Fall of Plaguestone | Murder, Alchemy & Corruption

Creating your character

Characters begin at 1st level. All standard Pathfinder 2e classes and ancestries are welcome. You do not need to build the “perfect” party, and new players are encouraged to choose something that sounds fun rather than worrying about optimization. I’m happy to help with character creation before the first session. At the beginning of the adventure, your character is traveling with Bort Bargith’s caravan from Elidir toward Almas. Most characters are passengers who have agreed to help protect the wagons in exchange for cheap passage. You may already know another character, but the adventure works just as well if everyone begins as strangers. Your character should have a reason to be traveling and, more importantly, be the sort of person who will get involved when something goes wrong. You don’t need an elaborate backstory or extensive knowledge of Golarion—we can establish details as we play. The adventure includes several Plaguestone-specific backgrounds, and I strongly encourage using them. They connect characters more directly to the setting and can unlock additional scenes and side stories during the campaign. Standard Pathfinder backgrounds are also completely fine. Available adventure backgrounds include characters such as a minor noble traveling to Andoran, a survivor of Lastwall, a traveling missionary, a refugee, or someone recently hired by the caravan. If you choose Teamster, only one character in the party should take that background. I’m also happy to work with you to adapt another background to give your character a similar connection to the adventure. The important thing is giving your character a reason to be on that wagon when the story begins.

Preparing for the session

Before the first session, please: - Join the Discord server. We’ll use Discord for voice chat, scheduling, announcements, and between-session questions. - Create a free Forge account. The game will be hosted in Foundry VTT through The Forge, so you’ll need an account to join the table. No Foundry purchase is required. - Use a desktop or laptop computer. Foundry works best in a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox, or Edge. A tablet or phone is not recommended for regular play. - Have a working microphone and headphones or speakers. A webcam is optional. - Create your 1st-level Pathfinder 2e character before Session 1. I’m happy to help with character creation, rules questions, or choosing options if you’re new to the system. - Send me your character information ahead of time. If you use Pathbuilder, you can send me your character link or export so I can get everything ready in Foundry. - Read the table expectations and safety information before we play. You do not need to own any Pathfinder books, purchase Foundry, or have previous Pathfinder experience. Everything you need to play will be provided or explained. If you’re completely new to Pathfinder 2e, that’s fine. We can get your character built and cover the important rules as they come up rather than expecting you to study the system beforehand

What Nick brings to the table

I run a story-focused Pathfinder game where the rules matter, but they exist to support the adventure rather than get in its way. You can expect a mix of roleplay, investigation, exploration, and tactical combat, with plenty of room for player choices to shape how scenes unfold. I use Foundry VTT through The Forge, with maps, tokens, automation, lighting, sound effects, and ambient music to help bring the setting to life. I also use character voices and distinct NPC personalities when appropriate, without turning every conversation into a performance. Combat is tactical and can be dangerous. Pathfinder 2e rewards teamwork, positioning, and using your abilities together, but I do not expect everyone to make the mathematically perfect choice every round. New players will get help understanding their options, and experienced players will still have encounters that reward system mastery. I generally run close to the Rules as Written, especially where Pathfinder’s balance depends on them, but I’m not interested in stopping a good scene over a technicality. If the rules leave room for interpretation, I’ll make a ruling, keep the game moving, and revisit it later if necessary. Creative ideas are encouraged. “Rule of Cool” doesn’t mean automatic success, but if you come up with something interesting that the rules don’t cover perfectly, I’ll usually find a fair way to let you attempt it. Failure is part of the game. Bad rolls, risky decisions, and plans that go completely sideways often create the stories people remember most. My goal isn’t to protect the party from consequences or punish players for mistakes—it’s to make those consequences interesting. Most importantly, I want the table to feel collaborative. You don’t need to be an actor, a rules expert, or an optimizer. Bring a character who can work with the group, engage with the story, and be willing to see where the adventure takes them.

Homebrew rules

Double dice, then roll on critical hits.

How Nick creates a safe table

I want players to feel comfortable speaking up whenever something in the game is heading in a direction they would rather not pursue. If we approach content that makes you uncomfortable, you can tell me **publicly or privately**, either verbally or through Discord chat. You do not need to explain or justify why. We can skip the scene, fade to black, change direction, or otherwise adjust as needed. My **X-Card** is handled informally: say something out loud or send me a message in chat. The important part is that there is always an easy way to stop or redirect content without turning it into a discussion in the middle of play. I also do a **brief debrief after every session** to give everyone a chance to talk about what worked, what did not, and anything they would like handled differently going forward. During **Session 0**, we will discuss campaign tone, expected content, boundaries, communication, and any Lines or Veils the group wants established before play begins.