I meant to put this out on Friday, but the clock, she ran away from me. I think there was a white rabbit involved.

Maps are important for GMs, even if you never pull out a miniature or gridded battlemat. A game room, with swords on the walls, sconces with flicker lights, or a heavy stein of Dew - these just aren't the same as the one thing that inevitably captivates many of us - a map.

By John E. Ling, Jr.

The rhythmic pulsing of hammer against anvil and the hiss of red-hot metal touching water were as welcome to me as any iced fruit from the chalet of St. Shawain. These were the sounds that had filled my days until a fortnight ago, and they comforted me in this strange new place.

I pulled at the collar of my tunic, sweltering from fever and my swollen tongue cleaved to the roof of my mouth. No fire lay in the hearth and likely had not in many years - the fatal disease had its grip on me. The resplendent figure in a bright crimson waistcoat slid a thick tome across the smooth black granite of his desk, the book's metal adornments making an unpleasant screeching noise. My curiosity overcoming me, I could not help but approach that tome, and quite as quickly, regretted it.

By John E. Ling, Jr.

"No weapons," the pimply-faced gate guard repeated. The silence that hung in the air was palpable, enough to make me turn around.
The hulking figure spread his arms wide, revealing no weapon of any sort carried on his body (quite unusual in this town, I assure you), yet the thick calluses on his hands and the way the muscles corded beneath his bare forearms were a clear warning.
Making haste from the city gates, I only hoped that the obsequious guard would heed the silent warning given.

Not much of a news post today, but forums are now available on the site. Feel free to post any questions you have or things you'd like to see. Charter subscribers have access to a special forum, the Council Room, where I ask direct questions to you so you can help make AQ mo' bettah.

Field Report: It took us some time to trek towards the nearest settlement that wasn't a squalid assortment of wattle and daub dwellings. Happily, we immediately found quite the assortment of gourmet eateries. Something seemed amiss though. — Ag. Elgiad Mada

It's no secret that I am a fan of food and cooking, so when Adam Daigle pitched me a tale of missing chefs in a cosmopolitan city, I was immediately intrigued.

Shendra's Sundries
Need your blades sharpened, your travel-worn clothes cleaned, your body massaged? Set your feet up at Shendra's and get the latest wonders of the market brought to you while you dine on iced fruit and wine!

By Adam Daigle & David Schwartz

This is a repost of something I posted on Paizo Publishing's messageboards, but it is something that bears repeating. Adventure design can be a black art sometimes, but invariably, crafting a good adventure is pretty much the same as crafting a good story. I had a diagram (lost somewhere in the depths of moving boxes at the moment) that I had posted next to my desk, but here's the breakdown of what that diagram told me.