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Isn't the requirement that members of the Darklight Sisterhood change their surname to "Darklight" a bit, for wont of a better term, silly?
Why would they do that? Isn't it going to be a bit obvious, even if the group is semi-secret? Even if most people never encounter more than one or two, some will look through the Pathfinder Chronicles back catalogue and notice a Chelaxian dystaff-dynasty that dosn't appear to line up with any actual Chelaxian family. A few people in-the-know make this discovery and the knowledge filters out -- why would a mid-level Andoren Pathfinder not warn all his fellows that any girl with the surname Darklight is likely a Chelaxian agent?
Why not go for something more discrete? A funny handshake, a reference to a particular uncle or cousin ("I believe your father knows my Uncle Jeremiah"), a comment about a shared experience ("did you holiday on the shores of lake Tamala as a child?"), even use of a restricted/skewed lexicon (eg U versus non-U expressions); any would not only be more discrete, but also a more reliable casual identifier in public situations (with stricter ways of verifying identity when in private).
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Aargh! Grrr!
Thanks for the spoiler!
I've actually got the Crimson Throne section of the website closed so that I don't see stuff like this and then somebody posts a title in the General Discussion Forum that tells me stuff I, and my characters, didn't know about their landlady.
Please can this be moved to the correct bit of the forum, and the title changed to something like; "Theandra (Spoilers)"?
I've actually managed to post on this thread without reading the comment - but i've now been told that Theandra is part of some (presumably mysterious) sisterhood :(
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The question was based on the Guide to Korvosa and I hadn't realised this would be considered a spoiler for CoCT as I've not being paying much attention to that AP. That said, it's in section 5 of the Guide to Korvosa so I should have titled the question differntly.
However, I fail to see why the question should be moved to the "correct bit of the forum" as it isn't CoCT-specific (I presume by "correct" you mean you feel it should be in the CoCT forum).
I'd ammend the subject but can't seem to be able to do that, appolgies for the inconvenience.
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Isn't the requirement that members of the Darklight Sisterhood change their surname to "Darklight" a bit, for wont of a better term, silly?
Why would they do that? Isn't it going to be a bit obvious, even if the group is semi-secret? Even if most people never encounter more than one or two, some will look through the Pathfinder Chronicles back catalogue and notice a Chelaxian dystaff-dynasty that dosn't appear to line up with any actual Chelaxian family. A few people in-the-know make this discovery and the knowledge filters out -- why would a mid-level Andoren Pathfinder not warn all his fellows that any girl with the surname Darklight is likely a Chelaxian agent?
Why not go for something more discrete? A funny handshake, a reference to a particular uncle or cousin ("I believe your father knows my Uncle Jeremiah"), a comment about a shared experience ("did you holiday on the shores of lake Tamala as a child?"), even use of a restricted/skewed lexicon (eg U versus non-U expressions); any would not only be more discrete, but also a more reliable casual identifier in public situations (with stricter ways of verifying identity when in private).
Or Black Ribbon bindings for their Stockings and feet with symbols (in an ink that can only be read with detect invisible spells) stained on the ribbon -
"five petal flower, three Petal Flower, four petal flower - its a message from the Sandpoint Chapter". Kimya Vilblood stood up and looked the visitor in the eye momentarily and cast a light spell at the back of the messenger's retina. An image of words projected out onto the wall - a message in black letters now displayed themselves on the wall - The Skinsaw Murderers have been foiled. They may have friends in Korvosa.
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The question was based on the Guide to Korvosa and I hadn't realised this would be considered a spoiler for CoCT as I've not being paying much attention to that AP. That said, it's in section 5 of the Guide to Korvosa so I should have titled the question differntly.
However, I fail to see why the question should be moved to the "correct bit of the forum" as it isn't CoCT-specific (I presume by "correct" you mean you feel it should be in the CoCT forum).
I'd ammend the subject but can't seem to be able to do that, appolgies for the inconvenience.
Spoiler for CotCT (well, not really, but hey)
I'm also inclined to agree that the Darklight name thing, whilst cool, feels kind of silly when you think about it practically :).
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I kind of saw them as simply "trying too hard." The one-sided rivalry with the Pathfinder Society and the feeling that they were some pet project cooked up somewhere in the Cheliax bureaucracy without a well-established support plan makes them rather underdoggish. They're the sort to pull together that much tighter due to mutual frustration and antipathy for their much larger and much more popular rivals.
I imagine there are a number of superfluous sorority-style initiation rites beyond the expected diabolic sort meant to instill a unified identity, the surname change being among them. I can see a lot of their number living up to the "big ego/small name" image.
That and they want to be known. They're competing with the Pathfinder Society after all.
I kind of see myself using some of their members as somewhat incompetant rivals that PCs could grow comfortable and complacent around. And then turning it all around when the Sisterhood decides to show they actually have teeth.
But Darklight is so kewl.
Jumanah Darklight...
That too.
Now I want to play a paladin of Iomedae that just happens to have that last name.
"I bet Jenny Obeder down the street doesn't have to put up with this crap."
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But Darklight is so kewl.
Jumanah Darklight...
That too.
Now I want to play a paladin of Iomedae that just happens to have that last name.
"I bet Jenny Obeder down the street doesn't have to put up with this crap."
That's more the issue I'm concerned with. What if someone happens to have that name already? In a freakish coincidence, one of the noble families in my homebrew setting has that name, and has had it since before pathfinder. would the order assume she's in it? would there be a three's company situation where there's "a big misunderstanding?" Would new members be told "ya, every darklight is a sister, except jenny up the road. we don't want to make that mistake again." It's not a huge deal, but I can probly think of many more secret (even for a sorority) ways that are jsut as corny of keeping tabs on, and recognizing, each other.
Come and knock at our door,
We'll be waiting for you!
(That actually sounds creepier now that i'm going to associate it with Cheliax.)
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I kind of saw them as simply "trying too hard." The one-sided rivalry with the Pathfinder Society and the feeling that they were some pet project cooked up somewhere in the Cheliax bureaucracy without a well-established support plan makes them rather underdoggish. They're the sort to pull together that much tighter due to mutual frustration and antipathy for their much larger and much more popular rivals.
I imagine there are a number of superfluous sorority-style initiation rites beyond the expected diabolic sort meant to instill a unified identity, the surname change being among them. I can see a lot of their number living up to the "big ego/small name" image.
That and they want to be known. They're competing with the Pathfinder Society after all.
I kind of see myself using some of their members as somewhat incompetant rivals that PCs could grow comfortable and complacent around. And then turning it all around when the Sisterhood decides to show they actually have teeth.
That whole "trying much too hard" angle was more or less what I took away from the Darklight Sisterhood from the get-go. Pathfinders are the roving bad-asses of Golarion, going where they are not supposed to, getting into tight spots and out by the skin of their teeth.
Darklight sisters are the roving dilettantes of Golarion, wanting to be pathfinders, but not quite working it up. The sorority style seems very much in keeping with this, propping up their lack of actual achievement with all the more secrecy, ritual and pomp. Think real world Masonic Lodges. Unless we are all very mistaken, they are actually clubs of men wishing to be influential, but never quite amounting to anything but participants in strange mysticism and rituals.
But Darklight is so kewl.
Jumanah Darklight...
That too.
Now I want to play a paladin of Iomedae that just happens to have that last name.
"I bet Jenny Obeder down the street doesn't have to put up with this crap."
While corny on one level, this is awesome on so many others that i might just use it for the fun of it.
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...Unless we are all very mistaken, they are actually clubs of men wishing to be influential, but never quite amounting to anything but participants in strange mysticism and rituals.
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Nope. We're mistaken and they actually manipulate political and social trends over time for whatever dark purpose. Those old men run your lives!
Creative Director
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I've actually got the Crimson Throne section of the website closed so that I don't see stuff like this and then somebody posts a title in the General Discussion Forum that tells me stuff I, and my characters, didn't know about their landlady.
Please can this be moved to the correct bit of the forum, and the title changed to something like; "Theandra (Spoilers)"?
I've actually managed to post on this thread without reading the comment - but i've now been told that Theandra is part of some (presumably mysterious) sisterhood :(
Yeah; the Darklight Sisterhood has no role in Curse of the Crimson Throne at all, so no worries about spoilers for the campaign!
Except that they're in Korvosa, including in the section that players can read. I'm using a couple of Darklight NPCs in my CotCT game, and the fact that this thread's title proclaims them a sisterhood kind of gives things away.
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Isn't the requirement that members of the Darklight Sisterhood change their surname to "Darklight" a bit, for wont of a better term, silly?
Um... no...? :D
Why would they do that? Isn't it going to be a bit obvious, even if the group is semi-secret?
For solidarity. And who said they were secret?
Even if most people never encounter more than one or two, some will look through the Pathfinder Chronicles back catalogue and notice a Chelaxian dystaff-dynasty that dosn't appear to line up with any actual Chelaxian family. A few people in-the-know make this discovery and the knowledge filters out -- why would a mid-level Andoren Pathfinder not warn all his fellows that any girl with the surname Darklight is likely a Chelaxian agent?
You're taking their importance WAY out of proportion. The Pathfinders don't even know (or if they do know, they certainly don't care) that the sisterhood exists. Seriously. Even if the Pathfinder Chronicles do show the occasional Darklight, at most it would make a curious person wonder why Pathfinders never met any Darklight men. Also, lots of Darklights are married. They just don't have their husbands' last names.
Why not go for something more discrete?
Why bother? They are meant to be seen, especially when performing good deeds. They're meant to win over people in the way that most Chelaxians can't, so they need to interact with people and be friendly. Sure, there are evil Darklights, but even they are charismatic and don't go around stomping on puppies.
Thanks for the spoiler!
No spoilers here. You can relax.
I kind of saw them as simply "trying too hard." The one-sided rivalry with the Pathfinder Society and the feeling that they were some pet project cooked up somewhere in the Cheliax bureaucracy without a well-established support plan makes them rather underdoggish. They're the sort to pull together that much tighter due to mutual frustration and antipathy for their much larger and much more popular rivals.
Yup, that's exactly what I was going for. Thanks for being on the same wavelength. :)
I imagine there are a number of superfluous sorority-style initiation rites beyond the expected diabolic sort meant to instill a unified identity, the surname change being among them. I can see a lot of their number living up to the "big ego/small name" image.
That and they want to be known. They're competing with the Pathfinder Society after all.
Yup yup.
I kind of see myself using some of their members as somewhat incompetant rivals that PCs could grow comfortable and complacent around. And then turning it all around when the Sisterhood decides to show they actually have teeth.
Except that, as a group, they really don't. LoL. Individually, sure, there are some powerful Darklights. But as a group? Not so much.
But Darklight is so kewl.
Thanks. ^_^
That's more the issue I'm concerned with. What if someone happens to have that name already?But Darklight is so kewl.
Jumanah Darklight...
That too.
Now I want to play a paladin of Iomedae that just happens to have that last name.
"I bet Jenny Obeder down the street doesn't have to put up with this crap."
Well, that's easy. In Golarion, they don't. It's a name invented by some Chelaxian noble. Nobody who isn't in the sisterhood has the name.
In a freakish coincidence, one of the noble families in my homebrew setting has that name, and has had it since before pathfinder. would the order assume she's in it? would there be a three's company situation where there's "a big misunderstanding?"
Just change the name of the sisterhood, then, to a surname nobody in your setting has. I recommend the O'Macfitzibnovichson Sisterhood. *nod*
I like that they all change their names. Reminds me of the Ramones.
You win the thread. ^_^
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Except that they're in Korvosa, including in the section that players can read. I'm using a couple of Darklight NPCs in my CotCT game, and the fact that this thread's title proclaims them a sisterhood kind of gives things away.
Not to be too short about, but if you're using more than one Darklight in your campaign you're using too many. It's a very small group.
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huh. i'm not sure why, but renaming the sisterhood didn't occur to me. reading your comment was a real facepalm moment. in the middle of the office. wow.
Anyway, Thanks for the answers Mike. this was worrying me all day.
and consider that the official new name in my setting. the O'Macfitzibnovichson sisterhood.
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huh. i'm not sure why, but renaming the sisterhood didn't occur to me. reading your comment was a real facepalm moment. in the middle of the office. wow.
Anyway, Thanks for the answers Mike. this was worrying me all day.
and consider that the official new name in my setting. the O'Macfitzibnovichson sisterhood.
I'm here to help. ^_^
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While corny on one level, this is awesome on so many others that i might just use it for the fun of it.
But Darklight is so kewl.
Jumanah Darklight...
That too.
Now I want to play a paladin of Iomedae that just happens to have that last name.
"I bet Jenny Obeder down the street doesn't have to put up with this crap..."
Bonus points if her first name is Asmodia! ("Mom thought it sounded elegant...")
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Except that, as a group, they really don't. LoL. Individually, sure, there are some powerful Darklights. But as a group? Not so much.
Now I'm thinking of scenarios where they could wind up calling in some big guns that actually are a threat AND that they find themselves unable to rein in, finding themselves in a "riding a tiger" situation.
Ah ha! Their ineptitude is what makes them most dangerous! ;)
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Bonus points if her first name is Asmodia! ("Mom thought it sounded elegant...")
While corny on one level, this is awesome on so many others that i might just use it for the fun of it.
If you can pull that off without eliciting cringes from around the gaming table, you are a better man than I. I'd probably be fighting off tossed bags of chips all the time. (Or maybe, that is a good way to get them to me before someone else eats them... hmm...)
Except that they're in Korvosa, including in the section that players can read. I'm using a couple of Darklight NPCs in my CotCT game, and the fact that this thread's title proclaims them a sisterhood kind of gives things away.Not to be too short about, but if you're using more than one Darklight in your campaign you're using too many. It's a very small group.
I'm basing this on my reading of the Korvosa book:
As a colony of Cheliax and gateway to an untamed wilderness, Korvosa houses a relatively large branch of the [Darklight] sisterhood. More than 40 members are attached to the city, only half of whom, on average, are in the city at any one time (the rest are out exploring Varisia).
So at any given time there are about twenty members of the sisterhood in Korvosa. Using two or three doesn't seem unreasonable.
I'll grant you that this particular quote isn't in the section that players can read.
Not to be too short about, but if you're using more than one Darklight in your campaign you're using too many.
The Guide to Korvosa implies otherwise.
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Except that they're in Korvosa, including in the section that players can read. I'm using a couple of Darklight NPCs in my CotCT game, and the fact that this thread's title proclaims them a sisterhood kind of gives things away.Not to be too short about, but if you're using more than one Darklight in your campaign you're using too many. It's a very small group.I'm basing this on my reading of the Korvosa book:
** spoiler omitted **
I'll grant you that this particular quote isn't in the section that players can read.
Disregard my previous post to you, then. Ha ha... ha... heh. Phooey. :(