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Greetings, Lodge Sisters and Brothers! Please excuse the assumed name above, but I thought it best to travel incognito. I am Pathfinder Aram bin Kaleel, of Katheer, and I beg your indulgence this day on a matter of import to the entire Society.
“Explore. Report. Cooperate.” These are the three Core Tenants of our Society, drilled into the heads of every Initiate that passes through the doors of the Grand Lodge. Yet when they leave again, their training complete, how many Pathfinders are actually qualified to carry out those core tenants?
- To Explore, a Pathfinder must possess more than lethal skill with a single weapon: one must possess curiosity and skill, self-sufficiency and courage in equal measure.
- To Report, a Pathfinder must be at the least literate, and able to express themselves coherently in more than monosyllabic grunts.
- To Cooperate requires a certain level of social grace and tact, which seems largely absent in many Pathfinders today.
In my experience, many Pathfinders seem to be either highly-specialized killers or common thugs. On a recent assignment to represent the Society at the marriage of Michellia Blakros, I shudder to think of the damage that could have been caused by a group of brutish oafs with no use beyond murder. Pathfinders are increasingly being used as nothing more than an army against the Society’s enemies, because that is all many of them are suited for. This intolerable situation is an affront to the memory of those who have gone before, whose tales are immortalized in the Chronicles. So: what can be done?
In my country, we have a saying: “It is better to light one lamp, than to sit and curse the darkness.” To do my part in restoring the honor and traditions of the Pathfinder Society, I have decided to become a Lamplighter, and I invite other Pathfinders of like mind to join with me.
I propose the formation of a voluntary, informal organization within the Pathfinder Society, to be known as the Lamplighters, with membership open to any Pathfinder who meets the minimal requirements outlined in the attached Creed. The Lamplighters will have no hierarchy and no leadership; anyone who meets the qualifications may purchase and wear the Lamplighter’s badge upon showing proof of qualification to the vendor.
Benefit of membership in the Lamplighters is intangible, but significant. When you see another agent wearing a Lamplighter badge, you know that you can count on their support and trust them with your life. Similarly, by identifying yourself as a Lamplighter, you will instill confidence in your companions that you can be trusted to complete the mission at hand. Lamplighters will remind other agents, new and old, what it once was to be a Pathfinder, and put the proper emphasis on resourcefulness and versatility outside of just the combat arena.
Let me emphasize: the Lamplighters are not a “shadow Society” trying to change the Pathfinder leadership or mandate. Neither are we a political faction seeking to twist the Society to our own uses. No Lamplighter will ever ask another to obtain a bauble for their upcoming party or to assassinate a personal rival while on Society business. The Lamplighters exist solely as a positive exemplar of the resourcefulness, wit, and skill that built our Society’s glorious history. As such, it operates above such individual agendas. Membership is open to all Pathfinders who honor the Lamplighter's Creed regardless of other political or social affiliations.
I believe that if more agents were as versatile, resourceful and adaptable as our predecessors, then our leadership would see more use for us than as foot soldiers against the Aspis Consortium and other rivals. Join the Lamplighters, and together we will serve as a guiding light for the Society's future.
With humble thanks for your time and consideration, I remain,
Your comrade,
Aram bin Kaleel of Katheer,
Pathfinder
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In order to codify the qualifications to become a Lamplighter, I have set down my thoughts in this matter. I propose that those who yearn as I do for the Society to return to its glory days, offer their own suggestions, so that we may quickly agree upon a list of minimal requirements.
* A Lamplighter is sound of mind and body, with no physical, mental, or social deficiency which would interfere with their duties.
* A Lamplighter is skilled in diplomacy, tact, and effective communication.
* A Lamplighter is well-trained, knowledgeable, and resourceful.
* A Lamplighter is always ready for combat, and is trained and equipped for both hand-to-hand and ranged fighting.
* A Lamplighter is well-equipped for any eventuality, and ready to travel at a moment’s notice.
* A Lamplighter puts the success of the mission and the well-being of her comrades ahead of personal gain.
* A Lamplighter keeps no knowledge secret from their Venture-Captain or their comrades.
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Kotyk had paused his class to a few members of the Junior Pathfinder Society in "Sneakiness, Shiftiness, and Getting All the Shinies" in order to listen to his fellow Pathfinder, and found himself nodding along to many of the comments he'd heard. He kept listening, speaking to himself just under his breath...
To Explore, a Pathfinder must possess more than lethal skill with a single weapon: one must possess curiosity and skill, self-sufficiency and courage in equal measure.
"Well yeah, there's more ways to get the shinies than the simple application of a Curve Blade."
To Report, a Pathfinder must be at the least literate, and able to express themselves coherently in more than monosyllabic grunts.
"Exactly! When I try to send secret messages in Tien or Aklo, someone else better know what I'm saying! How else can we make plans to get shinies?"
To Cooperate requires a certain level of social grace and tact, which seems largely absent in many Pathfinders today.
"If you don't cooperate, you don't have friends. And if you don't have friends, how will they tell you where the shinies are? Note to self: Send Guaril a box of chocolate thieves' tools for his birthday."
In my country, we have a saying: “It is better to light one lamp, than to sit and curse the darkness.” To do my part in restoring the honor and traditions of the Pathfinder Society, I have decided to become a Lamplighter, and I invite other Pathfinders of like mind to join with me.
Kotyk raises his hand.
"I like the sound of this, as long as Guaril says it's okay, and I don't actually have to light lamps. It's lots easier to do parts of my job in the dark."
Greetings, Kotyk, and well met! Of course, the "lamp-lighting" is symbolic only; what matters is the adherence to the goal of restoring our Society by restoring our own resourcefulness and versatility. The Lamplighters are open to all who practice the Lamplghter's creed, and I have heard it said that the Scazrni excel in resourcefulness.
I remain,
Your humble servant,
Aram bin Kaleel
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* A Lamplighter is sound of mind and body, with no physical, mental, or social deficiency which would interfere with their duties.
Kotyk frowns a bit at this.
* A Lamplighter is skilled in diplomacy, tact, and effective communication.
Kotyk nods vigorously and sends a well-meaning look at those kids in the Junior Pathfinder Society. If well-meaning is code for "do this or else."
* A Lamplighter is well-trained, knowledgeable, and resourceful.
Kotyk points back at those kids again. "This is exactly what I should have named my class! If you don't do this, you'll never get the shinies."
* A Lamplighter is always ready for combat, and is trained and equipped for both hand-to-hand and ranged fighting.
Kotyk starts getting fidgety, his weapons jangling together, as if he's waiting to get to the good stuff.
* A Lamplighter is well-equipped for any eventuality, and ready to travel at a moment’s notice.
"I remember the time I had to borrow a Fly potion, kids, and that Oracle has never forgiven me. Be prepared! It's the JPFS motto for a reason."
* A Lamplighter puts the success of the mission and the well-being of her comrades ahead of personal gain.
* A Lamplighter keeps no knowledge secret from their Venture-Captain or their comrades.
With these last two, Kotyk looks over at the picture of Guaril on the wall, his bright and smiling face looking out over the Sczarni headquarters. "Ummm... can we tack on a 'within reason' to the end of those two?
We shall keep our eyes on this group. They have drawn our......interest.
Mr. Kotyk, I encourage you and any others who are interested in discussing this idea, to join me at a meeting in Absalom I've arranged. There we may gather without the fragmentation that occurs when various groups meet in private.
Mr. Falcone: again, this is NOT a faction, and is not intended to be. It is intended to promote the positive aspects of resourcefulness and adaptability, which built this Society over the past four hundred years. It is unfortunate that such suspicion is cast upon those who give no cause for it; yet, given our Society's recent past I don't not blame you for it. I encourage you to join our meeting in Absalom as well, to see if this can be made more appealing to you.
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We shall keep our eyes on this group. They have drawn our......interest.
"And by that, I hope you mean the Junior Pathfinder Society. These kids are serious up-and-comers that provide valuable errand running services! They hand out faction missions, they lead us from various docks to Pathfinder lodges in cities I've never been to. They're great!"
"Don't forget, if you need someone to watch these squirrelly rascals, there's no one better than your local Sczarni Tengu rogue! Kotyk is always here to help..."
Kotyk jangles his coin purse.
"... for some shinies!"
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Fah and you come to my faction to spout this non-sense. Gah phooey.
This is silly, why exclude people that are born not as good as YOU say. Then if you they waste their time with their talking, knowing they will never be good as me at talking. I would rather those tall sword slashy types be good at jumping around since I am not so if we need jumping they can do it.
[ooc: I think a group of people that want to play someone specialized not allowed in your clique drives a wedge instead of embracing other players no matter what they decided to play. You are trying to create a group of people that play to your prefered style of play. The PFS have rules alreayd and you want to further limit them with your group. In this game of PFS you can choose to play with who you want to. If there is someone you do not want to play with, then do not play with them. I have seen similar elitism posed as a good thing until the clique members start excluding other player and cheated as GMs to kill the players not part of their clique. So to keep from reaching this point just make your own private group. Then again maybe I am cynical, but history has shown this true with the idea of making a govenremnt for the betterment of everyone and they called is fascism and I also seen it in my local group.]
Great Pontificor - as many have pointed out, my initial draft of requirements for the Lamplighters was overly restrictive. We are discussing a second draft here, and I hope you will join the conversation.
*chuckles* Even the upstanding Lamplighters will need someone to do their dirty work for them.
Rha'ziz so smart. Rha'ziz know best. Better than even seasoned GM.
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Yes, Rha'ziz so smart. Rha'ziz know best. Better than even seasoned GM.*chuckles* Even the upstanding Lamplighters will need someone to do their dirty work for them.
Why you little!
*Rhaz attempts to grab Glubbles by the neck but is too slow. The goblin darts in between his legs and pops up behind him. An amusing Looney Toons scene unfolds that ends with the longshoreman flat on his face.*
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I can appreciate the concerns of the OP.
When the PFS was first proposed, it was described as an association of archaelogists, historians, and explorers. The sample NPCs from the fiction were intelligent and resourceful. And I expected that the gameplay would reflect that.
Season 0 and Season 1 have been criticised for being too easy on the PCs, and that is probably because the coordinators wanted to start off easier, to prevent scaring off new players, but also, because it was assumed players would be unable to predict who they would be seated with, and therefore have to create more rounded, jack of all trade PCs.
While many players have done that, and engaged with the background setting material, to make a believable character, many haven't, and we are faced with monosyllabic, idiot thugs, who expect us to believe they are trusted members of an academic society.
They got bored with having little to challenge their combat skills, and pushed for more, difficult combat encounters. And now it's a vicious spiral, where it's seen as a requirement to bring one of these cabbage-headed slope-brows along.
If someone is bored, because their 1-skill-point murderhobo can't contribute anything toward exploration, searching, identifying, negotiating, or completing the mission in any way, other than bashing someone over the head, then whose fault is that?
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I can appreciate the concerns of the OP.
When the PFS was first proposed, it was described as an association of archaelogists, historians, and explorers. The sample NPCs from the fiction were intelligent and resourceful. And I expected that the gameplay would reflect that.
Season 0 and Season 1 have been criticised for being too easy on the PCs, and that is probably because the coordinators wanted to start off easier, to prevent scaring off new players, but also, because it was assumed players would be unable to predict who they would be seated with, and therefore have to create more rounded, jack of all trade PCs.
While many players have done that, and engaged with the background setting material, to make a believable character, many haven't, and we are faced with monosyllabic, idiot thugs, who expect us to believe they are trusted members of an academic society.
They got bored with having little to challenge their combat skills, and pushed for more, difficult combat encounters. And now it's a vicious spiral, where it's seen as a requirement to bring one of these cabbage-headed slope-brows along.If someone is bored, because their 1-skill-point murderhobo can't contribute anything toward exploration, searching, identifying, negotiating, or completing the mission in any way, other than bashing someone over the head, then whose fault is that?
I say let the "Cabbage-headed-slope-brows" perform the function they serve best: a meat shield. I'm not complaining as long as they help me survive and make my business profitable enough... Although I agree that sometimes it's hard to argue with single syllables. But then again, in that case I just cooperate by letting them go in front. Who knows, they might drag you from a cauldron of boiling demon-blood someday
(which is exactly what happened after I spent half a scenario trying to insult our local slope-brow).
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I am usually in front until someone complains or demands to "take the lead." Then I go way to the back and watch the fireworks. I find it odd the perception of certain fighters with lower ac, stealth, and initiative than me wanting to be first, but I do enjoy their cover bonus.
Rha'ziz, you misunderstand... Lamplighters are skilled in combat, stealth, and the shadier side of Pathfinding. They also know history, other languages, and can be diplomatic or violent as required. We aren't trying to look after anyone; everyone has a choice. The Lamplighters feel that a well-rounded Pathfinder is of more use than one who can only use one weapon.
I have heard of some of your exploits, and you are not so different from the ideals we espouse.
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Silly Arm Bin Kill, your lamplighters are not skilled but dabble in everything.
I "only use" no weapon and I am pretty well-roundered. I am a very helpful pathsearcher. Why do I need ta know history? I am a good talker I can get someone else ta tell me.
If a lamplighter wants ta take time studying everything. Well a group that each specialize in something different would be besterest.
Pontificor - I would agree with you if we could bank on having a well-balanced team of agents, carefully selected for the appropriate mission. However, often agents seem to be assigned based on the strategy of, "Crisis! Who's closest to my office RIGHT NOW?!" One cannot count on having all of the bases covered. Especially now that the true rewards and prestige within our Society depend on going above and beyond the call of duty, missing a vital skill or ability can be the difference between success and failure.
There are many ways to be a member of our Society, and I wish you success in your chosen path. For myself, I prefer another way.
