple question: how do you tell your Lady that she’s prophesied to die?
—Yivali, Apprentice Researcher for the Lady of Graves
The Death of Pharasma
When Pharasma dies, she dies by inches. She grasps for a prophecy beyond her reach and the skin on her fingertips blisters. She dreams the lost feeling of futures foretold and wakes with a tooth ground to ashes. She feels an uncertainty chilling the air, and her bones grow cold and brittle. What changed with Aroden’s death? Why has prophecy faltered? The questions race and turn and tumble, edges carving at her mind as she tries to judge the mortal souls whose futures she’s unsure of.
Is it any wonder that she shatters?
The god they called Survivor dies alone inside her palace—cold, exhausted, broken. No psychopomps to judge her works, no Atropos to take her reign. Most of her servants lose their power in the instant she dies, and no one comes to place her in a plane for all eternity. The fear of how she might be judged has kept her upright more than once, but in the end it’s simply this—she is and then she isn’t. Pharasma ceases to be.
Death does not pause for the Lady of Graves. Death does not stop for anyone. Mortals succumb to the usual things—some in the arms of those who loved them, some at the hands of those who did not. Some in a show of bravery, some in a haze of regret, some drenched hot with sweat or fear or love or loss or anger. All plunge into the River of Souls like jagged rocks sent tumbling, leaving eddies in their wake that shift and roil the current. The river churns with energy, a swirling froth of rapids, throwing souls from in its midst with no set rhyme or reason. The guardians who watch it pass are nothing more than onlookers, as this soul bound for Heaven is shunted off to Abaddon, and that one at the brink of Hell is flung into Nirvana. With souls no longer guided to the places where they’re most aligned, the outer planes turn turbulent, splintering to factions where they once found harmony. Fights break out, and rescue missions; pacts and trades and promises no sooner made than torn apart—a muddied bloodied mess of souls askew for all eternity.
Pharasma’s former psychopomps, distracted by the chaos or the torrents of the river or the sorrow of their grief, rarely see the predators who feast within the river’s wake—daemons and worse who grab souls up by the handful, taking them to sell or gift or simply disappear with.
Among the mortals, resurrections now begin to falter, as souls are often missing from the places where they’re sought. Even for those who never cared a moment for Pharasmin things, the new finality of death leaves many saying prayers for Pharasma, desperate for a sign that she might one day still reach out.
Her followers are hardest hit—the clerics and diviners, the midwives and morticians—their boons no longer functioning, their spells bereft of power. Those who battle the undead see their advantage dissipate, and some who cannot fight or flee fall easily to undead foes, their victories turned to slaughters in a hundred grim tableaus.
Urgathoa laughs, heartily, to see a foe defeated, declaring 50 days of feasts and manifesting blood-soaked wine in any empty cup. She calls upon her followers to press their new advantages, as those who fought her worshippers are left to face a reckoning—some turning to another god whose purpose fits their calling, some searching for a prophecy or ritual or sacrifice that might bring back Pharasma and the surety she gave them, some finding other pledges for their cause.
Above it all, a visage hangs and grins upon the chaos—Groetus watching eagerly from just above the Spire. Some say the crescent of his moon begins to wax in earnest, as we move ever closer to the end times he desires.
A prophecy foretelling the death of Pharasma specifically caused by the death of prophecy in the Age of Lost Omens certainly poses a paradox.
An unpleasant future, to say the least. I shudder to think of it! Thankfully, much of this prophecy remains questionable at best. Not only are there are many questions raised here, including the likeliness of my fellow psychopomps to simply cease their work and let souls be ravaged, whatever their grief, but this also appears to note the cause of my Lady’s death as indirectly caused by the end of prophecy. And yet if there is no prophecy, then how has this one come to be? A paradox, if I ever knew one, and one that I cannot yet untangle. Perhaps my next annotation will offer greater clarity.
About the Author
Erin Roberts has been thrilled to be able to contribute a few small threads to the fabric of Golarion in the pages of books like Pathfinder Lost Omens Firebrands, Pathfinder Lost Omens Highhelm, and Pathfinder Lost Omens Travel Guide. In addition to her work for Paizo, she freelances across the TTRPG world (and was selected as a Diana Jones Award Emerging Designer Program Winner in 2023), has had fiction published in magazines including Asimov’s Science Fiction, Clarkesworld, and The Dark, and talks about writing every week on the Writing Excuses podcast. Catch up with her latest at linktr.ee/erinroberts.
Welcoming Fresh and Familiar Faces to Paizo - Feb 2024
Howdy, folks! It’s been a while since we’ve done one of these blogs, and in that time, we’ve added some wonderful new folks to the Creative Department and had a couple of former Paizo creatives return to lend their expertise to Pathfinder and Starfinder. Since it has been a while, some of these folks have been with us for quite a few months, but you didn’t know that and that’s no reason not to join us in welcoming them. It’s been great having new people and new voices on the team in design, development, art, and edit to add their keen experience and varied experiences to the fabric of the Paizo Creative Department.
Welcoming Fresh and Familiar Faces to Paizo - Feb 2024
Tuesday, February 06, 2023
Howdy, folks! It’s been a while since we’ve done one of these blogs, and in that time, we’ve added some wonderful new folks to the Creative Department and had a couple of former Paizo creatives return to lend their expertise to Pathfinder and Starfinder. Since it has been a while, some of these folks have been with us for quite a few months, but you didn’t know that and that’s no reason not to join us in welcoming them. It’s been great having new people and new voices on the team in design, development, art, and edit to add their keen experience and varied experiences to the fabric of the Paizo Creative Department.
Michelle Kim
Hey everyone! I’m Michelle, a developer on Pathfinder’s Narrative team. I started off as a freelance writer for Paizo so you’ll see my name pop up in projects like Season of Ghosts, Howl of the Wild, and Lost Omens Divine Mysteries as well as some other unannounced products down the pipeline. I’m a big fan of horror ttrpgs like Call of Cthulhu, Ten Candles, and Bluebeard’s Bride but also a huge sucker for mecha games like Spectres of Brocken. I’ll play almost anything; crunchy? Yes. Narrative? Also yes.I have a few personal projects in the works including a Joseon setting supplement for Good Society: A Jane Austen RPG. If you want to find me on socials, I’m on Twitter at @_missmyk_ and on Bluesky at @missmyk.bsky.social.
Lynne Meyer
Hello! I’m Lynne (she/they), a queer, autistic, chronically ill femme originally from Chicago. Since joining the editing team last June, I’ve been living my best Leslie Knope life in Indiana and working on incredible stuff I can’t wait for you all to see.
Named a 2021 Queer in Games Awardee by Rainbow Game Jam, I’m best known for my work on the ENNIE Award-winning Uncaged: Goddesses and Uncaged Anthology. In my free time these days, I’m usually doing one of three things: playing the Chief Medical Officer in my Star Trek Adventures home game; doting on Izzy, my ancient, beloved kitty; or drinking way too much coffee as I wrap writing for the upcoming All the Witches TTRPG. I’m an unapologetic dice goblin, an em dash enthusiast, and an octopus stan who thinks that the Dumbo Octopus is the cutest thing ever. Come say hello on Bluesky (@lynnemeyer.bsky.social) and Twitter (@Lynne_M_Meyer).
Joshua Birdsong (he/him)
Hello Paizo fans! I am Joshua Birdsong. I am now the newest Designer on the Rules & Lore team. I am very excited to work among such an experienced team, and I am still (and hopefully always will be) learning so much. I cannot wait to help make awesome stuff for our game! I believe my first debut will be in Monster Core! You can find me @impr0phet. DFTBA
Adriana Gasperi
I am Adriana Gasperi from Caracas, Venezuela, I am a graphic designer, traditional and digital illustrator, and fine artist in Portland, Oregon since 2017. I have been painting cats since 1995 my brand name is Gatos Ilimitados (unlimited cats) https://www.instagram.com/adriana.gasperi.art/ and lately I have been also painting all kinds of animals, and pet portraits. I have been vegan for the animals for about 8 years and belong to an international group of vegan artists called The Art of Compassion Project where we donate art related to animals and veganism. I live with my husband and 6 cats in downtown Portland. I love my job at Paizo and also the diversity and inclusiveness of the company, I enjoy working from home. I am a true crime documentary and podcast fan, Serial Killers is one of my favorite podcasts, as thrillers and horror movies (especially classics), film noir, American Horror Story, and all their new ones like American Crime Story, actually everything Ryan Murphy creates and produces, The Shinning and Psycho are two of my favorite movies.
Jason Keeley
Who, me? I guess you could say that I’m one of those “returning faces,” having come back to Paizo last year to take a position as a Senior Developer on the Pathfinder Rules & Lore Team! In my career at Paizo, I’ve been an editor, a developer of Starfinder Adventure Paths, and more! I’m thrilled to be working with second edition and with the rest of this team, who are an honest-to-goodness bunch of rock stars. You can find me at herzwesten on a lot of the social medias and if you want to see the type of things I get up to in my spare time, check out This Compleat Breakfast (a game about cereal mascots) on my itch.io page!
Felix Dritz (he/him)
Greetings fellow finders of the paths and stars! I’m Felix, one of the editors who sift through the many words you read. This means I check for general errors, discrepancies, formatting, and ensure it has that recognizable Paizo style.
I was first introduced to Pathfinder Organized Play in 2016 by accident, and I never left. So many kind and supportive people adopted me into this community, and I’m overjoyed that I get to support the games they love. It’s been a surreal journey to get here, but now I’m at a desk editing for a game I adore and the community I love.
When not editing for Paizo, I’m usually homebrewing my ever-expanding Pathfinder 2nd Edition setting. If I’m not editing or writing, then I’m likely playing Pathfinder, GMing at local game stores, mashing buttons on a videogame controller, or cooking. I’m not active on social media, but I hope to meet you around the table someday!
Bill Fischer
Bill Fischer has been creating strange and terrifying worlds for role-playing games for over 30 years. He is the author of The Runewild Campaign Setting published by Sneak Attack Press and has done both writing and editing for Kobold Press, Goodman Games, Roll For Combat, AAW Games, and EN Publishing. He lives in Minneapolis, MN with his partner and children.
Mike Kimmel
Hello! I’m Mike Kimmel, and I’m thrilled to be the newest member of the Starfinder team. Since coming on board in September 2023, I’ve been hard at work with my colleagues to create Starfinder Second Edition. While my prior work as a developer for Pathfinder Society Organized Play mostly involved adventure design, I’ve been able to stretch my narrative and game design muscles on the Starfinder team in all sorts of interesting ways these past few months. Alas, I can’t talk much about the things I’m working on—yet—but stay tuned for more Starfinder news in the coming weeks! I can’t wait for you to see what we’ve got in store for you.
Aside from working on games, I like to play them, too! I’m a fan of cooperative games of all kinds, and I also enjoy relaxing with a nice cup of tea and a challenging permadeath videogame. When I get a chance to run an RPG campaign, I tend to lean into horror themes—the spookier the better. If you’d like to chat about games, recommend a good book to me, or play some chess, you can find me on various Paizo-related Discord channels or drop me a line at mike.kimmel@paizo.com. Please note that I am not accepting glitch gremlins or other mischief at this time!
Simone D. Sallé (she/they)
Hi again! I’ve been in the Paizo orbit as a temp, freelance, and full-time contracted editor since 2018. I joined the staff as a senior editor in 2022 and have been having a wonderful time wrangling words with the creative team ever since! While we’ve worked on a lot of great projects lately, I’m particularly excited for everyone to see <em>Pathfinder Howl of the Wild</em> in May, which has some extremely fun new ancestries and mechanics, incredible art, and a heartfelt story.
Unsurprisingly, words and games fill a lot of my time outside of work as well: I have a spreadsheet of SFF book recs for anyone who asks, a handful of Pathfinder and indie TTRPG campaigns on my calendar, and an overflowing queue of Steam games that I frequently ignore to revisit Subnautica (my beloved). I also do freelance editorial work as Wildwood Editing for projects like Queerfinder and Luminant Age. I’m grateful to my Disreputable Dog, Penny Kibeth, for reminding me to take a break from screens and get some fresh air every day.
Editors largely operate behind the scenes, and our best work is invisible, but I can confidently say that I work with some of the finest professionals in the industry, and it’s a delight to learn, grow, and help shape the games I love with them and everyone else at Paizo. I’m not as active on social media these days, but if you track me down I’m always thrilled to discuss conscious language in storytelling, the merits of style guides, and how we can make our worlds—both real and imagined—better for everyone.
Dustin Knight
Greetings, Starfinders! I’ve had the honor of being a member of the Starfinder team for a little over a year and working here at Paizo is still a dream come true! I’m currently moving into my dream home in St. Paul, Minnesota, running a Firefighters of Absalom campaign, Where There’s Smoke, and playing in an incredible Starfinder campaign, Teenaged Wasteland. I’ve been a freelance author and publisher on Pathfinder Infinite for the past few years, as well as avid tabletop gamer, and Paizo-sphere discord lurker! I’m honored to help manage the rules of one of my favorite games in one of its most exciting eras and you may have seen me drop the FAQs and Errata updates for the Starfinder Roleplaying Game. I’m also thrilled to see everyone’s excitement and enthusiasm for Starfinder Second Edition, as working on a new Core Rulebook line with such an incredible team has been my developer hoop dream for decades. Feel free to hit me up using any of the various Paizo discords, including my own discord channel for Pathfinder & Starfinder Infinite fans and authors at http://www.infiknight.net, or email me at dustin.knight@paizo.com! You can also follow me @kitsunewarlock.bsky.social and, as always, please send memes!
Bringing The Flavor - Guest Blog From Pathfinder Infinite
Hi everyone! We at Paizo love to do community creator shout-outs, and our friends over at Infinite have an amazing team we want to spotlight. So without further ado, we present the February Infinite Team+ spotlight!
Bringing The Flavor - Guest Blog From Pathfinder Infinite
Tuesday, February 06, 2024
Hi everyone! We at Paizo love to do community creator shout-outs, and our friends over at Infinite have an amazing team we want to spotlight. So without further ado, we present the February Infinite Team+ spotlight!
Bringing The Flavor
What makes a good meal good? This is the direction from which you should approach any TTRPG writing. After all, it’s not far from the truth! You’re serving up a meal for people, and you have two goals to make sure it pleases your clientele.
First off, you have to make sure the meal doesn’t poison them and kill them. Dead clients will not buy your food again, nor will they try your homebrew, third-party publisher (3pp) work, or original writing! In our cooking metaphor, this is the role of mechanics; it’s what provides your meal/TTRPG writing with a healthy structure and makes it “good for you.” It is, fundamentally, the most important part of what you’re making. Without good balance, your feat, item, spell, or whatever it is that you’re making will fall apart. People will look at what it grants, say “this seems busted,” and make a snap judgment on whether the rest of the project is worth checking out. But is a passable structure enough?
Absolutely not. Adding something extra transforms a merely digestible offering into one that’s delicious. And that something extra in both the world of food and writing is flavor.
Flavor text is a crucial ingredient that often goes uncelebrated, but it makes the difference between incredible and bland. But to make the flavor pop, you need to know—what do people like? In this context, I’m going to speak from my personal experience. I write books for the Classes+ series, a line of 3pp books that focuses on expanding existing classes, like witches, clerics, magi, etc. I’ll talk about things I’ve found that have helped me write flavor text that keeps people coming back, and how to give them a go yourself.
First off, you want your flavor to be consistent. This goes for any piece of text, of course, but it’s one that’s often overlooked in fantasy TTRPGs. You want your content to fit into the world within which it’ll exist or most likely be used. For Pathfinder, a lot of people are either going to be playing in Golarion or in a homebrew world most likely based in fantasy tropes. That’s just the kind of setting that Pathfinder most easily lends itself to; the sword and sorcery aspects are the biggest selling point. So, when writing a new option, you want it to be something that can seamlessly fit into this world without breaking its established rules. For example, when writing Archetypes+, we wanted to create something that would expand existing options and add new ones too. One of the new archetypes we decided to make was a clown. This was difficult, because most people have one of two very specific ideas when it comes to clowns: a red-nosed guy in a funny wig, or a murderous slasher with smeared white makeup. While there are places where these could feasibly fit in Golarion, they don’t fit everywhere. Indeed, a standard party with a fighter, wizard, cleric, and then a classic clown might not look right. It’s noticeably “other,” and it had the potential to make people turn up their noses at the product and not include it in their game. So how did we lessen the otherness of it?
That’s where our next point comes into play. Research! This may come as a surprise, but you are not an infinite sponge of all knowledge ever. You need to look up what you’re writing on, give yourself a brief lesson on the topic, and then return to it. So, continuing with clowns: how did we make clowns fit? Pathfinder’s setting ranges from prehistoric times (with the Mammoth Kings) to 1800s-analogous Absalom. As it turns out, clowns have a long history between prehistoric times and the late 1800s! The first clowns were priest-clowns in Ancient Egypt, over 4,000 years ago. Then, throughout the medieval era, there were jesters, who acted as advisors to nobility. In the 16th century, commedia dell'arte was popularized in Italy. These theatrical sketch shows involved masked character archetypes like the daring Harlequin and the glum Pierrot. Finally, in the early 1800s, Joseph Grimaldi introduced face paint, colorful costumes, and all the tropes we associate with the common clown. Once we knew that clowns did exist during the timeframe that Pathfinder likes to play with, we could make something fitting for it! But now, the next question is… how did we make it unique?
One’s work needs to stand out on its own. Yes, the mechanics might be unique, but the dressing over the mechanics needs to be something unlike anything else the game has to offer presently… while, crucially, feeling exactly like something else the game has to offer. It’s extraordinarily easy to go overboard here and quickly go from “Here’s a fun idea” to “What if the clown can use three actions to become a clown elemental?” Mechanically, maybe that’s fine, but it’s a strange idea that breaks the existing lore of the world. The implication of an elemental plane of clown, while itself horrifying, also completely ignores the Golarion setting’s rules and, most likely, the rules of any other setting missing an elemental clown plane.
But then, what if you don’t go far enough? Perhaps clowns can pull tricks to inspire their allies in combat! But… that’s just the bard, another entertainment-focused character option. If you don’t go far enough, your writing will feel unsure of itself. You really need to solidly hit that middle ground. What’s something that’s like existing content, but not so similar as to lack identity, and not so different as to become nonsensical in most settings?
Clowns are meant to be ridiculous, so some of our ideas were naturally going to be a little more comedically toned, but we wanted them to fit most worlds. The feat Rubber Body is a good example of our process—it’s a feat that plays with the raw physicality of clownish performances, which often include over-the-top slapstick. The feat gives the clown resistance to damage as a reaction while also knocking them back 15 feet and rendering them prone. Another feat, Uncanny Legerdemain, allows clowns to seemingly magically transport items from one closed hand to another, or one sleeve to another. This feat not only allows a character to pull off classic magic tricks, it also offers good roleplay opportunities like smuggling, stealing, and otherwise storing items in an extradimensional space in a comical fashion. All of these fit the clown without being too out there, and without feeling exactly like anything presently in the game.
So, that’s what it comes down to. It seems like a daunting task—have the idea, make sure it fits into the world you’re writing for, research it, and then make sure it isn’t too much or too little. It’s not easy to pull off, but you need to be sure to put in the appropriate work here. It doesn’t matter if you have the greatest mechanics in the world—dry oats may be healthy, but they don’t taste great. Thankfully, once you get used to writing flavor, it starts getting easier. It’s like standing in front of an oven and smelling the aroma of the food waft up to you; you’ll feel like there’s no stopping you, and pretty soon, you’ll have made something people won’t forget!
Derry Luttrell (they/he) is an animator, illustrator, and writer from Kildare, Ireland. They are the host of Dice Will Roll, an award-winning Pathfinder Second Edition podcast which has recently passed 400,000 downloads and started its 1970s-inspired run of Abomination Vaults, complete with synth music, VHS sounds, and classic dungeon crawling fun. It was while running Dice Will Roll that Derry decided to make a book of homebrew witch patrons. This eventually bloomed into Witches+, brought to life by an impromptu teamup between Derry and Tony Saunders. Thousands of sales later, Team+ is the most successful duo on Pathfinder Infinite—the first of their brand-new products to reach the mithral and platinum ranks. In Team+ projects, Derry largely tackles flavor and illustration. Their heavily stylized art decorates each release, inside and out. Derry is open for commissions; find them on Discord as @derryzumi.
In the next few months, Derry will be launching Safe Haven: A Weird West Tale, a 200-page book for Pathfinder Second Edition and D&D 5e, with a western-themed adventure that goes from Level 5 to Level 10 and features a setting splatbook for a world where magic has died and the age of the gunslinger is upon us.
Hello everyone! As some astute fans have already noticed, we’ve uploaded the first products related to the upcoming Starfinder Second Edition Playtest. For those of you who’d like to learn more, the team thought it wise to provide additional context on what to expect!
Starfinder Playtest Product Announcements!
Tuesday, February 06, 2024
The Starfinder Second Edition Playtest products revealed.
Hello everyone! As some astute fans have already noticed, we’ve uploaded the first products related to the upcoming Starfinder Second Edition Playtest. For those of you who’d like to learn more, the team thought it wise to provide additional context on what to expect!
Illustration by Kent Hamilton
The first product we’ve announced is the Starfinder Playtest Rulebook. This 264-page softcover playtest book contains a figurative ton of new Starfinder content using the Pathfinder Second Edition rules as a foundation. You’ll notice right away that this book requires the use of Pathfinder Player Core and Pathfinder GM Core. The reason for this is because we wanted to provide as much new content as possible without reprinting massive sections of rules that already exist in Pathfinder rulebooks and on our online PRD at Archives of Nethys. All relevant rules will be reprinted in full for our 2025 release.
Inside this rulebook, you’ll find six classes (including the Envoy, Mystic, Operative, Solarian, Soldier, and Witchwarper)*, new ancestries, new feats, new spells, a new equipment system, and more! The idea is to provide as many tools as possible for a Starfinder game, along with some of the new systems and tweaks necessary for running a science-fantasy game. When 2025 rolls around, we’ll be splitting this content (and more) into appropriate player- and GM-facing books. Please note, the Starfinder Playtest Rulebook will not have any special edition covers or hardback editions and is intended to be released as a softcover book. The PDF for this product will be made freely available at launch.
While many of you have heard about the playtest rulebook already, you probably haven’t heard about our playtest modules and the associated flip-mat. So, let’s talk about those!
Starfinder Second Edition Playtest Adventure: A Cosmic Birthday, written by Paizo senior developer Jenny Jarzabski, is the first of two playtest adventures that we’ll be releasing during the playtest window. This adventure takes place on Absalom Station and is meant to introduce new 1st-level characters to the setting of Starfinder. You’ll explore the station as a setting-shattering event occurs: the hatching of the planet Aucturn and the emergence of a new deity into the Starfinder core pantheon! We’ll have SO much more to share about this in the coming months!**
Starfinder Second Edition Playtest Adventure: Empires Devoured (product page coming soon!) is our second and final playtest adventure. Written by Thurston Hillman (that’s me!), this 10th-level adventure takes place on the distant world of Kehtaria during the signing of a historic peace accord between two galactic superpowers…let’s just say that things don’t go entirely as planned.
We’ve written each playtest adventure to be like the adventures you’ve come to love from Paizo. These won’t involve slogging out wave-based encounters to stress test combat, but instead, they’ll have narratives and encounters that showcase how we can use the new Second Edition rules to create evocative stories in the Starfinder setting. These include all-new art and major setting events, and it’s our hope that these adventures remain relevant long after our playtest is over and we’re well into the new edition—after all, we need to know where your character was when Aucturn hatched!
Again, we’ll have SO much more to explain in the coming months about all these products. For now, enjoy a quick art preview of what to expect in Empires Devoured…
Illustration by Mirco Paganessi
Thurston Hillman Managing Creative Director (Starfinder)
*Don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten the Technomancer and Mechanic and will share our plans as soon as we can!
**You might even get some early hints if you’re involved in Starfinder Society Organized Play…
Hello, hello! Luis Loza here! Last time, we jumped into the Monster Core cover and took a look at the adamantine dragon. This time around, we’re going to be jumping into the Player Core 2 cover to look at the conspirator dragon. Let’s get to it!
It’s All a Conspiracy!
Friday, February 2, 2024
Hello, hello! Luis Loza here! Last time, we jumped into the Monster Core cover and took a look at the adamantine dragon. This time around, we’re going to be jumping into the Player Core 2 cover to look at the conspirator dragon. Let’s get to it!
Illustration by Kent Hamilton
The conspirator dragon is one of the new occult dragons featured in Monster Core. Occult dragons tap into more mysterious and strange magic, making use of supernatural abilities that sometimes seem alien or off-putting. Most occult dragons have slender bodies. They use their wings as supplementary appendages, somewhat like front legs to keep their proper forward limbs for grasping and other uses.
The conspirator dragon is named such due to their innate desire to see grand plans play out. Conspirator dragons are constantly scheming, either for personal gain or simply because watching a plan come together is exciting. These schemes vary, with some dragons looking toward more benevolent goals, some enacting wicked plans, and others simply scheming for scheming’s sake. Regardless of their goals, conspirator dragons tend to manipulate others, pulling strings from the shadows to get what they want.
A conspirator dragon has a variety of abilities to help them achieve their goals. In addition to using their magic to charm and influence others, these dragons make use of magical disguises. They conjure forth flesh-suit replicas of others and, through the help of magic, squeeze themselves into these suits. This bone-crunching and flesh rending process results in perfect disguises that allow a conspirator dragon to live among populations none the wiser to the dragon’s machinations. If they’re ever found out, the dragon can erupt from the suit in an explosive display that hopefully buys them enough time to flee. If not, they also use their choking breath to create a literal smokescreen for escape.
And that’s our look at the conspirator dragon! Make sure to keep an eye out for this dragon and lots of other new dragons when Monster Core releases in March. Stay tuned for more draconic previews in the coming weeks. Next time, we’ll take a look at greatest treasure hoarders of all, the fortune dragons. See you then!
As many of you know, Starfinder Second Edition is glowing brightly on the distant horizon, which means that the era of Starfinder First Edition is coming to an end. Never fear! The Starfinder Society won’t let Starfinder First Edition fade into the sunset without a celebration!
Starfinder Society: Year 7 Announcement
Thursday, February 1, 2024
Hello Starfinders!
As many of you know, Starfinder Second Edition is glowing brightly on the distant horizon, which means that the era of Starfinder First Edition is coming to an end. Never fear! The Starfinder Society won’t let Starfinder First Edition fade into the sunset without a celebration!
With that in mind, it’s my honor to announce the final season of the Starfinder Society for Starfinder First Edition…
Welcome to the Year of Era's End!
Illustration by Kevin Sardinha
The Year of Era’s End is a time to celebrate the end of Starfinder First Edition! It’s a time to revisit old friends, capstone some of our most beloved ongoing storylines, and shine a spotlight on big, exciting events in the Starfinder setting—events that will change the course of the Pact Worlds now and have lasting effects into the future of Starfinder Second Edition!
So, whether you’re a veteran of the Starfinder Society, a newcomer who’s excited to get in on the game, or a fan looking to experience events that directly influence the upcoming Starfinder Second Edition, join us for the Year of Era’s End!
We're going out with a bang!
Illustration by Kevin Sardinha
While much of the Year of Era’s End is focused on closure and big, exciting capstone events—events best suited for mid- to high-level play—our metaplot is focused on low-level play, to accommodate everyone who wants to get in on the game! But low level, however, doesn’t mean low impact!
Under the watchful eye of newly elected First Seeker Sarmak, the Starfinder Society travels to the machine planet of Aballon to undertake an archaeological survey of the ancient city of Eternity—a fabled city of the First Ones! During this three-adventure metaplot, the Starfinders explore mysterious ruins, discover long-forgotten secrets about the First Ones, and clash with a violent faction of anacite extremists named Those Who Call.
The Year of Era’s End begins with Starfinder Society Intro: Year of Era’s End, an adventure for 1st- through 4th-level characters written by Letterio Mammoliti! This adventure debuts at PaizoCon 2024 alongside one other Starfinder Society Scenario written by our very own Jenny Jarzabski, though we’re keeping that one under wraps for now!
With the launch of Year of Era’s End, the following ancestries will become “always available” for Organized Play: barathu, borai, ghibrani, morlamaw, orc, and prismeni. In addition, be on the lookout for a few new Starfinder Society boons related to the end of the Year of Fortune’s Fall and the launch of the Year of Era’s End, which you’ll be able to purchase online using your Achievement Points!
To learn more about the Year of Era’s End, tune into twitch.tv/officialpaizo on February 2nd from 4–6 p.m. Pacific and watch PaizoLive! Missed the live stream? No worries! You can watch it on demand anytime.
I hope you join me in celebrating the final season of the Starfinder Society for Starfinder First Edition with the Year of Era’s End! Big changes are on the horizon… and you can be a part of it!
It’s going to be a year to remember.
New to the Starfinder Society? Read about the story so far and start playing Starfinder Society today at StarfinderSociety.club!
After the longest January in memory (seriously, I swear it was eight weeks long), it’s now the shortest month of the year! Before you know it, it’ll be March, then May… and then PaizoCon… and Gen Con… oh no, I have so much to do. Can I have some of January back?!
February 2024 Organized Play Monthly Update
Thursday, February 1, 2024
OPC Musings
After the longest January in memory (seriously, I swear it was eight weeks long), it’s now the shortest month of the year! Before you know it, it’ll be March, then May… and then PaizoCon… and Gen Con… oh no, I have so much to do. Can I have some of January back?!
We’re currently recruiting GMs for PaizoCon Online and Gen Con Indy! Find more on that later in the blog. As convention season begins to rev up its engines, we’re all very excited for what’s in store!
In personal news, last weekend my husband and I welcomed two darling kitties, Mochi and Sasha, into our home! They’re still getting settled but we’re in love with them already. Sorry in advance for becoming an Insufferable Cat Dad, it’s who I am now.
Digital Adventure Releases
These adventures will be available on February 28, 2024.
2024 is going to be an incredibly exciting year for Paizo. Be part of the excitement by volunteering as an Organized Play GM at our Premier Conventions! Our volunteer GMs are the best of the best, the cream of the crop, and the most helpful skittermanders in the galaxy. Last year, our volunteers ran over 1,000 games online and in person, and we’re looking to exceed that in 2024!
We are currently seeking volunteers for our two Premier Plus conventions: PaizoCon Online and Gen Con Indianapolis. Our friends in Columbus are also recruiting GMs for Origins, which I’m thrilled to announce I’ll be returning to this year!
You can get all the information in this blog post. Spots are going fast, so don’t delay, apply today!
PaizoCon @ Your FLGS
We’ve also announced the locations for this year’s pilot PaizoCon @ program! Nine game stores, as well as KublaCon in California, will be hosting PaizoCon events concurrent with the online show. Check out this blog post for the locations, an interactive map and more!
Interactive Special Presentation Survey
As we start to build out the presentations for our interactive specials, we wanted to take the community’s temperature on how they’re working and what improvements can be made. If you’ve played in any of our multi-table specials over the past few years, and especially if you’ve been a House GM, we’d love to hear your thoughts in this brief survey!
2024 GM Boons
With the recent influx of new players, Paizo Organized Play’s biggest problem is that we simply don’t have enough GMs to run games all the time. We’re always looking for ways to incentivize people into the GM chair, and we’ve got a new one this year!
Below are download links for two brand-new boons. These boons will unlock character options as you GM games. While you can run games with your friends and complete the boons that way, they will unlock faster if you GM at RSP-supported locations like your local game store, or at conventions (like, perhaps…Gen Con or PaizoCon).
We hope that those of you who have yet to take the plunge into GMing find this a great incentive to start, and that our long-time GMs are able to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Make sure to tell your friends about the rewards of GMing games for Organized Play!
New year, new sanctioning! We’re pleased to announce that sanctioning for our latest two adventure paths has been posted: Season of Ghosts for Pathfinder, and Scoured Stars for Starfinder. Long-time players may notice that the chronicle sheets for the Scoured Stars AP look familiar; in most cases, we took the original scenario chronicles and updated them based on the new content. We’ve also posted boons and sanctioning for the two Dynamite comics: Pathfinder: Wake the Dead and Starfinder: Angels of the Drift.
Updates
We’ve also made a couple of updates to the Character Options pages based on the Remaster and new errata.
For Pathfinder Society, we clarified that legacy bards can still use the Remastered feats in Player Core with bothinspire courage and courageous anthem, to clear up that final bit of confusion. We also added a clarification to the Curse Maelstrom archetype for those who have unlocked it via the GM boons. Finally, it was brought to our attention that a number of 5th-level [Ancestry] Weapon Innovator feats have been included in the 1st-level [Ancestry] Weapon Familiarity feats in Player Core. Any character who has been affected by this may freely retrain their 5th-level ancestry feat out of the Weapon Innovator feat into something else!
On the Starfinder Society side, the recent Starfinder errata allowed us to make a couple of changes. The chlorophyll infusion serum from StarfinderPorts of Call and the Forced Deconstruction mechanic trick from Starfinder Enhancedare now permitted for use with the design team’s changes.
GM Recognition
Campaign Service Coins
This month, a new Campaign Service Coins was awarded! We award these coins to members of the community who have gone above and beyond to provide an exceptional program to the community at large. Campaign Coins are awarded based on nominations; if you believe someone in your community is deserving of this award (whether or not they are a Venture Officer), send an email to organizedplay[at]paizo[dot]com with their name and reasons.
Congratulations to:
Marc Daoust, who now holds a campaign coin and OP ID #874
GM Ranks
Whether stars, novas, or glyphs, achieving a 5 ranking in any program involves a substantial amount of time. To achieve the 5th milestone, a GM must run 150 games, of which at least 50 must be unique scenarios and 10 special scenarios as well as run between one and three games for venture-captains (program dependent). A conservative estimate of the time needed to reach the 5th milestone is 650 hours!
This month, we had two GMs earn their 5th rank!
5th Glyph (PFS2): Federico Grecuccio (who is the first GM I’m aware of to do their three evaluation games in three different languages)
5th Nova (SFS1): Jake Rennels
That’s all from me this month, folks! Until next time—Explore! Report! Cooperate! And stick around for a big announcement later today!
Hail and well met, Pathfinders and Starfinders! This month’s new releases revitalize the Starfinder Society, finish the mystery of Willowshore, and give you an elementally exciting board game to pass the time while you wait for that player to show up!
Find Your Path: January 2024
Wednesday, January 31, 2024
Hail and well met, Pathfinders and Starfinders! This month’s new releases revitalize the Starfinder Society, finish the mystery of Willowshore, and give you an elementally exciting board game to pass the time while you wait for that player to show up!
We’ve got a couple of exciting streams coming up in February on twitch.tv/officialpaizo, and wanted to keep you posted on those:
Join us Friday, Feb 2nd at 4 P.M. Pacific for PaizoLIVE—featuring Starfinder Society, Elemental Stones, and Seven Dooms for Sandpoint!
Drop in Friday, Feb 9th at 4 P.M. Pacific for a special Lunar New Year stream, showcasing some of the amazing designers of the Lost Omens Tian Xia World Guide.
Bring your (romantic) rivals for a Valentine’s Day Elemental Stones stream—Wednesday, February 14that 11:30 A.M. Pacific.
Never miss a release with our Paizo Subscriptions – for everything from rulebooks to accessories.
With most of the Starfinder Society’s agents trapped by an impenetrable force field in a distant star system, it’s up to a new generation of heroes to step forward and uncover the mystery within the Scoured Stars. Facing the merciless Jinsul Hierocracy while rebuilding an interplanetary adventuring guild and dealing with the emerging threat of a slumbering deity—it’s all in a day’s work for a Starfinder!
The Starfinder Scoured Stars Adventure Path is also available as a faux-leather, debossed Special Edition, with an in-bound ribbon bookmark.
Take on the role of an elemental sovereign, shaping the very nature of reality in this fast-moving board game!
2 to 4 players take turns to draft and play colorful (and colorblind-friendly) hexagonal tiles to match specific patterns and meet their own secret objective. With several dozen pattern cards, variable objectives, and a game state that's constantly in flux, you'll never play the same way twice. Simple setup, easy-to-learn rules, and a short play time of around 30 minutes means there's always time for one more game…
The eerie curse that afflicted the town of Willowshore might have been defeated, but the dangers facing the rural settlement are far from over. As the first days of spring arrive, conflicts with bandits and political perils threaten the town even as a greater supernatural peril begins to prey upon its citizens. Can Willowshore’s heroes save their hometown from its greatest threat to date? The Season of Ghosts Adventure Path comes to a shocking conclusion with “To Bloom Below the Web,” a complete adventure for 10th- to 12th-level characters.
Whether it’s digital information stored on computer servers or ancient magical relics that hold the hidden language of the cosmos, someone out there always needs to store their data somewhere safe and secure. This double-sided map presents two such places! One side features a futuristic data center with a back room full of servers, large open foyer perfect for a long-range gunfight, and countless vents and access points. The other side depicts a more mystical repository containing ancient relics, lost tomes, strange bio-vats, and even
a portal to dimensions unknown! Starfinder Flip-Mats present ready-to-use science-fantasy set pieces for the busy Game Master. With Starfinder Flip-Mat: Data Center, you’ll be ready for the next encounter!
Now your players can explore an archmage’s vaults, delve through magical dimensions, or solve fiendish arcane traps! Whether used as a complete dungeon or piecemeal puzzle, Pathfinder Flip‐Mat Classics: Arcane Dungeon is the perfect place for all manner of magical confrontations and conundrums!
A Pathfinder Society Scenario designed for 5th- through 8th-level characters.
As part of the secret agreement between the underworld dragon Valashinaz and the Waterfall, a group of Pathfinders is sent to a small island off of Minata to gather a collection of skymetals from an abandoned temple to Valashinaz. The island should be uninhabited, but the Pathfinders quickly discover that someone has made it their home. The Pathfinders need to dodge these new inhabitants and avoid Valashinaz's beloved pet squishies while collecting the treasure. Those akatas have one rough bite...
A Starfinder Society Scenario designed for 3rd- through 6th-level characters.
The insectile ghibranis of Elytrio live divided, with husk ghibranis living in the harsh desert wastelands and membrane ghibranis living a pampered life in automated cities. Inspired by positive relations with the Starfinder Society, two ghibranis are spearheading a social movement aimed at bridging this cultural divide—with limited success. Undeterred, the ghibranis Dystane and Klarima are planning a joint cultural event intended to mend bridges, forge friendships, and foster understanding between their people. Who better to help them than the Starfinder Society? It’s time to put on the grandest celebration Elytrio’s seen since the Gap!
A Pathfinder Society Scenario designed for 1st- through 4th-level characters.
After ensuring that Fasiel ibn Sazadin saw Qadiran justice for his crimes, the Pathfinder Society received a mysterious letter from his benefactor detailing that she now sees the Society as a formidable opponent. After receiving this, Venture-Captain Safa spent some time traveling and researching across Qadira and Nex, only to find that the benefactor resides in Jalmeray and is a rakshasa with fine tastes. In order to find out more information about her, Safa and Rashmivati are sending a small crew of Pathfinders to attend a local auction in order to do some reconnaissance. However, while attending the formal event, the Pathfinders notice that one of the guests might have some sticky fingers!
A Starfinder Bounty designed for 4th-level characters.
The adventurers are hired by the mysterious Clearbright Institute of Discovery to investigate and secure a wing of their testing facility on Aucturn, where the staff has mysteriously stopped all communications with the corporation. Aucturn is a strange world full of dangers and occult secrets, ruled by cultists of eldritch gods and wrapped in a toxic atmosphere.
The mission takes the adventurers to a corporate testing facility in the wilderness, just outside of the mobile fortress Grindhold, itself a strange place for newcomers. To complete their job, the heroes explore the facility, facing dangers and unexpected discoveries around every corner.
Our partners at Archives of Nethys, Demiplane, Fantasy Grounds, Hero Lab Online, and Roll20 are dropping new content this month as well! Buy your PDF on paizo.com to get a discount via the PaizoConnect API. Or pay full price on their platforms, sync your account, and get a complimentary PDF on the Paizo Store.
Bring Pathfinder to where you are, in person or online, and if you don’t have a favorite local game store, get books delivered to your door via a Paizo Subscription! From rulebooks to adventures, accessories, and more, we’ve got subscriptions for every table! Subscribing to a line of books gets you the physical book and the PDF for one price! Subscribe to four lines or more to unlock Paizo Advantage savings on products site-wide!
Welcome back to another exciting collection of Pathfinder Infinite & Starfinder Infinite Top Performers!
Infinite Top Performers—Dec 2023
Tuesday, January 30, 2024
Welcome back to another exciting collection of Pathfinder Infinite & Starfinder Infinite Top Performers!
What is Infinite?
Pathfinder and Starfinder Infinite is a program that allows you to create content (adventures and locations; monsters; character classes, archetypes, and backgrounds; fiction; etc.) based on Paizo’s intellectual property (IP), including Pathfinder’s Lost Omens campaign setting, and to make some money while you’re at it. Your work might even be recognized by the community and earn you an invitation into the Infinite Masters elite creator program.
For more info on Pathfinder Infinite, Starfinder Infinite, and how to get started, check out the FAQs!
December’s Top Performers
Titles are ranked by an average of units sold and revenue earned and presented in alphabetical order. Asterisks indicate titles that have been on a best-seller list previously. Because they’ve consistently topped the list, and due to the number of their titles that typically take up spots, “Team+” and “Team Index” have asked to be removed from the calculations for ongoing top performers lists. This will allow newer publishers or book series to get more attention. Thanks, all!
This expansion on the magus and sorcerer classes includes a whole host of new content! Turn the pages on a new class archetype for the magus that focuses on inherited power—the eldritch scion. Or build a sorcerer from one of eight new bloodlines—two for each tradition of magic. This expansion also has new feats for each class, and Foundry VTT support!
A kineticist expansion from Eldritch Osiris Games. With 8 new elements, you can become a master of the elemental energies of aether, awareness, light, shadow, spirit, time, vitality and void! In addition, you can find expansions for the elements of air, earth, fire, metal, water, and wood as well as composite elements and expansions to the monk class and houses of perfection!
Has inspiration struck, but Pathfinder Player Core doesn't have a subclass to fit? Whether you are looking for a cleric spy, a swaggering rogue, or a druid with a will of steel, you will find myriad options within, made by 4 Infinite Masters and specially tuned for the Pathfinder Second Edition Remaster! Feats, subclasses, focus spells, and more for the classes of Pathfinder Player Core.
The reality of Golarion is coming undone after the loss of one of its greatest deities, and it's up to heroes like you to hold it together. Shattered Omens of Golarion is a collection of over 2 years of work consolidated into one tome. Inside, you'll find over 185 pages of Remastered player options, including new ancestry and class feats, backgrounds, heritages, spells, and magic items.
Golarion is a fantastical place, full of wonder and the unknown. In The Traveler’s Guide to the Darklands, join Alphonse Lord Tabbington in an exploration of the Darklands, a place of untold beauty amid fearsome dangers.
From the pen of an all-star crew of Pathfinder designers, players and GMs alike will find options to bolster their adventures to the darkness below.
Experience the new enhanced mechanic—revised for balanced and easier play. This expansion includes several new and revised mechanic tricks, drone chassis, and drone mods.
A research facility named DMEI-4 has gone dark. This derelict space station contains room after room of nightmares, the unfortunate aftermath of research without morals. If you need to put the fear of the gods into your players, or just want to show them what horrors magic and science can truly create, then introduce them to The Radiating Abyss.
The Monstercology Galatica is an attempt to catalog and describe all of the many and varied creatures that we share the galaxy with. We understand that with millions of stars and billions of worlds—plus those that visit the galaxy from other planes—this is a nearly impossible endeavor. But if we do not try it, then we can never succeed. This is but one small excerpt of the greater Monstercology Galatica, focusing on creatures most often seen during the later parts of the year.
A certain type of adventurer resides in the vast frontiers of space—wayfarers and drifters, hunters whose next meal rides on their cunning, their aim, and the price on their bounty's head. They carve out their existence beyond the fringes of civilization; the easy life is as alien to them as another man's gun, and just as fickle. They prefer the unpredictable and uncharted, far from prying eyes and folks what ask too many questions. Never tied to one place, these vagabonds stay strange and savvy, doing what they can to keep alive. When the galaxy needs a job done, they call for the rough and tumble space cowboy.
Towering mechs, ancient elementals, territorial kaiju and many more mech-scale threats can be found in Starfinder Infinite: Mech Threat Manual! Inside, you’ll find a spread of the latest mech creations of the Outer Sphere, deadly carnivorous mechform mimics, oozes that can slip inside a mech to throttle the operator or take over the machine entirely, and more. This book provides a variety of themed threats for use in mech combat at all levels of play, and all mechs within were made in accordance with the recommended alternative rules for creating NPC mechs from Starfinder Tech Revolution.
New & Exciting from Infinite Masters!
Want to see what’s been cooking in the Infinite Masters’ alchemy lab? Here’s a selection of new products from some of our Infinite Masters—and some pieces that have caught their eyes!
We’re kicking off the year with a return to fan-favorite planet Elytrio to visit some old friends—the endearing ghibranis Klarima and Dystane. Join this dynamic duo as they spearhead a social movement aimed at bridging the cultural divide between their people. The next step in their plan? They’re hosting a massive community festival—and you’re invited! It’s time to mend bridges, forge friendships, foster understanding, and—let’s face it—probably hit some stuff! Travel to Elytrio to help some friends put on the grandest celebration Elytrio’s seen since the Gap!
January Digital Adventure Previews
Thursday, January 25, 2024
Hello Starfinders!
We’re kicking off the year with a return to fan-favorite planet Elytrio to visit some old friends—the endearing ghibranis Klarima and Dystane. Join this dynamic duo as they spearhead a social movement aimed at bridging the cultural divide between their people. The next step in their plan? They’re hosting a massive community festival—and you’re invited! It’s time to mend bridges, forge friendships, foster understanding, and—let’s face it—probably hit some stuff! Travel to Elytrio to help some friends put on the grandest celebration Elytrio’s seen since the Gap!
Starfinder Society Scenario #6-12: Yesteryear’s Hope is a repeatable adventure for 3rd- through 6th-level characters written by Hilary Moon Murphy! Check out the art below to get a sneak peek at some of the friendly ghibrani you’ll meet in this delightful adventure.
Yesteryear’s Hope is dedicated to the memory of Jack Brown, a passionate and much beloved member of our Organized Play community who passed away in 2023. It’s our honor to bring one of Jack’s memorable characters into this adventure as one of the three special guests that you can show around the festival. Much thanks to Hilary Moon Murphy, to Thurston Hillman, and especially to Jack’s family for letting us introduce Jack’s character Lucius to the world.
Take care everybody. Thanks for making our community one I’m proud to be a part of.
Jessica Catalan Starfinder Society Developer
Both illustrations by Tom Ventre
We’ve also got another Starfinder Bounty for all of you
Aucturn isn’t usually a great place to set up shop, but some corporations see the complete lack of regulations as a plus. When things go wrong, though, it’s up to “independent contractors” to deal with the issues. That’s you. Things have gone wrong, and Agent Bright, a representative of the Clearbright Institute of Discovery, a corporate conglomerate shrouded in mystery, contacts the PCs with an offer. It’ll be up to you to see if various deeds done on Aucturn ever see the light of day. This will likely be the first time on Aucturn for most of you, but I wouldn’t recommend taking in the sights.
Hope those corporate intrigue lovers amongst you enjoy it!
Josh Foster Pathfinder Society Developer
Illustration by Marko Horvatin
Hello, Pathfinders and welcome to the new year!
This month is a double feature of scenarios, so buckle up!
First, the Pathfinder Society is paying Valashinaz a favor by traveling to an old temple that used to be a place of worship for her, but has since been abandoned after a terrible tempest! The Pathfinders will need to travel to her temple and collect the large collection of skymetals that were left as offerings long ago, while making sure that they don’t anger the spirits that still linger on the island. The Pathfinders have been warned that there may be akatas on the island, but since there aren’t any inhabitants, they should all be hibernating, right?
During those misadventures, the Pathfinder Society will also be sending a group of junior agents to attend and poke around a high-society auction in Niswan, in the hopes of collecting more information about the mysterious Benefactor that appeared at the end of the last year. It should be a night of elbow-rubbing, delicious pink chai, and gawking at fancy baubles; however, it wouldn’t be a party with Pathfinders if nothing went wrong! It seems that the auction may be attended by some partygoers that have no plans to pay for their treasures!
Logan Bonner here. Your Pathfinder Lead Designer is on the run from creatures ghastly and ravenous. That can only mean that Pathfinder Monster Core is drawing nearer! On March 27, prepare to get raided by everything from aeons to zombies! This is the third of the core books for the Pathfinder Second Edition Remaster Project. It compiles monsters from the Bestiary series along with some choice cuts from other books and some brand-new creatures.
Monster Core Preview: Monsters Resurrected!
Wednesday, January 24, 2024
Logan Bonner here. Your Pathfinder Lead Designer is on the run from creatures ghastly and ravenous. That can only mean that Pathfinder Monster Core is drawing nearer! On March 27, prepare to get raided by everything from aeons to zombies! This is the third of the core books for the Pathfinder Second Edition Remaster Project. It compiles monsters from the Bestiary series along with some choice cuts from other books and some brand-new creatures.
Left to right: a Vordine Devil illustrated by Gunship Revolution, Smaranava Naga illustrated by Ivan Koritarev, redcap illustrated by Gunship Revolution, caldera oni illustrated by Gunship Revolution, and sedacthy marauder illustrated by Sammy Khalid
Design Goals
Overall, monsters were working well statistically and thematically, so there weren’t any changes to the basics of how monsters work. Instead, we focused on making the book gorgeous, expansive, and full of great monsters! We had several big goals for Monster Core.
Match the Remaster Rules: We adjusted monster rules that needed to match new terminology or rules. For instance, changing “negative healing” to “void healing,” using “Reactive Strike,” and swapping out spells that were in Core Rulebook, but not Player Core.
Collect the Greatest Hits: The most classic monsters mingle with new creations! This book is focused on creatures that you can use over and over in all sorts of games. Most creatures came over from the first Bestiary, with some updates. But we also graduated some monsters that appeared in Bestiary 2 and Bestiary 3 to the main monster book, including serpentfolk, herexens, marsh and shadow giants, phantoms, scarecrows, and more! Monster Core also brings several Pathfinder First Edition monsters into Second Edition, including bogwids and the sargassum heap (formerly sargassum fiend).
Replace Some OGL Monsters: We cut several creatures that we were using from the OGL as we move to the ORC license and a set of creatures more specific to Pathfinder and Golarion. Where possible, we put in creatures that fill a similar role in adventure-building. For example, the sargassum heap mentioned above replaces another lurking 6th-level plant creature! We’ve also created exciting new devils, dragons, and other new threats in classic categories.
Match the Mythology: For a great many creatures that originated in folklore, their abilities and look were based on sources like pulp novels and TV shows. Eleanor Ferron spearheaded an effort to take creatures like rakshasa, oni, dragon turtles, and coatls closer to their source material. Making them more authentic while ensuring they still match Golarion’s lore was a massive undertaking!
Pack it Full!: Lastly, we wanted to include as many monsters as we could reasonably fit. Variety makes for memorable campaigns, adventures, and encounters, so getting more monsters in the book was great. The book is longer than the first Bestiary, but beyond that, we fit more stat blocks into several sections—dinosaurs have the same number of pages, but 10 creatures instead of seven.
There were also some changes that weren’t primary goals. Low-level monsters had high AC too often, and Michael Sayre did a pass to make the low-level experience more even. There wasn’t a level –1 plant or fungus for summon plant or fungus, so Landon Winkler made the sprigjack, a weaker twigjack.
Wrap Battle
On streams and other previews, we’ve talked quite a bit about hags, devils, and other monsters that had pretty big revisions. Let’s take a moment to go over an example of a smaller change. Mummies, beyond being classic horror monsters, make for great undead to include in musty tombs and dungeons. But the Bestiary version was primarily based on causing despair and imposing a rotting curse. They can be pretty static, so we were looking for something new to put into our basic mummies to make them more interesting, much like we reassessed them when creating new mummies for Book of the Dead.
Since the mummy guardian and mummy pharaoh were originally created with sophisticated chemical processes, we landed on an alchemical theme. You can see the special actions the mummy guardian can now use in combat, and how they reinforce the creature’s theme in a unique way!
Illustrated by Jorge Fares
Mummy Guardian — Creature 6
Medium, Mummy, Undead, Unholy Perception +16; darkvision Languages Necril, plus any one language they knew while alive Skills Athletics +15, Stealth +11 Str +4, Dex +0, Con +2, Int –2, Wis +4, Cha +2 AC 23; Fort +14, Ref +10, Will +16
HP 125, void healing (page 360); Immunities bleed, death effects, disease, paralyzed, poison, unconscious; Weaknesses alchemical 5 (see alchemical weakness), fire 5
Alchemical Weakness The guardian’s weakness to alchemical items not only applies to damage from alchemical items, but the guardian also takes 5 damage when splashed with non-damaging alchemical items or dosed with alchemical poisons, even if they’re immune to their other effects.
Blighted Consumption [reaction] (curse, divine, poison) Trigger A creature within 30 feet eats or drinks (including an alchemical item or potion); Effect The food or drink burns like the caustic substances fed to the mummy before its death. If the creature fails a DC 24 Fortitude save, they become sickened 2 after they finish the consumption and can’t reduce their sickened condition while within 30 feet of any mummy.
Choking Pain [one-action] (divine, illusion, mental, void) Requirements The mummy’s last action was a successful fist Strike; EffectThe mummy shares the pain of its dying moments with the target of that Strike. That creature takes 3d8 void damage with a DC 24 basic Will save. If the creature critically fails the saving throw, it can’t speak for 1 round, including to Cast a Spell.
More Monsters!
If you’d like some extra looks into what we’re cooking up for this book, check these out!
The final adventure of the Season of Ghosts Adventure Path, To Bloom Below the Web, arrives with hints of spring and hope in the new year! Of course, as I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, this Adventure Path is filled with more surprises and plot twists than most, and this final adventure is one that’s especially tricky to talk about without spoiling those developments. Folks have been great about helping to keep the campaign’s twists secret as well, and though I expect that we’ll talk more openly about the narrative stunts and risks we pulled with this Adventure Path sometime in the future, that time isn’t quite here yet.
Frights of Spring!
Wednesday, January 24, 2023
Illustration by Mylene Bertrand
The final adventure of the Season of Ghosts Adventure Path, To Bloom Below the Web, arrives with hints of spring and hope in the new year! Of course, as I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, this Adventure Path is filled with more surprises and plot twists than most, and this final adventure is one that’s especially tricky to talk about without spoiling those developments. Folks have been great about helping to keep the campaign’s twists secret as well, and though I expect that we’ll talk more openly about the narrative stunts and risks we pulled with this Adventure Path sometime in the future, that time isn’t quite here yet.
Of course, we wouldn’t have been able to pull this off at all without having such an amazing group of authors working on the adventures and their support articles. So instead of dancing around spoilers and trying to figure out what to say about this final adventure without revealing too much, let’s hear from two of the authors for this book!
(A final note about the art I’m featuring in this blog post—none of it is technically from the adventure itself, but from support articles, so there shouldn’t be anything in these images that will particularly spoil things for anyone who’s eager to discover Season of Ghosts’ surprises as players!)
James Jacobs Pathfinder Narrative Creative Director
Illustration by Riley Spalding
Jeremy Blum
I'm Jeremy Blum and my articles in Season of Ghosts volumes 3 and 4 will be my first published Paizo projects! For volume 3, I got the chance to flesh out nindorus based on James Jacobs' initial notes, and detailing the intricacies of a delicious new fiend variant was a blast. As for volume 4, let's just say that I was able to write up character options inspired by aspects of Buddhism. I look forward to seeing how players use them!
Aside from Season of Ghosts, I've penned portions of the upcoming Pathfinder Lost Omens Tian XiaWorld Guide and Tian Xia Character Guideas well as Pathfinder Howl of the Wild. I've also designed Pathfinder conversions for the Korean-themed Undying Corruption setting by Nine Heavens Press, contributed lore to the Chinese-inspired Banner Clans faction in Three Sails Studios’ miniatures wargame Margrave: The Marcher Lords, and most recently worked on several Renegade Games Studios projects that are still under wraps. Check out my portfolio and feel free to follow me (I use the name Pixel Grotto on Twitter and Bluesky) to share stories of how nindorus have made your life miserable.
Liane Merciel
I was both super excited and nervous to be asked to contribute to this Adventure Path.
Like a lot of you, I have been a Forever GM for a... well, forever, basically. I think the last time I got to be a PC was, uh, 2006 maybe? No, wait, I did get to play Fumbus for 20 glorious minutes at PaizoCon 2019. So yeah, that’s the last time I was a player in a tabletop campaign.
Possibly because of this (vengeful? Me? Never!), my home campaigns are skewed heavily toward horror in all its many and glorious forms. If my players aren’t white-knuckling it and/or grossed out at least once per story arc, I believe that I have failed.
Trying to pull off a horror game as a published adventure, though, was a totally different kind of challenge. My GM’ing style is reactive: I see how the players respond to NPC X or Encounter Y and tailor the interaction accordingly. Writing an adventure for players I’ve never met, at tables I’ll never see, using a set of rules that was in flux at the time, was probably more terrifying than anything I’ve ever inflicted on my PCs.
But I look forward to putting them through the game later, just to make sure.
Illustration by Riley Spalding
One final note: If you’re the kind of person who enjoys a good Adventure Path trailer (that is, a person of culture and taste), you may have taken special notice of the music underscoring the visuals of our latest Season of Ghosts trailer. Those haunting melodies were composed by Filip Melvan of Michael Ghelfi Studios, with whom we’re excited to announce we’ve entered into an official partnership! Beginning with Season of Ghosts, Michael and his team of award-winning composers will be composing all-new original soundtracks uniquely tailored to accompany selected past and future Pathfinder Adventure Paths!
We’ll have plenty more to say in the weeks to come, but for the time being, we’ll leave it at this: players who like to incorporate music into their games can expect a lot of exciting auditory surprises in store!
Actually, you know what? That’s not fair. We can’t just tell you about this amazing music and not give you a sample to whet your appetite. Here’s the title track from the upcoming “Season of Ghosts” album right now, suitable for all your ghost-thwarting, village-protecting, below-the-web-blooming needs!
Hiya, it’s me Jenny Jarzabski (Senior Developer) reporting in from the field! I got to spread some Veskmas cheer by running the playtest demo at Pax Unplugged, and I’m here to tell you all about it! This playtest is an encounter designed to test out some of the basic rules of Starfinder Second Edition. Reading on might spoil the demo’s content, so for those of you planning to attend Owlcon (in February) or Norwescon (in March) where some Starfinder team members might be running this demo, you’ve been warned!
Reports from the Field Part 3
Tuesday, January 23, 2023
Here’s a look behind the scenes at our PAX Unplugged demo!
Hiya, it’s me Jenny Jarzabski (Senior Developer) reporting in from the field! I got to spread some Veskmas cheer by running the playtest demo at Pax Unplugged, and I’m here to tell you all about it! This playtest is an encounter designed to test out some of the basic rules of Starfinder Second Edition. Reading on might spoil the demo’s content, so for those of you planning to attend Owlcon (in February) or Norwescon (in March) where some Starfinder team members might be running this demo, you’ve been warned!
Here’s Jenny GMing for one of many amazing demo tables at PAXU!
The goal of this demo was to test out what we’ve been working on internally with a wider pool of players and see some early reactions from the community. I won’t be going into extreme detail about everything we tested in the demo, especially since some of those rules may have changed after we implemented feedback and prepared the Playtest Rulebook for the printer over the past two weeks! If you want the full experience, you’ll have to find me or one of my teammates at an upcoming convention or wait for the next batch of demos we’ll no doubt be cooking up for GenCon!
Players chose from the following premade characters:
Envoy
Mystic
Operative
Solarian
The Fight
The players approached from the north of a seemingly abandoned mining site strewn with cranes, vehicles, crates, and other large objects providing that sweet, sweet cover. A massive pit in the center of the map created an obstacle for characters favoring melee combat styles. But these lucky gamers were playing a game that favors ranged combat (YEEHAW!) so they all had a ranged damage option in the form of guns! Pew pew pew! Even so, some attacks and abilities perform better in closer quarters. The solarian’s playstyle focuses on getting close to enemies and hitting them with powerful attacks from their solar weapons, and some of the mystic’s spells don’t work from too far away—so not everyone thought it was a good idea to camp out at the edge of the map behind the safety of cover. (Just the operative. Always. So tacticool.)
As the players investigated the mine, a trio of pirates popped out from behind cover and fired the first shots of the battle. These pirates were packing guns of their own—machine guns! This meant they could shoot from a distance or get close and unleash a rain of bullets on multiple targets with automatic fire. The pirates’ tactics were to shoot once from a distance, then move in and switch to spraying auto-fire to pew pew as many of their enemies as possible.
Tactics and Playtesting
Changing the pirates’ tactics changed the encounter. I experimented with some different tactics and eventually settled into a routine of two pirates following their normal tactics, while a third perched behind a toolchest (cover) on top of the crane. Sometimes, it was like running two battles in one: a sniper fight between crane guy and the operative, and the chaos of machine gun space pirates versus everyone else. Other times, the players disrupted this setup—they gravity welled crane guy off his perch, attacked him with his own shadow, and more! Poor crane guy!
The point is, different groups always used different tactics. Patterns emerged, of course. Generally, the operative hung back and kept in cover while sniping, while the mystic slung spells and pew pew’d from a medium distance. Sometimes the mystic even got into melee and used their painglaive to share their emotions with the enemy on a more personal level. The solarian usually charged into battle, either going after the sniper (RIP crane guy) and using abilities to try to drag him off his perch or intercepting the gunners on their way toward the party. The envoy had a lot of choices between shooting and giving directives like Get in There! to boost everyone’s speed, or Kiss It Better to “heal” someone with temporary HP. No two groups I GM’d for used exactly the same combination of actions. Considering each premade character only contained a snapshot of the rules we’ll be playtesting later this year, you should expect a lot of fun choices when you build your first playtest characters.
A Note About Pregens
he StarFriends (as we members of the Starfinder team call ourselves) each designed one of the premade characters available for the demo. Dustin created the mystic, Jessica whipped up an envoy, Mike crafted a solarian, and Jenny built an operative. Thursty designed the encounter, so we gave the boss a pass this time!
Here’s Jenny CRITTING that amazing demo table! Oh no!
Bonus Encounter
If the players ROFLstomped the pirates, say with a string of crits, the demo had a second encounter loaded in the chamber so the demo wouldn’t run disappointingly short. A fourth pirate gunner and his hacked robot ally emerged from a building and attacked the party right after they defeated the pirates. The robot advanced and went pew pew pew with its laser rifle while the pirate crept up behind it, using her hacked tank-bot as mobile cover until she reached spray-and-pray range. The robot might power down at half HP or use its healing nanites to keep fighting longer, depending on the group. Only a handful of groups played the bonus encounter, including the Cosmic Critters. More about that in a minute.
A Veskmas Miracle Playing games with nufriends in the community is always a great time. Thanks to all you gamers at PAX: Unplugged who wandered over to the Paizo tables to try Starfinder 2. Thank you to the GMs who volunteered their time to run demo tables—y’all are some space badasses!
Speaking of space badasses, in addition to the public playtests, I had the honor of playing the demo with the wonderful casts of Atomless, Cosmic Crit, and No Quest for the Wicked. They really kept me on my toes with their rolls and roleplay. You can listen to the Cosmic Critmas demo here; my sessions with Atomless and No Quest are coming soon!
But I Want More!
Do you want more teasers about the playtest rules? Are you looking for spoilers before release? Interested in more detailed notes about our internal playtesting? Stay tuned to this space for more news from the StarFriends SOON™!
Hey everyone, Luis Loza here! A while back, I shared some previews for the diabolic dragon and mirage dragon, two of the new dragons premiering in Monster Core in March. I figured that I’ve kept the public waiting long enough for more dragon previews, so let’s take a look at another fun dragon!
Dragons That Rock!
Friday, January 19, 2024
Hey everyone, Luis Loza here! A while back, I shared some previews for the diabolic dragon and mirage dragon, two of the new dragons premiering in Monster Core in March. I figured that I’ve kept the public waiting long enough for more dragon previews, so let’s take a look at another fun dragon!
Illustration by Kent Hamilton
Speaking of Monster Core, you might have seen the big dragon on the cover. This is an adamantine dragon, one of the new primal dragons in the book. Primal dragons draw on the magical energies of the natural world. These dragons tend to be the most bestial among dragons. As a result, they tend to be bulkier with more animalistic features like horns and spines. Some primal dragons even grow natural features on their bodies, like small plants.
The adamantine dragon—one of the skymetal dragons—got its name due to the adamantine that covers its body. The magic that flows through them draws adamantine to their bodies like a magnet, though some of these dragons naturally grow adamantine on their body, slowly replacing their hard scales with the skymetal as they age. Regardless of how the adamantine clings to their bodies, these dragons are tough. They’re so tough that they have a strong resistance against physical attacks. The claws and jaws of an adamantine dragon also allow them to burrow through dirt or even solid stone, sometimes emerging from beneath the ground to ambush their prey.
Adamantine dragons tend to use their shovel-like mouths to scoop up chunks of earth, consuming whatever rocks and unfortunate creatures are swept up in their bites. Instead of a typical dragon breath, adamantine dragons belch up all of these rocks, unleashing a veritable avalanche from within their bodies. While adamantine dragons typically don’t have the ability to cast spells, they make up for it with their hardy bodies and powerful blows.
So, that’s a little bit on the adamantine dragon! Don’t forget to check out this dragon and all of its draconic friends when Monster Core releases in March. Stay tuned for more draconic previews in the coming weeks. Next time, we’ll take a look at the mysterious and cunning conspirator dragon. See you then!
Hello, Pathfinders and Starfinders! 2024 is going to be an incredibly exciting year for Paizo. This year, we’re releasing major Pathfinder rulebooks, including Howl of the Wild, the Lost Omens Tian Xia World Guide, and Player Core 2, as well as launching the playtest for Starfinder’s new edition!
Join Paizo Organized Play at Conventions in 2024!
Thursday, January 18, 2024
Hello, Pathfinders and Starfinders! 2024 is going to be an incredibly exciting year for Paizo. This year, we’re releasing major Pathfinder rulebooks, including Howl of the Wild, the Lost Omens Tian Xia World Guide, and Player Core 2, as well as launching the playtest for Starfinder’s new edition!
We’d like to invite you to be part of the excitement by volunteering as an Organized Play GM! Our volunteer GMs are the best of the best, the cream of the crop, and the most helpful skittermanders in the galaxy. Last year, our volunteers ran over 1,000 games online and in person, and we’re looking to exceed that in 2024!
If you love our games so much that you want to introduce new players to them, and if you’re ready to GM on the biggest stages we can offer, then we want you to join the team! Even if you’ve never run Pathfinder or Starfinder Society before, our support team will make sure that you have everything you need to run your best games ever.
New this year, all GMs who run games at Premier or Premier Plus events will receive a $15 paizo.com voucher per block, which can also be spent in the Paizo booth at Gen Con in Indianapolis. Those who volunteer for more blocks may receive badges to the show, PDF or print products, or hotel rooms based on their commitment.
At this time, we’re accepting GMs for PaizoCon Online and Gen Con Indianapolis; information about Gen Con Online will come once Gen Con provides more information about the event. We’ve also included information from our friends at Origins; while Paizo won’t have an official presence there, we’re recognizing them as a Premier event, which means additional rewards for GMs and players. Who knows, maybe you’ll even see some Paizo staff at the event!
PaizoCon Online 2024
PaizoCon Online 2024 will take place online from May 24-27, 2024. It will have a physical component in the form of our PaizoCon@ program; see last week’s blog for more details. New content at this show includes the launch of Starfinder Society Year 7 (the final year for Starfinder first edition), the new Starfinder Society interactive special, and new Pathfinder Society scenarios.
Please note that this year we will be scheduling all PaizoCon Online events on Tabletop.Events. As such, GMs will need to create a free account prior to completing the volunteer form.
We are currently seeking volunteers for the following roles:
Game Master: Run tables of Organized Play Scenarios, Bounties, and Quests.
Headquarters (HQ): Answer player and GM questions, seat players, handle conflicts and disputes, and report games after completion.
Please read this important information before applying:
Volunteer applications will be reviewed and accepted or rejected by the PaizoCon Organizing Committee. Filling this form out does not guarantee acceptance; you will receive an email with further information from the PaizoCon committee.
PaizoCon Online schedules will be assigned by the committee. You will be asked for your preference of system and level, but you will not necessarily be able to choose the specific scenario(s) you run. There is a free-form field at the end of the form to enter specific requests, though there’s no guarantee they will be honored.
Reward information is listed in the table below. GMs who do not qualify for a badge will still need to purchase one if they wish to play games.
Applications will be processed on a rolling basis, beginning no later than March 1. The earlier you get your application in, the more likely it is you’ll get the scenarios you want. Please be patient while we put the final details of the convention together internally before we send out GM emails!
Adventure authors interested in running tables of scenarios they have written should fill out this form and then follow up by emailing paizoorgplayhq@gmail.com. Anybody interested in running games outside of the Organized Play offerings (such as Infinite content, homebrew content, or games from other publishers) will be able to propose events once tickets go on sale. Stay tuned for future information!
Any questions about the GM signup process should be sent to the committee at paizoorgplayhq@gmail.com.
Rewards Table
Blocks
PDF Product
Player Badge
Early Sign-Up Access
In-Game Reward
Voucher
6+ blocks
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
5 blocks
✓
✓
✓
✓
4 blocks
✓
✓
✓
✓
3 blocks
✓
✓
✓
✓
2 blocks
✓
✓
✓
1 block
✓
✓
*Definitions for rewards:
PDF Product: A PDF of any Paizo product valued at $29.99 or less.
Player Badge: A badge for the duration of the event. GMs must have a badge before registering to play games.
Early Sign-Up Access: One week before signups open, GMs may sign up for one game per block they are running.
In-game reward: A reward for characters based on the current Organized Play program GM reward programs. Pathfinder Society (First Edition) is paper boons, and Pathfinder Society (Second Edition)/Starfinder Society (First Edition) is Achievement Point rewards at the Premier Plus (2.0x) level.
Voucher: Earn one voucher for $15 that is spendable on paizo.com for every block run.
Important Dates
Please note that these dates are tentative and subject to change.
April 10 (Wed): Early player signups begin for GMs.
April 17 (Wed): Player signups begin for all badge holders.
Gen Con Indianapolis will take place in Indianapolis, Indiana from August 1-4, 2024. While we intend to participate in Gen Con Online, this application is only for the in-person show. New content at this show includes the launch of Pathfinder Society Year 6, the new Pathfinder Society Special, and the second run of the Starfinder Society interactive special. It will also feature the launch of the Starfinder Second Edition Playtest!
We are currently seeking volunteers for the following roles:
Game Master: Run tables of Organized Play Scenarios, Bounties, and Quests.
Headquarters (HQ): Answer player and GM questions, seat players, handle conflicts and disputes, and report games after completion.
Demo GM: Run quick demos for new players, giving them a short Pathfinder/Starfinder experience before quickly turning the table over for the next group. Our Demo GMs may receive an Exhibitor badge in compensation for the fast and furious nature of the position, subject to availability.
Board Game Demo GM: Run demo tables for Goblin Firework Fight and Elemental Stones. Applicants should have strong board game knowledge (both our games and general board games) and preferably have related demo experience.
Academy GM: Run games for young children (under 18) and their families, and provide a safe, welcoming environment for our youngest gamers. This position requires proof of a completed background check (employment in education, public service, or something similar may be accepted as verification that you have completed a background check).
Please read this important information before applying:
Volunteer applications will be reviewed and accepted or rejected by the Gen Con Organizing Committee. Filling this form out does not guarantee acceptance; you will receive an email with further information from the Gen Con committee.
Gen Con Indy schedules will be assigned by the committee. You will be asked for your preference of system and level, but you will not necessarily be able to choose the specific scenario(s) you run. The committee’s intention is to assign people to run the same scenario multiple times during the weekend, to minimize the amount of preparation required. There is a free-form field at the end of the form to enter specific requests, though there’s no guarantee they will be honored.
Reward information is listed in the table below. GMs who don’t qualify for a badge will still need to purchase one.
Volunteers will be accepted on a rolling basis, and schedules should be assigned within two weeks of your application. Once your schedule is assigned and you confirm, you are considered committed to attending the event.
Adventure authors interested in running tables of scenarios they have written should fill out the volunteer form and then follow up by emailing genconleads@gmail.com. Please note that we have a limited number of tables and that the schedule is fairly locked-in at this stage, but we’ll do our best to get you slotted into your scenario if it’s on the schedule.
Any questions about the GM signup process should be sent to the committee at genconleads@gmail.com.
Rewards Table
Blocks
Housing
Product
Dice Bag*
Player Badge
Volunteer Attire
In-Game Reward
Voucher
7+ blocks
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
6 blocks
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
5 blocks
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
4 blocks
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
3 blocks
✓
✓
✓
✓
2 blocks
✓
✓
✓
1 block
✓
✓
✓
*Definitions for rewards:
Housing: GMs will be housed at two volunteers per room. More volunteers (up to four) may be added to one room if all volunteers agree. More information is available on the application form.
Product: A physical copy of a Paizo product, chosen from a list of recent releases prior to the convention.
Dice Bag: A custom handmade dice bag with Pathfinder or Starfinder logo. Available to volunteers for 4 or more blocks who also commit to remaining masked while volunteering.
Player Badge: A badge for the duration of the event. GMs must have a Player badge before registering to play games. Demo GMs may receive an Exhibitor badge if our allotment allows for it.
Volunteer Attire: One shirt per day of volunteering (unless you received shirts in the previous year).
In-game reward: A reward for characters based on the current Organized Play program GM reward programs. Pathfinder Society (First Edition)/Pathfinder Adventure Card Society is paper boons, and Pathfinder Society (Second Edition)/Starfinder Society (First Edition) is Achievement Point rewards at the Premier Plus (2.0x) level.
Voucher: Earn one voucher for $15 that is spendable on paizo.com or at the Paizo booth for every block run.
Important Dates
Note that these dates are from Gen Con directly; other dates specifically relevant to us may be added.
Ohio Org Play will again be sponsoring Pathfinder and Starfinder Society at Origins Game Fair from June 19-23, 2024, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.
For those who have not been to Origins in the past, the convention runs from mid-day Wednesday to mid-day Sunday, for a total of 12 event slots. We set our scenario-length slots up as 5 hours of gaming, with 1 hour meal breaks between sessions to give our GMs plenty of time to eat and re-energize. More about Origins can be found here: https://www.originsgamefair.com/
We are currently seeking volunteers for the following roles:
Game Master: Run tables of Organized Play Scenarios, Bounties, and Quests.
Headquarters (HQ): Answer player and GM questions, seat players, handle conflicts and disputes, and report games after completion.
Volunteer applications will be reviewed by the organizing committee. Filling the volunteer form out does not guarantee acceptance. As this is a large con with many moving parts, GM schedules will be assigned by the committee and sent out in order of volunteering. Volunteer early to lock in your preferences! Once your schedule is assigned and you confirm, you are considered committed to attending the event.
We value each of our volunteers who help to make this event happen. As a reward, we have Ohio Org Play shirts, water bottles, badges, accommodations for you or your vehicle, and bonus Achievement Points to send your way. But wait! This year, there’s more! Paizo has generously stepped in to provide voucher rewards to our GM volunteers this year, as well as free product for those who volunteer for more slots. Here’s a grid to keep track of everything:
Origins Rewards Table
Blocks
Ohio Org Play Water Bottle
¼ Hotel or Parking Pass
Paizo Product
Origins Badge
Ohio Org Play T-Shirt
Paizo Vouchers
In-Game Reward
10
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
9
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
8
X
X
X
X
X
X
7
X
X
X
X
X
X
6
X
X
X
X
X
5
X
X
X
X
4
X
X
X
X
3
X
X
X
2
X
X
X
1
X
X
Reward Details:
Origins Badge: A weekend badge for the event. All attendees and GMs must have a badge. Those volunteering for 4 or more slots will receive a free badge. All others must purchase a badge on their own. Most Origins events are included in the base badge price.
In-game reward: A reward for characters based on the current Organized Play program GM reward programs. Pathfinder Society (First Edition)/Pathfinder Adventure Card Society is paper boons, and Pathfinder Society (Second Edition)/Starfinder Society (First Edition) is Achievement Point rewards with a 1.75 multiplier.
Vouchers: Earn one voucher for $15 that is spendable on paizo.com for each GM slot completed.
T-Shirt: All volunteers for 2 or more slots will receive 1 Ohio Org Play 2024 t-shirt to wear on Saturday.
PDF Product: A PDF of any Paizo product valued at $29.99 or less.
Hotel/Parking: Volunteers for 7 or more slots will have the option of shared hotel space or a free parking pass. Hotel space is Wednesday night to Sunday Morning. We will work with volunteers who select this option to arrange rooming assignments.
Water Bottle: Volunteers for 9 or more slots will also receive a Custom Ohio Org Play reusable water bottle to keep you hydrated all weekend long.
Important Dates
Volunteer ASAP to lock in your scenario/slot preferences!
April 13: Event registration opens.
June 19-23: Origins Game Fair!
Please contact OhioOrgPlay@gmail.com with any questions.
Anybody interested in volunteering at PaizoCon Online or Gen Con should join the Premier Conventions planning server by clicking the image below. Follow the instructions in #welcome to get access to the relevant channels. All important information will be conveyed on this server as well as via email, so please join the server!
Thank you all so much for volunteering! These events can’t happen without our volunteer GMs and organizers, and we’re so lucky to have you all. We’re looking forward to another fantastic year of conventions!
Alex Speidel Organized Play Coordinator
David Peever, Adrian FireclawDrake, and Jocelyn Hamilton PaizoCon Online Committee
Heather Vigil, Kevin Baumann, Rebecca Fehn, and Joe Mathos Gen Con Indy Committee
Elemental Stones is an abstract tile-placement and pattern-matching game for 2 to 4 players, in which you take on the role of powerful elemental sovereigns by placing and transforming tiles of five elements (fire, water, earth, wood, and metal)—with air as a sixth, wildcard element—in a constant struggle for dominance. Today we want to give you a peek into how the game came to be and what you can expect find inside the box.
Game of Stones
Tuesday, January 16, 2024
One might think that the elements strive for balance, to find harmony in all things, with each being represented in equal measure. But that is not the truth of things. In reality, the elements are in a constant struggle for dominance, each according to their own secretive plan. Only from our perspective do things seem balanced, but the fight rages on for all eternity.
Elemental Stones is an abstract tile-placement and pattern-matching game for 2 to 4 players, in which you take on the role of powerful elemental sovereigns by placing and transforming tiles of five elements (fire, water, earth, wood, and metal)—with air as a sixth, wildcard element—in a constant struggle for dominance. Today we want to give you a peek into how the game came to be and what you can expect find inside the box.
Designed by me (Joe Pasini) along with Jason Bulmahn, Elemental Stones is the first release in the Paizo Games line, which will consist of tabletop games designed, developed, and published by Paizo. We’re excited to bring you all-new game expressions that, while inspired by and connected to the rich worlds of Pathfinder and Starfinder, explore the opportunities presented by modern games, separate from pen-and-paper roleplaying games.
Elemental Stones began life as an inkling of a game inspired by the Rage of Elements hardcover book, which dives deep into the system of elements in Pathfinder (including two newly supported elements, metal and wood). We knew we wanted a simple-to-learn, highly replayable game that would involve the elemental cycle, placing satisfying objects on a board, and competing for elemental dominance, in the form of—what else—victory points. Early prototypes of a dotted grid with constellation-like patterns grew into a more robust hex-shaped grid and tokens with a relatively simple ruleset. With just a few tweaks along the way, this design allows for nuanced strategy and tactics each time you play.
Of course, as with any idea making its way from concept to concrete creation, there were some growing pains. Various card types were added, patterns shifted and changed, scoring metrics were constantly in flux, and the component list was rather fluid throughout early playtests. For example, we realized players would end up with extra stones at the end of most games and, as a result, would have less meaningful choices when choosing stones in later rounds. We eventually hit upon the idea of awarding points for having majorities in each type of stone as a way to solve two problems with one solution (if only there were a stone-related idiom for that… oh well). Everything about the game went through similar iterations, from the several other ways you can score points all the way to the production side, where we worked diligently with our manufacturer to create tiles that are just the right weight, size, and feel. In the end, we created a game that is quick and easy to play with up to four players in about 30-40 minutes, making it a perfect warm-up to your Pathfinder game night—or you can play multiple rounds for a whole evening of fun.
We’ve had a great time demoing the game at conventions and online, and can’t wait to hear your stories of elemental struggle around the table! You can preorder the game here and check out an explanation of the rules (from one of our streams). And keep an eye out for more news about upcoming Paizo Games, we cannot wait to show you what we have coming up next!
Natural Pengu Mobile VTT Early Access Available Monday
Greetings Pathfinders! We are Natural Pengu and we are working on bringing the world of Pathfinder into our mobile Virtual Tabletop (VTT). We are excited to announce:
Natural Pengu Mobile VTT Early Access Available Monday
Friday, January 12, 2024
Greetings Pathfinders! We are Natural Pengu and we are working on bringing the world of Pathfinder into our mobile Virtual Tabletop (VTT). We are excited to announce:
All Pathfinder Player Core classes, ancestries, and heritages are now available in our Player Core Toolkit!
Early Access for the Natural Pengu Mobile VTT will be available on Monday!
Great for Players and Game Masters on the Go
Designed for the modern player and Game Master, our Mobile Pathfinder VTT is a great solution for those seeking the thrill of Pathfinder on the go. When you’re playing with our Mobile VTT, you can play anywhere, anytime.
Computers and laptops have always been the main devices to play, while mobiles and tablets have been companion devices.
We are turning that concept on its head. A mobile phone is all you need to play.
The Player Core Toolkit - The Entry Phase
Our Player Core Toolkit is the entry phase of our VTT. It contains character creation, character sheets, dice rolling with automatic modifiers, and integrated rules accessible on the fly.
The Character Creator now contains all classes, ancestries, and heritages available in Pathfinder Player Core with assisted level-up on the way.
You can access some rule snippets without owning Paizo’s Player Core. More in-depth rules are accessible for free if you have purchased the Player Core PDF from Paizo*, or you can purchase the Player Core PDF with integration to our platform from us at Natural Pengu for $19.99.
The Next Phase - Mobile VTT Coming On Monday!
But that's not all. We're not just offering a character sheet – we are a full-fledged Virtual Tabletop. Maps, tokens, Game Master tools, and everything you need to create an immersive campaign are on the way with a basic early access version opening on Monday. We are committed to providing a comprehensive Mobile VTT experience that caters to every aspect of your Pathfinder adventure. With these coming functionalities, you can play with a complete VTT, all easily used through a web browser on your phone.
Early Access: Shape the Future with Us
Even though all classes have been tested, our VTT remains in the beta phase with many bugs to be found. You can choose a free plan, or a $1 plan, and get Early access to all of the Player Core Toolkit features.
By choosing our $2 plan you will also get Early access to the Natural Pengu Mobile VTT, when it becomes available on Monday.
These are limited time offers and prices may increase with time as the platform evolves. So get these low prices while you can! With your support we can keep developing the Natural Pengu Mobile VTT into something truly great.
Click the link below to join Early Access and join the adventure today!
*Unfortunately, we cannot connect owners of the physical core books to our in-depth rules—a PDF version is required to gain access for the $0 price point.
I wanted to take a moment to talk about something new we’ll be doing to help parents and educators who play our adventures with their kiddos. While we aim to hit a “PG-13” level of maturity for our standard adventures, there are plenty out there that are perfectly suited for those young adventurers out there, and we know it’s hard for someone to know which ones qualify without reading the adventures themselves or asking others in the community. In upcoming quests, we’ll be creating an image for the cover and product page that indicates the quest is suitable for All Ages, as well as tagging the adventure with that label.
An All Ages Explanation
Thursday, January 11, 2024
Illustration by Lucas Villalva Machado
Hi everyone, and a belated Happy New Year!
I wanted to take a moment to talk about something new we’ll be doing to help parents and educators who play our adventures with their kiddos. While we aim to hit a “PG-13” level of maturity for our standard adventures, there are plenty out there that are perfectly suited for those young adventurers out there, and we know it’s hard for someone to know which ones qualify without reading the adventures themselves or asking others in the community. In upcoming quests, we’ll be creating an image for the cover and product page that indicates the quest is suitable for All Ages, as well as tagging the adventure with that label.
Illustration by Vlad Hladkova
While working on quests, we realized that their 2-hour length was a good sweet spot for younger attention spans, and so we decided to start using this new label on qualifying quests. What that means to us is that the adventure in question should be suitable for younger players without turning off veterans. It should avoid themes of horror or violent imagery, encourage creative solutions, and also employ nonviolent resolutions wherever possible. If there’s a fight, it shouldn’t be against something too scary or too human. The goal here is that if you’ve got a younger child, student, or sibling who can do the addition required to play the game, you can pull out one of these adventures and feel confident that they’ll have as much fun as you will.
Happy gaming to all our players, no matter how old!
Roll20 is dropping in with an update on the redesign of their Pathfinder Second Edition character sheet. The devs are diligently wrapping up the last pieces of work for our community preview release. We expect you’ll see the new sheet very soon—sometime this month! This is just a preview release, so you won’t see all features of the existing sheet available on release. Because of that, the current sheet isn’t going anywhere; the last thing we want to do is disrupt your ongoing games!
Roll20 is dropping in with an update on the redesign of their Pathfinder Second Edition character sheet. The devs are diligently wrapping up the last pieces of work for our community preview release. We expect you’ll see the new sheet very soon—sometime this month! This is just a preview release, so you won’t see all features of the existing sheet available on release. Because of that, the current sheet isn’t going anywhere; the last thing we want to do is disrupt your ongoing games!
We hope you’ll try the new sheet out, though, and make note of all the things you wish the current sheet could do while comparing it to the new sheet. There will be a feedback form, easily accessed within the community preview sheet, where you can submit your thoughts directly to the team. They plan to adjust their roadmap frequently to ensure you’re getting the features you want the most!
In case you haven’t seen the original blog post, this initial community preview of the sheet will include a couple of exciting improvements over the existing sheet:
Improved automation: modifications are propagated more intelligently and completely throughout the sheet
Overhauled conditions: conditions will better apply modifiers to all affected stats and calculations (this will apply to default conditions first and later be applied more broadly through our upcoming releases)
Better bonus and penalty calculations: modifier types (e.g. Status, Circumstance, Item) will correctly apply throughout the sheet
Until then, we hope everyone has a nice holiday season and a happy new year! The Roll20 Team
Greetings, Paizoverse! I’m very excited to announce the locations for this year’s PaizoCon@ program! This pilot program will allow you to experience PaizoCon in person with your fellow Pathfinders and Starfinders while supporting your local game stores.
PaizoCon @ Your Local Game Store!
Tuesday, January 9, 2024
Greetings, Paizoverse! I’m very excited to announce the locations for this year’s PaizoCon@ program! This pilot program will allow you to experience PaizoCon in person with your fellow Pathfinders and Starfinders while supporting your local game stores.
All PaizoCon@ locations will be running Pathfinder and Starfinder Society games during the weekend, including exclusive runs of our May releases. Highlights include the launch of Starfinder Society Year 7, as well as the new Starfinder Society specialand an exclusive rerun of Pathfinder Society Special #2-00: The King in Thorns. If you’re interested in volunteering to run games at your local store, please reach out to the listed contacts!
PaizoCon@ KublaCon
Location: Burlingame, CA Website:https://kublacon.com/ Contact: John and Wendy-Ann Francis, sfbayareaVC@gmail.com
Our exclusive convention partner this year is KublaCon in Burlingame, California! KublaCon has one of the largest Paizo Organized Play presences in the country, and we’re enhancing it with all that PaizoCon has to offer. Join them to watch our streamed panels in the viewing space, as well as participate in the specials and Organized Play scenarios!
PaizoCon@ FLGS Locations
Head out to one of our pilot stores and join in on the PaizoCon excitement! If you’re more of a visual learner, here’s a map of the locations!
Happy 2024, everybody! I don’t know about you all, but I’m still writing 2023 on my checks. Or I would be, if we wrote checks still.
January 2024 Organized Play Monthly Update
Thursday, January 4, 2024
OPC Musings
Happy 2024, everybody! I don’t know about you all, but I’m still writing 2023 on my checks. Or I would be, if we wrote checks still.
We’ve got a great year coming up for you all! The Pathfinder Remaster continues to roll out, the Starfinder 2 playtest will launch, and we’ve got several great conventions spinning up. Not a lot has happened since our last blog (and not to give too much away, but I’m actually writing this four days after the December update went live), so let’s focus on what’s coming soon!
Digital Adventure Releases
These adventures will be available on January 31, 2024.
Are you interested in joining the legion of Paizo volunteers to help us put on some of the best conventions around? Then tune into the blog on January 18, when we’ll be posting recruitment for PaizoCon Online and Gen Con Indy GM volunteers! Our volunteers run Pathfinder and Starfinder Society games for hundreds of players, and we’d love to have you join us. Whether it’s your first time GMing or you’re a seasoned veteran, our team will welcome you and give you everything you need to give the players a fantastic experience.
This year, I’m pleased to announce that GM rewards for each slot will be increased to a $15 voucher. That means for every slot you run, you get $15 to spend on our webstore or in our booth at Gen Con on anything you like!
Pathfinder Remaster & Guide to Organized Play Updates
At the end of December, we published some updates to the Pathfinder Society Character Options page and the Remaster Guidelines page. The primary change here was to re-allow certain spellhearts we previously banned, with some clarifications about how to handle them after the Remaster’s removal of spell schools. It’s heartening to see that we’re getting fewer and fewer questions about rules clarifications, that means things are being answered in a timely manner! Please don’t hesitate to let us know about any outstanding issues.
The Guide to Organized Play has also been updated! Primarily, this change is to bring text in line with the remaster: changing “flat-footed” to “off-guard,” “spell level” to “spell rank,” and so on. We’ve also added citations referencing both the Player Core and the Core Rulebook where appropriate.
Sanctioning
After a quiet December, the sanctioning machine roars back to life! This month, expect to see the release of sanctioning documents for the Starfinder Scoured Stars Adventure Path, which I’m extremely excited about, as well as the Pathfinder Season of Ghosts Adventure Path. Additionally, the Starfinder Society Character Options page will be updated with sanctioning for the material found in the Angels of the Drift comic series.
In March, we’ll be dropping sanctioning for Seven Dooms for Sandpoint, as well as the new Pathfinder Monster Core.
GM Ranks
Whether stars, novas, or glyphs, achieving a 5 ranking in any program involves a substantial amount of time. To achieve the 5th milestone, a GM must run 150 games, of which at least 50 must be unique scenarios and 10 special scenarios, as well as run between one and three games for venture-captains (program dependent). A conservative estimate of the time needed to reach the 5th milestone is 650 hours!
This month, we had two GMs earn their 5th rank!
5th Glyph (PFS2): Landon Hatfield, Eric Parker
Happy new year, everybody! Until next time - Explore! Report! Cooperate! And get ready for convention signups!
It’s a new year and a new Field Test release! The Field Tests include early, behind-the-scenes previews of rules the Starfinder development team is playtesting internally in preparation for the Starfinder Playtest Rulebook release later this year. Our latest offering includes a preview of two ancestries appearing in the Playtest Rulebook, as chosen by community vote. We’re excited to announce the winners of that vote and the ancestries we’ll be featuring in today’s Field Test: the android and vesk!
Ancestries are the updated version of what were known as species (also called races in older products) in Starfinder First Edition. Ancestries are an important part of Starfinder’s “cantina feel,” a term referring to the sci-fi trope of a spaceport bar packed with all kinds of aliens. In this context, it means players get to create and play as alien characters, and every planet or space station in the setting is teeming with weird and wonderful sapient lifeforms that player characters might interact with. Our goal is to keep the cantina open, so to speak, while we update existing Starfinder ancestries to be compatible with the new edition.
Starfinder ancestries might look familiar to those of you who play Pathfinder Second Edition. Starfinder First Edition players might notice the new ancestries are a bit of a departure from what you’re used to, but don’t panic! In Starfinder Second Edition, each ancestry entry includes more content than the small sidebar allotted to them in Starfinder First Edition.
In existing Starfinder books, you’ll often see a species boiled down to a list of statistics with a handful of abilities. Presenting species this way allowed the Starfinder team to introduce many playable options right away, but there was little players could do to define their character’s progression—via their species—beyond the initial selection. In some specific cases, a species was so numerically superior that they were the obvious “best” choices (we’re looking at you, SROs!). This was fantastic for certain players but didn’t always reward players interested in exploring different options. In the new edition of Starfinder, we want to create deeper meaning and context for ancestries that you’re going to play or feature in your campaigns. This means including more space for narrative lore related to each ancestry and information on how it fits into the setting, as well as progression-based selections to help further customize a character of that ancestry.
In addition to a set of starting adjustments and abilities, ancestries in Second Edition get access to ancestry feats. A character gains an ancestry feat at 1st level and then another at 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th-level. Ancestry feats explore different paths within each ancestry and grant more powerful abilities as a character progresses—allowing you to customize your character beyond what was possible in Starfinder First Edition. The team’s been experimenting with some interesting new options, like expanding lashunta psychic powers or introducing a type of shirren that grows wings!
Illustration by Sophie Mendev
Today’s Field Test focuses on the constructed androids and the reptilian vesk. Androids and vesk are both staple ancestries in Starfinder, but each represents a very different part of the design spectrum. Androids already exist in Pathfinder Second Edition (see Pathfinder Lost Omens: Ancestry Guide), so the Starfinder team updated the ancestry to be compatible with the “ancient androids” who once walked lost Golarion while creating new options to represent the changes in culture and technology that separate the Starfinder setting from its distant past.
Meanwhile, vesk is an ancestry that’s never appeared in Pathfinder Second Edition, giving us a blank canvas to work with. Our intent was to keep the spirit of the First Edition vesk while exploring new build types, from movement-based shenanigans to different forms of natural melee attacks, and more.
The team is excited to see what you think of our initial foray into ancestry design for the new edition. We also strongly suggest you read the foreword in this document, which may reveal some important news related to what ancestries you can expect to see in the Starfinder Playtest Rulebook releasing this summer!
Stay tuned for our upcoming Paizo Live! where members of the Starfinder team will further discuss the Field Test, as well as give more hints about what we have planned for the new edition of Starfinder.
Welcome back to another exciting collection of Pathfinder Infinite & Starfinder Infinite Top Performers!
Infinite Top Performers—Nov 2023
Wednesday, December 27, 2023
Welcome back to another exciting collection of Pathfinder Infinite & Starfinder Infinite Top Performers!
What is Infinite?
Pathfinder and Starfinder Infinite is a program that allows you to create content (adventures and locations; monsters; character classes, archetypes, and backgrounds; fiction; etc.) based on Paizo’s intellectual property (IP), including Pathfinder’s Lost Omens campaign setting, and to make some money while you’re at it. Your work might even be recognized by the community and earn you an invitation into the Infinite Masters elite creator program.
For more info on Pathfinder Infinite, Starfinder Infinite, and how to get started, check out the FAQs!
November’s Top Performers
Titles are ranked by an average of units sold and revenue earned and presented in alphabetical order. Asterisks indicate titles that have been on a best-seller list previously. Because they’ve consistently topped the list, and due to the number of their titles that typically take up spots, “Team+” and “Team Index” have asked to be removed from the calculations for ongoing top performers lists. This will allow newer publishers or book series to get more attention. Thanks, all!
A kineticist expansion from Eldritch Osiris Games. With eight new elements, you can become a master of the elemental energies of aether, awareness, light, shadow, spirit, time, vitality, and void! In addition, you can find expansions for the elements of air, earth, fire, metal, water, and wood, as well as composite elements and expansions to the monk class and houses of perfection!
Living clandestinely among Golarion’s ancestries, kitsune make formidable foes and canny heroes. Kitsune of Golarion unlocks the full potential of this ancestry, detailing kitsune from every corner of the globe. An expansion on Pathfinder Lost Omens Ancestry Guide penned by the same authors who pen the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.
Has inspiration struck, but does Pathfinder Player Core not have a subclass to fit? Whether you are looking for a cleric spy, a swaggering rogue, or a druid with a will of steel, you will find a myriad of options within, made by four Infinite Masters and specially tuned for the PF2e Remaster! Browse feats, subclasses, focus spells, and more for the classes of Player Core within!
Golarion’s reality is coming undone after the loss of one of its greatest deities, and it's up to heroes like you to hold it together. Shattered Omens of Golarion is a collection of over 2 years of work consolidated into one tome. Inside, you'll find over 185 pages of Remastered player options, including new ancestry and class feats, backgrounds, heritages, spells, and magic items.
Golarion is a fantastical place full of wonder and the unknown. In The Traveler’s Guide to the Darklands, join Alphonse Lord Tabbington in an exploration of the Darklands, a place of untold beauty amid fearsome dangers.
From the pen of an all-star crew of Pathfinder designers, this guide provides options to bolster the adventures of players and GMs alike as they explore the darkness below.
Every hero needs friends. And every group of friends needs a set of engines. How else will you race off to the edges of the galaxy and save the day? Too bad you can’t afford them on your own.But one of your old friends has picked up a lead on a starship that you just might be able to "acquire." What's the harm in hearing them out?
Absalom Drift: Turbocharged is a special starting adventure for Starfinderwhere the heroes obtain their first ship through a starship heist, potentially leading them into either the Dead Suns or Drift Crashers Adventure Path.
Eldritch emissaries are known by many names. Depending on who is being referred to, these include terms such as champion, channeler, hand, invoker, legate, paladin, pledgemage, proctor, voice, and warlock.
Wielding ancient knowledge and mystical power, eldritch emissaries are individuals who have made deals and agreements with otherworldly forces that often stay hidden in the fabric of the multiverse to fulfill their own ends, but they are in turn manipulated by those same forces.
A certain type of adventurer resides in the vast frontiers of space—wayfarers and drifters, those hunters whose next meal rides on their cunning, their aim, and the price of the bounty their heads. They carve out their existence beyond the fringes of civilization; the easy life is as alien to them as another man's gun, and just as fickle. They prefer the unpredictable and uncharted, far from prying eyes and folks what ask too many questions. Never tied to one place, these vagabonds stay strange and savvy, doing what they can to keep alive. When the galaxy needs a job done, they call for the rough and tumble Space Cowboy.
Towering mechs, ancient elementals, territorial kaiju, and many more mech-scale threats can be found in Starfinder Infinite: Mech Threat Manual! Inside, you’ll find a spread of the latest mech creations of the Outer Sphere, from deadly carnivorous mechform mimics to oozes that can slip inside a mech to throttle the operator or take over the machine entirely, and more. This book provides a variety of themed threats for use in mech combat at all levels of play, and all mechs within were made in accordance with the recommended alternative rules for creating NPC mechs detailed in Starfinder: Tech Revolution.
This set of ship maps features hover trains, wheeled transports, and ships of all kinds, asl well as asteroids and space stations. There are lots of places for the party to explore and many ships to pilot. All come in grid and gridless maps.
New & Exciting from Infinite Masters!
Want to see what’s been cooking in the Infinite Masters’ alchemy lab? Here’s a selection of new products from some of our Infinite Masters—and some pieces that have caught their eyes!
Greetings, adventurers and Pathfinder enthusiasts! The day has finally come to unveil something truly special—a collaboration that bridges the gap between fantasy and reality. TYPE40, known for their exquisite craftsmanship, has teamed up with Paizo, the creators of the beloved Pathfinder role-playing game, to bring you an exclusive Kickstarter: The Pathfinder Wayfinder Compass!
A Collaboration of Epic Proportions
This isn't just any ordinary compass. It's a symbol of exploration, crafted with the intricate details and including many features of lore for you to discover. TYPE40's commitment to quality and Paizo's rich storytelling combine to create a piece that's not only a tool for your tabletop adventures but also a collector's item.
The Magic of the Wayfinder Compass
Inspired by the iconic Wayfinder, this compass is more than a navigational tool, it's a piece of the game's history. Designed with meticulous attention to detail, each compass features symbols and engravings true to the Pathfinder universe.
In-Game Utility
The Pathfinder Society is an important part of both the world of Golarion and the Paizo community and your Wayfinder compass will combine the fun of having a real Wayfinder at the table with you along with it acting as an “other” object during Organized play, affording it’s holder with a free heal between encounters.
Exclusive Kickstarter Rewards
By backing this project, you're not just getting your hands on this unique Pathfinder item; if we can hit our stretch goals there will be additions and addons available from included game cards to alternative aeon stones.
Join the Adventure!
Prepare to embark on a journey with the Pathfinder Wayfinder Compass. This is more than just a Kickstarter; it's a celebration of adventure, storytelling, and the spirit of exploration that lies at the heart of the Pathfinder universe. Join us, back this project, and hold a piece of Pathfinder history in your hands!
Lore Masters is releasing an exciting new update, right in time for the holidays!
Pathfinder Lore Masters Kingmaker Update
Friday, December 22, 2023
Lore Masters is releasing an exciting new update, right in time for the holidays!
This update brings a new question pack specifically crafted to enhance understanding of the Kingmaker Adventure Path. This pack contains 1,000 questions focusing on the lore of Brevoy, the Stolen Lands, and the River Kingdoms. It emphasizes the narrative and background of the game's world, covering eight categories: Geography, Religion, History, Government, Economy, Inhabitants, Society, and Military.
Importantly, the content is designed to be spoiler-free, ensuring that the integrity of the Kingmaker Adventure Path is maintained.
The question pack is accessible to all, regardless of previous experience with the Kingmaker Adventure Path.
Additionally, this update includes updates from Pathfinder Player Core to the core question pack, refined filters for class-specific questions, a new feature for reporting questions, and updated Daily Challenges.
The team looks forward to the community's reception of these updates and remains committed to further enhancing the Pathfinder experience in the coming year.
Hello, Pathfinders!
This month is full of new gossip and fascinating new people popping up and around the Grand Lodge!
A Holiday Venture-Gossip Column!
Thursday, December 21, 2023
Hello, Pathfinders!
This month is full of new gossip and fascinating new people popping up and around the Grand Lodge!
First off, we’ve been sending so many people over to Jalmeray and I am so jealous. I bet the weather is warm and lovely and the people are handsome and beautiful and gorgeous, and the food is delicious! But, alas, your Venture-Gossip must stay where their heart is: Absalom!
(At least until I get shipped off again for sneaking into private areas…)
Who have I seen lately? Well!
A new socialite has appeared on the scene! I haven’t actually seen her in person, since last month I was in the Mwangi Expanse talking about ships, ugh. But she’s apparently quite wealthy and quite lovely, keep your eyes peeled for Duchess Hesla Embersplitter!
Oh, right, I was asked to mention this:
If any of you have seen Kitsch’s favorite marble pestle, she’d appreciate it if you’d make sure it makes its way back to the Office of Procurement and Supplies before the end of the year. She needs it to powder some poison arrows and help prepare her popular ginger and cardamom cookies for the holiday party. She last saw the pestle when she was putting it in her left cheek pouch.
Anyway!
The Waterfall has been wandering around the Grand Lodge lately, sending people on all sorts of missions to various islands! I tried to poke my head into a meeting and was informed by her that my “natter wasn’t currently required for such a delicate meeting.” If any of you know what that word means, I’m eager to learn myself.
A handsome visitor has come to visit our own Fola Barun, perhaps for a lovely Crystalhue dinner? He’s a lovely fellow by the name of Yellick Broadcoat and seems to have rolled into town just in time for the festival of the winter solstice!
Illustration by José Luis Islas López
I’m eager to see who gets up to what and with whom, though I know for sure that a certain Miss Decemvirate Petulengro will be accompanied to the festival on the arm of Miss Kinlynn Silverstride!
Left to right, illustrations by Saruna Macijauskas and Carol Azevedo
That’s all I have for now! Have a merry solstice and a happy new year, Pathfinders!
With adoration,
Your Beloved Venture-Gossip
Explore! Report! Cooperate! Gossip!
This is our last Organized Play blog of the year! From all of us to all of you:
The third part of the Season of Ghosts Adventure Path, No Breath to Cry, both takes place during winter and comes out as winter arrives for me and many other Paizo employees and freelancers! Fortunately for most (hopefully all) of us, we won’t have to worry about the supernatural threats that are coming to a head in the poor little town of Willowshore, during which the story finally reaches its climax and the PCs must grapple with a revelation that hopefully comes as a surprise to all who play this Adventure Path! As with previous volumes, please make liberal use of spoilers if you’re talking about this Adventure Path in public, because there are a LOT of plot twists to protect. (In particular, I had to be very choosy with deciding what pieces of art to show off in public this month! Fortunately, there was another cat illustration to share!)
Winter is Here!
Wednesday, December 20, 2023
Illustration by Mylene Bertrand
The third part of the Season of Ghosts Adventure Path, No Breath to Cry, both takes place during winter and comes out as winter arrives for me and many other Paizo employees and freelancers! Fortunately for most (hopefully all) of us, we won’t have to worry about the supernatural threats that are coming to a head in the poor little town of Willowshore, during which the story finally reaches its climax and the PCs must grapple with a revelation that hopefully comes as a surprise to all who play this Adventure Path! As with previous volumes, please make liberal use of spoilers if you’re talking about this Adventure Path in public, because there are a LOT of plot twists to protect. (In particular, I had to be very choosy with deciding what pieces of art to show off in public this month! Fortunately, there was another cat illustration to share!)
The original plan to present Season of Ghosts as a four-part Adventure Path was originally born out of a desire to set up the 200th volume of Pathfinder as a special double-sized book (more on that in a few months), but now that Season of Ghosts is coming out, I’m particularly pleased with two things that came about because of this choice. First, it let me organize the Adventure Path according to the four seasons, which gave the adventure authors some fun themes to work with and encouraged everyone to come up with some memorable uses for downtime in the campaign. Second, it let me structure the story using kishotenketsu (special thanks again to James Case for the great suggestion)! This is a traditional four-act story structure used in Chinese, Korean, and Japanese narratives in which the major turning point/narrative crescendo/plot twist of the story happens not in the final act, but the penultimate one. Hence my comment in the previous paragraph about this adventure serving as Season of Ghosts’ climax! This gives us an entire adventure (coming next month) to focus on the results and ramifications of the story and wrap things up with some new and intense developments of their own, resulting in what I think is not only a truly memorable campaign, but in what is certainly one of the Adventure Paths I’m the proudest to have been a part of. (And not just because it let me get a lot of cat artwork in print!)
Illustration by Justine Nortjé
As in the past few months, I’d like to introduce some more of this Adventure Path’s amazing and incredible authors—they’re the ones who did the heavy lifting and wrote the campaign, after all!
James Jacobs Pathfinder Narrative Creative Director
Dan Cascone
Hi everyone! I’m Dan Cascone, and I’ve crawled out from under my rock to join Eleanor Ferron in writing No Breath to Cry. You may remember me from contributions to books such as Pathfinder Dark Archive, Pathfinder Treasure Vault, Pathfinder Lost Omens Highhelm, and the upcoming PathfinderHowl of the Wild. I look forward to hearing about all your horrible deaths and triumphant victories over the challenges we’ve put in the adventure.
Eleanor Ferron
Hello! I'm Lost Omens senior developer Eleanor Ferron, and I teamed up with co-author Dan Cascone to write the third volume of the Season of Ghosts Adventure Path, No Breath to Cry. As a fan of Asian horror and horror-adjacent media such as Onmyouji, Kuon, and Fatal Frame, as well as the supernatural shenanigans of Inuyasha and Goblin: The Great and Lonely God, I enjoyed getting to bring all these inspirations into the world of Pathfinder. I hope you survive your time in Willowshore, and hopefully even have fun doing so. Be nice to foxes, don't go near the baskets, and always carry a camera to catch ghosts.
Michelle Y. Kim
Hi, this is Michelle! I’m a Korean American TTRPG writer and designer who contributed some backmatter to Season of Ghosts, and I am so excited for you all to meet some truly terrible little guys (and maybe not so little guys) in the haunted lands of Shenmen. As a lover of both folklore and horror, this project was a delight, and I look forward to hearing about everyone’s adventures. Currently I'm working on a Joseon Dynasty setting supplement for Good Society: A Jane Austen RPG by Storybrewers Roleplaying, which I talked a bit about on the Asians Represent! Podcast. You can find me on Twitter as @_missmyk_ or at Bluesky at @missmyk.bsky.social. I've recently joined the Paizo team as a developer and will be helping create more wild adventures from the other side of the screen!
Season’s greetings, Pathfinders and Starfinders! It’s December, which puts us right in the middle of a whole host of holidays and celebrations. We’ve reached out to our staff and contributors to ask about their favorite traditions for the winter (or, in the case of our southern hemisphere friends, summer) holidays!
Midwinter Holiday Celebration & Sale!
Friday, December 15, 2023
Season’s greetings, Pathfinders and Starfinders! It’s December, which puts us right in the middle of a whole host of holidays and celebrations. We’ve reached out to our staff and contributors to ask about their favorite traditions for the winter (or, in the case of our southern hemisphere friends, summer) holidays!
Eren Ahn (they/them)
Hello! I’m Eren (they/them, primarily), and you’ll see some of my work in the upcoming Lost Omens Tian Xia books for Pathfinder Second Edition. My family didn’t have too many winter traditions growing up (I got presents on Christmas for the first ten years of my life and tteokguk (rice cake soup) on New Year’s after that), but since I started living on my own, I adapted some traditional dongji rituals to celebrate the solstice. For me, this means making patjuk (red bean porridge) and leaving a small bowl of it on my windowsill overnight for any wandering spirits. I’m fond of winter, cold snaps and polar vortexes and all, and it’s a calming ritual to look forward to in my generally fast-paced life.
James Jacobs (he/him)
I’m James Jacobs (he/him), Narrative Creative Director for Pathfinder, and for me, the winter holidays are traditionally when I wander some 800 miles south to spend time with my family and to relax in my hometown of Sandpoint/Otari/Point Arena. There were a few years there during the pandemic when this tradition got interrupted, but things are mostly back to normal there. Bad weather might step in to keep me here in Washington (as it has a few times in the past), but otherwise the long journey south beckons with its promises of hanging out with family, relaxing in the redwoods of Northern California, visiting some local landmarks (during Thanksgiving I visited the Point Arena Lighthouse, which is the tallest lighthouse on the west coast of the United States, and which you’ve also seen if you watched movies like Forever Young or Need for Speed), and hoping for a bigfoot sighting or two.
Joshua Birdsong (he/him)
Hi everyone, I’m Joshua Birdsong. I am a designer for Paizo. I am very excited and humbled to be part of such an amazing team, and I look forward to helping create some awesome books for all of you! My favorite holiday tradition is consuming an entire container of chocolate hazelnut pirouline wafers on Christmas day! If you need to get in touch, you can find me on Twitter at @impr0phet. Don’t forget to be awesome!
Lynne M. Meyer (she/they)
Hello! I’m Lynne (she/they), the newest member of Paizo’s editing team. I’m pagan but grew up in a Protestant family. My holidays aren’t complete without pfeffernusse, a traditional German spice cookie. When I was growing up, my German grandmother lived with us and taught me to bake. She had pfeffernusse every Christmas—and only at Christmas. I looked forward to it every year.
When she passed, the tradition stopped. Years later, when I started dating the man who’d become my husband, I decided to bring it back. I even used my grandmother’s antique measuring cups.
It turned out that pfeffernusse is his favorite cookie! Pfeffernusse became my signature bake. Pre-pandemic, I’d make as many as ten dozen to share with our families. Times are different now, and those celebrations are happy memories. Circumstances make it difficult to see our families in person, and I’ve since lost my father as well as a brother.
Yet pfeffernusse remains part of my Yule. It’s the one holiday tradition I keep without fail. It ties me to my past and my present with love. Every year, when the aroma of anise hits me, I’m a little girl again, celebrating Christmas with my family.
Rue Dickey (they/he/xe)
Growing up and living in a very mixed-culture household means I celebrate a wide variety of holidays during December (Christmas Eve with my in-laws, Chanukah, the Solstice, and “Witch-mas” with my mom—Christmas day, but it’s goth and we make hot chocolate and exchange gifts). One tradition that transcends all of these holidays, though, is making fudge!
I use my grandmother’s fudge recipe (included below), which has been handwritten, photocopied several times, and taken a picture of via a phone to wind up in my hands. It makes 5 pounds of fudge—no more, no less, and no ratio editing allowed. And now you can make it too!
Ingredients
4 ½ cups of white sugar
2 cubes (8 oz) of butter
1 (12 oz) can of evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
18 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips (or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped)
1 (7 oz) jar of marshmallow fluff
2 cups chopped nuts (optional)
Steps
Cook the sugar, butter, evaporated milk, and vanilla over medium heat until the mixture comes to a slow boil.
Beat with electric mixture for seven (7) minutes, continuously.
My wife and I take turns holding the mixer for this step, as it can start to ache.
Remove from heat.
Add in chocolate chips, marshmallow fluff, and nuts (optional).
Stir until all ingredients are well mixed.
Pour into 13” x 9” baking pan and chill in fridge until set (about 2 hours).
If you’re like me and want to eat hot, kind of un-set fudge, half an hour on the counter is enough to make it cool enough to eat, but still warm and soft.
Cut into cubes and enjoy.
(Makes five pounds)
Tomas Gimenez Rioja (he/him)
Tomas (he/him) has written for Pathfinder Lost Omens Divine Mysteries.
Here in Argentina the holidays are during summertime. In the coast city in which I live, we usually spend the days going to the beach, and resting at home after that. Some card and board games are often played as well. On Christmas and New Year's Eve I meet with my family, and many others from my father's family, and get some asado (fantastically grilled meat from here). After midnight, once presents are opened, or exchanged, or a toast is made if it's New Year's Eve, it's time to meet with friends, where we spend the rest of the night playing games, might get a holiday-themed one-shot going, and go see the sunrise together when it comes.
Whatever you’re doing for the holidays this season, we hope you have a wonderful season! And to sweeten things up a bit, Paizo is offering our annual midwinter holiday sale!
Illustration by Kent Hamilton
Holiday Sale!
From now (Friday 12/15) through Monday, January 15, take 10% off a single order* on Pathfinder and Starfinder products at the Paizo Store using the code holiday24 at checkout.
* The holiday24 code stacks with Paizo Advantage and other discounts. Not valid on subscriptions, preorders, backorders, Foundry VTT products, or non-Paizo downloads. Code expires at 11:59 p.m. Pacific on January 15.
Hello Starfinders!
Now, I don’t know who’s to blame, but someone’s been leaving disgusting “gifts” around the Lorespire Complex! Sure, sure, the first few were funny. Sparkles, explosions, stink-bombs—we all laughed—but that last one could’ve hurt somebody! I don’t know what—
December Digital Adventure Previews
Thursday, December 14, 2023
Hello Starfinders!
Now, I don’t know who’s to blame, but someone’s been leaving disgusting “gifts” around the Lorespire Complex! Sure, sure, the first few were funny. Sparkles, explosions, stink-bombs—we all laughed—but that last one could’ve hurt somebody! I don’t know what—
BOOM!
Alright, that’s it! Someone’s got to put a stop to this! Get out there, Starfinders! Find the culprit behind these offal pranks and get them to cut it out! And someone get in here and clean this mess up!
Hello again Pathfinders!
This month we’ve got another quest for you. It turns out the previous queen of Irrisen left numerous magical dollhouses in storage within her palace at Whitethrone. The current queen, Anastasia—short on allies and trying to make sense of the strange magics of the land she now rules—has turned to the Pathfinder Society to investigate, and sent one of the dollhouses over to Absalom. However, with the various threats to the Society that have occurred in the past year, both the dollhouse and the investigation have been largely ignored. This is quite unfortunate for you, our intrepid adventurers, for magical schemes of the hag we all love to hate, Aslynn, have inadvertently reactivated the dollhouse’s magic. As it turns out, these dollhouses were once magical prisons, shrinking prisoners down to doll size. Can you find a way to escape the Winter Queen’s Dollhouse?
Left to right: illustrations by Bruno Cesar and Rodrigo Gallo
Over in Arcadia this month, the Pathfinder Society has been asked to participate in an old ceremony meant to reestablish good relations with local spirits and ensure the continued safety of the settlement of Niishan. This is a great honor, one bestowed on the Society for their work last year to repatriate the star gun Hatahasi back into their home. As the Pathfinders explore the village and work to prepare for the first night of the festivities, they’ll need to contend with a spirit of the land who’s not so sure about their presence.
Once the sun goes down, a spirit of unnerving size and unwavering fury awaits, ready to see Niishan’s ceremony fail so that he may seek revenge…
Hello everyone, and happy December! This blog is a week later than usual because I’ve just returned from PAX Unplugged, which was a tremendous success! It was our first visit since 2019, as well as my first visit overall, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. My worst fear was that nobody would be interested in our games, and we’d be sitting around all day bored out of our skulls.
December 2023 Organized Play Monthly Update
Thursday, December 14, 2023
OPC Musings
Hello everyone, and happy December! This blog is a week later than usual because I’ve just returned from PAX Unplugged, which was a tremendous success! It was our first visit since 2019, as well as my first visit overall, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. My worst fear was that nobody would be interested in our games, and we’d be sitting around all day bored out of our skulls.
I am delighted to report that we had the exact opposite problem. We got a ton of attention from attendees, many of whom were excited to talk about the Pathfinder Remaster and pick up the newest books. Our retail partner, Card Titan, ran out of books by the end of the show!
But by far the biggest star throughout was Starfinder 2! We ran alpha demos of the game, which were a roaring success. We had attendees waiting hours in line to play, and everyone who walked away from the table was excited about the new edition. I can’t wait until we get to start showing it off to a wider audience!
With that said, let’s dive into our update!
Digital Adventure Releases
These adventures will be available on December 20, 2023.
Last month, the hosting for the Guides to Organized Play went down for a couple of very chaotic weeks. I’m delighted to announce that they are back online in their new home, the Lorespire Wiki! You can access this wiki at lorespire.paizo.com. This is a Paizo-hosted server, so it should remain online for as long as the rest of our website is.
Our Guide Team has been hard at work both restoring service and updating the Pathfinder Society Guide to be in line with the Remaster. In coming weeks we’ll also be looking at hosting additional resources here, such as region homepages to help players find games. Stay tuned for new and exciting things on this front!
Pathfinder Remaster
The Pathfinder Remaster launched last month to great success! The books have been flying off the warehouse shelves, and Pathfinder Society characters are converting like never before! A reminder that the guidelines for these changes are available on the Lorespire Wiki.
We’ve made a couple of updates to the Character Options and FAQ pages since the launch, so be sure to keep an eye on those for future changes. Thank you all for your patience and understanding, and for your helpful questions in the forum threads as we stamp out any issues. It’s our hope that all this work will make the launch of Player Core 2next summer as smooth as possible.
2024 Major Conventions
This is just a heads-up that very soon, we’ll be soliciting GMs for PaizoCon Online as well as Gen Con Indy! Stay tuned to the Paizo blog for more information on this in January but mark your calendars now. We’re hoping to make both conventions better than ever before, and to do that we need talented volunteers like you!
GM Recognition
Campaign Service Coins
This month, several new Campaign Service Coins were awarded at local conventions! We award these coins to members of the community who have gone above and beyond to provide an exceptional program to the community at large. Campaign Coins are awarded based on nominations; if you believe someone in your community is deserving of this award (whether they are a Venture Officer or not), send an email to organizedplay[at]paizo[dot]com with their name and the reasons they deserve the award.
Congratulations to: Wally Waltner, who now holds a campaign coin and OP ID #872 Barb Crase, who now holds a campaign coin and OP ID #901
and Nicholas Ruchlewicz, who now holds a campaign coin and OP ID #906
GM Ranks
Whether stars, novas, or glyphs, achieving a 5 ranking in any program involves a substantial amount of time. To achieve the 5th milestone, a GM must run 150 games, of which at least 50 must be unique scenarios and 10 must be special scenarios, as well as run between one and three games for venture-captains (program dependent). A conservative estimate of the time needed to reach the 5th milestone is 650 hours!
This month, we had one GM earn their 5th rank!
5th Glyph (PFS2): Doug Edwards (our third 5/5/5 GM!)
That’s all from me! Until next time - Explore! Report! Cooperate! I’ll see you next year!
Hail and well met, Pathfinders and Starfinders! This month’s new releases bring some elemental accessories to your table, continue the hauntings of Willowshore, and toss some holiday cheer your way!
Find Your Path – Dec. 2023
Wednesday, December 13, 2023
Hail and well met, Pathfinders and Starfinders! This month’s new releases bring some elemental accessories to your table, continue the hauntings of Willowshore, and toss some holiday cheer your way!
We previewed two of the Organized Play adventures at PAX Unplugged 2023! Catch the VODs on our YouTube:
Just like the last couple of months, our digital-only releases are on a later cycle than our print products. Our Pathfinder & Starfinder Society digital products will release on Wednesday, December 27th.
Never miss a release with our Paizo Subscriptions—for everything from rulebooks to accessories.
Seize control of the elements with the Rage of Elements Spell Cards! This accessory is a must have for spellcasters seeking to wield the powers of the elemental planes: Air, Earth, Fire, Metal, Water, and Wood! Containing over 240 spell reference cards of all the traditions of magic, this deck gives you unparalleled insight into the elements!
Otherworldly realms exist beyond the edges of the Universe, realities where the very structure of the worlds themselves are made entirely of metal or wood!
Pathfinder Flip-Mat: Planes of Metal and Wood measures 24" × 30" unfolded, and 8" × 10" folded. A Flip-Mat’s coated surface can handle any dry-erase, wet-erase, or even permanent marker. Usable by experienced GMs and novices alike, Pathfinder Flip-Mats fit perfectly into any Game Master’s arsenal!
With knowledge gained from a haunted monastery, the heroes of Willowshore are finally ready to take steps toward lifting the curse that’s afflicted their hometown since the first day of summer, but now that winter has arrived, attempts to battle the supernatural forces that stand against them are complicated by the cruel realities of the year’s most deadly season of all. The Season of Ghosts Adventure Path continues with “No Breath to Cry,” a complete adventure for 7th- to 9th-level characters.
A Pathfinder Society Scenario designed for 5th- through 8th-level characters.
The Pathfinder Society is invited by Mayor Deyahi to take part in a special traditional ceremony known as the Festival of Fire! This ceremony has been performed for generations and is always an honor for the group of warriors chosen to defend the sacred bonfire. While it's expected that there will be several spirits and undead appearing throughout the evening, what Niishan is unaware of is the fact that an unknown figure has been watching the ceremony for its entirety, waiting for the time that the warriors are weak enough to make their move. With the Pathfinders appearing to fill this role, they see their chance to attack and make Niishan feel their ancient wrath. It's up to the PCs to hold off this villain and the other spirits, ensuring that the ceremony is successful and Niishan remains safe!
A Starfinder Society Scenario designed for 1st- through 4th-level characters.
Glitterslime surprise! Rancid meatball bombs! Piñatas stuffed with toxic runoff! Someone’s pulling disgusting pranks around the Lorespire Complex, and you might be next! When Radaszam, leader of the Acquisitives faction, is caught in the (smelly) crossfire, he tasks a team of rookie Starfinders with finding the prankster and putting an end to their foul mischief!
A Pathfinder Society Quest designed for 1st- through 4th-level characters, playable in 2-3 hours.
The ruler of Irrisen, Queen Anastasia, found a number of strange dollhouses when going through her aunt's vaults. She sent one to the Pathfinders for study. When Aslynn's magic was unleashed in the vaults of Skyreach, the dollhouse's magic was reactivated. In reality, these dollhouses were prisons that would shrink down those who angered Elvanna, the former queen. Now the magic is poised to ensnare the PCs. What's more, the animate doll servants have awakened as poppets, and while some are happy to help, others are not so welcoming.
Our partners at Archives of Nethys, Demiplane, Fantasy Grounds, Hero Lab Online, and Roll20 are dropping new content this month as well! Buy your PDF on paizo.com to get a discount via the PaizoConnect API. Or pay full price on their platforms, sync your account, and get a complimentary PDF on the Paizo Store.
Bring Pathfinder to where you are, in person or online, and if you don’t have a favorite local game store, get books delivered to your door via a Paizo Subscription! From rulebooks to adventures, accessories, and more, we’ve got subscriptions for every table. Subscribing to a line of books gets you the physical book and the PDF for one price. Subscribe to four lines or more to unlock Paizo Advantage savings on products site-wide!
Greetings, Starfinders! I’m proud to announce substantial updates to the Starfinder Roleplaying Game posted to the Starfinder FAQ and Errata page! You can read the details of these errata in full by expanding the dropdown menus of each product, and you can further filter your results using the search bar at the top of the page.
Starfinder FAQ and Errata Update
Tuesday, December 12, 2023
Greetings, Starfinders! I’m proud to announce substantial updates to the Starfinder Roleplaying Game posted to the Starfinder FAQ and Errata page! You can read the details of these errata in full by expanding the dropdown menus of each product, and you can further filter your results using the search bar at the top of the page.
Starfinder Enhanced takes center stage this go around. This includes clarifications on how the enhanced witchwarper can take advantage of their alternate class features, some significant boosts to biohacker snipers and medics, and fixes to the DC of some troublesome feats. We also updated the back-matter of a handful of Adventure Path volumes, including the starsinger archetype from Starfinder Adventure Path #47: Nightmare Scenario and the plane-touched species from Starfinder Adventure Path #46: The Perfect Storm. Almost every hardcover has some level of errata, but perhaps the biggest change involves some clarifications to the Starfinder Roleplaying Game system itself, including official clarification that you can now intentionally hit a willing ally without an attack roll, and an explanation of how characters with a 0 ft reach can engage in melee combat! There are many other changes and, as always, we welcome more questions, comments, and feedback on our Rules Questions forums. And feel free to discuss this errata right here on this blog post!
Continued thanks to our Organized Play Program for finding many of these concerns!