It Could Happen Here – CZM Book Club: Pathfinder: Dawn of the Frogs, Part Six

Date: December 7, 2025
Host/GM: Jason
Players: Margaret ("Spite"), Trant, Squash, Hazel ("Murdy")
Context: Conclusion of the Dawn of the Frogs Pathfinder RPG campaign arc. The adventurers invade the dam to defeat the Boggard cult and free the villagers.

Episode Overview

This final session is the dramatic conclusion of the "Dawn of the Frogs" adventure, where the party descends into the dam built by the frog-like Boggard cultists. The group is tasked with rescuing the remaining villagers, destroying the dam, and confronting the Boggards' terrifying leader, all while grappling with themes of friendship, violence, and revolution—plus plenty of food and bomb-related shenanigans.

Key Discussion & Gameplay Segments

1. Campaign Recap & Character Introductions

[02:29–09:41]

• Summary: The party has returned villagers from captivity, but their memories are gone due to a poisonous mind-dulling fungus. After curing them, new intel reveals the Boggards are forcing the population to build a great dam, threatening Bog Bottom with flooding. The heroes must infiltrate the dam, save the captives, and destroy the structure.
• Notable Quotes:
  • “Maybe the real soup was the bombs we threw along the way.” – Murdy [09:45]
  • “What’s the point of making bombs if you’re not also making friends? That’s true.” – Jason [09:41]

2. Healing, Looting, and Existential Musings

[10:01–13:36]

• Summary:
  Before entering the dam, the party heals up and debates the metaphysics of cages, violence, and revolution—riffing on philosophers (reality as “cages,” Spite Foucault).
• Notable Quotes:
  • “What if everything is like cages? I think I’ve read a philosopher called…” – Spite [12:22]
  • “Is your name Spite Foucault?” – Squash [12:27]

3. Infiltrating the Dam & Rescuing Villagers

[13:36–20:32]

• Summary:
  The party navigates the claustrophobic dam tunnels, encountering foggy-brained villagers still in thrall to the “great work.” Through inventive use of soup diplomacy and comedic lies about “farm soup,” they feed and free three villagers, starting to break the cult’s hold.
• Notable Quotes:
  • “Oh, so it’s farm soup.” – Villager [17:05]
  • “They weren’t immune to dying.” – Trant, about the Boggard cult [19:00]

4. The Barracks Battle: Boggard Brawl

[21:37–48:26]

• Summary:
  The party confronts four Boggards in their barracks. The fight is chaotic and comical—Jason’s dice never seem to favor the enemies, resulting in a slapstick flurry of missed attacks from the Boggards. Player characters comment on technique and maintain banter throughout the battle.
• Notable Quotes:
  • “My dice have been bad…for this entire campaign!” – Jason [34:01]
  • “That poor Boggard…you responded by just caving in the side of his head.” – Jason [35:30]
  • “100% of the Boggards you don’t hit in the head.” – Trant [46:27]

5. Search, Loot, and Preparations for the Swampseer

[53:05–60:29]

• Summary:
  After the battle, the party thoroughly loots the barracks, trading jokes about culinary tools and offering each other various knives and cheese knives. They find Oil of Potency and the vital anti-acid paste, painting themselves in anticipation of magical attacks.
• Notable Quotes:
  • “You’ve been having issues, but will this help you?” – Spite, finding the Oil of Potency [57:16]
  • “I’m getting all slippery with this…” – Squash, covering self with paste [59:45]
• Timestamps:
  • Oil of Potency discovery: [57:16]
  • Anti-acid paste prep: [59:03–59:54]

6. Defusing the Trap at the Frog Skull Door

[60:29–64:13]

• Summary:
  The group deftly disables a classic pressure plate trap in front of the ominous frog skull door, showing off teamwork and tool wisdom.
• Notable Quotes:
  • “I think we got a pressure plate situation, my dudes.” – Squash [62:18]
  • “The party that defaces demonic runes together stays together.” – Jason [54:45]

7. Final Showdown: Swampseer Dzungr

[64:13–101:27]

• Summary:
  The Swampseer unleashes acid and devastating sonic croaks across a hazardous sluiceway. After contending with panic-inducing war cries, magical claws, and a near-TPK (Total Party Kill), the party rallies with healing teamwork.

• Notable Quotes:

  • “I could do this all day. Well, like, not all day all day, but like, probably 20 times.” – Spite (after acid attack) [69:33]
  • “There’s no rules that says a dog can’t wake up from being dead and fuck up a frog.” – Jason, justifying Squash’s panache after revival [94:57]
  • “Don’t put my friends into unconscious mode!” – Spite, attacking Swampseer [91:23]
  • “Your blade slices into Dzungar… They are now bleeding horrifically…” – Jason [96:50]

• Combat Highlights:

  • Squash is dropped to 0 HP, revived, and lands a huge finishing blow.
  • Spite powers up the magic morningstar with Oil of Potency, finishes the cult leader:
    “You bring the morning star down on the back of Zunger’s head and the Frog Cultist collapses to the ground in a pool of its own blood…the Goguntan cult has come to an end.” – Jason [101:27]

8. Destruction of the Dam & Triumphant Return

[101:27–107:17]

• Summary:
  Trant finally gets to set the Chekov’s Jar bomb, blowing up the dam in a flurry of looting, teamwork/“Scooby Doo montage” antics. The group escapes the collapsing dam, and the remaining villagers are saved as Bog Bottom is freed. The heroes are rewarded at a raucous village festival and leave behind the seeds of new “soup” and “bomb” cults for the next generation.
• Notable Quotes:
  • “You cannot cage what is wild.” – Spite [106:42]
  • “Let’s get you home, old timer.” – Murdy [109:55]
• Timestamps:
  • Dam destroyed [105:51–106:32]
  • Village festival and awards [107:17–108:54]

Memorable Moments & Player Banter

• Comedic Violence & Ethics:
  • The group oscillates between philosophical exploration (“What is a cage?”) and gleeful embrace of cartoonish violence.
• Roleplaying Quips:
  • Trant’s delight in blowing things up, Murdy’s soup metaphors, Spite’s dry humor and leadership, Squash’s dog boy hijinks.
• Running Gags:
  • Jokes about “Food & Bombs,” soup cults, weaponizing culinary tools, and Boggards’ terrible luck/missed attacks.
• Meta-Commentary:
  • Frequent out-of-character riffling on RPG mechanics, dice luck, and the Game Master’s storytelling:
    “Listen, sometimes when you’re a GM, you have performance anxiety and the dice don’t go your way.” – Jason [47:53]

Final Reflection and Wrap-Up

[108:54–End]

• The campaign wraps on a high note with everyone alive (barely), a dam blown sky-high, new traditions founded, and a fond farewell.
  • “I am shocked that you… I’m not shocked at all. It makes a lot of sense that you’re an incredibly good adventure writer.” – Spite (to GM Jason) [110:47]
  • “All of Bog Bottom has come together for a massive festival. The elders have decided to commemorate this day as the Feast of Heroes…” – Jason [107:17]
• Calls to Audience: The table encourages listeners to share their love and hopes for future games.
  • “If you all like this, maybe there’ll be more.” – Spite [111:06]
  • “Tell your dog. Tell the mayor. Tell your mom.” – Squash [111:22]
  • “If you’re mad about any rules that I specifically messed up…whisper them into a bottle and then throw it into the ocean.” – Squash [111:35]

Important Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamp (MM:SS) | |---------|------------------| | Recap & Character Intros | 02:29–09:41 | | Healing & Philosophizing | 10:01–13:36 | | Rescuing Villagers | 13:36–20:32 | | Boggard Barracks Battle | 21:37–48:26 | | Looting & Prepping | 53:05–60:29 | | Trap Disarmed | 60:29–64:13 | | Swampseer Boss Fight | 64:13–101:27 | | Dam Destruction | 101:27–107:17 | | Village Festival & Farewell | 107:17–end |

Tone & Style

This session is bursting with irreverent humor, meta-commentary, and warmth. Violence and chaos are balanced with tenderness and a sense of community, matching the podcast’s “optimism-in-the-ruins” ethos.

There’s unfiltered celebration of both tabletop role-playing absurdity and the earnest bonds forged through collective story-making.

CONCLUSION

Dawn of the Frogs ends triumphantly with the Cool Zone Media Book Club’s adventurers freeing a village, toppling a dam (and a cult), and leaving a legacy of soup, bombs, and wild-hearted revolution. The conclusion radiates a sense of accomplishment, camaraderie, and hope for future adventures—on the table and beyond.

Recommended to listeners for:

• Comedy and banter
• Clever roleplaying and group dynamics
• Satisfying campaign closure with lots of heart

Final Notable Quote:
"Maybe the real soup was the bombs we threw along the way." – Murdy, [09:45]