Running Faction Missions from Earlier Seasons...


GM Discussion

The Exchange 5/5

Hi,

I have read through the Guide, searched and seen some of the threads relating to running previous missions, but I still have a question.

Do we give PCs with prior, non-retired factions missions for their older factions AS IS (from earlier season scenarios) or do we update the faction in the mission to one of the Season 6 factions (excepting Shadow/Lantern Lodge) even if the PC has not yet been updated?

For example, say I have an Andoran Faction PC at my table. When I hand out the faction mission from the prior season scenario I am running, should it be labeled as coming from Liberty's Edge (since the faction has changed) or should I leave it as Andoran?

It's just for flavor (vs. prestige), but still fun. I am inclined to issue the faction mission from the newly organized faction (since the leadership has changed) to the PC with the previous faction (especially so that there are no conflicts with old/new versions of the faction in the same party - ie. Andoran + Liberty's Edge), but would like to know if there is a ruling for how to handle this situation. (...as in the new management providing the not-so-subtle hint - "hey - the times are changing, bud, and we want you to be part of the new order...")

Thanks!

Liberty's Edge 5/5 5/5 *** Venture-Lieutenant, Indiana—Martinsville

I believe that the Faction missions will become a bit more important once the Faction Cards come out. I am hoping this happens soon.

I like to go over the faction missions when I prep and see if any has something to do with the secondary condition. (like in Citadel of Flame) This I take time to get to the players even if I leave out the other faction missions.

The Exchange 5/5

Thx. Does anyone know how I should label the faction missions for prior faction PCs (use new factions or leave as is)? I'm hoping to finish my prep soon.

Sovereign Court 4/5

I'm not sure what you mean about "PCs not being updated to the new factions." There are no more PCs in the Andoran faction. At the beginning of Season 6, they all became Liberty's Edge Pathfinders, and were given the opportunity to switch for free. I wouldn't personally refluff the mission to be from the new faction.

The Exchange 5/5

Hmmm...thx for the reply, Dhenn.

If that's the case, then I don't understand all the additional language in the Guide about factions being "retired," such as Shadow Lodge and Lantern Lodge. If all PCs are suddenly switched to new factions as soon as they are announced, then there is no way for them to do a retirement mission and the whole section on retirement subsequently makes no sense.

Since prior factions other than LL and SL have not been "retired," they must still exist in some form, and when their retirement is formally announced, presumably, there will be an end-of-faction mission for the faction boon. From the language in the Guide, it seems up to the players to switch their characters until the faction is retired, after which time they are forced to switch if they want to be awarded XP, prestige, etc. from any missions they run.

So, the options would appear to be:

1. Switch now and forget the future retirement missions
2. Wait until retirement is announced, run the mission and get the special faction boon, then switch
3. Do nothing and be forcibly switched after the retirement cut-off date or be unable to play scenarios with that character (and/or get no rewards)

NEW characters can obviously only select only the new Season 6 factions.

Anyway - I think I have decided to re-skin the faction missions to be the new factions (with the documented faction conversions). It doesn't take very long and is more consistent with new management reaching out to strengthen ties with the established guard to help ensure that the new faction remains strong.

Otherwise, if there is a formal rule somewhere about how this issue is supposed to be handled, then I will do it that way (if anyone knows where/what it is)...or is the whole section in the Guide about faction retirement and special adventures a huge errata?

Thx.

The Exchange 5/5

And just to be clear, when I talk about retirement missions above, I am referring to characters that were created with the old factions prior to the start of Season 6.

Liberty's Edge 5/5 5/5 *** Venture-Lieutenant, Indiana—Martinsville

If the PC's have not changed their faction as of yet, having not been played since the change or through other confusion about Faction change, the 5th season faction fold over to the new equivalent.

So, Andoran are Liberty's Edge, Cheliax are Dark Archive, Taldor is Sovereign Court, Qadira and Sczarni are The Exchange with Orsirion being turned to Scarab Sages. Silver Crusade and Grand Lodge didn't change.

Though I am not sure when one needs to do the "free" faction change that is available to characters. (or was, if that is the case) Changing to a faction that isn't one the old faction was folded into.

Shadow Lodge and Lantern Lodge, having been retired a year before the new factions took over, should have been resolved and characters chosen a new faction to go into as the result of the end of Season 4. The retirement scenarios simply do not get the boons if they are run now, as they had a specific time in which to do it in.

This is as I know it.

The Exchange 5/5

GTPSOP p. 17:
"Should a faction be retired, it will feature in a special scenario designed to wrap up its story. Any character who belongs to a faction that’s retiring and receives credit for participating in one of these faction scenarios will be able to receive a special reward on the scenario’s Chronicle sheet."

Where is the list of final faction missions for all the old nation-based factions? Or were they all retired without having any final missions contrary to the Guide. That's what is confusing me.

Lantern Lodge Retired in "Way of the Kirin"
Shadow Lodge Retired in "Rivalry's End"

Anyway - as above, I'm just going to use the new factions and mapping as described in the Guide, and I understand now that all the factions are retired even if they haven't had specific retirement missions

Grand Lodge 4/5

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Pathfinder Adventure, Rulebook Subscriber

The retirement scenario for the previous factions is "The Paths We Choose".

The Exchange 5/5

OK - thanks! I think I understand it all now. I appreciate it.

4/5 *

No factions have been "retired" except Shadow Lodge and Lantern Lodge. The others changed their names, in some cases their leadership, and in one case combined - but no one was orphaned. So, those rules don't apply. We were lucky that we got a big faction scenario anyway for them.

I will rename the faction missions to be from the new factions. If you're going to use them, it must be to add some back story and immersion, since there is no mechanical benefit to them. Why use them and then use outdated names?

Grand Lodge 4/5 5/5

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I must admit I add the old faction missions into the mission briefings using the names of the then faction heads. This comes along the lines of A good friend of the society Zarta would like ... Moldris is particularly interested in ... Pasha Muhlia Would like to know ...

The last one did raise a few eyebrows among my players who had played Slave Ships recently last weekend


Since there have been at least 2 remappings of the factions, can anyone provide a list of how things exactly map out? For example, I literally have a PC who has only played 1 season 1 module and never was brought forward. When I take that PC to play a newer scenario, it's possible that my faction will need to be updated twice, and it's possible that once I know my new faction, I have to map it backwards again to figure out what old faction handout I should get. What do those mappings look like?

Grand Lodge 4/5

From Season 1:
Andoran - Liberty's Edge
Cheliax - Dark Archive
Osirion - Scarab Sages
Qadira - The Exchange
Taldor - Sovereign Court

After this automatic update, the PC can make one free faction change any time this season.

The Exchange 5/5

GM Lamplighter wrote:
If you're going to use them, it must be to add some back story and immersion, since there is no mechanical benefit to them.

Yes - I find that they add a lot of color and seem to have some important information, which makes sense, since they used to be tied to the secondary success conditions. Depending on circumstances, I may present them as general info in the context of "rumors within the society" that the PCs have heard while being summoned to a particular location for their adventure, or they may be hand-offs from people they meet who could not complete them. They also help expand player thinking and provide additional RP opportunities, even if somewhat fluffy at times. So far, in my limited use, the players have liked having extra things to do and figure out. Adding the missions has only been beneficial from what I can tell.

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