The Future of Pathfinder Society Organized Play, Part XVI: Use Pathfinder Missions as a Front for Personal Gain
Monday, July 4, 2011
A loose affiliation of Varisian swindlers, thieves, and smugglers, the Sczarni don't have much in common with the average Pathfinder. But to many, there's little distinction between someone who robs the grave of an ancestor and someone who cons one out of her night's dinner. Thus, when Sczarni and Pathfinders come to town, both are often lumped into the same category by suspicious natives and watchful legal authorities—troublesome people to watch out for. Though not officially allied, many Pathfinders work with local Sczarni throughout the region to aid one another in surviving, hopefully gaining a leg up in their own endeavors in the process.
Since the earliest days of Pathfinder, Varisians have been a large part of the world. We did, after all, start out with three Adventure Paths set in Varisia. So it was only natural that we include a faction aligned with what is arguably our most thoroughly developed part of Golarion. But we didn't just want an ethnic Varisian faction, as we'd then need Ulfen, Kellid, Mwangi, and Garundi factions as well. Similarly, a political faction didn't seem right given the fractured nature of Varisia's three major city-states, as we would have had to choose which city would get a faction and which wouldn't. So we started to think about what elements of Varisian life most aligned with the Pathfinder Society.
The Sczarni seemed to fit quite well, so we went with them. I swear there was no knee-breaking involved in the decision. People have, after all, been asking for a long time to make Sleight of Hand checks as their Day Job rolls. The fact that people wanted to play pickpockets and con artists seemed fairly obvious. We expect this faction to appeal to people currently playing Taldor-faction PCs, and many of its faction missions will deal with deception and pilfering with a more criminal than political manipulation bent.
Anyone who's played the Pathfinder Society Quest: Ambush in Absalom will recognize the faction's head, a man named Guaril Karela, who operates all of Absalom's Sczarni activity out of his dockside curiosity shop, the Pickled Imp. He'll likely assist the Pathfinder Society in getting goods or people past unfriendly city watchmen, through hostile territory, or even out of some legal binds they may find themselves in. If he and those agents loyal to him happen to make some money along the way, how does that hurt anyone else?
That brings our new factions revealed to three, leaving just two more to go before Gen Con! Next week, we'll look at the Silver Crusade, the new "good guy" faction that should appeal to paladins, clerics of any good-aligned deity, and characters who want to help others while they travel the world working for the Decemvirate. Until then, all you Americans, enjoy the day off, and we'll see you tomorrow!
Mark Moreland
Developer
