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After a long journey, the majestic city of Absalom finally comes into view. The streets are filled with teeming masses of people from all over Golarion, and some perhaps even farther away than that! The tallest tower of Skyreach comes into view before the immensity of the Grand Lodge itself, the fortress towering above the rest of Absalom. The gates stand open, as if anticipating your arrival. Surely anyone entering these gates is humbled by the scale and grandeur of the Grand Lodge.
As if sensing some hesitation, an older, slightly grizzled guard at the gate calls out, “So, You want to be a Pathfinder, eh? My name’s Brunon, and if you can spare a couple of minutes before you rush in to find your destiny, I might have a bit of advice to help you achieve your goals.”
Taking your hesitation as permission to continue, Brunon continues, “The first thing you have to know is that the Society is looking for people that can work together in groups. If you want to succeed here, you have to be willing to help your comrades, and trust that they will do the same for you. If you’re looking for glory for yourself alone, you might as well go join up with the Aspis.” Brunon drawls the last word, turning it into a slur.
“That being said, you also have to be able to take care of yourself. You shouldn’t assume that someone else will take care of the healing, or the fighting, or the magic. If the only healer in the group is dead or dying, you better have a back-up plan!” Seeing the look on your face, Brunon changes his tone a bit. “Don’t worry, the Decemvirate and the Venture-Captains are amazing. We have a very high success rate; you just have to keep your wits about you and you’ll do fine.
“I don’t know what you think you can offer to the Society, but I’ll warn you that you’ll have to have more than one trick up your sleeve to really prosper here. If all you can do is swing a sword, you’ll find that you might have some problems. There’s nothing wrong with swinging a sword, that’s one thing that I’m good at, after all. Just make sure you study a variety of different things during your training.
“Keep in mind that this works both ways. You could be able to sweet-talk the mask off of Razmir, but that ain’t going to help you when a troll is looking for lunch.”
Brunon seems to notice your gaze drawn once again to the massive towers of Skyreach. “Well, I can see you’re eager to see if you pass the test to start your training, so I’ll finish my story now. Just remember: your comrades are relying on you just as much as you rely on them. Don’t be afraid to get to know them, and let them get to know you as well. Share your childhood stories around a campfire. Make sure they know what you’re capable of, and learn how they can help your mission as well.
“Speaking of which, when you are finished your training, don’t forget the advice you got from old Brunon at the gate. I’ll be happy to share some ale with you and hear about some of your adventures.”