So let me ask a practical question as someone who really doesn't have a feel for how this all works yet...
I'm finishing up First Steps this weekend with my first PFS character who was all gung ho to join the Shadow Lodge.
Would that now be a stupid thing do? Would I be disadvantaging myself overmuch by joining a soon-to-be dead faction? Or will it be overall neutral?
(Or I could just go with my second choice, the Lantern Lodge. Oh wait...)