AtlantaPFS Weekly Update
🗓️ June 21–27 — Free RPG Day Is Almost Here, Plus DragonCon and SFGE Need You
Big weekend coming up: Free RPG Day is this Saturday, June 27, and we’ve got a full slate of games running at Level-Up Games in Dawsonville to celebrate. Details and sign-ups are below — don’t miss it.
On the Paizo restructuring front: no new public information this week. Our note from your RVC has been updated below to reflect that. We’re also flagging some unrelated technical trouble with Paizo.com that several of you have asked about.
We also need to talk seriously about DragonCon and Southern-Fried Gaming Expo volunteer numbers. Read on — we need you.
🚨 Paizo Restructuring — Continued Coverage
📣 No New Public Information This Week
Last week we shared Paizo CEO Jim Butler’s full June 8 statement on the company’s financial situation, the Diamond Comics bankruptcy fallout, layoffs, and changes coming to Organized Play. If you missed it, that full statement and our notes on it are in last week’s edition of this newsletter.
📌 An Updated Note from Your RVC
There is nothing new to report this week. We have not received any additional public information from Paizo beyond what was shared on June 8, and as Venture-Officers we are not in a position to speculate or share anything beyond what’s already public — nor would that help anyone. The moment Paizo makes something new public, we will share it with you here, as fast as we’re able to put it together. That’s a promise.
We know the waiting is hard, especially with so much uncertainty hanging over the program. Thank you for your patience, and thank you for continuing to show up at the table while we all wait this out together.
⚠️ Heads Up: Paizo.com Acting Flaky Right Now
Several of you have reported intermittent errors on Paizo.com this week — specifically 502 Bad Gateway and 504 Gateway Time-out errors. To be clear: this appears unrelated to the restructuring news. The most likely explanation is increased traffic to the site with Origins Game Fair currently underway. If you hit an error, give it a few minutes and try again — and if it’s blocking something time-sensitive (like an Organized Play account action), reach out and we’ll help however we can.
📚 Free RPG Day Is This Saturday!!
🎲 Free RPG Day 2026 — Saturday, June 27
One week out, and we are READY. Free RPG Day is the single best low-barrier entry point into Pathfinder and Starfinder Society all year — free adventures, free swag while supplies last, and a perfect excuse to bring a friend who’s never rolled a d20 in their life.
AtlantaPFS is running both Free RPG Day adventures, twice each, at Level-Up Games in Dawsonville. See the full schedule below in this week’s game table — sign up now, seats are limited.
Don’t have a home table for Free RPG Day? Check the official store locator to find other participating venues near you — content can only be run for credit at a participating store on the day itself.
🎲 Find Your Nearest Free RPG Day Store 🎲Bringing a new player? Tell them pregenerated characters are provided — no prep required, just show up.
📢 Current Announcements & Updates
🖥️ Fantasy Grounds Unity: Starfinder Society Scheduled Through November
Good news for our virtual tabletop players: Joel H has now scheduled the entirety of Starfinder Society Second Edition Season 1, plus the start of Season 2, running on Fantasy Grounds Unity beginning this Free RPG Day weekend and continuing through November. That’s a full slate at two games per week.
One honest caveat: once the impact of the Paizo restructuring on Organized Play becomes clearer, this schedule may need to be adjusted. We’ll keep it as close to two games a week as we can, and we’ll let you know well in advance if anything changes.
This week’s FGU session is listed in the game schedule below. Watch Warhorn for sign-ups as future weeks get posted.
🌐 Atlanta Lodge Virtual Games – Update
The ongoing Murder in Metal City campaign continues on Foundry as normal. Fantasy Grounds Starfinder Society games are now back and running on a real schedule (see above) — no more “coming soon.”
If you were playing in one of the Atlanta-run virtual games that wrapped up last month, the official Organized Play Online Region is a great place to keep playing: temp Discord invite here. Questions, reach out to James R.
This has no impact on the Columbus lodge’s virtual offerings, which continue as normal through the shared Warhorn event page.
🐉 We Need to Talk About DragonCon
🐉 DragonCon 2026 — It Is Getting Late. Please Read This.
DragonCon 2026: September 3–7, 2026 — Labor Day Weekend, Atlanta, GA
We’re going to be blunt: we have not had a single new volunteer sign up in several weeks. That is not sustainable, and we need that to change starting today.
Here’s why the timing matters, concretely: to give DragonCon leadership the lead time they need to build the schedule grid and open ticket presales a month out, we need our volunteer roster finalized and submitted by July 31. That’s roughly five weeks away. Every week that passes without new sign-ups makes it more likely that tables — including the Battle of Hellknight Hill cinematic run — simply don’t happen this year.
This isn’t a “someday” ask. This is a “we need you to fill out a five-minute form today” ask.
- GMs — for regular scenarios, the Battle of Hellknight Hill special, and everything in between
- HQ Staff — the backbone of the operation; without you, nothing else works
- Anyone who can give even one or two slots — every single commitment moves us closer to a real schedule
Questions? Reach out through the GeorgiaPFS Discord or at rvcapparegionop@gmail.com.
🎲 Southern-Fried Gaming Expo 2026 — Steve H Needs Hands
July 31 – August 2, 2026 — The Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel & Convention Center
Steve H is leading AtlantaPFS’s presence at Southern-Fried again this year, and he’s started posting planning updates and volunteer needs in a dedicated channel on the AtlantaPFS Discord. If you can give HQ or GM time July 31–August 2, this is the place to find out what’s needed and claim a slot:
📍 Venue Reminder: East Atlanta Comics Dice City Entry Fee
Just a reminder that the per-person table fee at East Atlanta Comics Dice City in Atlanta is $10 per person. Plan accordingly when attending events at this venue. We appreciate their continued support of organized play in the Atlanta area.
🕊️ In Memoriam: Lee McLurkin
We continue to hold space for the memory of Lee McLurkin, whose loss touched so many in our community. A fitting tribute is being prepared for DragonCon later this year, and a memorial will be added to our Hall of Heroes once complete. Our thoughts remain with his family and all who knew him.
🏆 Hall of Heroes
Visit our Hall of Heroes page to honor those we’ve lost from our gaming community.
🎬 Rocky Horror Picture Show Night – Poll Still Open!
We’re still collecting availability for our AtlantaPFS outing to The Rocky Horror Picture Show at The Plaza Theatre on Ponce de Leon Avenue. If you haven’t filled out the poll yet, please do — more responses means a better date for everyone. We’re personally leaning toward October once the dust from DragonCon has settled, but all input is welcome.
WhenIsGood: AtlantaPFS Invades the Rocky Horror Picture Show
This social event is open to the wider GeorgiaPFS and Appalachian Region community. Costumes and callbacks are strongly encouraged.
🌄 Regional Roundup – Appalachian Region News
🎉 Morgantown, WV Lodge – CharCon Is Less Than a Month Away!
The Morgantown, West Virginia lodge continues into its regular schedule of Pathfinder and Starfinder Society sessions at Wyvern’s Wargames, and is gearing up for the lodge’s first convention appearance at CharCon — July 10–12 at the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences in Charleston, WV. That’s less than three weeks out. If you’re in or near the Charleston area that weekend and can help support organized play, reach out to Joel H or through the GeorgiaPFS Discord.
🔥 Stirring in Chattanooga
We’re hearing renewed interest from players in the Chattanooga, TN area, and there’s a real chance that lodge may be reopening before too long. Nothing is locked in yet, but if you’re in the Chattanooga area and want to be part of getting it going again — as a player, GM, or potential Venture-Officer — now’s the time to reach out.
Urgent: Venture-Officer Opening in Charleston, WV
We are still actively recruiting to establish a brand-new lodge in the Charleston, WV area. Help build something new and be the reason a whole community of players finds organized play. Interested? Reach out through the GeorgiaPFS Discord or at rvcapparegionop@gmail.com.
We Need Players and GMs — Especially Here
A few lodges are in particular need of additional support right now:
- Mebane, NC – Tables are running but could use more consistent turnout and GMing support.
- Charlotte, NC – A major metro area that deserves more organized play presence.
- Memphis, TN – Western Tennessee organized play needs both players and GMs to stay visible.
- Nashville, TN – Strong potential, needs more regular GM support to grow the schedule.
Regional Resources
- Appalachian Region Hub: appaopregion.org
- Regional & National Calendar: appaopregion.org/regional-and-national-calendar/
- Call for GMs & HQ Volunteers – Spring/Summer 2026: Regional Volunteer Call
- Facebook: Appalachian Region Organized Play
- X (Twitter): @AppaRegionOP | BlueSky: @apparegionop.bsky.social
- Mastodon: @apparvc@dice.camp
📅 Upcoming Events
📚 Free RPG Day 2026 – This Saturday, June 27!
Free RPG Day: Saturday, June 27, 2026
Free RPG Day kits must be ordered in advance by the store, so content can only be run for credit at a participating venue, on the day itself — or one month later once it clears for general use. If your FLGS does not appear on the Free RPG Day store locator at freerpgday.com/gamers, they are not a participating venue this year.
Current local participating stores:
- Giga-Bites Tabletop Cafe (Marietta)
- Level-Up Games – Alpharetta
- Level-Up Games – Duluth
- Level-Up Games – Dawsonville (AtlantaPFS is running games here all day — see schedule below!)
This list may grow. Always verify with the official store locator and check with your chosen store about their hours and event plans for the day.
🎲 Southern-Fried Gaming Expo 2026
July 31 – August 2, 2026 – The Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel & Convention Center
Steve H is coordinating AtlantaPFS’s presence at Southern-Fried again this year. Volunteer needs and planning updates are being posted in a dedicated channel on the AtlantaPFS Discord — join up if you can help.
🏰 CharCon 2026 – July 10–12 – Volunteer Opportunity
CharCon: July 10–12, 2026 — Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences, Charleston, WV
The Morgantown lodge will be representing the Appalachian Region at CharCon this year — their first convention appearance. If you’re in the Charleston, WV area that weekend, we’d love your help staffing organized play. Contact Joel H or reach out through the GeorgiaPFS Discord.
🌟 DragonCon 2026 – September 3–7 – Volunteers Needed Now
Five days of organized play, thousands of attendees, and our biggest regional showcase of the year. We need GMs and HQ staff, and our internal deadline to lock the volunteer roster is July 31. Every slot that isn’t filled is a table that doesn’t happen. Sign up here. Today. Please.
🆕 New to Pathfinder or Starfinder Society?
Welcome to organized play! Whether you’re brand new to tabletop RPGs or a veteran player exploring Society play for the first time, we’re here to help you get started. (Free RPG Day this Saturday is a great time to dive in for the first time — see above!)
🤗 Safe, Welcoming Tables for All
Everyone is welcome at our tables. Pathfinder and Starfinder Society organized play is committed to providing a safe, fun, and inclusive gaming environment for all participants worldwide, regardless of background, identity, or experience level.
All games operate under the Paizo Organized Play Code of Conduct and Community Standards. We do not tolerate harassment, discrimination, or behavior that makes anyone feel excluded or threatened. If you experience or witness problematic behavior, please bring it to the GM, Event Organizer, any Venture-Officer, or contact Paizo directly at organizedplay@paizo.com.
Getting Started Resources:
- Read our Welcome Letter for an introduction to AtlantaPFS
- Create a free Organized Play account at paizo.com
- Browse our game schedule and sign up on Warhorn
- Join our Discord server to connect with other players
- Check out the Appalachian Region Hub for what’s happening across our six-state region
Don’t have a character yet? No problem! Pregenerated iconic characters are available at every table. If you’d like to build your own, our GMs and volunteers are happy to help — just arrive a little early and let us know you’re new.
❓ Did You Know?
🎁 Achievement Points (AcP): New to Organized Play? You get 80 AcP free on your Paizo Organized Play account to spend on cool boons and character options!
📅 A Note on Scheduling: We want to be transparent with you — we are still not consistently meeting our stated goal of posting games two weeks or more before game day, and we apologize for that. We’re actively working to do better for our community. The schedule is always subject to change, and new sessions can be added at any time. Your best resource for the latest additions and changes is the Upcoming Games page on Warhorn — check it regularly. We aim to cancel with 48 hours notice when possible.
💬 Connect With Us
| Platform | Link |
|---|---|
| AtlantaPFS Website | https://atlantapfs.org/ |
| Appalachian Region Hub | https://appaopregion.org |
| AtlantaPFS on Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/groups/AtlantaPFS/ |
| @AtlantaPFS on X/Twitter | https://twitter.com/AtlantaPFS |
| AtlantaPFS on Mastodon | https://dice.camp/@atlantapfs |
| AtlantaPFS on BlueSky | https://bsky.app/profile/atlantapfs.bsky.social |
| GeorgiaPFS Discord | https://discord.gg/CvsJcMJ |
| Warhorn | https://warhorn.net/events/atlantapfs |
📝 Feedback Forms
We value your input! Please use these forms to share your feedback and requests:
| Form | Link |
|---|---|
| Venue and Event Staff Feedback Form | Venue and Event Staff Feedback |
| Event Feedback Form | Event Feedback |
| Event or Venue Request Form | Event or Venue Request |
| Adventure Request Form | Adventure Request |
| Chronicle Sheet or Reporting Error Form | Chronicle Sheet or Reporting Error |
| GM Feedback Form | GM Feedback |
| Player Feedback Form | Player Feedback |
| Player Game Withdrawal Form | Player Game Withdrawal |
👥 Current Venture-Officers & Venues
Physical Venue Coordinators
Venue Coordinators are Venture-Agents who report to their area Venture-Lieutenant. This structure shows the chain of command for venue-related questions or concerns.
Atlanta – James R (VC)
Alex H (VL)
| Venue | Location | Coordinator |
|---|---|---|
| Level-Up Games | Dawsonville | Steve H |
| Level-Up Games | Johns Creek | Jamey D |
| The Crazy Book Lady | Acworth | TBD |
| Battle & Brew | Sandy Springs | TBD |
Will H (VL)
| Venue | Location | Coordinator |
|---|---|---|
| Manuel’s Tavern | Atlanta | Boo F |
| Giga-Bites Cafe | Marietta | Brienne S |
| Titan Games & Comics | Smyrna | TBD |
| Hobbytown USA | Kennesaw | Will D |
| East Atlanta Comics Dice City | Atlanta | Josh C |
Columbus – Dennis B (VC)
| Venue | Location | Coordinator |
|---|---|---|
| Moxie Games | Columbus | Dennis B |
VTT Coordinators
| Platform | Coordinator(s) |
|---|---|
| Foundry | James R, Josh C, Dennis B, Alex H |
| Fantasy Grounds Unity | Joel H |
Lodge Officers
| Position | Officer(s) |
|---|---|
| Regional Venture-Coordinator (Appalachian Region) | Joel H |
| Venture-Captain (Atlanta) | James R |
| Venture-Captain (Columbus) | Dennis B |
| Venture-Lieutenant (Atlanta) | Alex H, Will H |
| Venture-Agent (Atlanta) | Brienne S, Boo F, Christopher K, Jamey D, Josh C, Kaiser S, Steve H, Will D |
Convention Coordinators
| Convention | Coordinator |
|---|---|
| DragonCon | Joel H |
| MomoCon | Will H |
| Southern-Fried Gaming Expo | Steve H |
🤝 Volunteer Opportunities
Interested in helping AtlantaPFS grow and thrive? We’re always looking for dedicated volunteers to GM, coordinate venues, assist with conventions, and more.
Current Opportunities:
- DragonCon 2026 (September 3–7): Our flagship regional event, and we are short-handed — volunteer form is open now. Roster needs to be finalized by July 31.
- Southern-Fried Gaming Expo 2026 (July 31 – August 2): Steve H needs GMs and HQ — join the SFGE channel on Discord.
- CharCon 2026 (July 10–12, Charleston, WV): Support the Morgantown lodge at their first convention appearance. Reach out to Joel H if you can help.
- Venue Coordinators (Venture-Agents): Immediate needs at Titan Games & Comics (Smyrna) and Battle & Brew (Sandy Springs).
- Regional VO Opening: Charleston, WV (new lodge) — see Regional Roundup above for details.
- General GMs and Players: Especially needed in Mebane NC, Charlotte NC, Memphis TN, and Nashville TN.
Fill out our Volunteer Form to get started, or reach out to joel@atlantapfs.org. Learn more about Venture-Officer roles in the VO Handbook.
📅 Weekly Game Schedule June 21–27, 2026
Note: We’re aware that we are still not consistently meeting our two-weeks-or-more posting goal, and we apologize for that — we’re working to improve. The schedule is always subject to change and new games can be added at any time. Your best resource is the Upcoming Games page on Warhorn — check it regularly. Want a specific adventure? Use our Adventure Request Form!
| Day | Date | Time (EDT) | Venue | Scenario and Sign-Up Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday | June 26 | 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM | Fantasy Grounds Unity (VTT) | SFS2 1-12: Take the Bait |
| Saturday | June 27 (Free RPG Day) | 11:00 AM – 1:30 PM | Level-Up Games (Dawsonville) | PF2 Adventure: Things Go to Hell (Free RPG Day 2026) |
| Saturday | June 27 (Free RPG Day) | 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM | Level-Up Games (Dawsonville) | SF2 Adventure: Rescue on Raxil (Free RPG Day 2026) |
| Saturday | June 27 (Free RPG Day) | 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Level-Up Games (Dawsonville) | PF2 Adventure: Things Go to Hell (Free RPG Day 2026) |
| Saturday | June 27 (Free RPG Day) | 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Level-Up Games (Dawsonville) | SF2 Adventure: Rescue on Raxil (Free RPG Day 2026) |
🎲 Until Next Week, Pathfinders!
Free RPG Day is one week out — grab a table at Level-Up Games in Dawsonville on the 27th, and bring a friend who’s never played before. It’s the easiest “yes” we get to offer all year.
And while the Paizo news stays quiet for now, two things are loud and urgent: DragonCon needs volunteers, today, and Southern-Fried Gaming Expo needs hands for Steve H’s team. Both forms and Discord links are above — please don’t wait on these.
Watch the GeorgiaPFS Discord and the Warhorn agenda for additions and changes throughout the week. Roll well, friends — we’ll see you out there. ⚔️🌟
