Starfinder Society and the Law


General Discussion


Hey guys,

I'm about to run Dead Suns for my group, we're all new to Paizo products and during an intro session where we played 'Into the Unknown' a question came up I couldn't answer.

Where does the Starfinder Society fit in with regards to local law enforcement, especially on Absalom Station? Are they seen as equal to the stewards? Above them? Do the stewards view them as interfering? What about the public perception? Are they respected? Viewed as good/bad guys?

Like I said, we're new to Paizo so I'm not sure if this was cleared up in Pathfinder with the Pathfinder Society but I can't seem to find any details.

Thanks :)


Both Societies are independent from the various states and nations. They're usually (but not always) welcome and respected, but that's it.
They're also not the law, justice or anything. Merely explorers, archeologists, treasure hunters and adventurers. Do-gooders on occasion, but that's not their focus, just something they happen to do quite a bit. Celebrities and heroes at times, since it comes with the territory.
They should be quite fine on Absalom, as long as they don't pretend to be the cops they are not. Helping out is one thing, impersonating an officer is another.
In Aspis territory, not quite as welcome, I'd assume. Although the consortium will likely be smart and even polite about it. And if they try to free the totally-not-slaves of the Drow, things won't go well.

So I'd guess it depends, regarding law enforcement. What are they doing and what is the history of the society where they are ?

Organizations like the Legion or the Hellknights are probably more problematic on that front, since justice and law, respectively, are very much the core of what they do.

As for public perception ... Also depends. But the Society is reeling from a disaster, that probably colours said perception.
Up to that point, I'd expect them to have hadthe image of audacious (or reckless) adventurers braving the unknown in search of discoveries that totally belong in a museum (or troublemakers sticking their nose where it does not belong).

In fact, they're actively working on that whole aspect (even if they don't always like having to do so), as shown in the sfs scenarios. At the very least, no doubt their very good friend Zo! is full of ideas for publicity stunts, reality shows, and so much more. Whether they like it or not.


I would say they don't fall under any sort of tier of law enforcement. at best, Starfinders are like an NGO that does an indiana jones thing all over the galaxy. At worst they're raiders and cultural pirates that just happen to keep good notes :)

I imagine some find the Starfinder snafu (if the adventure module is canon) where their best and brightest are now stuck locked in a warp pocket or something, as an appropriate consequence for their border ignoring meddling.


Thanks for that, appreciate the responses! They were heading into the Downlow district and wanted to know if they were going to be targeted for their association with the Society. That then sparked a discussion about how much they were able to get away with and if they were immune to the laws.


Something to bear in mind is that Absalom Station, itself, is not a monolithic society, in terms of law and governance. In a lot of ways its more like a confederation of individual neighborhoods, businesses, religions, criminal operations, and other independent organizations, with them all getting a say in their equivalent of parliament. Open membership in the Starfinder Society doesn't make you "immune" to the law. . . but a lot in Absalom Station runs on 'guidelines' more than laws, and a common guideline would be "Don't tick off one of the more powerful backer organizations". After all, the head of the Starfinder Society is almost certainly on the list of "People who can get a meeting with the Prime Executive on short notice".


CDBAILEY wrote:
Where does the Starfinder Society fit in with regards to local law enforcement, especially on Absalom Station? Are they seen as equal to the stewards? Above them? Do the stewards view them as interfering? What about the public perception? Are they respected? Viewed as good/bad guys?

Starfinders in-canon are clearly respected and popular on (much of) Absalom Station.

As an organization the Starfinders are kind of a cross between the National Geographic Society, the Hudson's Bay Company and some kind of professional association. They bring together explorers, give them a common standard of training (roughly), facilitate work for them and have clear clout that extends to having installations, ships and an arsenal of their own, under the loose authority of the First Seeker. They're a force to be reckoned with, in other words, and have an area of expertise highly prized by many organizations and governments.

My read on them is that the Stewards would likely work closely with them wherever possible, especially in cases where law enforcement would benefit from the expertise of explorers. That doesn't mean there couldn't be friction, of course. It would be entirely possible to run a kind of legal-drama storyline where a group of Starfinders has to intervene in the prosecution of an alien "criminal" whose actions have just been misunderstood by the law and in fact represent some alien cultural norm that wasn't driven by ill intent. But it would be just as likely for Starfinders to act as consultants or trouble-shooters when dealing with subjects beyond law enforcement's core expertise -- like, say, how to deal with a mysterious asteroid from the Drift and what its implications are.


Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

I was wondering with the Stewards, are there laws that all the plants agree upon, or do each have their own legal system? What about fines, imprisonment, execution? Were do 'criminals' go.. I like playing Lawful characters.. but am unsure what the laws are! Like: is murder illegal..or just murder of Noble/rich?? Can one 'Steal' a spaceship? Most of the planets seem to be neutrally aligned with inner planets tending towards good and out ones tending towards evil. Hellknights are enforcing what laws? their own? I can create multiple codex legal ideas I just want to know what, if any vision you the company have.. and if you need some ideas I can pitch some to you for some Law/order or mystery style adventures.


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Whats the CR of "the law" ? I keep hearing about losing this fight and want to run some min maxed characters against it...


Pretty sure this is explained better somewhere, but basically (assuming my english does not fail me) : every entity part of the Pact Worlds share some laws and guidelines.
Like the slavery ban, I assume the ban of supplying groups like the Corpse Fleet or aggression towards one another, as well as the more classical, obvious ones. That's the kind of stuff the Stewards are for. Investigation, action, emergency diplomacy.
But all signing members keep their sovereignty on their own territories and can enforce their own laws locally, as long as they do not break Pact World rules.

I'd assume the Stewards also help coordinate the efforts between different members' law enforcement, maybe military when needed. As well as helping directly when requested.
They're also likely to be the ones best suited to handle piracy and stuff that happens in ... "international spacewaters" if you will, at least in the Pact World System (and near the out-of-system protectorates). But I'd hope there are joint efforts specifically for that.
Don't think I've read much about that, or other agents of the Pact though. Or just how decisions are taken, how the Pact works to begin with. Maybe in a future Faction book ?

So.
What are the laws ? Depends where you are.
Eox is not Akiton, Sovyrian is not Apostae, Verces is not the Aspis Consortium, etc. Each will have its own laws, its own ways of dealing with criminals, its own definition of what is a crime to begin with.


Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

Here is a rough Draft of the "Universal Laws" discussed in Starfinder Core Rulebook

Starfinder Universal Laws

All sentient Life have rights and freedoms that they enjoy starting at birth.
Sub-article 23a Androids are now considered sentient life and enjoy the freedoms of all citizens and are considered born when they become self-aware.
Sentients have the right to practice the religion of their choosing and worship the God/Goddess Beings of their choice. Atheists are protected their ideals as well. Employment Discrimination is illegal; based on: race, gender, creeds, sexual orientation, culture, disabilities, and augmentation.
All sentients have the right to request legal representation to deal with disputes of any nature. However, the requestee are to pay for the cost of services.
Everyone has the right to afford travel.
Everyone has the right to free speech and assembly with the proper permits. Media censorship is banned and all rights of communication are allowed.
Everyone has the right to work and purchase property for entrepreneurship.
Everyone has the expectation of private property and salvage laws are to be obtained by government requests. Property, land and information can be sold by anyone with the proper permits.
Forced labor/ slavery is illegal (23a especially for androids)
Marriages and divorces are legal and are covered by stewards of the state.
Trademark laws allow a 5 year exclusive use of trademarked ideas across the planets.
Public education is to be provided by the governments of each planet.
Citizenship of a particular governmental body on a planet is to be determined by that government. All those born into a particular government should be considered citizens.
Dwellings are not to be searched without the permission of the owner. No searches may be made without cases specified by law.


atr4jc wrote:

Here is a rough Draft of the "Universal Laws" discussed in Starfinder Core Rulebook

Starfinder Universal Laws

All sentient Life have rights and freedoms that they enjoy starting at birth.
Sub-article 23a Androids are now considered sentient life and enjoy the freedoms of all citizens and are considered born when they become self-aware.
Sentients have the right to practice the religion of their choosing and worship the God/Goddess Beings of their choice. Atheists are protected their ideals as well. Employment Discrimination is illegal; based on: race, gender, creeds, sexual orientation, culture, disabilities, and augmentation.
All sentients have the right to request legal representation to deal with disputes of any nature. However, the requestee are to pay for the cost of services.
Everyone has the right to afford travel.
Everyone has the right to free speech and assembly with the proper permits. Media censorship is banned and all rights of communication are allowed.
Everyone has the right to work and purchase property for entrepreneurship.
Everyone has the expectation of private property and salvage laws are to be obtained by government requests. Property, land and information can be sold by anyone with the proper permits.
Forced labor/ slavery is illegal (23a especially for androids)
Marriages and divorces are legal and are covered by stewards of the state.
Trademark laws allow a 5 year exclusive use of trademarked ideas across the planets.
Public education is to be provided by the governments of each planet.
Citizenship of a particular governmental body on a planet is to be determined by that government. All those born into a particular government should be considered citizens.
Dwellings are not to be searched without the permission of the owner. No searches may be made without cases specified by law.

Several of those seem weird or questionable. . . but not in a bad way necessarily. After all, legal codes often have weird wordings and scopes, doubly so in a situation where the 'Universal Laws' are established by more than a dozen radically distinct societies, at least a few of which intend from the beginning to violate the spirit of Universal Law.


Someone should talk to the Drow about slavery being illegal.


Azalah wrote:
Someone should talk to the Drow about slavery being illegal.

They're not slaves, they're registered clients of drow houses who receive (or don't) food, shelter, and air in accordance with local laws and their ability to pay or fulfill their house obligations. Which obligations are, of course, changeable at the election of the transferring and receiving houses.

Not slavery at all.


Yeah, the drow maintain the thinnest pretext that they aren't keeping slaves. It doesn't fool anyone, but it does provide just enough legal cover for realpolitik to win the day, with with the numerous existential threats hanging over the Pact Worlds.

The Exchange

Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber

With the recent cannon in game events, even though the Society is well respected they lost a LOT of members and a lot of political clout.

So I'd say they could help the PCs with minor issues with the local law, but I doubt they could or would be able sweep major crimes under the rug so to speak.

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