Leading up to the Year of the Sky Key

With the conclusion of GenCon 2014, the start of a new series of scenarios and games is about to begin. With the wrapping up of the numerous demon-slaying adventures and trips to the Worldwound in last years Year of the Demon overarching theme, be ready to enter a whole new land and explore the technologically advanced Numeria in Season 6 of Pathfinder Organized Play -  the Year of the Sky Key.

For those new to Pathfinder, let me start with a brief recap in the lore behind what has progressed since Season 1, leading up to the changes and events in the Year of the Sky Key. This post does include minor SPOILERS, but I'll try to be as vague as possible so not to really kill any plot points.

The Starstone Cathedral in Absalom

Season 1 showed the humble beginnings of the Pathfinder Society, with the sending of agents on missions to gain allies or magical artifacts in an attempt to bolster the power and popularity of the Pathfinder Society under the orders of their shadowy leaders, the Decemvirate.

Season 2, Year of the Shadow Lodge begins with the introduction of an overarching antagonist to the fray - the secret and hidden Shadow Lodge. Believed previously to be a non-existent lodge, the Pathfinders are hellbent on finding out the Shadow Lodge's objectives and figure out how to deal with the rising threat. Eventually, they chance upon the Shadow Lodge's leader, a person known as the Spider, operating out of Almas. After putting a stop to the Spider's plans to discredit and shame the Pathfinder Society, they later uncover a hidden plot to assassinate the true leader of the Shadow Lodge. In a race against time, the Pathfinders rescue the true leader of the Shadow Lodge, who declares a truce with the Decemvirate and joins the Pathfinder Society.

Year of the Ruby Phoenix picks off where Season 2 left off, offering five new factions for play, including the Shadow Lodge, Lantern Lodge and Sczarni. In this season, Pathfinders learn about a powerful artifact owned by a Gokan sorcerer Hao Jin, and seek to win it through a competition called the Ruby Phoenix Tournament. The Pathfinders eventually reign victorious, even with interference from their rivals, the Aspis Consortium and the Tien Golden League. The Pathfinders gain an ancient artifact known as the Hao Jin Tapestry, which is in fact the entrance to a demiplane filled with wonders and treasures stored by Hao Jin over the years. While exploring the demiplane, they find out that the Aspis Consortium has somehow found a backdoor into the tapestry and stealing the treasures within. Much time and effort is spent closing the Aspis Consortium's portals and eliminating them to reclaim their prize.

Kaer Maga, one of the most intriguing cities in Varisia

Year of the Risen Rune is marked by the finding a a Runecarved Key in the Varisian Gulf near Magnimar. Without knowing what it was, it was auctioned off but promptly stolen by cultist of the goddess Lissala. Pathfinders were sent to recover the key, managing to capture one of the cultists and gleaned information into their motives in the process. After disrupting the cultists' activities, Pathfinders find out their true plan - the revival the Runelord Krune, one of the seven wizard kings of past. In an attempt to stop the destruction of Golarion at the hands of the Runelord, the Pathfinders locate him and  eventually destroy Runelord Krune in an epic battle. In the meantime, Amara Li the leader of the Lantern Lodge manages to form an alliance with the Way of the Kirin and with the help of the Pathfinder Society, deals with the Golden League and Aspis threat in Goka once and for all. The Latern Lodge sets up a true Lodge in Goka, and leaves the Pathfinder Society. The Spider is also revealed to be alive, and with knowledge of the identities of the members of the Decemvirate, seeks revenge on the Pathfinder Society. The Shadow Lodge eventually deals with her and in a tale of betrayal and deceit, the Shadow Lodge falls together with the death of the Spider. These two story arcs end the existence of the Shadow and Lantern Lodge in the Pathfinder Society. In the meantime, the location of the Jormurdun is discovered in the land formerly known as Sarkoris, located to the northwest of the Worldwound.

Battle against a Vrock in the Worldwound

The Year of the Demon explores the demon infested wastes known as the Worldwound as the Pathfinders seek to secure entry to Jormurdun. With the assistance of Queen Galfrey of Mendev in Nerosyan, Pathfinders slowly aid in Mendev's crusade on the Worldwound and advance into the fray. In the meantime, the Osirian faction led by the Sapphire Sage Amenopheus finds out about the possible existence of other Jeweled Sages, whom were previously believed to be deceased.

What other wonders await in Numeria with this year's season update

Finally this all culminates in the Year of the Sky Key, where the Pathfinder Society is posed to march to Jormurdun. However, several of their enemies are set to claim the prize first! The Pathfinder Society is also set to explore other regions of Golarion in line with this season's meta-plot to explore the technologically advanced Numeria as well as revisit some old favourites like Qadira, Katapesh, Tian Xia and the Mwangi Expanse.