Pathfinder Tales: "Mother Bears" [RPG]

 NO SPOILERS

Mother Bears is a three-part series of free Pathfinder web fiction available on the Paizo website here.  It features characters that would later appear in the Pathfinder Tales novel Skinwalkers.  The web fiction has some interesting characters and good action scenes, though ultimately it's pretty forgettable.  Still, it's free and short, so worth reading just before reading the novel for some additional background.

SPOILERS!

Set on an island in the rough-and-tumble Ironbound Archipelago, Mother Bears involves a woman named Jendara and her preteen son Kran.  Kran is mute but brave, and goes missing when he's taunted by other kids on the island to venture into abandoned pirate caves alone.  Realising her son is missing, Jendara springs into action to find him with the help of Vorrin, a ship captain.  The island is already in an uproar over a goblin raid, and it turns out a goblin dog is in the cave that Kran entered!  Everything ends well, but there's not a lot (other than the setting) that is particularly distinctive compared to other Pathfinder stories.

Pathfinder Society Faction Pin: "Liberty's Edge" [RPG]

With my randomly-rolled gnome Jilla now in operation, I have my first Liberty's Edge character..  This faction pin has a classic winged-sword motif and sports the colors of Andoran's Eagle Knights, which makes perfect sense.  To me, the symbol's design is one of the strongest among PFS factions.   I haven't actually worn it, but like all the PFS faction pins, it looks pretty sturdy with two strong clasps to keep it in place.  The back of the card it comes attached to has a lengthy but well-written description of the faction. There may be irony in the fact that the pin for a faction devoted to liberty is made in China, but I guess that's neither here nor there.

Curse of the Crimson Throne Recap # 37 [RPG]

[Sunday, 14 Sarenith 4708 A.R.]

While searching for clues as to Rolth Lamm’s whereabouts, Goldcape and Rocky are attacked over the skies of South Shore by flocks of undead ravens!  Goldcape shouts for help to her allies on the ground far below, and sends an electrified arrow from her new magical bow into the mass.  She tries to escape the nauseating creatures by having Rocky do a sharp turn, but the bird can’t quite manage it.  Suddenly, hundreds of the mystically-animated rotting birds are all over them, pecking at every unprotected area of their flesh!  Anorak tries to assist by sending magical spheres of force at the storm of carrion, but there’s just too many of them.  And as The Reckoner struggles to get a wand to activate, a new danger emerges: Gray Maidens!  A patrol has seen the battle in the sky and matched it to a sketch of Goldcape.  Now the vanara faces the additional danger of arrows bracketing her position!

In a wild mid-air flurry, Rocky manages to destroy enough of the undead ravens to break free.  With the swarm hot on their heels, Goldcape leans back and fires an arrow behind her—it bursts into an electrical discharge that disperses the rest.  Back on the ground, the Gray Maiden patrol hasn’t noticed Goldcape’s allies—a nearly fatal mistake as Anorak rains fire down on their heads!  All but one fall immediately, and The Reckoner quickly reaches the scene to finish the job.  Only one of the Gray Maidens is dead, and Goldcape patches up the unconscious, bleeding remainder.  Anorak shouts that another patrol will be on the scene in minutes, so the group flees into the Green Markets.  Zeyla Foxglove is there and recognises Goldcape from the time she assisted in laying to rest an unsettled Shoanti spirit that had been haunting the area.  Zeyla says she hasn’t seen anyone matching Rolth Lamm’s description, but she does provide the keys to a nearby sewer grate—the same one the undead ravens had been roosting in.

The sewers under South Shore (Korvosa’s newest neighbourhood) are narrow and poorly constructed.  A channel of effluvium runs down the center of each tunnel between slippery ledges.  While the others have various means to see in the total darkness, Yraelzin is forced to rely on a magical torch-like spell that will make the group easy to notice from a distance.  Goldcape puts her jungle-honed survival skills to good use, noticing faint footsteps in the muck down the eastern tunnel.  She sets up a false trail down a western tunnel in case the Gray Maidens follow the group into the sewers, and then everyone sets off.  After several minutes, Goldcape’s bat-like eyes pick up something lurking just below the surface of the sewage water almost ninety feet ahead.  She relays the information to her allies, and the group move cautiously towards it.  Once Yraelzin’s light shines over the area, a massive crocodile, clearly dead but still animate, leaps out!  Anorak reacts quickly and sends magical force missiles into the hulking thing.  But when the dwarf tries to push past Yraelzin to get closer, he slips and falls face-first in the muck.  Meanwhile, Goldcape conjures spears of ice that stab into the undead crocodile’s soft underbelly before flipping the creature over on its back!  The Reckoner then dashes forward and brings his enchanted war-maul down on the creature’s jaws, destroying it.

After several more minutes trekking through the sewers, the group reach their quarry: Rolth Lamm!  Standing between a pair of lit braziers over a hundred feet away, Rolth curls his fingers around the bars of the portcullis in front of him and cackles.  “Hello boys and girls, Uncle Rolth is back in town!  And he knows what you did!”  Goldcape taunts back that they’re going to kill him just like they did his father, and the battle begins!  She summons magical hailstones to pelt the necromancer, while Yraelzin and Anorak cause magical fiery explosions to envelop Rolth.  Rolth responds by trying to paralyse the charging Reckoner, cackling “hold that thought—I’m in the middle of something!”  But The Reckoner’s willpower is far too strong for Rolth’s paltry magic, and he shrugs it off easily.  But when The Reckoner gets close to the pool of water separating the nearest ledge from Rolth and the portcullis he’s hiding behind, dozens of undead hands crawl out of the water and toward the vigilante!  But Goldcape conjures another magical hailstorm that destroy the eerie swarm and force Rolth into a full retreat.  “It looks like the jig is up.  But I’ll see you kiddos again in Corpse-vosa soon!”  With another cackle, Rolth conjures a magical doorway, steps through it, and is gone!

The Harrowed Heroes are frustrated that Rolth has slipped through their clutches a second time.  They make it back to the surface and fly on Rocky back to the safe-house, again taking a circuitous route to avoid notice.  Conversation is had about how to track Rolth down again and battle tactics that could keep him from escaping through magic.

Late that evening, as everyone is pulling out bedrolls, The Reckoner hears a strange, surprisingly loud buzzing sound from outside.  Goldcape pulls open a shutter just a crack, and spots a grotesque abomination: something that’s a cross between a fly and a plump human infant!  Goldcape closes the shutter and informs the other that there’s an accuser devil outside—a denizen of Hell that can psychically record everything it sees and pass the information along to another creature by touching it.  The Reckoner suggests someone may be trying to pin-point the location of his safe-house.  The group discuss whether to just stay inside and avoid the risk of detection, or confront the creature.  A somewhat-confused plan emerges to slip out back- and side-doors and then lure the creature into battle at a nearby alley.  The Reckoner moves noiselessly into position and then calls out loudly “Hey blowfly!”  The buzzing winged thing flies over, but at a height that foils The Reckoner’s planned ambush.  Goldcape and Anorak use lightning spells to weaken the accuser devil, forcing it to flee.  It almost gets away, but The Reckoner quickly draws his bow and shoots it with an arrow.  The creature spirals downward and then crashes into the cobblestones, dead from the fall.

Was the accuser devil near the safe-house as part of a mission, or was it just a coincidence?  With only a corpse on their hands, it may be impossible to know.
---------------------------------------
GM's Commentary

I was familiar with carrionstorms from Rise of the Runelords, and thought they'd be exactly in Rolth Lamm's wheelhouse.  They function as a swarm mechanically.  The reference to Rocky being unable to make a sharp turn is an effect of my use of the full Pathfinder rules for flying, which are cumbersome (my players don't like them) but do make flying a little more balanced while rewarding creatures with good Fly skill mods.  This encounter may be one of the last times The Reckoner fails to activate a wand; always annoyed at the risk of poor rolls messing up his combat strategy, his player pretty soon had the PC take a special ability so he could Take 10 with Use Magic Device.

Anorak's fireball was devastating on the Gray Maidens.  Blaster casters have a bad reputation in Pathfinder, but against a large group of foes with low Reflex saves, they can be pretty effective.

I enjoyed the sewers parts.  I was aided by an excellent map pack and the hardcover collection's random encounter tables, plus my "Sewers Terrain Cheat Sheet" that summarises material from the Core Rulebook.

I may have leaned too heavily into making Rolth a Joker-like figure in this session.  I loved the "Corpse-vosa" line (but doubt I made it up myself--it may have come from one of the audio CDs).  His penchant for escaping just as they're closing in frustrated the players, which is exactly what Rolth would have wanted.

We always say The Reckoner has only one weakness: ranged combat.  But here, he takes down a foe with a bow and arrow!

Starfinder Flip-Mat: "Dead World" [RPG]

The Dead World flip-mat features the usual advantages of Paizo flip-mats: wet & dry erase, 1-inch squares, and a good size.  

One side of the mat presents some city streets after some huge natural disaster or cataclysmic war.  There's an impressive amount of nicely-detailed destruction--several collapsed buildings, crashed ground vehicles, and debris scattered everywhere.  Interestingly, on a closer look, there are a couple of chambers actively being used as survival shelters (with lit campfires)--this might limit the use of this side a little depending on what the GM is trying to set up.

I've had a couple of opportunities to use the other side (in both a Starfinder Society scenario and as a dragon graveyard for a Pathfinder module) and I really like it.  It's a blasted, obviously toxic landscape complete with giant skeletons, chasms, poisonous gas, chemical pools, and more.  The description on the packaging labels this side "a planet inhabited by the undead", but apart from a few faintly visible skulls in the gas clouds, I don't necessarily see that element--but that's probably good, because it's more flexible without it.

Overall, I think this was a well-done mat, as lots of games could include a wasteland and a ruined city.

Pathfinder Module: "Masks of the Living God" [RPG]

 NO SPOILERS

 Masks of the Living God

is the second part of the “Price of Immortality” trilogy (along with Curse of the Everflame and City of Golden Death).  The connection between the three parts is pretty small, however, so players won’t be disadvantaged with this middle adventure if they haven’t played the first part.  Designed for third level characters, I ran it via play-by-post for Pathfinder Society credit.

 There are two things I really like about the module.  First, since the cover gives it away, I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say the story involves the Church of Razmir.  All Hail the Living God!  The module was obviously written by a heretic and blasphemer as the Church is likened to a “cult” and accused of nefarious practices like thievery and protection schemes, but nonetheless I’m excited to see one of my favourite groups in Golarion get the spotlight.  Second, speaking of spotlights, it’s a rare adventure that really allows sneaky characters to shine all the way through.  Characters skilled in Bluff, Disguise, Stealth, and Sleight of Hand are far more valuable throughout most of the adventure than a pouncing barbarian would be.  When you’ve played and run a lot of Pathfinder, it’s a breath of fresh air to see some other elements of gameplay come to the fore.

 If I have one knock against the module, it’s the artwork.  Although the cover is great, the interior artwork features a couple of pieces that are downright embarrassing: most importantly, the “boss” of the module looks laughably distorted in height.  The new creature introduced in an appendix is also pretty silly looking.  Most of the “cinematic art” of Iconics getting themselves in trouble is below par.  Fortunately, the maps and a few headshots of key NPCs are fine.

 I’d certainly recommend the module, especially for players who can be patient and GMs who can handle freeform-style reasonably well.

 SPOILERS!

 Prior to the beginning of Crypt of the Everflame, a Razmiri priestess named Iramine stole two parts of a tripartite magical amulet from the eponymous tomb in the town of Kassen (awakening spirits and causing the trouble that led to the PCs being called in to help).  Subsequently, again off-screen, Iramine gathered a large team of her fellow devotees of the Living God from the temple of Tamran in Nirmathas and set off on an expedition (that will terminate in City of Golden Death).  The plot of Mask of the Living God involves the PCs infiltrating that temple in Tamran and learning of Iramine’s journey.  In other words, the PCs are fated to always be one step behind until the end.

The module starts in Kassen (location of Crypt of the Everflame), where the PCs’ handler, Cygar, says he’s arranged a barge to take them to Tamran to continue following the cultists’ trail.  I liked that the barge journey along the river and coast of Lake Encarthan isn’t hand-waved, and that there’s the possibility of random encounters (my PCs lucked out and the dice came in their favour) and one fixed encounter against Molthuni privateers.  The dead of night ship-to-ship combat was set up well, even if one of the PCs (a classic nagaji bloodrager) wiped the floor with the foes.

Once in Tamran, the PCs meet up with their local Pathfinder contact, a man named Reginar Lacklan.  Reginar confirms that a group of Razmirans returned from Kassen some days previously.  He says the Temple of Razmir in the city is protected like a fortress, and that it has influence with several local city guards.  This all points to a frontal attack or break-in as impractical.  Instead, Reginar suggests the PCs infiltrate the cult by being inducted as initiate members!  If they agree, Reginar makes a plan to meet the group a week later to find out what they’ve learned about the stolen amulet parts.  He’s also keen for them to gather proof of the cult’s illegal activities in Tamran so he can get the authorities to shut it down.

 The heart of the module is the PCs’ experiences as undercover initiates in the cult.  After being drugged (or beaten) to unconsciousness at a recruitment meeting, the PCs will wake up stripped of all their gear in a basement cell.  After 24 hours without food, their indoctrination begins.  The module does a great job detailing a daily routine designed to lower initiates’ emotional resilience and willpower as part of a somewhat realistic portrayal of brainwashing.  The smallest rules infractions can be punished severely, all at the whim of someone higher in the hierarchy.  But at night, when the other initiates are asleep, the PCs have a chance to sneak around and start learning the secrets of the temple—and there’s plenty of danger and surprises to be found.  I particularly liked the classic “stairs turn into a slide” trap that leads to a giant snake in the basement!

 Some key NPCs help flesh out the time in the temple.  Most notably, there’s the cruel but intelligent Egarthis (the leader of the temple while Iramine is away), a bully and bruiser named Krant (the master of the initiates), and a fellow new recruit named Evlar (who might be an ally or a foe depending on how the PCs interact with him).  I wouldn’t have minded a couple of other NPCs to work with (drawn from other levels of the temple hierarchy), but overall I thought this aspect was handled well.

 An important part of the PCs’ time in the temple (apart from the daily grind designed to wear them down) is special events that the GM can insert at times they feel suitable.  There’s a crude bloodsport for Krant’s personal entertainment, the shakedown of a local baker for protection money (will the PCs go through with it or find an alternative?), and expected participation in a Temple-led pickpocketing ring (again a moral dilemma).  The events are a really good way to add some drama to the PCs’ stay in the temple, and again a couple of more would have been really good as seven days of lying low and being sneaky is a long time for players used to dungeon crawls and straightforward solutions.

 At the end of their week, the PCs need to figure out how to escape the temple to keep their planned meeting with Reginar.  Assuming they do, he tells them it’s time to take a bigger risk.  They need to slip back into the temple and breach Iramine’s private quarters on the strictly-forbidden second floor of the temple.  This doubtless leads to some combats against Egarthis, a “mask golem” (the silly-looking new monster I mentioned earlier), and potentially pretty-much the entire congregation (depending on how quickly and cleverly PCs move).  I didn’t actually pursue this part in my run, as the PCs had left incriminating clues about themselves during their escape from the temple—killing Krant and abducting Evlar just for a start—and I believed Reginar would surely know it would be suicidally foolish to send them back, plus, in real-life there were some interpersonal issues between a couple of the players that made it seem wise to start wrapping things up.  The written conclusion has the temple being razed to the ground by the Nirmathas authorities, the Church of Razmir outlawed in the country, and the Pathfinders discovering Iramine’s destination: the “City of Golden Death”!

 The freeform nature of the module made it a really fun experience to run.  It’s always exciting to see just how far the PCs can be pushed before they start pushing back (and giving themselves away), and the tension of having to stay undercover for so long (and the consequences if their deception is discovered) worked great.  I can safely say it’s unlike any other Pathfinder adventure I’ve ever played or run, and it’s an excellent example of the type of stories the system can handle if the writer thinks outside the box of “encounter-encounter-encounter” a little. 

 According to the holy words of divine Razmir, there are 39 steps to wealth and glory.  Take the first step now by experiencing Masks of the Living God today!

Starfinder Society Scenario # 2-11: "Descent Into Verdant Shadow" [RPG]

NO SPOILERS

Descent Into Verdant Shadow is a meaty scenario that should really test some PCs (and the GM!).  The setting is interesting and original, and the encounters involve an excellent mix of role-playing, skills, and combat.  It's not a scenario for when the group is in a rush or the GM hasn't had time to prepare, and the final encounter especially takes up a lot of the GM's mental bandwidth.  But I still enjoyed running it, and would recommend playing it, especially for PCs with an ecological bent.  I ran it at subtier 5-6 via play-by-post using the four-player adjustment.

SPOILERS!

The planet Aballon is known for its sprawling cities that cover most of the planet, teeming with countless anacites.  But there are a few pockets of wilderness remaining, most notably the Ice Wells--deep chasms caused by ancient meteor strikes that contain half-frozen primordial jungles.  The Ice Wells are under the protection of the Xenowardens, and the Starfinder Society has always been refused permission to send an expedition team to explore them.  Until now--because a strange sickness has started affecting the flora and fauna in one of the Ice Wells called the Gullet.  But this is a closely held secret, and as far as the SFS knows, they've simply been offered a guided tour of the Gullet so the Xenowardens can evaluate their ability to navigate the delicate ecoystem without causing damage.  

In a briefing with the unimpressed Venture-Captain Naiaj (she thinks the Xenowardens are "glorified eco-terrorists"), the PCs are introduced to their guide: a khizar (mobile plant creature) named Hemlock.  Hemlock talks like a half-stoned surfer dude, and I had the best time role-playing them!  For the first part of the scenario, they act as a guide and evaluate the PCs (using a positive/negative tally system that affects scenario success conditions).  But in the second half of the scenario, they become righteously angry and start flame-throwing stuff! (at least, that's how I played them)  I would love to see Hemlock again in a future scenario.

Descending into the Gullet, even with cables and harnesses, isn't easy, as the walls are icy and pretty soon it becomes completely dark.  The four PCs in my game were all surprisingly good at Athletics, but a PC who neglected that skill would get banged up pretty good.  On a couple of occasions during the descent, Hemlock points out some rare plant specimens and encourages the PCs to take some samples.  However, Hemlock is secretly testing to see whether the PCs can harvest them properly and whether the PCs know enough to only take a few and not strip the cliffside bare.  It's a clever way to test both the PCs' skill and their restraint.  Further down the descent (which take a few days in total), the PCs are attacked by a sharpwing (a predatory bird with eyes on its wings) that seems to be suffering from some sort of sickness.  The scenario rewards the PCs if they can avoid killing the creature outright, but I think it overlooks the fact that (for some reason) sharpwings are immune to nonlethal damage--which makes taking it alive a difficult thing to achieve.

After examining the sharpwing and some plantlife in a nearby cavern, the Hemlock and the PCs will swiftly realize that a mystical disease ("monochromatic sickness") is spreading through the ecosystem and threatening its viability.  Enraged that the Gullet is in danger, Hemlock flips a switch and turns from a peaceful hippy guide to a dedicated ecowarrior, demanding the PCs help discover the cause of the disease.  Moving further into the cavern, the PCs will have to get past some tenebrous worms, a carnivorous plant called a vracinea, and some gremlins who have captured a ravai (a sort of humanoid-grasshopper fey that are embodiments of the sun and healing) named Radiance.  Assuming Radiance is rescued alive, they'll be able to explain the cause of the disease: the planar walls between the Material Plane and the Shadow Plane are thin in this area of the Gullet, and a svaltalfar fey from the Shadow Plane named Iziphis (awesome pic!) has slipped through.  Iziphis is constructing a machine to power a permanent portal between the two dimensions, and this monochromatic sickness is a side effect.

The final battle has a *lot* of moving pieces for the GM to deal with.  In addition to Iziphis and her gloomwing mount (flying rules!), there are two full-fledged NPC allies to run (Hemlock and Radiance), the changing round-by-round hazardous environmental effects of the machine, and complex/confusing terrain to adjudicate.  PCs who can't fly may also find it a bit of a slog to even get into the battle.  I think in my run-through, Radiance ended up doing most of the damage to Iziphis.  Even with my usual prep, I found it a challenging encounter to run, and I certainly wouldn't recommend trying to improv it.

All in all though, Descent Into Verdant Shadow was an interesting and memorable scenario that makes great use of the setting and challenges both the players and the GM.  I'd highly recommend it for experienced gamers.

Pathfinder Society Scenario # 6-15: "The Overflow Archives" [RPG]

NO SPOILERS

I got to play The Overflow Archives via play-by-post with one of my favorite new PCs, Jilla.  The scenario is very light-hearted in tone (bordering on silly), and apart from an emphasis on riddles, could be good for younger players.  There's plenty of opportunities for role-playing throughout, and the internal artwork is excellent.  From recollection, the encounters weren't difficult--the challenge was figuring out what was causing a particular problem and how to solve it.  The scenario wasn't really to my taste, but I had still had a good time (and it happened to suit Jilla's personality perfectly). 
 

SPOILERS!

The Overflow Archives introduces an eponymous outbuilding on the grounds of the Grand Lodge in Absalom.  The in-game Overflow Archives is a repository for all the ancient tomes and obscure scrolls that Pathfinders have brought back from their adventures but that the main library in the Grand Lodge hasn't had a chance to examine and catalog yet.  I really like the concept (it reminds me a bit of a fantasy-version of Warehouse 13), and I could see plenty of future scenarios premised on discoveries made within it.  

What's important for present purposes is that a Pathfinder initiate named Virml snuck into the Overflow Archives on a nighttime dare, and while puttering around inside grabbed an old scroll off a shelf and read an old riddle-poem from it.  Instead of summoning some awful demon (hey, I've seen Buffy!), a kitsune trickster named Caught was released from centuries of extradimensional imprisonment for offending fey riddlers back in the Age of Anguish.  The scroll promptly tore into six pieces, Caught locked Virml in an old (giant) bird cage, and shapechanged to look like him.  After using some pieces of the scroll to summon some guardians (and distractions), Caught plans to figure out how to open a portal between the First World and the Material Plane.  (which, if you've played # 9-14: Down the Verdant Path, you know could be a problem!)

The PCs come into the picture when they're summoned in the middle of the night by a very irate Kreighton Shaine (Master of Scrolls), an opportunistic Paracountess Zarta Dralneen (the Dark Archive faction leader), and a sodden and ashamed-looking Virml (secretly Caught in disguise!).  Shaine explains that somehow the Overflow Archives are flooding, and the PCs' job is to investigate and put a stop to it.  I like to think that if I were an amazingly-powerful spellcaster and a valuable repository of books and scrolls were being destroyed in a flood, I might investigate it immediately myself instead of waiting while several others are summoned and briefed to do so.  Maybe Shaine suffers from hydrophobia?  I like how, during the briefing, all three interrupt and talk over one another--could be fun to handle as the GM.  Also, in a touch I really like, Zarta Dralneen gives a secret mission to any PCs who are members of the Dark Archive: to steal and turn over to her personally a copy of a dangerous tome named The Darklands Precepts.  I still like the idea of faction missions, and this one is done well as the book has a cool concept and some interesting magical protections.

Once inside, the immediate source of the flooding will be obvious: a giant talking magical fish is squirting water out of its mouth!  Although Jilla's suggestion was to hit the giant talking fish with her rolling pin, the scenario doesn't advise combat against a CR 5 grodair.  Instead, "Mistress Koi" (one of the guardians of the extradimensional prison) explains about the fugitive kitsune and says if all six pieces of the scroll are brought to her, its magic can recapture him--and in exchange, she'll remove all the water she's released.  Importantly, Mistress Koi has a poor memory and can't remember the kitsune's name, but only by speaking his true name can the reassembled scroll open the doorway to the extradimensional prison.

The rest of the scenario has the PCs exploring the flooded building look to assemble all six pieces of the scroll.  There are some really funny gathlains "fishing" from atop a bookcase (great RP potential), some voidworms to do battle with (dangerous because of their confusion ability), the real Virml to rescue from some tooth fairies (I did cringe a bit here, as they've removed most of his teeth with pliers!), and Caught, who has changed his disguise to look like Kreighton Shaine--I for one was fooled!  All of the creatures are stylised to resemble the subjects of the riddle-poem.

Assuming the PCs recover the pieces of the scroll, catch Caught, and return to Mistress Koi, they then just need to figure out the kitsune's true name.  This doesn't actually require solving the riddle itself (which is good, because the "answer" is arguable and probably unfair); instead, there's an acrostic the players can discover if they get all six pieces assembled in order (the GM *has* to remember to remove the numbering from the handouts, otherwise it'll be a snap).  Once that's done, everything is put right.  Except for the waterlogged books and scrolls, which the scenario doesn't seem to think is a very big deal because they can just be "recopied".  I suspect the writer isn't familiar with how flood damage can irretrievably destroy books, but let's just assume some magical protections were put on the library and someone will spam mending, I guess.

Overall, if you're in the mood for something light or need an adventure that shouldn't stress anyone out (apart from the tooth fairies!), The Overflow Archives could be what you're looking for.  

Curse of the Crimson Throne Recap # 36 [RPG]

 [31 Desnus 4708 A.R. to 12 Sarenith 4708 A.R.]

Under the reign of Queen Ileosa, every day in Korvosa brings word of a strange—or ominous—development.  No party has claimed responsibility for the coordinated burning of three of the city’s granaries, food has become more expensive in the city, and sporadic rioting is commonplace.  But the Queen seems little concerned by the unrest, and her increasingly heavy-handed and numerous patrols of the Gray Maidens enforce her bizarre dictates like a new law prohibiting any other woman from wearing green dresses resembling her favourite style!  The Queen has also taken steps to further cement her symbolic power over Korvosa, as the city mint has begun circulating new coins that all bear her image on one side and her new crown on the other.  When older coins come into the bank, they’re melted down and re-cast. Other actions are more mysterious in their purpose, such as a royal decree authorising the Temple of Asmodeus to collect a vial of blood from every resident or the dismantling of the Great Tower (former home to the now-disbanded Sable Company) for stone blocks to be used in a major new construction project. 

But Ileosa’s ascendance to the throne have had more than purely internal effects.  The city is abuzz with word that she has withdrawn Korvosa from the tentative military alliance it had with Magnimar and Riddleport to coordinate the defense of Varisia from the surprisingly-sophisticated giant armies of the northern Kodar mountains.  Scattered reports indicate the invaders have moved far enough south to besiege the Hold of Belkzen and have sent scouting parties even further!

For the Harrowed Heroes, the days after their rescue of Castle Korvosa’s former seneschal, Neolandus Kalepopolis, and fencing academy instructor Vencarlo Orisini are filled with preparations for a planned trip to the Cinderlands.  Their ability to move around the city is constricted by the need to avoid spies, patrols, and agents of the various enemies they’ve made in recent months.  In the face of mounting pressure, the decision to leave the city for a brief period seems especially wise.

Yraelzin accepts a position as Chaplain to House Arkona, and remains out of view of the public (and any inquisitors from Razmiran that may be looking to speak with him).  It seems that Glorio Arkona is endlessly amused by Yraelzin’s preaching.  The only drawback to the priest’s plan is the lack of access to a substantial amount of gold he had hidden in his aborted “Temple of Razmir”.

After the days spent in Old Korvosa, Goldcape checks on Old Lady Cloggins and is happy to see she is safe in her repaired home.  The Giotorris, whom Goldcape stayed with for some time recently, are also well.  However, Rodolfo has decided to abandon his toy shop in Old Korvosa due to how dangerous it is there, and instead sell his wares from a small cart closer to home.  The vanara spends several days in libraries researching Shoanti and the Cinderlands. During one such visit, she meets with a well-disguised and extremely-cautious Vencarlo.  He explains that he and Neolandus are leaving Korvosa for the time being—it’s just too dangerous with the Queen’s Gray Maidens and the Red Mantis assassins after them.  He tells Goldcape that they’ll be heading to Blackbird Ranch outside of Harse, a property owned by a trusted old friend from his adventuring days.  It’s clear Vencarlo doesn’t like being forced out of the city he loves, but knows that escorting Neolandus to safety is the honourable thing.  He makes a special note of asking Goldcape in particular to visit him at the ranch when she and her companions have finished their mission to the Cinderlands.  He doesn’t explain why, but just mentions he thinks Goldcape has an important part to play in the city’s future.

Anorak has used his favour from Glorio Arkona to gain a small workshop in Old Korvosa, as well as enough raw materials to begin some crafting of magical items.  He starts with an enchanted jacket that can store the infused power of a potion for hours!  One day while working, he receives a visitor: a strange, bald, almost bug-eyed man named Mortimont.  With unsettling mannerisms and word choices, Mortimont explains that he’s opened up a bakery across the street in an old toy shop, and has a favour to ask.  He produces a lockbox made out of an unusual, dark green metal with clasps that look like claws, and asks if Anorak is willing to keep it for him temporarily in exchange for a handsome fee.  Anorak is understandably suspicious, but Mortimont refuses to divulge the contents of the box or who might be looking for it—though he does emphasise that it should never, on any account, be opened.  When Mortimont’s offered fee is over 900 gold pieces, Anorak reluctantly agrees.

Concerned about how much Meliya Arkona’s spy (carried around unwittingly by Goldcape for months) has discovered, The Reckoner moves his safe-house to a new location in Old Korvosa.  He hits the streets for some information on Thousand Bones (the Shoanti shaman the group plans to visit at the Kallow Mounds in the Cinderlands), and practices combat tactics with Goldcape and Rocky.  He also (with funds provided by Glorio) commissions the manufacture of an expensive suit of armor from the craftsmen at the Stalwart Shield, but the intricate work involved in creating it means it won’t be completed by the time the others could be ready to leave the city.  He does succeed in finding Majenko, the house drake who swore to aid The Reckoner for a year and a day, and learns Majenko has been targeted multiple times by swarms of undead ravens, each time barely managing to escape with his life. 

Before The Reckoner can investigate further, he receives a hidden message through a pre-arranged system with Cressida Kroft, Field Marshal of the Korvosan Guards.  The message asks The Reckoner to come alone to the paupers’ cemetery area of the Gray District.  The Reckoner is wary it could be a trap, but Kroft really is there waiting for him.  She leads The Reckoner into the very same warren of tunnels he and his allies once cleared of Rolth Lamm’s derro allies while searching for the corpse of a Shoanti brave.  Crates full of food, water, and weapons are on display, and space has been made to house dozens.  “Welcome to the resistance,” Kroft says, explaining that it’s become clear that trying to resist Ileosa’s cruel reign through open and lawful means is futile.  Kroft says she’s planning something big, something that will strike at the heart of Ileosa’s power, but she won’t reveal what it is until the time is right.  She distinguishes her efforts from Grau Soldado’s “rabble-rousing” in the Shingles which, she says, will only lead to violent repercussions.  But to ensure The Reckoner and his allies have a chance to take part in what she’s planning, she needs the ability to contact him wherever he is and at any time.

She beckons a figure hiding in the shadows to come forward, and introduces the woman as Bishop Keppira d’Bear, High Priestess of the Church of Pharasma in Korvosa.  Kroft says that d’Bear is the only member of the resistance with the spellcasting prowess to communicate with others at great distances, but that she needs to have seen the individual in-person first.  For her part, d’Bear explains that she’s allowed the resistance to use this subterranean area of the cemetery as their headquarters because the Queen’s cruelty make it clear she’s not fit to be monarch, and the revelations that she’s consorted with the Cult of Urgathoa are damning.

But before he leaves, The Reckoner asks a question that the other two hadn’t considered: what happens if the resistance is successful in overthrowing the Queen?  Who would replace her?  Kroft is embarrassed to admit she hasn’t thought that far ahead, but The Reckoner says it’s crucial—otherwise, a manipulative aristocrat like Glorio Arkona could step into the void.  Kroft promises to work on the problem, and says that d’Bear will be in contact when the time is right for the next step in her plan—though it may be some days or even weeks, because the resistance may only get one chance.

[Starday, 13 Sarenith 4708 A.R.]

After several days spent separately on errands and preparation, the Harrowed Heroes reunite at The Reckoner’s new safe-house in Old Korvosa.  In his real identity as Ralph Blackfeather, he relates what he’s heard about the two separate resistance groups in the city, while Anorak talks about the mysterious lockbox, Goldcape shows off a new magical bow enchanted to look like a lute, and Yraelzin proclaims how pleased he is with his new role (despite Ralph’s warning that Glorio Arkona is a criminal).  The group discuss what’s been happening to Majenko, and the zombies seemingly sent to attack them at Arkona Palace, and conclude that Rolth Lamm is responsible.  They make a tentative decision to try to deal with the necromancer before leaving the city.

Goldcape reminds the group about the need to purchase supplies for the journey such as food and a new, custom-made saddle that can (uncomfortably!) seat all four members on Rocky’s back.  After collecting contributions, she leaves the safe-house through a backdoor into an alley and flies Rocky via a circuitous route into the Midland District, avoiding Gray Maiden patrols.  In the shops at Eodred’s Walk, she buys rations, tries (but fails) to trick Jope Chantsmo at Trapper’s Hole into believing she’s someone else, and gets a dubious Harrow reading full of predictions of doom and gloom from an old lady at a stall.  She then visits Old Lady Cloggins and stashes some gold safely in her home.

Meanwhile, Ralph and Yraelzin agree to take a look at the mysterious box Anorak has been paid to hide in his workshop.  Ralph takes a look at the lock on the box and notes it’s high-quality, and although he might be able to pick it, it could very well be trapped.  He suggests finding out more from this baker, Mortimont, about what the box contains.  The three hatch a plan that involves Anorak distracting Mortimont by going in the front door of his shop while Yraelzin and Ralph snoop around the shop’s back door.  The back door is secured by an almost suspiciously high-quality lock, and when Ralph tries to pick it, his hand begins to freeze and turn black!  He rubs it vigorously to get the blood flowing to it and decides not to tempt fate again.  He and Yraelzin join Anorak in the front of the normal-looking bakery, but Mortimont refuses to discuss anything about the box and instead tries to get Ralph to eat his fresh-baked croissants.  The three return to the safe-house, convinced more than ever that Mortimont must be more than he says he is, but lacking hard-proof he’s engaged in wrong-doing.

It begins raining in the afternoon as Ralph ascends to the rooftop of a nearby building and signals for Majenko to fly down.  Despite the quarantine, it seems disbanding the Sable Company has stripped  Ileosa of the ability to secure the airways—both Rocky and Majenko have been able to fly over Old Korvosa without difficulty in recent days.  Ralph collects more details from Majenko about where the flocks of undead ravens have been congregating, and realises that all of the attacks seem to originate from the South Shore district of Korvosa.  Back in the safe-house, Ralph shares what he’s learned and says the group should investigate.  Goldcape is more inclined to leave the city immediately, but is persuaded to stay a little longer.  The decision is made to head to South Shore first thing in the morning.

Goldcape manages to get a few hours’ research on Harse completed at Jeggare Library and learns that the village is an important river crossing and ranching hub in Korvosa’s hinterlands.  Yraelzin heads back to the safety of Arkona Palace, while Ralph beds down for the night in his safe-house.  Anorak figures out that by carefully focussing a spell through the lock-box’s keyhole, the tell-tale traces of powerful conjuration magic can be detected.

[Sunday, 14 Sarenith 4708 A.R.]

The next day, after some confusion and delays figuring out how to manage it, all four of the Harrowed Heroes climb onto Rocky’s back and try to settle themselves into the exotic passenger saddle.  Although Rocky is more than strong enough for the group’s combined weight, flying promises to be uncomfortable for the bird and his riders.  Goldcape again takes Rocky on a circuitous route, leaving the city from one direction, circling back, dipping into the river as a prank, and re-entering from another direction.  She drops the others off near the gate separating South Shore from the rest of the city and flies on to see if she can lure Majenko’s attackers out from hiding.  Just as the others slip past a Gray Maiden patrol, Goldcape succeeds—hundreds of ravens, somehow flying despite rotting flesh and visible skeletons, swarm into the sky from sewer grates and attack!

The plan to discover Majenko’s attackers has worked, but will Rocky and Goldcape survive it?  And will success lead the Harrowed Heroes to their goal of dealing with Rolth Lamm once and for all?

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

GM Commentary

There are a lot of little hints in this recap to plot points that will emerge in later chapters:  the collection of vials of blood from Korvosans, a massive new construction project, Vencarlo's request that Goldcape visit him after the Cinderlands, and more.  Good storytelling makes developments seem organic and well-integrated into the story (rather than coming from out of nowhere), so I always try to drop things like this in when possible.

I mentioned the coin in particular because Paizo started selling Korvosan coins!  I got one for each of the players for Christmas and attached a one-time in-game benefit to it.

The storyline involving the Army of the North (because the PCs lost in Rise of the Runelords) continues in this chapter, as we see that Ileosa's reign threatens all of Varisia.  In sessions much later (During Chapter 5), one of the PCs has a chance to get involved more directly in the political situation between the city-states.  Although the PCs didn't figure it out at the time, the burning of granaries mentioned in this session were done by an advance team of saboteurs sent by one of Karzoug's generals to soften up Korvosa.

Poor Yraelzin never did get back that gold he buried in his "temple".

Goldcape always did a great job taking advantage of Korvosa's excellent libraries and museums to research likely destinations, foes, and more.  I always try to reward smart thinking, and Goldcape's contribution to the group's success in this way is often underappreciated by the rest of the group.

Mortimont! One of my favourite homemade NPCs ever.  The picture and voice I use for him are Peter Lorre at his in his bald, bug-eyed, and creepiest persona.  With Mortimont, I can make the most innocuous requests (like trying a pastry) drive the players into rampant paranoia.  And of course, who can resist a mystery like "what's in the box?" especially when told, adamantly, never to open it.  I introduced Mortimont here because I wanted Anorak to have his own subplot to help develop his personality and role-playing.  It really worked a treat, and the consequences for the campaign end up being pretty significant, as we'll see later.

This session also starts to develop the idea that the rebels are splitting into different factions: Kroft is leading a sort of well-organised, lawful good faction of the solid middle-class and military veterans, while Grau has organised a hit-and-run, more anarchic group drawn from the Shingles and Korvosa's extensive underclass.  And as we'll see later, The Reckoner's fears that Glorio Arkona might make a play for the throne come to pass as well.  Some of this is drawn from the AP itself (like Kroft and d'Bear using the catacombs in the Gray District), while some of it is my own additions to add some more intrigue and realistic unpredictability to the revolution.

Starfinder Bounty # 1: "The Cantina Job" [RPG]

 NO SPOILERS

The Cantina Job is the first in a new format of Starfinder adventures called "Bounties".  The premise of a "Bounty" is that it's a very short adventure playable in 60-90 minutes, and with as few as three players (or as many as six).  I really like the concept, as they're perfect for an introductory game or a game when folks just don't have the time to commit to a 4-5 hour session.  They're sanctioned for Starfinder Society use but can be easily integrated into an ongoing campaign as a side trek or just "run for fun" as a one-shot.  The artwork is mediocre compared to the Paizo standard, but the layout is clear and crisp (and I liked the summaries of how organised play worked).  I do think they're fairly pricey ($4.99) compared to a regular Starfinder Society scenario that provides a lot more gameplay.

In terms of the adventure itself, I got to experience it via play-by-post with my journalist PC.  You can't expect brilliant design in adventure like this, but it was certainly serviceable and a fun game.  There's opportunities for role-playing, some action, and a surprisingly good moral dilemma at the end.  Overall, not a bad way to spend an hour!

SPOILERS!

The Cantina Job starts in a dive bar called the Electric Prism in the Drifter's End district of Absalom Station.  The PCs are hired by the bar's owner to track down a con artist who has been bilking customers out of money and then instigating brawls to slip away undetected.  The adventure doesn't explain why the PCs are together or working as, effectively, bounty hunters, so the GM may need to improvise something.  Assuming the PCs take the job, a quick investigation into the Electric Prism's surveillance cameras will reveal that the con artist is actually a shapechanging astrazoan and discovery of a credstick will indicate she's headed off-station to Venture Solaris (a casino that orbits the sun).  

The bulk of the adventure takes place at the casino.  I wish the writer had instead incorporated the Vestrani Gaming Complex or another Burning Archipelago casino from the Dawn of Flame adventure path (continuity is fun and flavorful!).  The con artist, Vanecarsys, is easy to spot in the VIP section of the casino (she doesn't switch guises as often as she should for a shapechanger).  The challenge for the PCs is how to get past security and into the VIP section.  Various options (and skill checks) are provided, and it looks like the PCs can keep trying different ones until they eventually succeed.

Vanecarsys gives up peacefully and agrees to return with the PCs to Absalom Station, but a trio of generic mercenaries who also have a beef with her launch an attack on the casino floor!  The CR 1/2 thugs should be easy to dispatch even for Level 1 PCs, but Vanecarsys flees during the fighting.  This leads to a sort of half-baked Chase with the annoying (far too common) element that whether the PCs succeed or fail, they get the same result: they catch up to her anyway.  Vanecarsys explains, truthfully, that she's been running the con jobs to help pay for life-saving surgery for her dying mother.  Even in the fictional Starfinder universe, there's no public healthcare! (American writers . . .)  This leads the PCs to a good moral dilemma: should they let Vanecarsys spend her ill-gotten gains on the surgery (with a promise to pay restitution afterwards) or immediately turn her over to the Stewards?  I love an opportunity for quality role-playing like that.

And that's The Cantina Job.  A decent first effort, though I'll forward to seeing if future Bounties can make more of the format.

Pathfinder Society Scenario # 5-23: "Cairn of Shadows" [RPG]

 NO SPOILERS

I got to play Cairn of Shadows via play-by-post with my doom-forecasting oracle of Groetus, Makras Vekker.  Set in the gloomy and oppressive nation of Nidal, the scenario does a good job selling the setting.  The core adventure itself is probably more on the average side, but I still had a good time and would recommend it.

SPOILERS!

The backstory to Cairn of Shadows is really cool.  When disaster struck the nation of Nidal ages ago, most of its inhabitants turned to worshipping Zon-Kuthon, the Midnight Lord.  But not all of the horselords of Nidal agreed to this dark pact, and led a rebellion.  The rebellion was crushed, and the rebel leaders were taken to the Barrowmoors, ancestral tombs of the horselords in the hills.  There, the tombs were turned into extra-planar prison realms staffed by kytons who could torture the rebels to their dark heart’s content!  In a tomb that became known as the Cairn of Shadows, a kyton named Kazartak was put in charge of torturing a horselord chieftain named Telendrak.  After Telendrak finally perished, Kazartak had other prisoners assume Telendrak’s identity so the torture could continue.  Now, thousands of years later, Kazartak has voluntarily left the Cairn of Shadows in a deal with Lord Maravan of the Onyx Alliance—a powerful consortium from the Plane of Shadows.  Lord Maravan of the Onyx Alliance and his agents have fled into the Cairn of Shadows after several defeats from the Pathfinder Society (in previous scenarios), and are looking for a magical shadow obelisk that will give them control over the demiplane.  (I’m not 100% convinced the Onyx Alliance couldn’t have found a better location for their purposes, but that’s neither here nor there.)

The PCs come on the scene when they get a briefing from the (less often seen) male Heidmarch Venture-Captain, Canayven.  The briefing takes place in Korvosa’s “Thief Camp” (Varisian sympathisers should refer to it as Trail’s End).  Canayven relates to the Pathfinder Society’s allies in Absalom, the Blakros family, have sent intelligence about the Onyx Alliance’s plans to secure a hideout somewhere in the Barrowmoors.  The mission is to find out where and to keep it from happening, and to achieve the first bit the PCs will need to travel to a tavern in Nisroch (a city in Nidal) called the Broken Cup to speak to a Desnan resistance cell leader.

The journey from Korvosa to Nisroch is hand-waved.  When the PCs arrive at the forlorn Broken Cup to talk to their source, they soon learn that a bounty hunter working for the authorities is sitting at the bar, celebrating, because she has the rebel trussed up in her room upstairs and will soon turn him over to the authorities for a big payday!  The PCs might be able to rescue him quietly and slip out, though there are also good odds there’ll be a fight.  Four to six PCs taking on one enemy probably won’t be too hard, and the source will be able to direct them specifically to the Cairn of Shadows.  As an aside, a PC in my group had an interesting alternative way of rescuing the source—he seduced the bounty hunter into “going upstairs” with him! (whatever happened next was handled in spoilers, so don’t ask)

The journey to the Cairn of Shadows is also hand-waved.  From this point, the scenario becomes essentially a two-level dungeon crawl.  It is a suitably grim and atmospheric dungeon.  The dialogue for a torture victim (brainwashed into believing he’s the horselord Telendrak) is excellent and helps add to the feel of the place.  Perhaps oddly, despite its ominous look, there are actually only some minor traps and a few (fairly easy) encounters against shae, potentially kytons or a night hag (depending on subtier), and Lord Maravan himself (a magus). 

Although the execution isn’t perfect, I do appreciate the skilled writing that went into Cairn of Shadows.  For players, like myself, who are familiar with Nidal from the Pathfinder Tales novels or other modules, this scenario was a really good representation of its oppressive and gloomy vibe.  It also may help establish some additional bits of setting lore about the Barrowmoors.  Overall, it’s certainly a scenario worth playing, especially if you don’t mind one being a touch on the easy side.

What I Read (2022) [BOOKS]

75 books this year--a little above average! (I started strong in January and finished strong in December)

 2 January 2022: The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman. “Second Thursday Murder Club book. Okay.”

2 January 2022: Love & Virtue by Diana Reid. “Amazing first novel.”

4 January 2022: Pathfinder Gazetteer by Erik Mona and Jason Buhlman. “First real overview of the campaign setting. Better thought out than ‘kitchen sink’ detractors realise.”

12 January 2022: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne. “A classic for a reason!”

24 January 2022: Wolf Girl 6 by Anh Do. “Some really fun train adventure.”

29 January 2022: The Case of George Pell by Melissa Davey. “Excellent book by a journalist who sat through every day of every proceeding.”

29 January 2022: Something to Hide by Elizabeth George. “FGM theme. Solid novel.”

30 January 2022: Un coeur a prendre by Jeff Kinney. “7th Wimpy Kid book in French, Valentine’s Day themed.”

18 February 2022: Assault at Selonia by Roger MacBride Allen. “Second in the Corellian Trilogy. Solid.”

26 February 2022: The Good Soldier by Ford Madox Ford. “An unreliable narrator telling a tale out of sequence makes for a masterpiece of literary impressionism.”

1 March 2022: City of Good Death by Chris Lloyd. “Mystery set in Catalan. Interesting setting, but bland characters”

9 March 2022: Schindler’s Ark by Thomas Keneally. “What an amazing story!”

17 March 2022: Paul Keating, The Big-Picture Leader by Troy Bramston. “The only person more enamoured with Paul Keating than Troy Bramston is Paul Keating.”

18 March 2022: Road Tripping with Pearl Nash by Poppy Nwosu. “Lovely story.”

20 March 2022: Sourcery by Terry Pratchett. “Enjoyable Rincewind tale. Love the design of the Unseen University Collection.”

20 March 2022: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling. “Sad but good!”

23 March 2022: Law and Religion in the Liberal State edited by Md Jahid Hossain Bhuiyan and Darryn Jensen. “Excellent collection of strong essays.”

25 March 2022: Living with the Gods by Neil MacGregor. “Fascinating account of religious objects from around the world. Proselytising in final chapter is annoying.”

3 April 2022: Lonely Planet Pocket Rome. “Hope it helps!”

9 April 2022: And the Ass Saw the Angel by Nick Cave. “Read at Spicer’s. Deep!”

11 April 2022: Deltora Quest 2 by Emily Rodda. “Okay.”

18 April 2022. What is Called Thinking? by Martin Heidegger. “What is Called a Waste of My Time?”

22 April 2022: Firesoul by Gary Klostman. “Very satisfying Pathfinder novel about a fire shaman in the Mwangi Expanse.”

23 April 2022: Bestiary 3 by Various. “A lot of creatures inspired by real-world myth in this one.”

26 April 2022: The Twelve Caesars by Matthew Dennison. “Confusingly structured.”

28 April 2022: The Horus Heresy by Dan Abnett. “Really thought-provoking.”

30 April 2022: Son of a Rock by Jack Deighton. «Truly original and memorable novel about aging. »

2 May 2022: Drops of Corruption by Jason M. Hardy. « Shadowrun novel involving rival mob gangs. Ok. »

3 May 2022: Codex Born by Jim C. Hines. « Second book in the libriomancer series. Good. »

3 May 2022: Kitty’s Big Trouble by Carrie Vaughn. « Adventure in SF with new creatures from Asian legend. Ok. »

6 May 2022: The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham. « Global blindness and man-eating plants! »

20 May 2022: The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen. “I never thought midwest family drama would be a page-turner!”

5 June 2022: The Legend of Drizzt Collector’s Edition Book III by R.A. Salvatore. « Four novels. Pretty good! »

12 June 2022: Night Ride Into Danger by Jackie French. « Great novel about the night mail to Goulburn ».

25 June 2022: My Brother Ben by Peter Carnavas. “Tries to hard to be poignant and fails.”

27 June 2022: Ting Ting the Ghost Hunter by Gabrielle Wang. « Original, well-written kids novel. »

3 July 2022: The Boy Who Stepped Through Time by Anna Ciddor. « Fun kids book about a boy time-travelling to Roman Empire. Scrupulous accuracy. »

4 July 2022: Sugar by Carly Nugent. « What a beautiful book from start to finish ».

16 July 2022: The Right Way to Rock by Nat Amoore. « Maybe tries a bit too hard, but still fun »

18 July 2022: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by JK Rowling. « Sad but good! »

25 July 2022: Born Behind Bars by Padma Venkatraman. “Middle school book about Indian boy born in prison and then trying to get his mother out.”

26 July 2022: Middlemarch by George Eliot. “Victorian multiplot novel. Dreadfully boring.”

1 August 2022: As You Like It by William Shakespeare. “Norton Critical Edition. Some really fun things to discuss!”

6 August 2022: False Gods by Graham McNeill. “Second Horus Heresy book. I don’t like the turn for Horus. Needs to be less evil.”

2 September 2022: Forge of Ashes by Josh Vogt. « Dwarf-focused Pathfinder novel; good representation of oreads and duergar. »

2 September 2022: Wolf Girl 7 by Anh Do. « Story isn’t moving much, and not sure about cross-promotion. »

3 September 2022: Darklands Revisited by Thurston Hillman. « Excellent overview of major threats in the Darklands. »

10 September 2022: The Dark Half by Stephen King. « Solid. »

11 September 2022: Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng. « Well-drawn characters and a strong story. »

18 September 2022: Surrender, New York by Caleb Carr. « Unconvincing plot. »

22 September 2022: The Burning Page by Genevieve Cogman. “Third in The Invisible Library series. Good!”

23 September 2022: Retromancer by Robert Rankin. “Hard to describe, but really funny.”

25 September 2022: The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill. « Mediocre main story but I liked increasingly creepy e-mails from fan »

3 October 2022: Starfinder Character Operations Manual by Various. « Good additions to the game. »

8 October 2022: Everyone Dies Famous in a Small Town by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock. « Beautifully-written interweaving short stories. »

16 October 2022: Dark Genesis: The Birth of the Psi Corps by J Gregory Keyes. « Babylon 5 novel. Very good. »

31 October 2022: The Transgender Issue: An Argument for Justice by Shon Faye. « Well-written and persuasive argument for embracing trans rights as part of global social and economic justice. »

4 November 2022: Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow. « Impressive research, but almost fawning. »

27 November 2022: I Hate Running and You Can Too by Brendan Leonard. “Funny, and a good way of thinking about it.”

29 November 2022: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling. « Read to Lan. »

11 December 2022: The Glorious Cause: The American Revolution, 1763-1789 by Robert Middlekauff. « Ok one-volume overview. »

16 December 2022: The Stranger Times by C.K. McDonnell. « Audio version really helps the humor pop. »

17 December 2022: A Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne. « Great tale, and I liked the classic illustrations. »

18 December 2022: Murder for Christmas by Jean Goodhind. « Kinda dumb but ok. »

18 December 2022: Conversations With Friends by Sally Rooney. « Interesting characters, but left me shrugging. »

19 December 2022: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson. « Great! »

20 December 2022: The Midnighters: Secret Hour by Scott Westerfield. « Wonderfully original concept. »

21 December 2022: Galaxy in Flames by Ben Counter. « Horus Heresy book. Ok. »

22 December 2022: Lord of Runes by Dave Gross. « Another fantastic Varian/Radovan novel—this one set in Korvosa and environs! »

24 December 2022: La Carte Des Jours by Ransom Riggs. « Fourth in the Peculiar Children series. Good, and like break with Peregrine. »

25 December 2022: Big Damn Hero by James Lovegrove. « First Firefly novel, set right after end of tv series. Good insight into Mal’s past. »

26 December 2022: Bester Ascendant by J. Gregory Keyes. « B5 book giving that creep Bester’s origin story. Well-written, though. »

28 December 2022: The Bullet that Missed by Richard Osman. “Light mystery, but entertaining.”

28 December 2022: Firefly: Still Flying. “Nice mix of features, interviews, and new fiction.”

29 December 2022: An Abundance of Katherines by John Green. “Hilarious and great characters.”