Iron Gods, Book 1: Fires of Creation
Numeria is a cursed land, haunted by strange ruins, metal monsters, and cruel technomancers. Can you survive the rise of the Iron Gods?
About the adventure
Nine thousand years ago, the Rain of Stars transformed the once-green land of Numeria into a bleak and brutal wasteland. Otherworldly, half-buried ruins release dangerous metal creatures, and inexplicable maladies mutate and sicken the land for miles. The brave and clever can win fame and fortune by scavenging wondrous technological artifacts from these places, but most never return, and the treasures they retrieve can carry their own dangers. In recent times, the rise of the cruel wizard cabal known as the Technic League has only brought more suffering and oppression to the Land of Fallen Stars. Yet even here, people of all kinds find ways to thrive, and nowhere is that more apparent than the town of Torch, which has survived on the skymetal smithing made possible by the town’s eponymous purple flame. But now, for the first time ever, the purple flame of Torch has gone out, and the town has more problems besides: mysterious headaches, looming tribute to the League, a missing councilman, and caves full of monsters chief among them. Whoever you are–an adventurous local of Torch, a tribesman from the wastes, or perhaps a scholar delving for secrets–you may be the only one who can uncover the truth behind Torch’s recent troubles. Can you save Torch from a terrible fate and defeat the dark forces at work in this strange and savage land? Change is coming, one way or another. Welcome to Numeria, the Land of Fallen Stars, in Fires of Creation: Book One of the Iron Gods adventure path! Iron Gods is a science fantasy tale of mystery, exploration, intrigue, and revolution set in the official Pathfinder campaign setting of Golarion. Fires of Creation will take the player characters through levels 1-4, and can be played as a standalone adventure or the first installment of the whole campaign! Iron Gods is my personal favorite adventure path, and I would love to take a group of dedicated players all the way through it. Some elements will be my own creation, since I never run anything exactly out of the books.
Game style
Roleplay Heavy
Combat Heavy
Rule of Cool (RoC)
Dungeon Crawl
Sandbox / Open World
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
Less than a year on StartPlaying
2 games hosted
Highly rated for: Inclusive, Storytelling, World Builder
Average response time: 3 hours
Response rate: 100%
About me
I've always been a storyteller at heart, but I started playing TTRPGs in high school with a one-shot in D&D 4e. That year, I started GMing Pathfinder 1e for my high school friends, and I've been running games as my main hobby ever since. I love the combination of game mechanics, collaborative storytelling, and built-in social interaction that the hobby involves. As is expected from a "forever DM," I've always been a nerd, and I was raised on sci fi/fantasy classics like Tolkien and Asimov. Aside from tabletop games, I enjoy reading and writing fiction, playing card games and video games, hiking, boating, music, theater, and the occasional night out on the town. I've gathered some diverse and eclectic player groups over the years, so I try to be welcoming and supportive of whatever identities and eccentricities my players bring to the table! I lean toward systems with moderate to heavy complexity, but more recently find myself exploring more narrative focused games as well. My main experience is with Pathfinder 1e and Lancer, the two games I've run most consistently, but I run other games as well, most notably the Root RPG, Starfinder, Halo Mythic, and Cyberpunk. I love classic swords and sorcery type fantasy worlds, but I'm a big sci fi buff as well; I also think it's fun to blend the two, so I'm a sucker for any flavor of science fantasy. I hope I can be the GM to take you and your characters on a journey through our collective imagination!
View Profile →Reviews (5)
Proficiencies
Players say this GM is great at:
Inclusive
Storytelling
World Builder
Zohar has been my close friend and primary gamemaster for over a decade. we began playing tabletop roleplaying games together in high school, during which time we each cut our teeth running two joint medium-term campaigns of Pathfinder 1e in the same setting for two parties consisting of each half of a large group of friends. he ran his campaign expertly given his limited experience level, and in contrast to my amateurish foray into the medium, he kept a very regular schedule and ran a cohesive game with a well-structured narrative that had his players raving, theorycrafting, and always seeking more opportunities to play. the two parallel campaigns concluded with two simultaneous sessions that we soon revealed to be a joint session, in which our respective tables combined forces to take out the BBEG, after which the two parties faced off in an impromptu game of wizard basketball on the moon. this experience we shared demonstrates his commitment to scale, grandiosity, and that special something which elevates a game beyond the table and into the realm of the magical. since that climactic session over ten years ago, Zohar has nearly continuously run a number of games in various systems at more traditional tables with no shortage of nontraditional, homebrewed elements. his experience includes many long-term campaigns in Pathfinder 1e, Star Trek Adventures, and Lancer, as well as one-shots, two-shots, and short-term campaigns in Pathfinder 1e, Starfinder, Root, and many other systems worth exploring. he is without a doubt my favorite GM, my long-time friend, and one of the most skilled narrativists, storytellers, homebrewers, and worldbuilders i have ever had the pleasure of playing alongside.
I have been one of Zohar's players and close friends for a decade and counting now, both one-shots and long-form campaigns. He is a treasure of a GM who I feel truly understands that games are a collaborative storytelling experience. I cannot count the hours that I have spent talking to him about the characters I play: where they are at mentally, the directions in which their story arcs can progress, fleshing out their backstories. He has really honed what I feel is one of the core crafts of a GM, which is to "yes, and" players. Maybe my favorite part of being at his table is when he takes whatever insane bit his players come up with and just cranks it to the next level. He is also a great GM for players who love to make their characters "fuck around and find out" - whatever consequences he makes arise are narratively juicy, but he always gives ample warning beforehand. He is one of the most passionate people I have ever met when it comes to telling stories and creating worlds. In his original settings, I've seen how much care he puts into fleshing out every corner of land and history, and how he embeds possible narrative hooks at every turn. But even with a pre-designed campaign or world, he is unafraid to go off the rails if he thinks it would make for something more interesting, which it always ends up being because I swear everything this man touches turns to gold. His table is very diverse, and that is both because he makes an active effort to integrate various perspectives and identities into his stories and worlds, but also to provide a welcoming space at his table and with his friendship. Speaking as a nonbinary person, I can't remember him ever using the wrong pronouns for me after I came out to him, and no matter what identity of a character I play, I never feel out of place in one of his worlds. The majority of games I have played with him have been in Pathfinder 1e, which for the unfamiliar is definitely on the crunchier side of things, and he tends to play with third-party supplements like Path of War, Spheres of Power, etc. which make the game even crunchier. When it comes to games like those which are on the crunchier side, I would recommend that any potential players be prepared to stay engaged for battles on the longer side. However, for players who aren't interested in such an experience, I've played more rules-light systems with him and had a blast too.
Zohar has been our forever DM for over a decade. I have deep personal connections with his stories that I think changed me for the better not only as a player but as a person. His runs with Wrath of the Righteous and Rise of the Rune-lords from Pathfinder 1E had some really amazing additions. He loves to expand upon player decisions and make you really feel like a key element of the world. My favorite TTRPG story of all time was a 3-year long run of Lancer by Massif Press crafted entirely by him, I'm forever thankful for his storytelling skills and dedication to his craft. You'd be lucky to have him take you on his adventures!
Zohar has been one of the greatest DMs I have ever played with, his DMing style is wonderful all around. He both excells at running unique and interesting combat encounters as well as making great stories that truly immerse the players into the world he has created. The only thing I wish was that I played with him sooner.
I've been playing in his sessions for... wow, more than a decade now. When we play pre-built campaigns, he always ends up writing in a whole lot of original material. For his original campaigns, he creates incredibly immersive and expansive settings and plots. His worldbuild game is insane. Advice I would give to the player is Zohar really leans into the collaborative aspect of the storytelling. Your character is yours, and if you use your character to give to the narrative, he'll make sure the narrative gives back.
Character creation
Creating your character
We will work on character creation in our Discord server and during Session 0, but if you have experience with Pathfinder 1e, you should be able to get started on your own. Luckily for us, the basic rules are all available online at the Archive of Nethys: https://www.aonprd.com/ A guide for Character Creation specifically can be found here: https://www.aonprd.com/Rules.aspx?ID=83 I know that character creation in a complex game system can be overwhelming, so I am here to help walk you through it as much as needed, no matter your experience level. We will use the point-buy method for ability scores, with 20 points (High Fantasy). You can use an ability score calculator like this one: https://pittsburghpfs.com/resources/point-buy-calculator/ I will provide the Iron Gods Player’s Guide, which contains background information and character creation options tailored for the campaign. I highly recommend using the player guide when making your character, both to inform your backstory and for the mechanics. Each character may also begin with one bonus feat at level 1 and two traits, which can be found here: https://www.aonprd.com/Traits.aspx. Again, I recommend using at least one trait from the Iron Gods Player’s Guide, starting on page 8 (Against the Technic League, Local Ties, Numerian Archaeologist, Robot Slayer, Skymetal Smith, or Stargazer). Some unusual character races that are relevant to this campaign are: Androids (https://www.aonprd.com/RacesDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Android) Kasathas (https://www.aonprd.com/RacesDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Kasatha) and Lashunta (https://www.aonprd.com/RacesDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Lashunta), but any of these will require some tweaks to the story; if any of these options interests you, let me know early so I can work with you on it. I am a huge fan of several third party expansions to the Pathfinder rules, especially Psionics (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/alternative-rule-systems/psionics-unleashed/) and Path of War (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/alternative-rule-systems/path-of-war/) by Dreamscarred Press. However, these options introduce more complexity to the game, and may not be suitable for beginners. Let me know if they interest you. Psionics especially could be fun in this campaign due to its more alien feel, even more so if you play an alien character! The most convenient place to track your character will be to create your character sheet directly in the campaign’s Roll20 game. However, there are a lot of other options, such as PathCompanion (https://pathcompanion.com/), so I don’t limit how players track their sheets as long as they can share them with me somehow. I personally find it handy to keep a separate document with all of my character’s ability and item text for reference. Characters for this game start at level 1, and we will spend part of Session 0 going over them and establishing ties between party members.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
Make sure you have an account on Roll20 (https://roll20.net/) and sign up for our Discord server! Then all you need to do is make a character and get ready for Session 0. You will also need a mic, and a quiet location to play the game. Webcams are not required, though I do recommend having one; roleplay can be a lot more fun and intense when we see each others’ faces. If you are new to Pathfinder 1e, I will walk you through the basic rules while helping you create your character. I’ve taught this game to many people over the years. Please DO NOT read any books related to the campaign other than the Player’s Guide I provide, including the lore book for Numeria or the Pathfinder Technology Guide. I promise you, the game will be more fun without spoilers, and if there’s any extra information you want to inform your character, I can provide it spoiler-free, so just ask. (If you’ve already played Iron Gods to some extent, we will need to have a separate conversation.)
What Zohar brings to the table
This game will be a science fantasy adventure through a land forever changed by an ancient spaceship crash! I focus equally on immersive roleplaying and creating a living world around the players, and on creating fun and engaging tactical combat. I provide a smooth VTT experience, with detailed, customized maps using dynamic lighting and a soundtrack tailored to the campaign. You will also gain access to both the official player’s guide for the Iron Gods adventure path and the rest of my library of Pathfinder PDFs.
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Platforms used
Safety
How Zohar creates a safe table
To enjoy these games to their fullest, everyone at the table needs to feel safe and respected, and I work hard to make sure that is the case for all of my players. I’ve been doing this for over a decade, and I’ve gained a lot of experience with table disputes in that time. People make mistakes, and things won’t always be perfect, but it’s critical that everyone communicates and engages with each other in good faith. We will start Session 0 by discussing the game’s content warnings and collectively establishing the Lines and Veils for the campaign, including any specific triggers or other issues the group may have. In general I find that informal but honest discussion about content issues and table disputes works best, but when a formal option is required, players can message me with an X or N card during the game to let me know there’s a problem. I run my games with an open door policy as well, and completely understand when players may need to step away from the table for whatever reason. I am very open to criticism and I’m always looking for feedback from my players; I want to know what’s working and what isn’t. I don’t usually host a formal debrief, but I always stick around to chat after sessions to check in with everybody and talk about the game. I’m also very happy to talk about the game outside of session time as well, both for casual enjoyment and to take player feedback.
Content warnings
Safety tools used
Additional tables
1 available
Weekly / Thursday – 10:00 PM UTC
2 / 6 Seats Filled