My first PFS game tonight

[Exterminator]

And they asked for a faction???? They said it was a side goal for the character. Apparently, there are 10 Factions? Where can I find these?

[Painlord]

Welcome to the Pathfinder Society, Exterminator.

You can find faction information (as well as character creation rules) in the Pathfinder Society Guide to Organized Play.

Post more questions if you have them.

PFS play is lots of fun.

-Pain

[deusvult]

Factions in a nut-shell:

The 'original factions'
Andorans: Liberty fanatics whos tactics would inspire PETA and Whale-Wars folk. Missions tend to be chaotic-good-y.

Cheliax: Law-and-order folk who'd likely consider Judge Dredd one of their own. Missions tend to be kinda creepy.

Taldor: (pre-Dalsine Affair) A theives' guild kow-towing to a poofter. Missions involve stealing stuff for the faction head's own vanities.

Taldor(post-Dalsine Affair) An espionage ring run by a proper spymistress. Missions involve undoing the damage done by the previous faction head.

Osirion: Golarion's Egyptologists. Faction missions involve finding/understanding stuff in ruins.

Qadira: Trade princes and princess faction. Too highbrow to be a common theives' guild. But missions still typically involve racketeering and 'corporate' espionage.

The 'new factions'
Grand Lodge: The secret society for Pathfinders who don't want to be in a secret society.

Shadow Lodge: The Pathfinder's Union. Only even more evil and corrupt than the real-world Labor Movement.

Lantern Lodge: The secret society for Pathfinders who want to integrate Tien Xia more fully into the Society. And/or vice versa.

Sczarni: Essentially pre-Dalsine Affair Taldor. Only with Varisian 'gypsy' theme/fluff.

Silver Crusade: The society for pathfinders who want to 'do good' and think the Andorans' hands get too dirty with their terroristic tactics.

Let the flame wars rage!

[Theconiel]

If you will be playing the "First Steps" series of modules, you do not need to pick a faction immediately. Over the course of three modules you meet the heads of the ten factions. The Andoran guy comes across as a pompous idiot.
The Cheliax folks claim that they don't really worship devils, but...

[nosig]

"First Steps" is the way to go if you can...

though the Qadira guy is presented as... a pain in the ... well.

discribe your character, maybe we can help you get pointed at a faction that fixs for him.

[BigNorseWolf]

yeah, i don't think first steps gave the andoran's a fair shake. I don't remember a mission from them at all.

[Deussu]

BigNorseWolf wrote:

yeah, i don't think first steps gave the andoran's a fair shake. I don't remember a mission from them at all.

In addition to that Andoran's faction head Colson Maldris is a pompous idiot in First Steps part 2. Who would want to receive letters from that dork?

[sveden]

Deussu wrote:

BigNorseWolf wrote:

yeah, i don't think first steps gave the andoran's a fair shake. I don't remember a mission from them at all.

In addition to that Andoran's faction head Colson Maldris is a pompous idiot in First Steps part 2. Who would want to receive letters from that dork?

Pompous yes, idiot no.

[Feegle]

BigNorseWolf wrote:

yeah, i don't think first steps gave the andoran's a fair shake. I don't remember a mission from them at all.

I don't believe the mission was a mission per se. If I remember right:

Spoiler:

he tells you to kill undead on sight, no matter what they say to you.

[Theconiel]

sveden wrote:

Deussu wrote:

BigNorseWolf wrote:

yeah, i don't think first steps gave the andoran's a fair shake. I don't remember a mission from them at all.

In addition to that Andoran's faction head Colson Maldris is a pompous idiot in First Steps part 2. Who would want to receive letters from that dork?

Pompous yes, idiot no.

You're right. "Idiot" was the wrong word. I still don't know what noun I should have used, but I stand by "pompous".