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

Episode Overview

In this lively episode, the hosts continue their ongoing Pathfinder tabletop campaign, “Dawn of the Frogs,” part of Cool Zone Media’s Book Club series. The party—played by Margaret Killjoy (Spite), Hazel (Murdy), Trant, and IO (Squash)—navigate a tense rescue mission in the swamp village of Bog Bottom, facing swarms of beetles, a monstrous lizard, and ultimately a deadly showdown with Boggard frog-people. This session spotlights group camaraderie, slapstick antics, creative problem-solving, and the ethical gray areas that emerge in TTRPGs.

Key Discussion Points & Story Progression

Party Recap and Player Introductions

[03:36-08:55]

• The group introduces characters:
  • IO: Squash, a cheeky shoony (dog-person) rogue.
  • Margaret: Spite, a human champion of the god of revolution, Melani.
  • Trant: An alchemist/pacifist (who's very into explosions).
  • Hazel: Sister Murdragona Bow (“Murdy”), a half-orc cleric and soup cultist.
• Recap of previous session: The party arrived poor and lost in Bog Bottom, taking up the mantle of “heroes” to find missing villagers.

The Crumbling Mill and the Sleeping Lizard

[08:55-14:00]

• The group enters an abandoned mill crawling with beetles, which are swiftly dealt with.
• The focus turns to a massive, sleeping lizard blocking the ladder upstairs.
• The party debates classic TTRPG options: sneak past, attack, or try to talk to it.
  • Notable Quip:
    IO (Squash) [11:08]: “Do you guys remember when we were in town and Sebulba Splash Page came up to us and said if there was anybody sleeping...”

Exploding Plans and Fire Anxiety

[13:40-18:00]

• The group (mainly Trant and Murdy) strategize using oil and fire to deal with the lizard, with much debate about floor sturdiness and fire hazard.
• Stealth rolls and the concept of Pathfinder hero points (rerolls) are introduced and used, adding tension and humor.

Action! The Lizard Battle

[20:01-39:08]

• Trant and Squash sneak close; they successfully hit the lizard with oil and alchemist’s fire, setting it ablaze.
• Memorable Exchanges:
  • Margaret (Spite) [24:59]: “Now that you gave it a name, I’m worried about it.”
  • Hazel (Murdy) [26:16]: “I am intent on eating that lizard. I'm gonna nudge Spite and go ‘nuggies—lizard nuggies—tonight.’”
• Squash fires a gun, Spite strikes with a morningstar, and Murdy casts magic. Trant’s bombs (and questionable aim) nearly cause friendly fire, but the lizard is finally defeated—its fate sealed as stew fodder.

Climbing to the Top Floor: The Rescue

[43:43-49:58]

• Squash climbs up to find two unconscious villagers imprisoned in a cage, suspended over a yawning hole.
• The group strategizes (sometimes recklessly) on how to rescue them, with Trant eager to use grenades and Squash envisioning daredevil stunts.
• Perception checks and close calls abound, leading to the discovery of dangerous Boggard guards.

The Boggard Showdown

[49:58-71:13]

• Two hostile frog-folk ambush the party; combat ensues.
• Notable moments include:
  • Squash failing an acrobatic leap, falling, and quipping, “I’m getting too old for this.” [53:37]
  • Trant’s errant bomb, descending past Squash after a bad throw: [57:03]
    • Trant: “Don’t worry, I got you!” (rolls and fails, nearly hitting Squash with fire)
  • Trant uses a heroic reroll for a “shotgun” (blunderbuss), critting and annihilating a Boggard [66:43]:
    • “Natural 20—Hey! It works!”
    • Hazel (Murdy): “Let’s fucking go!” [67:30]
• Spite’s champion powers free Murdy from a frog tongue, and the group defeats the Boggards with considerable force.

Aftermath, Loot, and The Village’s Fate

[71:13-84:12]

• The party searches the room, discovers a stash in a barrel (magic items, healing potions, and a false bottom), and puzzles over the unresponsive villagers.
• Trant’s attempts to wake them (including firing a gun next to their ears) fail.
• Hazel (Murdy) identifies a strange, acrid fungus, but can’t determine the cure, suggesting expert help is needed.
• They haul the sleeping villagers back to Bog Bottom and are celebrated as heroes, but the mood remains uneasy:
  • Jason (GM) [84:12]: “After every bite of the feast and behind every song, there’s a lingering feeling… This is far from over.”

Notable Quotes & Moments

• [09:56] Jason (GM): “The sounds of conversation from above abruptly stop.”
• [13:53] IO (Squash): “I think if we blow up this big lizard, the people upstairs are not going to be interested in being our friends, and I love to make friends.”
• [26:24] Margaret (Spite): “That sounds good.” (in response to ‘lizard nuggies’)
• [31:43] Hazel (Murdy): “That’s so many nuggies.”
• [41:16] Jason (GM): “It’s the rage bait. It feels like it’s trying to divide people.” (meta moment, on media)
• [55:09] Hazel (Murdy): “You push into the target’s mind and daze it with a mental jolt. In my mind, I’m just making it distractedly hungry.”
• [61:13] Margaret (Spite): “If only there was a Liberation champion immediately.” (as Murdy gets tongue-grabbed, then rescued)
• [67:31] Jason (GM): “You level this archaic firearm that you’ve hand built yourself directly in the center of this Boggard’s chest and just blow it right out. The Boggard falls in a heap of gore and viscera.”
• [68:19] Trant: “I’m gonna look back to Spite and say, boss, I definitely did that because of the cages. 100% all about the cages.”
• [73:10] Trant: “Let me just make one note, which is that none of these people are exactly lookers and we all know scars are hot.”
• [75:00] Jason (GM): “Underneath one pile of the bedding is a long pole with a hook on it...”
• [80:10] Jason (GM): “These [vials] are four lesser alchemist's fires.”
• [84:12] Jason (GM): “Yet after every bite of the feast and behind every song, there’s a lingering feeling that cannot be shaken. This is far from over.”

Important Timestamps

• 03:36–08:55 – Character introductions
• 10:25–13:36 – Planning and executing lizard attack
• 24:01–39:08 – Lizard combat
• 43:43–49:58 – Party enters the top floor, cage rescue setup
• 49:58–71:13 – Combat with Boggards on the upper floor
• 71:13–84:12 – Searching, investigation, and denouement in Bog Bottom

Tone & Style

The episode is a mix of sardonic humor, genre-savvy banter, and authentic tabletop camaraderie. The group constantly breaks the fourth wall (“Do you know what else is really stealthy... is it ads?” [19:51]), combining story and rules discussions, while the GM provides evocative scene narration and gentle ribbing.

Summary for New Listeners

If you missed this episode, the “It Could Happen Here” crew delivers one of their most engaging actual-play sessions yet: the gang creatively solves in-game problems with equal parts chaos and brilliance, stumbles through dangerous situations with memorable one-liners, and faces off with foes whose threat is only matched by the party’s own “friendly fire.” The session closes on the note that, while the immediate mission is complete, a deeper mystery—and perhaps more dangerous challenges—linger in the world of Pathfinder’s Bog Bottom.

Credits

• Host/GM: Jason Bullman
• Players: Margaret Killjoy, IO, Trant, Hazel
• Podcast: It Could Happen Here (Cool Zone Media/iHeartPodcasts)

Next up: “Dawn of the Frogs, Part Three”—the adventure continues!