Introducing the Concordance Faction!

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

In Season 8 of the Pathfinder Society Roleplaying Guild, the Pathfinder Society set its sights far from Golarion. Pathfinders soared through the skies of the Plane of Air, swam through the endless oceans of the Plane of Water, embroiled themselves in genie politics on the Plane of Fire, and brought lost and forgotten secrets to light on the Plane of Earth. And while they were hopping through the planes, the Pathfinders ran headfirst into the plans of a group called the Concordance of Elements. The Concordance first came onstage as a fierce opponent to the Pathfinder Society, but ultimately became an ally. In the interests of keeping this blog low on spoilers, I'll just say: nothing like an angry demigod to help two groups set aside their differences. But what began as an alliance of desperation evolved into a genuine partnership.

So what is the Concordance? It is an ancient and diverse organization whose membership spans multiple planes, with a particular focus on the elemental planes. Its members take great interest in the interplay among the primal forces of air, earth, fire, and water. They believe that the stability of the multiverse ultimately depends upon these forces—and many others—remaining in balance.

Each member has her own ideas about how to maintain this equilibrium. Some of them set upon a perilous quest for understanding in places where elemental forces are at their strongest, from howling blizzards to ferocious thunderstorms to active volcanoes. Others seek to refine the balance within, mastering magical forces or fighting styles that evoke multiple elements. Still others search for yawning planar rifts and other massive disturbances to study or seal away.

As an organization, the Concordance believes that each individual member's personal journey of discovery is important. Its leaders, collectively known as the Cycle of Five, spend much of their time in meditation and reflection, leaving its agents free to act with relative autonomy. Of course, agents who contribute more to the Concordance's collective knowledge and overarching goals gain deeper access to its ancient reservoirs of elemental knowledge and power. Such ambitious agents would do well to seek out opportunities to make a name for themselves. Fortunately for Pathfinders interested in gaining influence, the Society's contact in the Concordance is a direct emissary to the Cycle of Five. He is our new faction leader: Ashasar, Liaison to the Seat of Balance, a Suli druid with an airship-shaped air elemental companion, as well as three other elemental companions who will be showing up in future scenarios.

Illustration by Sebastian Rodriguez

So what does the Concordance bring to the Pathfinder Society? It brings a fresh perspective on Golarion combined with a rich reservoir of planar and elemental knowledge. The Pathfinder Society has shown the Concordance that Golarion is a world worth exploring in much more detail. From the erratic magic of the Mana Wastes to the Abendego-battered Sodden Lands, the Concordance has just begun to scratch the surface. The Concordance is a nature faction, but it's not a typical nature faction. Its members respect nature, and typical nature-themed characters like druids and rangers are quite welcome in its ranks. Still, you're more likely to find someone in the Concordance trying to channel the essence of a hurricane than you are to find them attempting to befriend every plant and animal they meet.

If you're interested in learning more about the Concordance, check out the scenarios that have already featured their story:

  • Pathfinder Society Scenario #7-99: Through Maelstrom Rift (6th-level Pregenerated Characters)
  • Pathfinder Society Scenario #8-08—Tyranny of Winds, Part 1: The Sandstorm Prophecy (Tier 1-5)
  • Pathfinder Society Scenario #8-10—Tyranny of Winds, Part 2: Secrets of the Endless Sky (Tier 1-5)
  • Pathfinder Society Scenario #8-12—Tyranny of Winds, Part 3: Caught in the Eclipse (Tier 3-7)
  • Pathfinder Society Scenario #8-17: Refugees of the Weary Sky (Tier 7-11)
  • Pathfinder Society Scenario #8-24: Raid on the Cloudborne Keep (Tier 5-9)

Since this is the Year of Faction's Favor, we would be remiss not to give our newest faction a chance to shine. We've got opportunities coming up in February for both Pathfinder Society campaigns. In Pathfinder Society Scenario #9-14, the Society will call upon the Concordance's expertise to investigate bizarre phenomena in the Verduran Forest. Meanwhile, in Season 4 of the Pathfinder Adventure Card Guild's, Ashasar will help the PCs quell an unnatural storm. The Concordance will also appear in the upcoming Player Companion Disciple's Doctrine.

Interested in joining the Concordance? Ashasar is about to start an active recruitment drive, traveling from lodge to lodge across the Inner Sea and beyond. If your character would like to become a part of this new initiative, keep an eye out for the faction's formal launch in early 2018. As with other faction changes, you'll be able to switch your character over to the Concordance freely without spending Prestige Points. As a part of this launch, we'll be updating the Pathfinder Society Roleplaying Guild Guide to include the Concordance and giving the faction a shiny new Faction Journal card.

Linda Zayas-Palmer
Developer

More Paizo Blog.
Tags: The Concordance of Elements Factions Organized Play Pathfinder Society Sebastian Rodriguez
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Grand Lodge 4/5

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Adventure, Rulebook Subscriber

Huzzah!

Grand Lodge 2/5 5/5 Venture-Lieutenant, California—North Coast

5 people marked this as a favorite.

Ack TOZ ya beat me.

First post aside, This right here is amazing many of my players at my store find that the factions currently don't quite meet their ideals many of my druids and nature folks will probably go nuts over this.

4/5

1 person marked this as a favorite.

Wopah!

Scarab Sages 5/5 5/55/55/5

2 people marked this as a favorite.

*stops hugging the ficus*
Whats wrong with making friends?

3/5 5/55/55/55/5 *** Contributor

3 people marked this as a favorite.

I am so excited about this! My sylph psychic already has a backstory tying in to the Concordance!

Scarab Sages 5/5

3 people marked this as a favorite.

What I like the most about this, is it's an organization met, interacted with, and befriended during game play. Im pretty sure this is why shadow lodge was so popular.

Paizo Employee 4/5 Organized Play Lead Developer

7 people marked this as a favorite.
Tallow wrote:
What I like the most about this, is it's an organization met, interacted with, and befriended during game play. Im pretty sure this is why shadow lodge was so popular.

This was definitely on our minds when we were planning out Season 8.

5/5 5/5 Venture-Captain, New Hampshire

This looks pretty exciting to me. Can't wait now. :)

Sczarni 5/5 5/55/5 ***

This Blog makes me happy.

Silver Crusade

1 person marked this as a favorite.

This faction isn't my jam, but I know it will tickle the fancy of many others so I am exited to see it around!

Second Seekers (Roheas) 4/5 5/55/55/55/5 ***** Regional Venture-Coordinator, Appalachia

I am excited about this but also hesitant after season 8 inflicted me with such planar terrain rules fatigue.

I have wanted a nature based faction so badly - I humbly request bringing in Jamila as his #2. It's pretty cool for an NPC introduced in Season 0 to still be kicking around in pretty much her original form. (as opposed to say Eliza Petulengro or Grandmaster Torch who evolved loads in the intervening years)

Dark Archive 4/5

2 people marked this as a favorite.

My (currently Scarab Sage) sylph druid (heading towards storm kindler) who's obsessed with the Eye will be excited to join the Concordance when they start recruiting! Especially if she thinks they can help her get to the center, and see what's waiting... :)

Paizo Employee 4/5 Organized Play Lead Developer

3 people marked this as a favorite.
Douglas Edwards wrote:
I am excited about this but also hesitant after season 8 inflicted me with such planar terrain rules fatigue.

Yep, we're keeping that in mind. While the Concordance loves traveling to other planes, I want to reinforce what the blog notes: "The Pathfinder Society has shown the Concordance that Golarion is a world worth exploring in much more detail. From the erratic magic of the Mana Wastes to the Abendego-battered Sodden Lands, the Concordance has just begun to scratch the surface." There's a lot to keep the faction's attention on the Inner Sea map alone, and that's before taking into account the excitement they could find in Tian Xia or on other continents.

Much like when the regional factions turned toward a more non-geographic set of goals, Concordance doesn't rely on any one area. It embraces many of them.

Quote:
I have wanted a nature based faction so badly - I humbly request bringing in Jamila as his #2. It's pretty cool for an NPC introduced in Season 0 to still be kicking around in pretty much her original form. (as opposed to say Eliza Petulengro or Grandmaster Torch who evolved loads in the intervening years)

Funny you should mention Jamila, given a scenario outline I recently read.

Shadow Lodge 4/5 *** Venture-Captain, Michigan—Mt. Pleasant

I've got a couple of characters that might have to switch to this. Thanks!

Second Seekers (Roheas) 4/5 5/55/55/55/5 ***** Regional Venture-Coordinator, Appalachia

Oh John Compton, you tease!

Silver Crusade 4/5

Right from the first paragraph, I was thinking that my sylph who met the Concordance playing all three parts of Tyranny of the Winds would want to join this group. Then you got the part about them being a nature focused faction, which makes it even more appealing - she's a sky druid.

My newer grippli ranger might also be interested in joining, just for the nature emphasis, even though he's not really interested in planar travel. Both of them are among my "just put them in the Grand Lodge since no faction really fits" types.

Silver Crusade 5/5 5/55/5 **** Venture-Captain, Germany—Bavaria

1 person marked this as a favorite.

This sounds like a pretty excellent addition to the number of existing factions, having introduced the faction organically seems quite rewarding.

4/5 *

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, Lost Omens Subscriber

I am excite!


Cool, so their like elemental versions of the Riftwardens then?

1/5 5/5

Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

Wow.

Yeah, this will be a thing.

Not sure how it will be a thing for my characters, but yes, some of them will be going for this.

The Exchange 4/5 5/5 ****

With all the travels and all the changes that I have undergone recently, this might be just the factions for me

Question, am I a halfling or an Oread today?

Paizo Employee 4/5 Organized Play Lead Developer

Berselius wrote:
Cool, so their like elemental versions of the Riftwardens then?

Nuance aside, that's one solid way to summarize them.

1/5 * RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 16

A faction of elemental monks seems cool, but they feel out of place in an organization dedicated to exploration, history, and networking. I'd like to learn more how exactly how their ideals align enough with the society to be a faction within it.

1/5 5/5

Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

Some of that would be potentially spoiler-worthy information revealed during Season 8 scenarios.

Pretty sure that the introduction of the faction will be a good clue as to the inclination of the organization.


I was just thinking how hard it was to justify storm kindlers in the society...

Dataphiles 3/5

Awesome.

Dark Archive 1/5

"an airship-shaped air elemental companion"?
Аrе уоu ок?
Sо сhеар... sо... Аrrrgh.... Маке mе unsее this.

Scarab Sages

Lynn Elster Jones wrote:

"an airship-shaped air elemental companion"?

Аrе уоu ок?
Sо сhеар... sо... Аrrrgh.... Маке mе unsее this.

When you meet him mid-scenario, you don't realize he's a Druid. The elemental just kinda whispers to him. But it was an interesting bit of added descriptive text at the time.

Shadow Lodge 2/5

2 people marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

I have a hard time wanting to invest in a new faction when it seems painfully obvious that it will only last a couple years before the plot moves on and they disband. I'm still sore over the loss of Shadow Lodge and Lantern Lodge as I had several characters tied into those factions. Then we lose the sczarni, and now the scarab sages. I think I even have a character with as many as 3 faction changes at this point. Why care about this faction when it seems tied only to a seasonal plot drive?

3/5

hxcmike wrote:
Then we lose the sczarni, and now the scarab sages.

Wait, what? Did I miss something? They didn't say that any faction was going to be dropped, just one added.

Im super excited for this new faction. We were just talking at tonight's game about my druid being Grand Lodge. It does't make much sense for him, but it makes more sense than all the others.
On the other hand, I am also working on a Scarab Sage ATM who is heavily vested in their story, and if they take the faction away, all my work is going to be undone to the point of making me toss him out. I'll be super sad.

5/5 5/55/55/5

Michael White wrote:
hxcmike wrote:
Then we lose the sczarni, and now the scarab sages.

Wait, what? Did I miss something? They didn't say that any faction was going to be dropped, just one added.

Linky

Dark Archive 1/5

Reading through the blog gives me a picture of a planes faction, not a nature faction. The only reference to nature I see is when effects of elemental forces are mentioned, and even then the elemental planes seem more in focus than nature and life. The faction seems more suited to a wizard or a kineticist than a hunter or even a druid.

As such if feels that the faction is a nature faction only because it's called such, not because of what it actually is, or what its goals are. Because of this I feel that the Concordance does not fill the need for a nature inclined faction in Pathfinder Society.

Grand Lodge 5/5 *

Well, at least one of my elemental-kin will jump all over this. My other... turned out to be more prejudiced than I thought (have to love spontaneous character development) and so that whole 'balance' thing won't work for her.

BTW, this totally needs to be launched by mid-February, so that Total Confusion (TotalCon) can flood Linda's old stomping grounds with Concordance love!


1 person marked this as a favorite.

Hey! They're making an appearance in the Player Companion line! Awesome. Looking forward to it.

The Concordance 4/5 5/55/55/55/5 ****

3 people marked this as a favorite.

A little gnome bard, whose sole dream has been traveling the planes, looks up from her book. “Wait. This Concordance thing? It’s going to be a new faction? Squeeeeeeeee!”

She jumps up and down. “I want in! I want in!”

4/5 5/55/55/5 *** Venture-Lieutenant, Minnesota—Minneapolis

This is going to be an interesting addition. I've two characters that might be interested in the new faction, but are already fairly invested in their current faction.

What will happen with existing faction journal cards when the new faction comes in?

Grand Lodge 4/5 5/55/55/55/5 **** Venture-Captain, Minnesota

BretI wrote:

This is going to be an interesting addition. I've two characters that might be interested in the new faction, but are already fairly invested in their current faction.

What will happen with existing faction journal cards when the new faction comes in?

It's a question that I have, too. There is no way that Cup won't switch over to the Concordance. She loves elemental stuff and planar travel. It's been her dream since the beginning. She'll do it no matter the consequences.

Still, she's done a lot of work for Zarta. I have a ton of faction checkoffs and some Dark Archive faction card boons on Cup. By the time this hits, she will be level 8.

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

My undine water singer bard, Nixie, is a Dark Archivist who recently got a Dark Archive chronicle boon that she wanted very badly. Although she is tentatively interested in the Concordance -- she is very elementally themed, and adores water -- she is uncertain that she wants to make the commitment if it means leaving all the progress with Dark Archive behind.

Hmm

Scarab Sages 4/5 5/55/55/55/5 ****

2 people marked this as a favorite.
Alanya wrote:
My (currently Scarab Sage) sylph druid (heading towards storm kindler) who's obsessed with the Eye will be excited to join the Concordance when they start recruiting! Especially if she thinks they can help her get to the center, and see what's waiting... :)

My Sylph Storm Druid / Storm Kindler obsessed with the Eye is already a Seeker. But she's getting my GM credit for Gming Eyes, so maybe she'll come back for more later. She started as Qadira faction as they were the faction that traveled by ship a lot (ok, she was Qadira so I could buy my Wild Armor at 10% off). Then switched to Scarab Sages after participating in the mythic rescue of Tahonikepsu. She'll gladly join this now.

Liberty's Edge 1/5 **

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber

Looks like I'm going to be making a Riftwarden concept who expands his stuff toward elemental balance as well.

Paizo Employee 4/5 ** Developer

Amazing. I'm not going to let optimization get in the way of character development, but will completed faction benefits carry over for characters who take the free change? Will we be able to check things we've already done when we get the change over? Having already completed 4+ goals on my previous faction card on my Paladin of Ranginori, it's a little bittersweet knowing I only have 4 more levels until I retire.

Sovereign Court 3/5 5/55/5

My usual table is going to love this as everyone has been playing through the various planar adventures with their current characters. I expect a lot of faction switching.

Liberty's Edge 2/5

I've been considering creating a Ratfolk Shifter and this sounds like the perfect faction for him so I shall wait until it goes live to do so.

4/5

Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

Listing scenario #7-99, which I can't buy or read, as "check these out!" is cruel. :)

Sovereign Court 4/5 5/5 ** Venture-Lieutenant, Netherlands—Leiden

Zaister wrote:
Listing scenario #7-99, which I can't buy or read, as "check these out!" is cruel. :)

It's a great scenario. Ask any VL with 3+ stars to run it for you and your friends.

Shadow Lodge 1/5

Darafern wrote:

Reading through the blog gives me a picture of a planes faction, not a nature faction. The only reference to nature I see is when effects of elemental forces are mentioned, and even then the elemental planes seem more in focus than nature and life. The faction seems more suited to a wizard or a kineticist than a hunter or even a druid.

As such if feels that the faction is a nature faction only because it's called such, not because of what it actually is, or what its goals are. Because of this I feel that the Concordance does not fill the need for a nature inclined faction in Pathfinder Society.

Oddly enough, my Whimsy Oracle and my Cleric of Groetus seem like naturals for this faction, and neither are 'elemental based'. The first is first worldly in origin (and including a first world adventure would be awesome) and the latter is all about balance between the elements because the end is always balanced.

Silver Crusade 4/5 5/55/55/5 RPG Superstar 2013 Top 8

Alanya wrote:
My (currently Scarab Sage) sylph druid (heading towards storm kindler) who's obsessed with the Eye will be excited to join the Concordance when they start recruiting! Especially if she thinks they can help her get to the center, and see what's waiting... :)

I think we already know what is in the center.

Inner Sea World Guide p. 32 wrote:
A few magical investigations of the storm have confirmed that at its center sits a large eye of calm waters thick with debris and other mysterious flotsam, yet the preponderance of undead, ghost ships, strange sea monsters, and powerful creatures of elemental air make such investigations dangerous at best.

Shadow Lodge 4/5

2 people marked this as a favorite.

Hmm...empty ocean, surrounded by a hurricane, elemental air creatures, horribly inhospitable to fire creatures...I wonder what might be there.

1/5

1 person marked this as a favorite.
TOZ wrote:
Hmm...empty ocean, surrounded by a hurricane, elemental air creatures, horribly inhospitable to fire creatures...I wonder what might be there.

You know, that might actually work. I mean, the previous time a certain comet made its appearance was AR 4606. If Aroden's death somehow summoned (or was caused by the summoning of) four particular elemental-themed shinies...

That's what, an airless comet, the Eye of Abednego, the Worldwound, and maybe the Shatterfield in Mwangi?

1/5 5/5

2 people marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

I'd hesitate to add the Worldwound to that list. ...due to the nature of what comes out of it

There are other candidates that could fit better but I can't recall them off the top of the head at the moment...

Silver Crusade 1/5 Contributor

TOZ wrote:
Hmm...empty ocean, surrounded by a hurricane, elemental air creatures, horribly inhospitable to fire creatures...I wonder what might be there.

Now I really want this to be true...

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