Illustration by Michele Giorgi
Hello Starfinders!
Earlier this month, we announced Starfinder Society Year 5: Year of Redemption’s Rise. While the previous blog post is packed full of information on the year itself, today we’re focusing on one of the new factions you can expect to see in the Year of Redemption’s Rise: the Cognates! For more information on the Advocates, check out Starfinder Society Faction Preview: The Advocates.The Cognates
In the aftermath of the Data Scourge, a growing number of Starfinders lost their faith in technology and Guidance, sparking an anti-technological movement that swept through the Starfinder ranks. Led by Royo, and joined by the countless agents whose lives have been altered for the worse by technology, the movement caused heated debate between agents. After First Seeker Ehu Hadif opened a dialogue with Royo and his fellows, the movement solidified into a new minor faction, the Cognates. While some Cognates still aim to eschew technology completely, the faction now focuses on a multi-disciplinary methodology.
Royo, Illustration by Bruno Cesar Faction Leader: Royo (LN male ysoki). A well-respected member of the Forum, the elected ruling body of the Starfinder Society, Royo is a scholar who believes information and a thorough education should be accessible to everyone, regardless of status, wealth, or connections. Denouncing the impermanence and mutability of digital data, he maintains a massive archive of physical manuscripts and tomes spread across facilities in countless star systems. Royo’s beliefs often lead him into disagreements with the Dataphiles.
Motto: Diversity in knowledge, unity in purpose.
Objectives: Cognates believe technology is but a single tool in a well-stocked toolkit, and that over-reliance on any one discipline, such as the Starfinder Society’s current over-reliance on technology, is close-minded, dangerous, and ineffective. Instead, Cognates focus on a multi-disciplinary approach to innovation, operations, and problem-solving, including natural, magical, and low-tech analog methodologies, to form a balanced and secure foundation for the Society.
Year 5 Goal: The Cognates aim to reduce the Starfinder Society’s dangerous over-reliance on technology, including Guidance, and refocus instead on magical and natural innovations, along with analog and other low-tech solutions.
Illustration by Luis Fernando Mesquita
Boons: Like all our factions, the Cognates have a slate of unique boons available for purchase with Achievement Points by members of the Cognates faction with the appropriate amount of Reputation. Today we’re revealing three of these boons! Note that these boons are not yet final and may change slightly before release.
Multidisciplinary Approach (Social Boon):
The Cognates believe that a multidisciplinary approach to knowledge is fundamental to the future stability of the Starfinder Society, and you have cultivated contacts in a variety of fields of study. When slotting this boon, select either Life Science, Mysticism, or Physical Science. You gain a circumstance bonus to that skill check equal to half your current Cognates Reputation Tier (rounding up).
Other Notes: 5+ Reputation with Cognates
AcP Cost: 4Prudent Technophobe (Slotless Boon):
You know well the dangers of technology and have trained to protect yourself from technological foes. You gain a +1 insight bonus to AC against attacks from a creature with the technological subtype.
Other Notes: 15+ Reputation with Cognates
AcP Cost: 4Portable Archive (Slotless Boon):
You maintain a detailed, well-indexed physical archive, such as a book or collection of essays, which you always keep with you and can reference on the fly. During an adventure, when you attempt a skill check to recall knowledge, you can spend 1 Resolve Point to reference your portable archive. If you do so, you roll the skill check twice and keep the higher result. Referencing your portable archive takes 10 minutes.
Other Notes: 25+ Reputation with Cognates
AcP Cost: 4I hope you’ve enjoyed this sneak peek at the upcoming Cognates faction! Come back mid-April when we discuss the Starfinder Society’s third minor faction, the Manifold Host!
Wishing you all the best, Starfinders!
Jessica Catalan
Starfinder Society Developer
Starfinder Society Faction Preview: The Cognates
Thursday, March 31, 2022
