Pathfinder Player Companion: "Goblins of Golarion" [RPG]

There's been a lot of controversy lately over the planned inclusion of goblins as a core race in the second edition of Pathfinder.  One side of the debate posits that goblins have been consistently portrayed as little psychopathic murdering arsonists and that's not a good choice for a PC, while the other side says there's always exceptions and predicts some sort of canonical event may happen between editions to explain goblins' newwidespread acceptance throughout Golarion.  The debate was definitely in the background of my mind as I read Goblins of Golarion, even though it was just next up in my queue and I'm not here to take sides in the debate.

Goblins of Golarion is a 32-page entry in the Player Companion line of products.  The inside front cover nicely summarizes the racial stats of goblins and includes some other useful details for players, such as favored deities, regions, and example male and female names.  The inside back-cover is a reproduction (sans text) of the cover, demonstrating quite vividly that goblins like fire and hate horses.  The interior of the book is broken into six sections.

The longest section, "Goblins of Golarion" (16 pages) provides a very readable overview of goblins and how the race "fits" in Golarion and what life is like for goblins.  There's a ton of great information here, including particular ways (and rules) for how goblins fight dirty (special rules for tossing angry snakes at enemies!), why they hate dogs and horses so much, why they have a penchant for song and a loathing for the written word, the types of games they play and junk they collect (including the introduction of about ten new pieces of equipment, including "pig grease" and "goblin pickles"), and more.  Background sections like this in RPG books are sometimes pretty bland, but Goblins of Golarion does it right--tidbits here and there are hilarious, and this is definitely a section I'd recommend to a GM or player looking to get the most out of playing a goblin.  There's a useful (and frank) discussion of which classes are suitable for goblin PCs; sorry, Goblin Paladins are right out!  The section ends with about two dozen new background traits (Race, Regional, and Religion), and there's some really fun (and useful) ones like Foul Belch and Pustular.

"Goblin Tribes" (six pages) starts with a map of the Inner Sea annotated with the location of almost two dozen different goblin tribes.  The section talks about named tribes in Isger, Mediogalti Island, The Shackles, and Varisia, but I really appreciate how it explicitly encourages GMs to make up their own tribes as well and not feel restrained by what's presented.  The section is written to show just how varied goblin tribes can be while still staying on theme. The Spelleater goblins of the Mana Wastes were really cool, but I actually even felt a bit sorry for the Isger tribes...

"Combat" (two pages) introduces ten new feats restricted to goblin characters.  They have great names like "Ankle Biter" and "Saddle Shrieker" but the great flavour is matched by solid mechanical effects.  I will definitely throw some of these on NPC goblins if I get a chance.

"Faith" (two pages) provides short write-ups of four goblin hero-gods: Hadregash, Venkelvore, Zarongel, and Zogmugot.  Each entry includes their portfolio, domains, subdomains, holy symbol, and favored weapon along with a one-paragraph description.  The section also introduces four new subdomains, some of which would be viable for other (non-goblin) deities as well: Arson, Flotsam, Slavery, and Torture.  The powers the new subdomains grant, however, are pretty weak.

"Goblin Magic" (two pages) introduces three new spells attributed to goblin spellcasters and four new magic items.  For the spells, Fire Sneeze is hilarious.  The magic items are all very weak mechanically but simultaneously far too expensive to really fit the goblin "scavenger" concept.  A "Devastating Dog Whistle" *might* do 1d6 points of sonic damage to dogs within its radius, but at a price of 1500 gp it's hard to imagine what kind of goblin tribe would have one.

Last up is "Social: Goblin Player Characters" (two pages), a section that explains that "Goblins are first and foremost villains.  They may be comical on some level, but they're also quite evil.  Goblins enjoy inflicting misery and causing pain, and a goblin who doesn't isn't truly a goblin--he's some sort of freak's freak.  Which is precisely the kind of goblin that makes a good nominee for a player character."  The section gives some frank advice on trying to integrate Goblin PCs into a campaign and how to deal with the widespread racial antagonism they would face in civilized areas.  At the risk of perceived bias, I do think the lore, at least as presented here, militates against the idea of goblins becoming a common PC race. The section also introduces some new favored class options, but they're not balanced well--gunslingers get a +1 to critical hit confirmations (nice!), while rogues get an extra skill rank that has to be placed in Ride or Stealth, which doesn't make sense since any character of any race and any class can use their favored class bonus to that get one free skill point (in any skill).

Some quibbles aside, Goblins of Golarion is an excellent example of a supplement that's useful for both players and GMs.  It has buckets of flavour for running goblin characters while adding depth to their role in Golarion as a campaign setting.  I would definitely recommend it.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Annual '99 [COMICS]

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Annual '99
Dark Horse Comics (Volume 1, 1998-2003)

Creators: "The Latest Craze" (Christopher Golden, Tom Sniegoski, Cliff Richards); "Bad Dog" (Douglas Petrie, Ryan Sook)

Setting: Season 3

T.V./Movie Character Appearances: Buffy, Willow, Giles, Oz, Cordelia, Xander, Ethan Rayne, Angel,

Major Original Characters: Elissa (high school student)

Summary

1) "The Latest Craze":  Sunnydale High is hit by a new trend: little collectible troll dolls in endless variation of appearance.  The students' craze to collect them escalates to the point where there are fist-fights in the hallways and some students spending hundreds of dollars to buy "limited edition" ones.  Even Willow gets in on the action, forming an emotional bond with her troll doll.  But unbeknownst to everyone, the trolls are actually alive, and, in the middle of the night, animate to steal some items belonging to their "owners" and taking those items to their massive "mother."  When the trolls go so far as to try to steal Oz's guitar after a show at the Bronze, Buffy decides she has to investigate.  Breaking into the new store in town that has been selling the troll dolls, they realize that Ethan Rayne is behind it!  He's brought over the trolls from another dimension in order to become rich.  Buffy and the Scooby Gang confront the troll "mother" and banish them back to the dimension they came from.

2) "Bad Dog": It's the night of the full moon, and Oz has to be locked in the library cage to prevent him doing harm when he transforms into a werewolf.  Willow is to stand guard for the first shift, but when Buffy comes to relieve her, she finds the cage torn open, the window broken, and both Willow and Oz gone!  Buffy grabs a tranq gun and runs into the forest where she gets Angel's help in tracking the werewolf.  It pounces but after a struggle they manage to subdue it.  Using it like a bloodhound, they have it follow Willow's scent into the sewers where they find that Willow has actually been kidnapped by a would-be cultist who wants to sacrifice her in order to gain great power!  The cultist turns into a multi-armed Kali-like figure, but Buffy has no trouble dispatching him and saving the day.

Review

This was a 64-page annual, and unfortunately it's mostly a waste of the space.  The lead story, "The Latest Craze", contains a story element (collectible dolls) I can relate to, but my kid's in grade school and not a senior in high school like the students in the story who get wrapped up in the craze.  The plot's pretty obvious, the humor is feeble and almost a Buffy-pastiche, and there's just nothing memorable about the tale.  Even Ethan Rayne's role in the story is little different than in his Halloween-costume stunt appearance.  The story is partially redeemed by good artwork, and it's nice that Xander actually solves the mystery first, but it's definitely a "Saturday morning cartoon" view of Buffy.

After that story, there's a four-page text piece about the comic crew's time at a big convention called WizardWorld.  I'm glad they had fun, but I didn't need to pay money to read about it.

The second story in the comic, "Bad Dog", suffers from seriously problematic artwork.  The story isn't much better, as it's all story beats we've seen before (Werewolf Oz escaped and wrongfully blamed, Xander arguing that Oz is too dangerous to be in Willow's life, Willow kidnapped and put in danger, etc.).

The issue ends with a seven-page "pin-up" section.  Most of the artwork doesn't really look like the characters, and it's a miss for me.

Overall: not worth seeking out.

Pathfinder Comics Volume 4: "Origins"

The fourth hardcover collection of the Pathfinder comic collects issues number 1-6 of the "Pathfinder: Origins" series.  It also includes the usual array of special features we've come to expect: variant covers, background entries on some of the places or monsters glimpsed in the story, and short encounters for use when actually playing the game.  As the subtitle indicates, the focus here is on the origins of the Iconics that have appeared in past issues.  The stories are cleverly linked together with a framing sequence and each also has another Iconic as a sort of guest star with a brief origin--a two-for-one special each issue!  Overall, this is one of my favourite collections, and I think Paizo has really hit its groove now with the comics.

THE STORIES

Issue # 1 ("Valeros: The Crimson Eye") begins with the framing sequence.  The six Iconics we know and love (Valeros, Seoni, Kyra, Harsk, Ezren, and Merisiel) have followed up with Sheila Heidmarch, Magnimar's Venture-Captain for the Pathfinder Society, after the events of the previous volume.  They've come to see if Heidmarch will give them access to the Society's storehouse of maps and scrolls in order to gather clues about the mysterious shapechangers and the veiled master who has been manipulating events in the city.  Heidmarch, however, is reluctant to give them access, saying that Ezren's only been a member for less than a month, and his friends have rather . . . mixed reputations.  This leads each of the heroes to tell their story in order to get Heidmarch to trust them.  Valeros goes first.  His tale starts in Crowstump, a small village in Nirmathas, when he takes a job as a caravan guard through Bloodsworn Vale to Varisia.  Amiri, the Iconic Barbarian, is another guard and her introduction is amazing as she *literally* cuts a cultist in half--lengthwise!  The caravan is actually escorting a creepy idol called the Sycorian Stone which contains within it a mind-possessing demon!  In some awesome sequences, Valeros and Amiri manage to get the idol to its destination (the Jeggare Museum in Korvosa)--but in a cliffhanger, we realize Amiri has been possessed by the demonic entity known as the Crimson Eye!  It's a really fun issue, and we even get a glimpse of Amiri's origin (with a great conflict between her narration and what actually happened).

Issue # 2 ("Kyra: Rat Killers") starts in a small town in Qadira.  As Kyra, the Iconic Cleric tells it, she was an arrogant and judgmental woman at the start of her career.  When a ratfolk named Vint burst in and told a tale of woe involving vampires attacking his village (Khurbresh), Kyra tried to gather allies but found no one willing to assist except a Paladin of Iomedae: Seelah!  One of the things I love about the Iconic Paladin is that she's witty and compassionate--exactly the opposite of how many people think Paladins have to be.  Seelah arranges for two convicted murderers to assist her and Kyra (much to the latter's disgust), with a promise that if they fulfill their end of the bargain, she'll get their sentences commuted and take them north to the crusades.  When they reach Khurbresh, it turns out that the "vampires" are really chupacabras!  The artwork is great in this issue, bloody and scary.  The tale is really about the possibilities of redemption, and how even a "good" person like Kyra needs to learn lessons of humility and forgiveness sometimes.  It was also nice to see ratfolk (ysoki), a race rarely seen in Pathfinder fiction.

Seoni's up next in Issue # 3 ("Seoni: Marked").  As a Varisian, Seoni is often distrusted in prejudiced cities like Korvosa.  In exchange for clues as to the meaning of the mysterious tattoos that mark her body, Seoni makes a deal with Mercival Jeggare to help stop thieves that have been raiding his museum.  Among the other hired guards is a certain Seltyiel (the rarely seen Iconic multiclassed PC/Magus) and a pair of Hellknights.  The museum is raided and it becomes clear that the thieves are there to steal the same Sycorian Stone idol that Valeros and Amiri brought to the museum in Issue # 1.  In a good twist, Seltyiel turns on Seoni and makes off with the idol (or at least its red gem eyes) himself, revealing he was hired by the cult to infiltrate the museum!  The issue has a good demonstration as to why Seoni is the leader of the group, as she manages to rally the Hellknights and keep everyone alive.

Merisiel is in jail at the start of her tale in Issue # 4 ("Merisiel: Blood Trails").  She's locked in Nidal, the infamous country where most of the populace worships Zon-Kuthon, the God of Darkness and Pain!  Merisiel is rescued by the Iconic Monk, Sajan, and gets paid to help find records about what happened to his enslaved sister.  The pair break into a noble's manor and there's some great, gory action against a twisted Beholder-like creature called a kyton.  The story offers a bit of insight into why Merisiel makes her living as a thief, and sets up a good plot thread to follow up on the future for a reunion between she and Sajan.

Harsk gets his turn in Issue # 5 ("Harsk: Heartwood") as the story returns to Sandpoint.  Fans of the APs that involve the town will enjoy seeing the Rusty Dragon, Ameiko, and Shalelu, as the latter explains that she's been hired by the town leaders to find out why fey in the Tickwood have been pulling pranks all over the region.  Harsk, sitting at the bar nearby, is completely uninterested in helping out until one of the fey messes with his favourite teapot!    It's a really fun scene.  Harsk, Shalelu, and a few other residents of Sandpoint (including Daviren Hosk) head into the Tickwood to try to find out what's happening.  The fey think one of their own has been kidnapped, and a murderous bunch of psychotic fey (Redcaps) attack, but the Iconic Druid (Lini) steps in to save the day.  The story ends with a fun sequence where the heroes have to solve the problem by stealing a body from a funeral.  There's no ties to the demon idol metaplot and there's not really an "origin story" for Harsk, but it's a fun look at Sandpoint.

Ezren gets the last spot, in Issue # 6 ("Ezren: Certain Sacrifices").  This story is truly an origin story, as we follow Ezren from his youth as the son of a merchant in Absalom, through to his father's arrest for heresy (he was part of a cartel of slaves and devil worshippers), Ezren's being effectively disowned from the family by his evil brother, and onto his own quest to become a wizard so he could confront his family.  With the help of the Iconic Bard, Lem, Ezren returns to Absalom and tries to take on his brother only to fail and narrowly escape with his life.  Lem  tells Ezren he needs to stop learning from books and learn in the field, and this sparks Ezren's desire to join the Pathfinder Society.  After the background story, we're back in the "present" as Heidmarch agrees to show the group the manor's trophy room (a cool two-page spread); but within it is the Sycorian Stone with a possessed Amiri!  They have to kill her in order to save her (don't worry, it all works out okay).


VARIANT COVERS

After the comics, the hardcover collection has 24 pages of the variant covers that graced various issues of the "floppies."  There are some great ones this time around, with homages/parodies of many classic super hero comic covers as well as just some cool shots of the different Iconics.  My absolute favourite is a spoof on the classic Green Lantern/Green Arrow issue from the 1970s where Speedy is addicted to drugs.  It's hilarious, and I would buy a poster of it if I could.

BACKGROUND & ENCOUNTERS

For each issue of the comic, back matter consisted of a two-page background entry on some aspect of the story and then a two-page encounter.  Here's what we get:

* Information on "The Cult of the Crimson Eye", a demon cult with a statue holding its spirit-god.  The associated encounter takes place in Bloodsworn Vale, and involves the PCs interrupting a summoning ceremony.  It's a nice little encounter appropriate for Level 1 or Level 2 characters.

* A quick-and-dirty overview of Khurbresh, a ratfolk community in eastern Qadira.  The entry makes use of the comic issue as backstory, which is clever.  The encounter puts the PCs up against a manticore and a ghost in an abandoned temple to Sarenrae, and it's a good little encounter for mid-level groups (CR 6 or so).

* A broad introduction to the Jeggare Museum in Korvosa.  It's a really good entry, useful in a variety of campaigns.  The associated encounter could make a very fast CR 2 side-trek during something like Curse of the Crimson Throne.

* I really liked the brief introduction to Nidal that covers the Joyful Things, Shadowcallers, and Silent Enforcers.  It sums up a lot of the flavour of the country in just a couple of quick pages.  The encounter involves rescuing someone from a business specializing in sadism, and is appropriate for CR 8 or 9 I'd say.

* The fey around Sandpoint are given a brief overview, and there's a stat block for a creepy CR 8 redcap named Grustmier.  The encounter puts the PCs up against Grustmier and his kin to rescue a dryad in Tickwood.  It's an interesting little encounter.

* Last up is a two-page overview of slavery in Absalom, which I didn't even realize was a thing!  The encounter is a clever rooftop ambush that makes good use of 3-d space.

Great stories, memorable variant covers, and solid background entries and encounters.  You can't really ask for much more, as Volume 4 has the entire package and comes highly recommended.

Captain Atom (DC, 1987-1991) # 11-20 & Annual # 1 [COMICS]

A couple of months back, I went through Issues # 1-10 of the late 1980s Captain Atom series.  In this post, I'll cover Issues # 11-20 and the first Annual.  Overall, the second year of the series continues the strong start as we get deeper into Nathaniel Adam's life.  There are a couple of duds, but in a monthly comic that's almost unavoidable.

Issue # 11 is the requisite Millennium crossover.  If you don't know about Millennium, let's just say it was one of the less successful line-wide crossover "events" of the time period.  Anyway, Captain Atom is tasked with stopping Firestorm, who seems to be mind-controlled or somehow manipulated by a malevolent group of alien robots called the Manhunters.  I think this is the classic "blank slate" Firestorm, but I'm not up on my history of the character.  Anyway, to try to reach him, C.A. tells him a story about overcoming his fear of flying and then tries to persuade him that the Manhunters are lying.  But he loses all credibility because Firestorm can tell C.A. is lying about his own past!  When C.A. recounts his real origin, he seems to get through to Firestorm and then the two team up to stop a bomb in the swamp?  The story's not 100% comprehensible.

We have a star-spangled cover for Issue # 12 for the memorable birth of what will become C.A.'s most important super-powered foe.  The issue allows us to witness the experiment to duplicate what happened to Nathaniel Adam but with a more powerful bomb and with a *very* different subject: a convicted rapist!  Eiling and the others overseeing the experiment plan to have better control this time around by installing cameras, bugs, sedatives, and even an explosive collar into the suit.  We don't get to see the result of the experiment because this issue leads directly into the first annual! (C.A. is in this issue, doing something in the Arctic to keep the Russkies from getting a hold of an alien probe or something--it doesn't really matter.)

"Enter: Major Force!" proclaims the cover to Annual # 1.  Called in to investigate a "UFO," C.A. battles what seems like a strange alien menace capable of projecting solid black matter.  A "brave soldier" saves the day but seemingly melds with the alien.  It's all a P.R. hoax (one that C.A. was unaware of) by Eiling and the military to get Major Force introduced to the world as an "alien" merged with a "patriotic soldier".  C.A. is even forced to introduce Major Force at a press conference, but a series of later disasters show that M.F. is still the psychotic thug he was before the experiment that gave him powers.  C.A. and M.F. fight and the knockout gas helps C.A. win, but Eiling is displeased by the turn of events.  It's on!  A solid introduction to Major Force as someone with the powerful to rival Captain Atom but tied nicely into the Eiling and government secrecy subplots.

Issue # 13 has a nice Christmas themed cover.  Adam resigns from the Air Force and decides to go it alone, knowing he finally has some leverage over Eiling due to the whole "Major Force" debacle.  Adam ends up at a local bar on Christmas Eve, and there's a subplot about a serial arsonist.  My notes say "It's really good! Inexplicably so."  At the very end, one Eve Eden shows up--Nightshade!

Nightshade was one of the original Charlton heroes who debuted in Captain Atom's title in the 1960s.  She has some weird shadow-teleportation powers, and in D.C. continuity of the time she's a member of the Suicide Squad and professional secret agent.  In Issue # 14, Nightshade is honest with C.A. that she's under orders to keep an eye on him, and the two are getting along famously (a bit rushed, to be honest) when he heads to the west coast for a job interview (not realizing that he's been black-balled by Eiling and will never find work as a pilot).  Later, C.A. and Nightshade interrupt a gang of thieves' plan to steal a prototype jet desired by "The Faceless One.".  It's a bit mediocre, and ends with Nightshade having to return to the Squad.  More time to establish their relationship would have been great.  There is a good scene where President Reagan asks C.A. to stay in the Justice League International as a sort of government spy.  C.A.'s been a member of the JLI for months now, but readers of his own title hardly see any mention of it!

Major Force makes a big return in Issue  # 15.  Emery, the guy who made the fake "Dr. Spectro" costume several issues back, is hired by Eiling to throw a fight against Major Force to help redeem the latter to the public.  Captain Atom intervenes in the "battle", however, and throws off the script.  He then gets blinded before getting the living shit kicked out of him by Major Force!  Hey, you have to let the villain win once in a while if they're going to perceived as a real threat by the reader!

"Guest Starring the Justice League"--now we're talking!  Issue # 16 has a bruised and battered Nathaniel Adam struggling to pay his rent since he can't find a job anywhere after quitting the Air Force.  Meanwhile, Blue Beetle (!) and Booster Gold (!) and Mister Miracle and Black Canary are trying to take on a talking hurricane that turns out to be Red Tornado who is now self-identifying as an air elemental that needs to scour the earth!  Outmatched, they recruit Captain Atom, and he redirects the vortex to the swamp--Swamp Thing's swamp!  The JLI is pretty well-written and this was a great issue.

So, Swamp Thing is *not* happy about the intrusion into his swamp.  In Issue # 17, his rage dissipates Red Tornado and knocks Captain Atom comatose!  C.A.'s astral form is pulled through the Green in a dreamlike vision, and the trio talk.  But the Black Racer (the goofiest grim reaper ever) chases C.A.'s astral form.  Fortunately, the JLI have rushed C.A.'s body to Infinity Inc. to a dude named Brainwave for some psychic healing, and body and soul are reunited in time.  The issue has the first hint that Captain Atom may be some sort of elemental (as Swamp Thing is the earth elemental and Red Tornado is the air elemental), but this won't be explored for a while if I recall correctly.  The storyline is definitely a different type than the more politics/intrigue ones, and I don't think it was particularly successful.

Issue # 18 is a really good standalone story.  After visiting a very ill Dr. Megala, Eiling and his crony Allard are on a helicopter when they decide that the old man has outlived his usefulness . . . but then the helicopter never makes it back to base!  Captain Atom is called in to look for it, but refuses to help until he realizes how worried Peg is--Eiling was a good father to her.  It turns out that Eiling and Allard have been kidnapped by "Master Militarius", a fake super-villain as part of a plan by Megala to gain control of a military satellite.  The satellite will broadcast the truth about Captain Atom if Megala is murdered, so he's created an insurance policy against Eiling's machinations!  It's a pretty clever issue.

"Worst of run" (so far) my notes read about Issue # 19.  Adam gets a job at a 1960s memorabilia store working for an aged hippie named "Starshine."  He fights off some goons who want protection money, and then somehow the story turns into the most cliched ever 1980s "follow the drugs up the supply chain" storyline.  "Poppies.  Hundreds and hundreds of acres of poppies.  The flowers seem to harmless from up here.  But all I see are seeds of death."  It's so embarrassingly awesomely bad!  Suffice it to say, seeing the quantum-powered Captain Atom take on a bunch of stock-casting drug dealers does not an exciting comic book make.

Things fortunately improve in Issue # 20, as my favourite super hero (Blue Beetle) guest stars.  Blue Beetle and Captain Atom are suddenly super-friendly with each other around JLI headquarters, a development that Mister Miracle and Booster Gold find really odd until they come across a "covert action dossier" from the 1960s that indicate that Captain Atom and the current Blue Beetle's predecessor (Dan Garrett) went on many missions together.  It's really all fake, and C.A. has used the file to get in good with the current Blue Beetle (Ted Kord) because he needs his help.  Kord has the business contacts to infiltrate a company called Zyco, whose CEO is a former military general who was involved in Adam's court-martial for treason!  Adam and Kord work together, but they're not successful, as the general is mysteriously murdered and any evidence that could exonerate Adam is destroyed.  The characterisation of Kord is a bit uneven, but I liked that Adam felt guilty for lying to him.  This storyline continues in a few issues.

The second year of the title definitely does more with integrating Captain Atom into the rest of the DC Universe.  We see links to the other elementals like Swamp Thing and Red Tornado, as well as multiple guest appearances from the JLI.  It also features the debut of recurring villain Major Force.  The long-term subplot of Adam trying to figure out who framed him for murder and treason in the 1960s starts to heat up as well.  All in all, a strong second year with only the laughably-bad anti-drug story as a major dud.

Rise of the Runelords Recap # 48 [RPG]

[19 Kuthona 4707 continued]

Holy Symbol of Erastil

Having routed a small army of ogres at the gates of Fort Rannick, the adventurers decide to retreat to Turtleback Ferry.  The journey back is uneventful, though the unceasing rain swells the Skull River and leads to speculation that it may soon flood its banks.  Early evening brings the travellers within sight of the lights of the town.  They head first for the local inn (The Turtle’s Parlor), but Cesten Orlandi is still angry from the group’s last visit and, despite a complete lack of other guests, says that there’s no vacancy.  The adventurers, bloody and battered from their ordeal, decide to see if Father Shreed could put them up for night.  At the temple, they find the goodly priest of Erastil hosting a meal for members of the community who have fallen on hard times.  Father Shreed welcomes the adventurers in for a hot meal, a place to sleep, and even some magical healing.

Over dinner, Kang announces to the others that he’s perfected a brilliant new alchemical formula, the fruits of which he promises to display in the morning.  A conversation by some of the other guests catches Artemis’ ears, and he hears gossip about a “pleasure barge” named Paradise that mysteriously sank one night in Claybottom Lake, killing all aboard, even its owner, a foreigner named Lucrecia.  Sir Roderick chimes in that he remembers hearing about its popularity with drinkers and gamblers, but that he never partook.  Later, Artemis asks the locals if they know anything the seven-pointed star tattoo he’s seen on a couple of residents in town.  His question is met with silence or denials.  Later that night, as they get ready to turn in for the night (using bedrolls spread over pews), the adventurers are treated to an entertaining series of misadventures as Sir Roderick attempts to try out his new ring of feather falling.  When it doesn’t seem to work, he concludes from the badger etched into it that it may in fact be a ring of burrowing.

[20 Kuthona 4707]

In the morning, Kang leads everyone outside the temple to show them his new discovery.  Injecting himself with a viscous green goo, amazing dragon-fly wings suddenly spout from the tiefling’s back and he launches himself into the air!  Sir Roderick, in particular, is amazed, so much so that his initial reluctance to allow Kang to use his home to perform alchemical experiments is overcome.  Everyone goes about various errands, with Sir Roderick crafting ammunition for his musket, Kang concocting various alchemical items, Artemis buying arrows and a map of the Hook Mountain region, Goragar drinking, and Kozen familiarising himself with the town.  At Artemis’ request, Kozen puts his quiet likability to good use by asking around for more information on the location of the sunken Paradise.  A bereft cobbler whose son was on board tells Kozen that the barge apparently sank about eight miles south of Turtleback Ferry in about 40’ of water.  Apparently an investigator from Ilsurian was hired to conduct an inquiry, but the fellow seemed in a hurry to return south and didn’t provide any conclusive explanation for the disaster.  Artemis, who was initially enthusiastic about exploring the wreckage, decides against it given its distance from Turtleback Ferry.

[21 Kuthona 4707]

As the adventurers prepare for a return visit to the Valley of Broken Trees and Fort Rannick, they witness Father Shreed coordinating anti-flooding preparations.  The town has occasionally suffered minor flooding before, and, given the constant rain, Father Shreed says it’s only prudent to be cautious despite the presence of a dam dating to ancient times regulating the flow of water from Storval Deep to the north.  Artemis unrolls his new map and realizes that the dam is barely ten miles from Fort Rannick, and expresses alarm that Fort Rannick could be a staging area for an ogre attack on the dam!  The adventurers set out, collecting Shalelu from her campsite on the outskirts of the village.  She seems reluctant to go, citing the fact that the Black Arrows are clearly all dead, but Goragar persuades her that they should be avenged. 

The cold, wet weather has grown as monotonous as it is constant, and Kozen continues to have trouble enduring it.  But there’s one major difference from their last visit to Fort Rannick: there’s not a trace of fog.  When the adventurers approach in the middle of the afternoon, they’re easily spotted by an ogre sentry in a watchtower who rings a large bell to alert the entire fortress!  Artemis and Sir Roderick put their amazing marksmanship to good use and kill the ogre.  Kang tells the others that he’ll scout ahead and once again sprouts dragonfly wings!  He flies over the walls and sees that the courtyard is empty but that the doors to the inner keep have been reinforced.  Noticing strange flashes of lights coming from the cliff-face far above the fort, Kang hovers for a moment until he’s able to decipher a coded message:  “Danger.  I’m here.”

Kang reports back to the others and they decide to advance while he investigates the message further.  Shalelu, sensing a trap, says she’ll stay on the bridge over the moat and watch their backs.  At the front gates, Goragar is forced to literally cut a path through ogre bodies which have been stacked like cordwood in the entryway to create an obstacle.  And, even more cunningly, spears and other jagged pieces of metal have been hidden amongst the carnage to stab the unwary!  With some effort, however, he and the others reach the doors to the central keep and discuss what to do.

Fillias Lahs, Last of the Black Arrows?

Far above, Kang flies along a steep, narrow, and twisting path carved into the cliff until he finds the source of the messages: a man is hidden on the trail, using a mirror to reflect the sun’s rays!  The fellow, a young man in his late teens, is clearly the worse for wear, shivering and emaciated, but he has enough strength to call out to Kang.  He gives his name as Fillias Lahs and says he’s the last survivor of the Order of the Black Arrows!  Grateful for rescue, he explains, in a somewhat rambling fashion, that he’s one of the newest members of the Order and had been assigned to tend to a nest of giant eagles further up the trail when the ogres attacked.  He says the ogres picked the perfect time, as part of the Order hadn’t yet returned from a long-range patrol and the fort’s commander, Lamatar Bayden, was on one of his monthly “communing with nature” walks.  The ogres seemed to know exactly how and where to strike too, he says, and quickly breached the walls—a slaughter ensued!  Fillias says he’s been holed up on the trail for weeks (drinking rainwater and eating eagle eggs), unable to sneak away because the ogres blocked the bottom of the trail with rocks.  Now that help’s arrived, he tells Kang everything he’s witnessed and overheard about the ogres—including, crucially, that he saw the ogres’ massive leader, Jaagrath, talking with a witch about a plan to ambush any other force that tried to attack the keep!

Kang flies Fillias down to the ground and leaves him with Shalelu for safekeeping.  When Kang explains to the others what he’s learned, Goragar, Sir Roderick, and Kozen are keen to charge forward and dispatch the remaining ogres.  Artemis and Kang appear to have success in persuading them to wait while they infiltrate the keep to discover the nature of the ambush.  With Artemis climbing and Kang flying, the two scale the central tower and enter the keep from a trapdoor on top that they find near the body of the recently-slain ogre.  But, on the ground below, the others have decided against remaining still: Kozen suggests creating a “distraction” by breaking through the front doors of the keep.  Goragar nods and prepares to charge.

A second battle between the ogres occupying Fort Rannick and the adventurers hired by Magnimar to oust them has begun.  This time, the ogres know the adventurers are coming.  By splitting into two groups, have the intrepid heroes doomed themselves to failure?

---------------------------------------------------

Director's Commentary (June 24, 2018)

The story threads about the sunken pleasure ship and the townsfolk marked with Sihedron-runes was  not really picked up on by the PC, which is unfortunate because they help provide a much fuller picture of what was happening in Turtleback Ferry.

A lot more foreshadowing of the coming flood, something that will come around in a major way a few sessions from now.

Fillias Lahs was the Contact (an optional mechanic from Ultimate Campaigns) for Artemis.  He worked well to fill in some background to what happened to Fort Rannick, but was curiously ignored by the party when it came to other role-playing.  I really like the *idea* of the Contact mechanic, but for whatever reason it just hasn't worked out well with my players.

Starfinder Society Scenario # 1-12: "Ashes of Discovery"

NO SPOILERS

Although I've run every Starfinder Society scenario up to this point, Ashes of Discovery is the first time I've been a player in one!  This review is based off that experience and reading the scenario after the game.  I recognise the criticism some people have online that it's far too easy but, although it may have just been the rum, I had a great time playing it.  I don't mind an occasional softball scenario when, like this one, it's designed as an introductory, repeatable scenario with randomized elements.  I think it gives players a good taste of everything Starfinder has to offer.

SPOILERS

The premise of Ashes of Discovery is that the Starfinder Society has been contracted by an external organization to explore and secure a staging outpost abandoned centuries ago on a planet in Near Space.  After battling what's (essentially) a giant space shark in starship combat, the PCs land on the planet near a village of native inhabitants who can, with good role-playing and the right skill checks, be persuaded to take the PCs to the abandoned outpost.  On the way to the outpost, the Starfinders have to survive treacherous weather and rescue a native lost in the storm.  The outpost itself has been fortified by an exiled member of the natives and has to be overcome through force.

You probably noticed from the summary above that it's very vague.  Which organization contracted the SFS?  Which planet is the outpost on?  What are the natives like?  What kind of storm are they facing?  What kind of threats are in the outpost?  I had no idea while playing it, but *all* of these elements are randomly determined (or chosen) by the GM prior to the session.  The hiring organization, for example, could be AbadarCorp, the Church of Desna, the Hellknights, the Knights of Golarion, the Skyfire Legion, Ulrikka Clanholdings, Veylen Enterprises, or the Xenowardens.  The choice has cascade effects on the planet's biome, the outpost's security, the type of storm the PCs must brave, etc.  In addition, the GM is given an unusual amount of discretion to customise almost everything about the scenario (including the native inhabitants) to "fit" the randomly determined elements and provide a unique experience for the players.  I've played repeatable scenarios with some randomized encounters (like The Commencement and The Confirmation), and I can safely say they have nowhere near the amount of randomly determined elements as this one does.  Although the core through-line of the plot is the same, almost everything else is mutable--which is exactly what a repeatable scenario needs!

The scenario starts with a mission briefing by Guidance that concisely explains the goal of exploring the abandoned outpost.  It's not particularly memorable, but it does get things moving quickly.

On the way to the planet, the Starfinder's vessel is attacked by a "Besmaran whelp", a living creature the size of a starship that has massive teeth, claws, and a spiked tail.  The creature also has some randomly determined special powers.  Starship combat has never been a challenge in any of the SFS scenarios I've played (though I've heard that may be changing soon), so after a couple of rounds of combat I had my drug-addicted PC abandon his post for a quick fix and a nap.  We still won handily, which is a good indication that the Besmaran whelp was way underpowered.  It's a cool *looking* challenge, even though (in practice) it's a cakewalk.

The next part of the scenario is a classic first contact encounter.  The starting attitude and interests of the native inhabitants depends heavily on their randomly-determined physical and cultural traits. This is essentially a role-playing and skills challenge, as a certain number of successful checks are required to persuade the natives to help point the way to the outpost.  Again, which checks are useful depends on their particular cultural traits, and different classes or races might get bonuses when interacting with them.  In the session I played in, the natives were led by solarian elders, so my solarian PC was viewed favorably.

Travelling to the outpost requires surviving randomly-determined weather hazard--it could be anything from rock storms to blasts of hellfire and more.  Survival isn't hard, but the idea is to slowly wear down the PCs before they rescue a trapped native and then press on to the outpost.

The outpost features the most dangerous thing in the session: a laser security trap.  Traps are appropriately lethal in Starfinder, one of the things I really like about the system.  The Exile's special abilities (and motivation) are randomly determined, as are the nature of his minions.  The minions only have 6 hp each and are dispatched with laughable ease, and the Exile himself is also a walkover (though he did hit me with a nasty crit--the jerk!).  Computers in the outpost contain data that explains why the outpost was abandoned, and the more creative the GM, the more interesting the conclusion will be for the players.

Ashes of Discovery isn't going to impress anyone with it's encounter design or difficulty level, but I thought it was a really clever scenario that (unlike most) encourages GM creativity.  I would happily run it or play it again, just to see how different rolls on the tables can change the gameplay.

Pathfinder Module: Murder's Mark [RPG]

NO SPOILERS

Murder's Mark is a 32-page module designed for first level characters.  I ran it over the course of a few evenings for a fairly experienced group of players and and I think it has enough colourful and memorable elements to make a good choice for launching a new campaign.  It has a strong mix of classic RPG elements: role-playing, investigation, traps, and combat.  For GMs, it also adds some nice detail to the setting of Golarion and introduces one element that could easily reoccur in a variety of settings.  It does have some flaws, however, including a plot that is far more of a rail-road than might appear.  Overall though, I'd label it a really good module for first level PCs and a solid starting point for a new campaign.

SPOILERS

Murder's Mark takes place in and near the town of Ilsurian in the region of Golarion known as Varisia.  Ilsurian is a town of proud, independent people who are determined to keep the larger city-states in the area (like Korvosa or Magnimar) from taking control.  However, Ilsurians are also frankly racist towards the native Varisians, who are a largely nomadic people of traders, tinkers, and performers.  It's the perfect set-up for some drama when the Umbra Carnival (a Varisian operation) sets up shop outside the town!  (just a note to GMs: Ilsurian is detailed in Towns of the Inner Sea and the information in that sourcebook complements this module nicely; the Umbra Carnival also appears in a high-level module called the Harrowing).

The plotline of the module is that soon after the carnival sets up shop, robberies and murders start occurring all over Ilsurian.  When suspicion naturally falls upon the carnival, the PCs are enlisted to uncover the truth.  Their investigation takes them around the carnival, to the scene of one of the crimes (a robbed jewelry store), into a trap and attempted frame-up job, and finally into a multi-level warehouse operated by the local thieves' guild which is actually behind the crime.

I'll get into each of these elements shortly, but first a quick detour to talk about the structure and design of the module.  The interior artwork is nice and colourful in a manner befitting a tale about carnival folk.  The inside-front cover and inside-back cover are gridded maps of important encounter sites and are pretty well-done (the structure of the thieves' guild is a bit confusing and requires some extra GM attention to avoid messing things up--especially the *very* subtly indicated secret trapdoors).  The adventure itself is 28 pages long, followed by a 1 page bestiary entry introducing a new creature drawn from real-world mythology called panotti (humanoids with ears so massive they can fly) and a two-page overview of the Umbra Carnival.

Part One of the module ("The Circus Comes to Town") starts with the PCs already at the Umbra Carnival as an established group.  I always think the "meeting one another" scenes are so important for new groups, as that's where first impressions and introductions can set the tone for an entire campaign.  Since Murder's Mark was at least partially intended as the springboard for a new campaign, I wish more attention had been paid to this element--in a sidebar, if nothing else.  (PFS GMs will need to be creative on getting things going here and setting up a goal for the group to achieve.)  Anyway, the PCs have the opportunity to play some games at the midway and explore the attractions (a fun little RP opportunity) before drama starts when the carnival's "baby dragon" (a monitor lizard) gets loose and has to be contained.  It's a solid encounter because it introduces players to the concept that not every threat should be killed, and encourages them to think of creative tactics to catch the lizard alive.

In Part Two ("The First Murder"), the PCs are summoned back to the carnival the next day by its leader, Anya Delisen.  Delisen explains that she needs help from trouble-shooters like the PCs because a murder took place last night and some people are pointing fingers at her carnival!  Assuming the group takes her offer of payment in exchange for aid, one of their first destinations is the jewelry store where both of the victims worked (and one was slain).  In the vaults, they realize that two of the responsible parties accidentally locked themselves in: skulks.  This was my first experience with skulks, who are human-like creatures that live on the fringes of society and can partially camouflage themselves to move around stealthily.  The encounter is solid, helped by a fun pit trap that takes place as the PCs *leave* the vaults.  The skulks, if captured alive, aren't willing to talk much (and don't know much), and many Ilsurians speculate that the "freaks" were simply part of the Umbra Carnival's sideshow.

Part Three ("The Second Murder") starts with the PCs being drawn into a confrontation at the Umbra Carnival between townspeople angry that they've been pick-pocketed and circus guards trying to calm down the situation.  It's another good encounter that can (hopefully) be resolved through peaceful means; who says all adventurers have to be murder-hobos?  But during the distraction, another murder has taken place!  This one is inside one of the carnival tents but the victim is the beloved town priest.  All signs point to the responsible party being a "sphinx" that is the Umbra Carnival's star attraction.  There's plenty of opportunity for investigation here, because one of the carnival's most closely-guarded secrets is that there really is no sphinx--it's an illusion created by bardic magic.  The murder is enough for the local sheriff to declare a quarantine, forbidding anyone from the carnival coming into Ilsurian, and vice-versa.  The idea that the PCs have to clear the carnival's name takes on greater importance, and hopefully they've found enough inconsistencies to suspect that something strange is going on.  There's another good encounter in this section where local townsfolk have caught and are beating a young carnie who tried to sneak into town to visit his paramour--and if the PCs don't react quickly enough, he'll die from his wounds.

Part Four ("The Third Murder") starts with the discovery of a body strung up in the town square bearing all sorts of clues pointing to the carnival as being responsible.  However, one clue is intended to lead the PCs to the home of a wealthy merchant named Braeton.  There's a subplot running through the module about a narcotic called Shiver that helps to provide a partial motivation for the actual murderers' actions.

Part Five ("Braeton Manor") has the first major combat encounters of the module.  The PCs have been lured into a trap by the Gilded Hands, the thieves' guild that has taken advantage of the Umbra Carnival's presence to launch a murder and burglary spree in Ilsurian.  The battles in the manor are pretty good, as the rogues of the Gilded Hands use ambush tactics and tricks like flash powder and tanglefoot bags to keep the PCs off-guard.  Perhaps the most fun moment is when the guild's leader appears looking and sounding just like one of the PCs to terrorize the Braeton children before returning to normal to "rescue" them.  It's great to frame the PCs, because nothing gets an adventure going better than when they take things personally!

The final part of the module, Part Six ("Ilsurian Storage & Hauling") has the PCs raid the thieves' guild.  This is actually a bit complicated for the GM to handle, as it's a running battle with a lot of movement and different tactics by various NPCs depending on how much warning they have and on the PCs' actions.  There's some nice use of 3-d environment (a catwalk, trapdoors in the floor, etc.) and a couple of surprises like a "sanguine ooze swarm" and an alchemist capable of hurling bombs all over the place.

Assuming the PCs are successful in the thieves' guild, they've found all the proof they need to clear the Umbra Carnival.  The module provides a couple of nice hooks for further adventures, which is something I always appreciate.

You can probably see by the structure of things that one of the major criticisms of Murder's Mark in the forums is that, although it seems like the PCs are gathering clues to solve a mystery, what they're really doing is running around until the module has another murder take place to progress the story further.  There's no plausible way the PCs can solve the case early or that, frankly, their actions matter that much.  It's not a true "whodunnit" because the PCs don't know any of the suspects until the module reveals them as the murderers.   To me, a good mystery should have that "a ha!" moment where all the pieces come together and the reader/player realizes they *could have* solved the mystery if only they had assembled all the clues properly.  Depending on your players, this may or may not matter much to them as long as they had a good time along the way.  (a final note for GMs: the back cover blurb spoils that the thieves' guild is responsible for the murders, so don't circulate it to the players!)

As a total package, I think Murder's Mark is a strong module.  I didn't spend a lot of time talking about the NPCs in the Umbra Carnival, but they're interesting and should elicit some great role-playing.  The challenges were varied and all seemed reasonable, and the storyline sets up plenty of future adventuring possibilities.  So while it's not exactly Agatha Christie, it's definitely one worth playing and a great introduction to Pathfinder for new players.

Rise of the Runelords Recap # 47 [RPG]

[19 Kuthona 4707]

Hearing the sounds of explosions echoing through the valley, Kozen correctly deduces that her allies’ “reconnaissance” mission has gone awry.  Although still sick and shivering, he hurries towards the sound of battle and arrives at the edge of the battlefield just as the other adventurers prepare to make a stand against the bulk of the ogre army.  As Goragar and Shalelu prepare to hold the line, Kang flies to the top of the wall so he can drop bombs on the ogres when they storm out.  Sir Roderick and Artemis prepare to open fire as well, but the thick fog continues to hamper their ability to acquire targets.  Shalelu calls up to Kang that if she or Goragar fall in battle, it’s his responsibility to make sure they’re not captured alive because what the ogres would do to them would be far worse than death.

Ogres aren't smart, but they pack a punch!

The storm hits.  In twos and threes ogres stagger and stumble out of the front gate and into the fog, trying to find the foes that are right in front of them.  Fortunately, the ogres’ size and the adventurers’ clever positioning create a natural bottleneck that keep Goragar and Shalelu from being drastically outnumbered at the point of attack.  Goragar swings his blade methodically, cutting down ogres that have been sorely wounded from Kang’s inerrant explosives!  Sir Roderick has difficulty hitting anything in the fog, but Artemis’ arrows strike home time and time again.  Kozen arrives and lends a hand by enchanting a rope to trip some of the ogres.  In a matter of minutes, a full dozen ogres are slain!

Goragar is badly hurt, and it’s clear from the shouts coming from Fort Rannick’s courtyard that a second wave of ogres are on the way.  A hasty decision must be made: flee, or fight?  Fight!  Some of Goragar’s wounds are magically healed, but in mere seconds the fighting starts again.  This time the ogres are led by two warriors with better weapons and armor, and strange appearances: one has knees that bend in reverse like a goat, while the other has a grotesquely-oversized head that constantly wheezes.  Ogres aren’t smart, but the decision to focus all of their attacks on Goragar is an easy one.  In a vicious exchange of blow after blow, both sides are slashed, battered, and impaled.  Victory or defeat hangs by a thread.  Suddenly Sir Roderick gets a bead on the goat-legged ogre and fires a shot from his musket that’s so powerful it blows the top of the creature’s head off!

The wheezing ogre keeps fighting, feeling confident that once it kills the weakening half-orc in front of him, the others will be easy prey.  Kozen gets too close and suffers a vicious wound, but bravely maneuvers himself so that he can heal some of Goragar’s wounds even while the fighting continues.  Kang curses that he’s running out of bombs, but an instant before the last ogre can level a killing blow on Goragar, another powerful shot from Sir Roderick fells the attacker.

Goragar is somehow still standing despite the punishment he’s taken, and advocates a tactical withdrawal.  Kozen says retreating could be as dangerous as pressing forward, as they could be set upon in the night.  Artemis speculates they may have already killed all of the ogres and retaken the fort.  Kang agrees, and persuades the others that it’s worth investigating further.  Inside the main gate and to the east, the adventurers find one of the many horrific scenes they’re destined to encounter at Fort Rannick: an open-air cook house has been used by the ogres to roast almost a dozen of the Black Arrow rangers.  Kozen vomits from the sight, but Artemis and Shalelu each take the time to go through the bodies as if looking for something.  Meanwhile, just outside the gate, Goragar makes sure all of the ogres are dead and then looks to see if any are holding valuables: in addition to some mildly-enchanted suits of hide armor and ogre hooks, one carries a copper ring etched with a badger that Goragar identifies as a ring of feather falling.  He rejoins the others as they cross the courtyard and examine the other structures: a tall guard post that is clearly falling apart, wooden barracks that are a fire hazard, and stables that are well-maintained but empty. 

With only the central keep left to explore, Goragar cuts through the already-battered doors to reveal a main hall swathed in a horror of dried blood and bits of flesh swarmed over by clouds of flies.  Ahead is a T-junction, and the adventurers can hear ogres talking and laughing from rooms nearby.  Kang and Artemis cautiously scout ahead and find one ogre in a room to the right admiring his own artwork (made with a decapitated human corpse as a “paintbrush”).  To the left, two ogres have dressed up in human-sized armor and are guffawing about each other’s “tiny man clothes” in front of a collection of heads mounted on pikes. 

Rapidly realizing that Fort Rannick is far from being cleared of danger, the group reassemble and whisper about what to do.  Shalelu speculates that something unusual must have been at play for the ogres to capture Fort Rannick, and that they must have a strong leader to keep the normally chaotic creatures in line.  Sir Roderick suggests returning to Turtleback Ferry so he can make more ammunition and Goragar can rest and heal.  Artemis suggests camping in a nearby copse of trees, but the smoke of a campfire (necessary given the cold) could be seen.  After further discussion, consensus is reached to return back to Turtleback Ferry.

An epic battle worthy of song has been won at the gates of Fort Rannick.  But the mission is unfinished, and the victors have been forced to retreat.  Should they have pressed their advantage, or were they wise not to press their luck?  And what will they find when they return?

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Director's Commentary (June 10, 2018)

I'm writing this post as the campaign is just about to end Chapter Four, but I still think one of the craziest and most awesome things to happen so far was this battle at the gates of Fort Rannick.  The AP calls a frontal attack "suicidal," and gives at least a half dozen options it thinks players may pursue for trying to retake the fort through stealth or guile.  But my group chose to do things the hard way, and somehow it worked!  This was definitely a team effort aided by strategy (creating the bottleneck) and luck (the fog).  Goragar earned a place in Gorum's battlefield heaven by his feats in this session, but everyone contributed.  I don't think I've ever been as proud of the players as I was in this session, as they didn't win this battle through having munchkin characters but through sheer determination and the dice gods.

If there's one thing that tops this session . . . it's what happens next session!

Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Towns of the Inner Sea [RPG]

Towns of the Inner Sea is a 64-page entry in the Pathfinder Campaign Setting line.  The point of the book is to present detailed looks at six different towns in the fantasy world of Golarion, suitable as either "home bases" for PCs or as interesting destinations to set adventures in and around.  Each town receives 10 pages of coverage that includes a drawing of it from the outside, a settlement stat block (from the Gamemastery Guide), a full-page map with keyed locations, discussion of the town's history and major landmarks, and then a one-page stat block and description of an important NPC.

The six towns covered are Diobel, Falcon's Hollow, Ilsurian, Pezzak, Solku, and Trunau.  The inside front-cover is a map of the Inner Sea region of Golarion showing where each of these towns are located (the inside back-cover is just a version of the average cover art sans logo and title).  The book starts with a two-page introduction that is actually quite useful as it includes a list (and one-paragraph description) of other towns in Golarion that have been fleshed out and what book they can be found in.  In another clever move, it then lists several  towns that are canonical but almost completely untouched in terms of established lore, giving a GM free rein to develop them without having to worry about any contradictions.  Introductions aren't usually so useful!

Diobel is the first town covered.  Flavourful opening text positions it nicely as a sort of smugglers' den on the same island as the metropolis of Absalom, filled with earthy, friendly folk who respect hard work and common sense and despise pretense and regulation.  My first experience with Diobel was running a Pathfinder Society scenario (The Hydra's Fang Incident) which has a notoriously-confusing explanation of Diobel's geography.  I'm not sure if the entry in this book really matches that scenario, but that might be for the best.  There are a couple of fun ideas, like a floating pleasure barge name Wisps on the Water and an abandoned but potentially devil-haunted warehouse fittingly called Devil's Pier.  One of the major themes of the entry is the role played by the Kaldroon family (proprietors of Kaldroon's Smokehouse) in lending stability to Diobel, and the featured NPC is Elvi Kaldroon, the head of the family.  All in all, Diobel seems fun as a trade town suitable for a short story-arc, but I didn't get a real feel for it as a place PCs would naturally want to spend a lot of time.

The second town is Falcon's Hollow, a fairly famous location in Golarion as the setting of several early modules.  Falcon's Hollow is a classic place for an adventuring campaign, as it's a sort of refuge for the desperate, surrounded by untamed wilderness and mysterious ruins.  The town itself has a surprisingly dark history, while its present-day domination by the Lumber Consortium (headed by a fully statted NPC, Thuldrin Kreed) means it's definitely not a forgettable, sedate little town--this is the sort of "home base" that ensures the danger and excitement aren't just had once the PCs are off adventuring.  The write-up is great, with tons of flavourful description and bits of intrigue I could see as the basis for hours of game-time.  If I had to pick just one town in the book to use for a new campaign, it would be Falcon's Hollow.

Ilsurian, the third town in the bunch, is the one I've used most as both a minor part of Rise of the Runelords and as the setting for the Murder's Mark module.  (indeed, it was for the former reason that I bought this book to begin with!)  Ilsurian is a town of proud, independent folk who work hard to avoid falling under the control of any of the larger city-states in Varisia.  It's notably racially intolerant of ethnic (nomadic) Varisians, however, which creates some good role-playing opportunities.  The entry here is a bit dry, but it does provide some adventure hooks involving thieves guilds, shiver (a narcotic) distribution, skulks, and so forth.  There are some spoilers for Murder's Mark, so GMs shouldn't allow players to read the whole entry.  The major NPC detailed is Genthus Duggern, a sort of political propagandist hoping to return Ilsurian to its former glory; I don't think the concept really comes across well as a threat to PCs.

For something completely different, take a look at the fourth town: Pezzack.  Pezzack is a city under siege, as it has rebelled and tried to break away from the devil-loving country of Cheliax!  The reader is thrust right into the the middle of the action, as there are loyalists, insurgents, strix (!), spies, assassinations, tons of story seeds and adventure hooks, and everything else needed to make the liberation of Pezzack the focus of a very memorable campaign.  A storyline involving Pezzack would be a natural fit for GMs interested in politics, espionage, and other themes a bit more sophisticated than the traditional "kill the monsters and take their stuff" approach to gaming.

Solku, the fifth town, is a fortress bastion in the deserts of Katapesh that serves as a major stopover for caravans.  Due to the omnipresent danger of gnoll armies, the town has a major military function and is home to a prominent contingent of priests and paladins of Sarenrae.  The locations detailed within Solku are done really well, and I think it would make a solid staging area for campaigns focussed on Indiana Jones-style "expeditions into desert ruins."  It's also the first one we've seen that has a more "Middle Eastern" than "Western" aesthetic, and it's good to show off the diversity that Golarion has to offer.

The final entry is for Trunau, a town with an epic backstory as home to the lone human hold-outs in territory long since overrun by orcs.  With each resident sworn never to flee or surrender, the town is in constant danger of being destroyed, but the shared danger (and isolation) also brings a real sense of community that comes across well in the entry.  When you need a place for the PCs to really love and care about, Trunau could be a good choice.  (or, if you want to tell a story about trying to find glimmers of hope in the face of despair, a storyline where Trunau finally falls could be suitably tragic).

Before moving on, I should go ahead and discuss the artwork.  The featured NPC in each entry gets a full-figure illustration, but the other artwork (aside from the opening drawing of the town itself) are just head-shots of particular NPCs.  It's frankly pretty bland from an art design perspective, and this is one area of the book that could have been improved.  On the other hand, the maps are uniformly clear and easy to use.

This is definitely a book for GMs, as players will not find new character options.  On the whole, I think Towns of the Inner Sea achieves its intended purpose--towns like Falcon's Hollow, Pezzack, and Trunau would all make memorable settings for a campaign.  With so much of the setting work already taken care of, the GM can focus on role-playing and coming up with great adventures.  I wish there were subsequent volumes of this book devoted to some of the more exotic locales in Golarion (even beyond the Inner Sea).  Still, as long as any of these towns are of interest, a GM will get their money's worth from this book.

Pathfinder Map Pack Storage Box [RPG]

The Map Pack Storage Box is one of those products that will seem ridiculous to a lot of people, but, for collectors like me, they're great!  The reason for the product's existence is that many of the earlier Pathfinder Map Packs just came shrink-wrapped--which is fine when front-facing on a store's display racks, but problematic once opened: how do you keep them together and how do you display them so you know what you have at a glance at your shelves?  The Map Pack Storage Boxes are solutions for this problem and are similar to the cardboard boxes used in later Map Packs.  Basically, each box is *just* big enough to hold the 18 tiles in a standard map pack.  There's attractive artwork on the front and room on both the front and "spine" to write the name of the map pack for easy sorting.  I've purchased several to help display my collection of older map packs, and I think they work well.  I have noted some discussion on the Paizo forums that not every map pack fits nicely into the box; I haven't had any problems, but it's worth flagging just in case.  So, from one perspective spending $ 2.99 for a single empty cardboard box barely bigger than a slim paperback novel is silly; but from the collector's perspective, it's a small price to pay!

Pathfinder Map Pack: Starship Corridors [RPG]

I have to admit that there is truth in advertising when it comes to the Starship Corridors map pack.  All 18 tiles contain corridors (in a "dirty/old grey steel" aesthetic) with a variety of configurations--straight lines, four-way junctions, elbow bends, etc. A few of the tiles have something different: one is lined with (what I think are) spacesuits, another couple have computers or ladders going upwards, and one has an exterior door adjacent to a forest scene.  Although there's nothing wrong with the set per se (and it makes a good companion for the Starship Chambers pack), using this set isn't really going to be any better than just drawing some roughly parallel lines on a blank grid.  True, the tiles are more attractive, but setting them up in exactly the right configuration (and keeping them from sliding around) is probably more time-consuming than it's worth.  (at least, that's been my experience the couple of times I've used them.) I'd label them as "fine, but inessential."

Pathfinder Map Pack: Starship Chambers [RPG]

Starship Chambers is an interesting Pathfinder Map Pack.  Released back in 2014, long before Starfinder was a thing, the map pack was designed much more around an "ancient, crashed starship discovered by fantasy adventurers" aesthetic (influenced by the Iron Gods Pathfinder AP).  By this, I mean that the starship chambers are intentionally dimly lit, dirty, and full of wrecked equipment.  The 18 5x8' tiles can be combined to make a starship bridge, crew quarters, med bay, cargo hold, and a couple of other chambers that I don't immediately recognize.  The chambers have a lot of nice detail--rust stains, exposed wiring, debris on the ground, etc.  I also appreciate how each chamber has connections to the corridor sections.  In regards to the several corridor sections (the packaging calls the "maintenance catwalks") though, again showing the original design, they and some of the other tiles contain trees next to them as if explorers stumbled over the ship in the forest.

All in all, there's nothing wrong with the concept of Starship Chambers as long as you're expecting Warhammer 40k "grim and gritty" starship chambers as opposed to Star Trek style "sleek and gleaming" architecture.  The map pack is done in the same style as another one, Starship Corridors, so they're a natural pairing.

Rise of the Runelords Recap # 46 [RPG]

[19 Kuthona 4707 continued]

The adventurers pause at the sign indicating the direction of Fort Rannick because a minor problem has sprung up: Kozen is sick.  Days travelling through the cold and rain have led to her catching a severe cold, and rather than continue on, the group decides it would be best if she (and Taz) stayed behind and built a fire and campsite while everyone else scouts ahead.

The others then continue on, finding themselves travelling along a wide valley that runs along the southern edge of the mountains that separate Kreegwood to the south from the Storval Deep to the north.  The landscape is rugged and desolate as they advance, with the thick fog making it hard to see far in the distance.  Before long, the adventurers catch a terrible stench on the wind.  Strange shapes hanging from trees swing and creak, but only when the adventurers cautiously approach do they realize there are dozens of corpses hung from branches, the bodies impaled with gigantic rusty hooks like meat awaiting a butcher’s block.  Sir Roderick recognizes the torn, bloody clothing on some of the bodies as the type that Fort Rannick’s rangers would wear, and already the mystery of the fort’s silence seems partially solved.   Goragar speculates the rangers were killed by giants. Shalelu lingers to inspect the face of each corpse before continuing on, seemingly unsatisfied.

The adventurers make out the outline of a fortification a few hundred yards further west. Only a general impression can be gained in the dense fog: a large, walled fort nestled at the base of two sheer cliff sides.  The sound of rushing water attests to the presence of a waterfall nearby.  Although it’s the middle of the afternoon, the fog, rain, and sudden appearance of lightning in the sky make for an ominous portent.  The adventurers decide that Artemis, Kang, and Shalelu should stealthily move ahead to investigate further (relying on the fog to provide concealment from any sentinels), while Goragar and Sir Roderick stay behind.  The three scouts approach from the east and see that a small stream serves as something of a moat around the castle’s 15-foot-tall walls.  A bridge spans the stream and leads to a pair of battered double-doors.  On a parapet above the gate, an ogre scrubs at a human skull, happily singing to himself!

Fort Rannick in happier times.

Kang whispers that they need to figure out the layout of the fort without alerting the guard.  Shalelu whispers for him to be extremely cautious, as there could be dozens of ogres inside.  Kang nods and drinks extracts to turn himself invisible and provide flight.  Artemis chooses an isolated section of the outer wall to scale.  The distracted ogre notices neither.  Kang silently flies through the fort and is able to gather a rough idea of its layout: the walls have an eastern gate and a southern portcullis; stables are near the east gate; a crumbling guard post sits at the bottom of a narrow, blocked path up the mountain to the north; a mouth-watering scent attests to a cookhouse further south; a large wooden building (probably a barracks) is visible to the southwest; and to the northwest, an inner wall protects a stone keep.  Kang makes sure the building nearest the east gate (the stables) are empty before returning to the other scouts and relaying what he’s seen. 

The trio discuss how to quietly kill the ogre guard and decide that Shalelu should go fetch Goragar and Sir Roderick.  Once assembled, the adventurers settle on a rough plan that involves killing the ogre and then occupying its position so that a height advantage will be gained on any ogres that respond. 

Ogres are some of the smallest giant-kin,
but still pack a whallop!

 Artemis begins the operation by quietly scaling the wall, down the other side, and then back up right behind the ogre!  Noticing that the ogre’s greatclub is leaning against the wall, Artemis takes it and silently places it inside his magical backpack.  He tries to reduce the ogre’s combat effectiveness even more by stealing the small giant’s javelins, but grabs a buttock instead!  The ogre lets out with a yelp and turns to confront his assailant.  Artemis jumps off the parapet, falling slowly thanks to a magical ring, and Kang flies him to safety.  Meanwhile, Sir Roderick takes careful aim with his musket and shoots the ogre in the back!  The sound of the gunshot echoes through the valley as Shalelu fires a pair of arrows to finish off the lone sentinel of the east gate.  With the entire fort alerted, the adventurers fall back to a nearby copse of trees and adopt a confused succession of plans before running away piecemeal just as the ogre’s reinforcements arrive.  Fog makes pursuit impossible, and the adventurers escape to plan another raid.

The adventurers decide that this time, they’ll approach from the southern side with the goal of crossing the bridge, stealthily moving east along the wall, and then scaling an isolated portion of it.  Knowing that Goragar’s lack of natural grace and heavy armor makes moving quietly difficult, Artemis gives everyone tips on how to avoid making noise.  The second plan is good enough to get the adventurers across the bridge and just before the iron portcullis, but as they turn east, a spike from Goragar’s armor scrapes against the wall and causes a loud screech.  Excited babble in Giant language can be heard from just above, and then a trio of ogres jump down ready for battle!

Many ogres prefer these cruel weapons.

The resulting fracas is brutal, bloody, and confused.  Due to the fog, Artemis, Shalelu, and Sir Roderick find it difficult to pick out targets.  Goragar kills one ogre quickly.  Kang flies close enough to hurl a bomb that, although it bounces away from where he intended, is still enough to kill another.  He pays a price, though, as the third ogre is more heavily armed and armored than his peers (and, oddly enough, features a missing lower jaw to which dead minks have been attached!).  This third ogre impales Kang with a massive hook, and the tiefling is lucky to live long enough to retreat.  Artemis pinpoints the surviving ogre’s position and lets loose a volley of arrows that cause the monstrous creature to bleed profusely.  Goragar stands his ground and matches the massive ogre blow for blow, and it’s the ogre who collapses first!  The adventurers hear the sound of reinforcements and know that ogres on the other side of the wall are raising the portcullis, but they decide to keep fighting.  Goragar steps into position and assumes a battle stance just as the first wave of ogres rush out!

Clearly, Fort Rannick and the Order of the Black Arrows have fallen to an ogre army.  But how, after all these years, did the fort fall to familiar enemies?  And can the adventurers survive a frontal attack by the savage forces it now contains?

-------------------------------------------------

Director's Commentary (June 3, 2018)

This session sees the PCs make their first approach to Fort Rannick.  I tried to play up the increasingly grotesque scene.  Of crucial importance to the whole sequence of events that follows in this and the next session is the randomly rolled weather: fog!  The PCs were able to get quite close and even scout some of the interior of the fort's courtyard.  They could have done some interesting things, but then when they tried to approach en masse, critical fumbles on Stealth checks were their undoing.  Still, the thick fog was to their advantage as they made their stand at the entrance to the keep.  Next session, we'll see whether this crazy idea (taking on the entire ogre army at once!) was successful or not.