Ehu Hadif’s Mandate Fulfilled! First Seeker Elections On The Horizon!

Awesome! I’m so excited to see elections again. What is the word limit for our revised entries?

I'd been wondering if this was in the air...

is this available for characters who already bought capstone boon? :O

Woot woooot! So exciting. Thanks for bringing this back!!

How fun! I will have to decide which of my characters to enter.

Excite!

Wow! I entered Zoggy, since he's already a Forum member, but just to hedge my bets I need to get my sessions and rep cleared up on Gronnigan, since somehow the system had him at only 36 Dataphiles when he should be 47.

Public Service Announcement, kids: Don't let your official session info with Paizo sit unattended for 4+ years without reporting errors.

Okay, I tested it, it can indeed be bought with character that got the capstone boon :'D

...Does this mean I technically wasted my first character's capstone boon because I bought starfinder of note with fame just before fame expired? x'D Or does it mean capstone boon is freed again?

I am looking forward to the opportunity to write in Luwazi when the time for voting comes, it's a giant shame that the character just disappeared after her all too short time in that role.

"Yay, Zoggy's running! I'll be your campaign manager if you'll be mine, since I'm running for First Seeker too!"

It'll be hilarious if the entire Dreamer's Starfinder lodge runs their -701s. I'd also love more Luwazi sightings

For the sake of clarity, is it 45 Reputation with any one faction, or All Factions, since All Factions is an existing measurement?

This is great. Eager to see all the candidates!

Wow! I entered Zoggy

Aww, not Dragonbot? I was looking forwards to an engaging and progressive Starfinder mandate XD

For the sake of clarity, is it 45 Reputation with any one faction, or All Factions, since All Factions is an existing measurement?

Looks like any one faction. The boon description is:

Dracomicron wrote:

Wow! I entered Zoggy

Aww, not Dragonbot? I was looking forwards to an engaging and progressive Starfinder mandate XD

Unfortunately it looks like Dragonbot will remain about 10 short of the required reputation by the necessary date. He started repping for Jadnura and only changed over to Exo-Guardians later to steal their guns protect those fragile organics.

I have a third character that may enter the running, Brayal Yawoh, a pahtra ex-convict who would be working to reform totalitarian governments and continue work on prison reform started this season.

Magical Mu, the star of Mu's Fight Club, strides into the room, signing autographs. "Me? Naw, I'm not running. I've got my hit show -- get it? Hit show, 'cause it's a Fight Club, oh never mind... Anyhow, hanging out doing administration sounds like a real snorefest. What kind of fool would put themselves through all that?"

★ ---- ★ ---- ★ ---- ★

I'm only entering one of my qualifying characters, the one that's the most serious about the future of the Society. It takes a certain temperment to be First Seeker, and the majority of my high-level characters would not have the patience to see the job through.

Hmm. I don't think any of my characters with enough rep would want the job, and the two characters that might want it are still low level.

I kinda want to submit my cultist, but lacking reputation with that one as well :p So I guess I should run more games when I have time since its harder to find games I can play in scenarios I've missed...

"Well, uh, let's see," the huge vesk leans on the table then quickly rebalances when he realizes he'd topple it if he put his full weight on.

"I guess I could be First Seeker. Miss Elsebo and Mister Hadif did really good jobs with a lot of rough circul... circumst... well with some bad stuff happening. He smiles, showing a row of clean, but slightly cracked teeth.

"I guess I'd start with helping animals and the folk who got thrown into the crazy galaxy stuff before they were ready, because of us, like the morlamaws and the kiirinta, and those little bunny peeps that Envar met." Zoggy, smiles, seemingly imagining petting a bunny.

"Anyway they're double messed up now because as soon as they get used to being on other planets and stuff, the whole Drift breaks down and everything's different again. Lotta bad guys taking advantage of people who are just kinda lost. We should punch them."

He blinks, "Punch the bad guys, not the bunnies," he clarifies. Zoggy looks around, mortified and realizing that he'd been speaking way more than intended, and shuffles toward the break room.

I know the feeling, Corvus. Sometimes I have to go online to request scenarios that I missed while I was off GMing!

Charli takes note of Zoggy's campaign slogan, scribbling on her datapad with her stylus. "Punch bad guys, not bunnies..."

She looks up. "I think that could totally work for Campaign Slogan, Zoggy! That's simple enough to fit on a holographic button!"

Also... Totally jealous. That's a brilliant slogan!

Awesome! I’m so excited to see elections again. What is the word limit for our revised entries?

75 words for character description, and one to two sentences for First Seeker goal.

is this available for characters who already bought capstone boon? :O

Yes; this boon is not a capstone boon, so any character may purchase it.

For the sake of clarity, is it 45 Reputation with any one faction, or All Factions, since All Factions is an existing measurement?

Any one faction. 20 with Acquisitives and 25 with Dataphiles won't do it.

I know the feeling, Corvus. Sometimes I have to go online to request scenarios that I missed while I was off GMing!

It's doubly important because I don't want my only two submissions be the depressing ones x'D

My stoic electrician and pretentious cultist need to join my submissions just to balance out the "Man Datch was right" darkness with some other stuff!

I have a Starfinder of Note whose entry I'll need to update. I never would have guessed Zefira would be in the running when I started playing her 3-1/2 years ago, but she's turned out to be surprisingly good at first contact and other diplomatic missions. And she definitely has opinions about what being a Starfinder is all about.

My other Tier 4 PC definitely does NOT want the job, it would take too much time away from their law practice and astronomy professorship. That's why they hired a very pleasant verthani woman to handle all those tiresome Charisma skills public relations matters.

I do have one other PC who should reach Tier 4 by the deadline, but they're my copaxi solarian, and we already have a prominent one of those in the top leadership (of the same faction, no less!).

I'm curious about qualifications for previous entrants prior to Ehu-Hadif's election. For example, if we submitted a character with Rising Star and that character was not selected during the first drawing, does that character remain in the applicant pool? Do we need to (or are we allowed to) submit that character again if we want another chance at consideration; Or is a previously-submitted character ineligible for further consideration? If we wanted to update that character's description and goals, would we be able to do that?

To reiterate, I am asking about Rising Star characters who were submitted before the original Rising Star deadline, not after it or after Ehu's election.

I wish this was something that could be considered for Pathfinder Society play. There are a lot of players from 1E with the Venture Captain boon, following completion of Eyes of the Ten. It would be nice to see those characters make it into official cannon.

PFS1 affecting PFS2 like that feels rather unfair to the players that have only recently found org play.

I'll be the downer, VOs and freelancers/contributors probably shouldn't be included in lists of choices if it comes to a public vote/scenario choice. We already have many, many ways to contribute and have our voices heard in Society, and beyond that regardless of how it actually ends up if a close friend or popular VO ends up winning it smacks of favouritism. Let's be honest, those of us in the two categories above already have an improved chance were we to enter simply because the names are likely more well known among the community, that's just not fair to people who don't have the same level of exposure.

I'll be the downer, VOs and freelancers/contributors probably shouldn't be included in lists of choices if it comes to a public vote/scenario choice. We already have many, many ways to contribute and have our voices heard in Society, and beyond that regardless of how it actually ends up if a close friend or popular VO ends up winning it smacks of favouritism. Let's be honest, those of us in the two categories above already have an improved chance were we to enter simply because the names are likely more well known among the community, that's just not fair to people who don't have the same level of exposure.

I hear what you are saying, and I appreciate the sentiment, but I would like to counterpoint that y'all likely have some of the best and most interesting characters to contribute... and in the end isn't the point of this to get the best and most interesting First Seeker?

I just read the e-mail, and it took me ten minutes to stop dancing.

Honestly, I think it is up to the OPF to decide who can or can not participate in this.

If a writer wins, I’m going to assume it is because they can write better than others. It is what they do. It isn’t some mysterious unfair advantage, it is that they spent a significant amount of time practicing their craft.

Good luck to all who participate!

Just to let people know who haven’t gotten their confirmation email. The word limit is 75 words and they ask for what your characters brief few sentences what their goals will be.

I'll be the downer, VOs and freelancers/contributors probably shouldn't be included in lists of choices if it comes to a public vote/scenario choice. We already have many, many ways to contribute and have our voices heard in Society, and beyond that regardless of how it actually ends up if a close friend or popular VO ends up winning it smacks of favouritism. Let's be honest, those of us in the two categories above already have an improved chance were we to enter simply because the names are likely more well known among the community, that's just not fair to people who don't have the same level of exposure.

Tbf, from what I've heard, the OPF team doesn't know who is character's player until they have been actually picked (unless character's player is somehow relevant like if they are about to pick multiple characters from same player).

As for the voting thing, that would be bit of kick to the butt at this point to less popular VAs "Oh, you have been volunteering and now you are punished for it" :p

(that said, I'm also fairly sure that vast majority of people don't know who the character's player is. Heck I still don't know about half of the previous candidates' players, I have run into two of them randomly)

The developers will not be informed of who the characters belong to until we get to the finalist stage, don't worry. I'm very good at corrupting data--no wait, let me phrase that differently...

We also intend to have...some actual rules about campaigning for your character once they're selected, precisely to avoid a character winning on "name recognition" alone. We know there were some hurt feelings last time and we want to be sure everybody's on an even playing field, and being evaluated on the merits of the actual characters and not simply "Alex is my bestie so I'm voting for his character."* More on that once we actually discuss it more internally.

*I do not have a character in the running because a) all my characters would be nightmare First Seekers and b) I concur with the monkey that Paizo staffers should definitely not be in the pool

[ooc]*I do not have a character in the running because a) all my characters would be nightmare First Seekers

He says, giving a literal first speaker speech :P

Thank you for making sure those who do participate are on a level field! <3

Sidenote, I'm gonna PM about that since I'm curious about ways to contribute.

But is there even really a way to make 100% sure that candidates don't have any name recognition? Like I still don't really find it an issue because I don't think it played much in part last time, but like even if you aren't staff member, VO or contributor, you could be super active member in community and thus have lot of name recognition, so if you have played with lot of different people who found the character memorable, wouldn't it be impossible to keep it secret who played it?

I am so sorry to hear that there were hurt feelings over perceived campaigning. As much as I love the idea of character interviews, I think that having rules against campaigning is the way to go for the future.

Fortunately, the only character who gave an interview last time was one who did not win. Everyone thought that the Morlamaw with the John Lennon sunglasses was going to win, because he had great visual style and did an interview on the forums. But instead the winner was the quiet kasathan with the impossibly long name that was hard to remember.

This means that the player base put some thought into the election. Advertising didn't do it. Flashy image didn't do it. And the really long name (which I noticed that the devs shortened in actual play) didn't detract.

Like I still don't really find it an issue because I don't think it played much in part last time, but like even if you aren't staff member, VO or contributor, you could be super active member in community and thus have lot of name recognition, so if you have played with lot of different people who found the character memorable, wouldn't it be impossible to keep it secret who played it?

This question is weighing on me right now. The character that I entered has played online and has been active on the forums. Like it or not, she has name recognition that has been built up over time. I am trying to decide now if I need to withdraw her because of this. It will break my heart, because she has been wanting to do this, and she has ideas. But... it would also break my heart if people thought she had an unfair advantage.

I honestly don't know what to do now that this issue has been brought up.

Hmm

I mean yeah no system is perfect, any character of 8th level or higher will have gotten around. If we were going to disqualify characters because "people might already know them" we'd have no options left.

This is meant to be a fun community event. Let's not stress about it :)

Alright, thank you Alex. That makes me feel better about having entered her into the running.

Sidenote, I'm gonna PM about that since I'm curious about ways to contribute.

But is there even really a way to make 100% sure that candidates don't have any name recognition? Like I still don't really find it an issue because I don't think it played much in part last time, but like even if you aren't staff member, VO or contributor, you could be super active member in community and thus have lot of name recognition, so if you have played with lot of different people who found the character memorable, wouldn't it be impossible to keep it secret who played it?

Ok.. and?

Its a political appointment. Having the job and getting the job are two different skill sets. Any character of that level is going to get around and know people, so if people know the player, its just art imitating life.

I am so sorry to hear that there were hurt feelings over perceived campaigning.

Its the internet. Someone will object to anything.

5 4 3 2.....

Its a political appointment. Having the job and getting the job are two different skill sets. Any character of that level is going to get around and know people, so if people know the player, its just art imitating life.

Yes, if I were to submit Dragonbot, with whom I have played online and posted with on the forum a considerable amount over the years, he might be a popular choice for his, uh, signature style.

He would be terrible at the job, however. Even worse than Tera Nova (shots fired)!

Wheras I have more subtle characters that would be better administrators but less likely to attract the votes necessary for election. It's a paradox of democracy.

CorvusMask wrote:

Sidenote, I'm gonna PM about that since I'm curious about ways to contribute.

But is there even really a way to make 100% sure that candidates don't have any name recognition? Like I still don't really find it an issue because I don't think it played much in part last time, but like even if you aren't staff member, VO or contributor, you could be super active member in community and thus have lot of name recognition, so if you have played with lot of different people who found the character memorable, wouldn't it be impossible to keep it secret who played it?

Ok.. and?

Its a political appointment. Having the job and getting the job are two different skill sets. Any character of that level is going to get around and know people, so if people know the player, its just art imitating life.

Ah do note, I disagree with idea that VO's or contributors can't attempt to contribute to this.

I was mostly putting that as example of "if hypothetically that wasn't okay, wouldn't this also not be okay?" and kinda questioned whether its even possible to ensure that every single character has "equal chance"?

Really, I think there should be an interview. Put it in a blog!

First Seeker Edu Hadif should interview the candidates. The interview should help the player base get more informed about the characters who are running, allow them a chance to show off their style and positions.

This will help the player base know something more about the characters and will also help when some scenario writer has to start having the new First Seeker make an appearance. It would also help with any cameos by the finalists that might appear in scenarios.

Do we see any openings for the other factions?
I have a dwarf who has been angling for the top position of the Exo-Guardians, and currently gets grumpy every time they have to speak with the new leader.

Really, I think there should be an interview. Put it in a blog!

First Seeker Edu Hadif should interview the candidates. The interview should help the player base get more informed about the characters who are running, allow them a chance to show off their style and positions.

This will help the player base know something more about the characters and will also help when some scenario writer has to start having the new First Seeker make an appearance. It would also help with any cameos by the finalists that might appear in scenarios.

I would love the concept of the interview if everyone agrees to do it. The problem with Calder Soren's interview is that he agreed to do it, believing that everyone else running would also do an interview, evening the playing field. But no one else did.

If everyone interviews - that would be awesome.

By the way I was really happy to see a recent appearance from Avor Stelek in a scenario. I hope we get other cameos from those who were not selected for First Seeker last time.

As a consideration, Starfinder Society is a worldwide organisation with players all over the globe and lodges that support them, it's entirely possible that interviews will exclude or penalise a fair number of these players who have less than perfect English skills. Seventy five words to describe a character and a sentence about their aims can often be managed, or helped by a friend, but translating back and forth for an entire interview seems like it could be rather unfair, fwiw.

I'm not in OrgPlay so my voting wasn't a question, but I did have Opinions when #2-07 came out. And on that front, I can say that if I did have a vote, my vote would have been based as strongly on each candidate's proposed mandate as on any quirks of the character themselves. (Because let's face it, once you're First Seeker you become a fairly static quest giver.)

So, last time around, I viewed the election as a referendum on where you, the individual Starfinder Society player/GM, wanted the creative team to focus for the next few years.

So, in my eyes (and absolutely no potential offense intended toward the creators of any of these NPCs; to this day I have no idea who created what):

* A vote for Calder Soren was a vote to expand the Society's explorations into the Vast. A very "Wayfinders-friendly" candidate.

* A vote for Avor Stelek was a vote against mass media-based adventures, which essentially meant a vote to cut ties with Zo! and Strawberry Machine Cake.

* A vote for Tara Nova was a vote for an aggressive and vindictive Starfinder Society.

* A vote for Ehu Hadif was a vote for the status quo, for maintaining the Society's traditional sort of activities. (His transition into a "reform candidate" came much later.)

As a consideration, Starfinder Society is a worldwide organisation with players all over the globe and lodges that support them, it's entirely possible that interviews will exclude or penalise a fair number of these players who have less than perfect English skills. Seventy five words to describe a character and a sentence about their aims can often be managed, or helped by a friend, but translating back and forth for an entire interview seems like it could be rather unfair, fwiw.

That wasn't quite what I had in mind, so let me explain what I do have in mind. You're right that an open-ended back-and-forth interview might penalize non-native speakers. But Bret suggested a blog, so I was thinking that it could be like the freelancer / community blogs that advertise products or commemorate a particular holiday.

So, I'm imagining 3 short questions (the same for everyone) with word limits on each answer as part of a blog. But it may be that those questions and answers would be better as part of the scenario that introduces these characters as NPCs. Though come to think of it, in the scenario it would likely bog things down and delay critical action on each candidate's quest. Better to have it as a blog.

I'm not in OrgPlay so my voting wasn't a question, but I did have Opinions when #2-07 came out. And on that front, I can say that if I did have a vote, my vote would have been based as strongly on each candidate's proposed mandate as on any quirks of the character themselves. (Because let's face it, once you're First Seeker you become a fairly static quest giver.)

So, last time around, I viewed the election as a referendum on where you, the individual Starfinder Society player/GM, wanted the creative team to focus for the next few years.

So, in my eyes (and absolutely no potential offense intended toward the creators of any of these NPCs; to this day I have no idea who created what):

* A vote for Calder Soren was a vote to expand the Society's explorations into the Vast. A very "Wayfinders-friendly" candidate.

* A vote for Avor Stelek was a vote against mass media-based adventures, which essentially meant a vote to cut ties with Zo! and Strawberry Machine Cake.

* A vote for Tara Nova was a vote for an aggressive and vindictive Starfinder Society.

* A vote for Ehu Hadif was a vote for the status quo, for maintaining the Society's traditional sort of activities. (His transition into a "reform candidate" came much later.)

Absolutely. This was not a vote for the most fun character, it was a vote for the most interesting mandate.

At least, that's how I treated it. It was a vote for where you wanted the story to go for the next couple seasons.

Hmm

I'm not in OrgPlay so my voting wasn't a question, but I did have Opinions when #2-07 came out. And on that front, I can say that if I did have a vote, my vote would have been based as strongly on each candidate's proposed mandate as on any quirks of the character themselves. (Because let's face it, once you're First Seeker you become a fairly static quest giver.)

So, last time around, I viewed the election as a referendum on where you, the individual Starfinder Society player/GM, wanted the creative team to focus for the next few years.

So, in my eyes (and absolutely no potential offense intended toward the creators of any of these NPCs; to this day I have no idea who created what):

* A vote for Calder Soren was a vote to expand the Society's explorations into the Vast. A very "Wayfinders-friendly" candidate.

* A vote for Avor Stelek was a vote against mass media-based adventures, which essentially meant a vote to cut ties with Zo! and Strawberry Machine Cake.

* A vote for Tara Nova was a vote for an aggressive and vindictive Starfinder Society.

* A vote for Ehu Hadif was a vote for the status quo, for maintaining the Society's traditional sort of activities. (His transition into a "reform candidate" came much later.)

This is actually basis I voted on as well. I voted almost purely based on hinted metaplot of the candidate.

I voted for Ehu at 1) because I was fascinated by missing colony plot hook

then Calder as 2) because I thought Vast stuff sounded cool

Then Avor as 3) because I didn't like idea of just risking alliances we had to spend entire first two years to build (now after few more years of Zo! causing problems I think he probably had it right :'D )

then Tara Nova as 4t) because besides scenario making her seem genocidal, I just wasn't interested in starfinder being the aggressors in war :p