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Pathfinder Role-playing Game: In 'Bestiary 5' book, the new monsters have arrived
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Pathfinder RPG "Bestiary 5" is the fifth indispensable volume of monsters for use with the Pathfinder Role-playing Game and serves as a companion to the Pathfinder RPG "Core Rulebook" and Pathfinder RPG "Bestiary." - photo by Ryan Morgenegg
The monsters are back! And there are more than 300 of them. The Pathfinder Role-playing Game now has a fifth volume in the popular bestiary series, "Bestiary 5," filled with brand-new fiends and allies, and there is something for all levels of play.

Only a few pages into the book, the first monster strikes the eyes. The Aatheriexa is a floating wad of eyestalks, tentacles and gaping maw. Every monster entry in the book has full-color art so gamers can see exactly what the beast looks like.

Monster entries show all the pertinent game information, including flavor text, to help make games come alive. Symbols show what type of creature, terrain and climate the monster possesses. A list of characteristics detail hit points, experience points, armor class speed, feats, skills and attacks, to name just a few.

In addition to some new angel, demon and dragon entries, the book contains new races and psychic creatures with different agendas. There is the mind-blowing brain mole, the terrifying caller in darkness and the devastating devastator.

The book will inspire gamers as they look through the pages and imagine how they might incorporate some of the entries into their own games. Imagine the death coach pulling up outside of an inn with a request that the adventurers come and get inside. Or why not introduce the alien grays (just like from science-fiction movies) into adventures and campaigns? Their sleep paralysis powers help players forget when and how they were experimented on, because grays live to do research.

Other notable listings in the bestiary are the Grim Reaper, Mummy Lord, the Shadow Collector and the "Bestiary 5" poster boy, the Vilderavn. There are also robots, constructs, giants and undead.

A personal favorite in the "Bestiary 5" is the mystical but dreaded Hundun. This chaotic, large, evil aberration inhabits the negative material plane and boasts a 34 strength and close to half a million experience points. It looks like a cloaked figure with a staff standing 10 feet tall and weighing 700 pounds. It lives to destroy law and order. To a Hundun, there is no such thing as peace. There exists only chaos. Because spacetime is constantly shifting around Hunduns, there is always a 20 percent chance an attack will always miss. And Hunduns are immune to physical attacks. Crazy!

Not to be outnumbered by their unlawful neighbors, player-friendly creatures, familiars and animal companions are included in "Bestiary 5." The moon dog would make a wise and trusted travel friend, the Muse is a master of the arts and lives to make beautiful works of art and the Seilenos can be contacted for a good time out on the town. Players can even snuggle up with a red panda. This bestiary has a little bit of everything for everyone.

To fully utilize this bestiary, it's helpful to have the Pathfinder RPG "Mythic Adventures" and Pathfinder RPG "Occult Adventures" books. Some monsters have mythic ranks listed in their statistics that relate to these books in addition to the standard challenge ratings. Please note that the book contains high-fantasy artwork and content that may not be suitable for all ages.

For Pathfinder gamers who want a ton of variety in their games, "Bestiary 5" offers a bunch of new content. It is recommended for experienced players and after they collect the first couple of bestiaries, which contain core monsters for the game. There are a number of great new monsters that can make a game session exciting. Check out more details about this title at paizo.com.
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New Medicare cards are in the mail and scammers are on the prowl
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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has begun mailing new Medicare Health Insurance ID cards. The program no longer uses Social Security numbers to identify people. - photo by Lois M Collins
The federal government is beginning to send out new ID cards to the 58 million Americans who benefit from Medicare. But since many of the people who will receive them don't know they're coming or why, scammers are already gearing up to take advantage.

An AARP survey shows as many as three-fourths of Americans 65 and older have no idea the cards are coming, so some individuals may be duped with claims that they're supposed to pay a fee or provide personal information that will be used, instead, to defraud them.

The new cards are the first reissue in years, and the most striking part of the redesign is that the cards no longer carry the beneficiary's Social Security number. Congress mandated the removal of that number as an identifier for Medicare beneficiaries by next April. Instead, the card has a Medicare Beneficiary Identifier number, an 11-digit combination of numbers and letters.

The new Medicare cards are now being mailed out in batches, starting with the Eastern seaboard and moving west. Most Medicare beneficiaries will receive their cards over the next six months, as long as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has their correct mailing address. Once the cards are in hand, people can share the new identification number with their health care providers. During a transition period, either card is valid.

The old cards, which used Social Security numbers as the personal identification number, should be destroyed.

AARP recently launched an education campaign to warn consumers about scams related to the new Medicare cards.

The membership organization's "Fraud Watch" consultant, Frank Abagnale reformed con man, scammer and the subject of the movie and book "Catch Me If You Can" tells senior citizens the only time they need to carry the actual Medicare card is to health care appointments. Otherwise, it should be left in a safe place. If they want to carry one in their wallet or purse, he says, make a copy and black out the first seven numbers.

Since the cards were announced, scammers have already:

  • Called seniors and asked for their bank account information so that money on their old card could be returned. There is no money on the old card and CMS never asks for personal information over the phone.
  • Offered to send the new card after Medicare beneficiaries pay a $25 fee to cover expenses related to the card. The card is free.
  • Said the card will be mailed out as soon as the older person verifies his or her Social Security number, mailing address and other personal information. CMS already knows the beneficiary's Social Security number and it's no longer being used in conjunction with health care.
AARP and the Federal Trade Commission will hold a free online seminar about the cards and the fraud attempts they have spawned on Thursday, April 19, at 7 p.m. EDT. Register at: www.aarp.org/FraudWebinar. CMS also offers a "frequently asked questions" guide to the new cards.

The AARP Fraud Watch Network says consumers can sign up for its Watchdog Alert emails that deliver breaking scam information, or call a free helpline at 877-908-3360 to speak with volunteers trained in fraud counseling. Abagnale also hosts a weekly podcast for AARP, called The Perfect Scam.
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