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Several of our brethren have temporarily fallen under the silver tongued message of the so called “true pathfinders”.
Don’t be fooled. The paraphrased “glory once more” message they are spreading is not even original, but borrowed from the Taldans. The politically overused “true” moniker a contrivance to deflect attention from their message of elitism. Their apparently high entry requirements are an obvious attempt to prey on the proud or weak willed who are seduced by flattery. Their call to mediocrity and their disparagement of specialists an affront to pathfinder values.
Strip away the Taldan weasel words and their message is clear: “don’t change with the times” and “hold yourself above your fellow pathfinders”
Is this what “true” Pathfinders aspire to? An insular elitist clique who are afraid of change?
Eyes wide open Pathfinders.
I understand that there are powerful new enemies of the pathfinder society, and in fear we tend to seek comfort in the “good old days” that never were. Rise above it!
Now more than ever is the time for pragmatism and to embrace change.
Now is not the time to form a Pathfinder supremacist group and risk splitting the society. Now is the time for unity.
Ask yourselves, who benefits most if there is internal strife in the Pathfinder Society? Look again at those spreading the lamplighter message.
Another "shadow lodge" style splinter group could be disastrous for the society right now.
Vigilance.
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None know more then I the falsehood of this messenger. He is a zealot, a divine warrior in service to his goddess not some grand idealist devoting his days to the betterment of the society. I have seen who his is on his pathfinder missions, just another cowardly human who has revelled in striking down his allied pathfinders helpless to magical compulsions. I saw the glee in his eyes as his blade pierced my flesh.
He seeks to make things "better" but his lamp casts a long shadow. I have seen first hand the darkness he hides. I bit back being the first to challenge this lamplighter initiative, waiting for others to step forward before I raised my personal distrust.
Know that though elves and my kind have bleed in war in the past, I am willing to acknowledge the character of individuals who show courage. Jarenthal I salute you for stepping forward to meet this challenge. I serve the society out of no choice of my own and those that have wronged me should fear the day I am free of my bonds.
Aram bin Kaleel, the Dervish of the Dawnflower should know that I have not forgotten & his dept to me will be payed once his blood dances across my blade and his corpse lies at my feet.
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Several of our brethren have temporarily fallen under the silver tongued message of the so called “true pathfinders”.
Don’t be fooled. The paraphrased “glory once more” message they are spreading is not even original, but borrowed from the Taldans. The politically overused “true” moniker a contrivance to deflect attention from their message of elitism. Their apparently high entry requirements are an obvious attempt to prey on the proud or weak willed who are seduced by flattery. Their call to mediocrity and their disparagement of specialists an affront to pathfinder values.
Strip away the Taldan weasel words and their message is clear: “don’t change with the times” and “hold yourself above your fellow pathfinders”
You accuse a Qadiran of being a Taldan? How can anyone take you seriously when you start with such a foolish absurdity?
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You accuse a Qadiran of being a Taldan? How can anyone take you seriously when you start with such a foolish absurdity?
A Human is a Human, an Elf is an Elf, a Halfling is food & a dwarf is trouble. By my fathers blood I will never understand you pinkskins and your regional foolishness. You might swear to kings of different tribes but you are all in the end still humans, elves, food.
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Yay those facist scum. Lets color spray them. One bloke made a comment that every group with a barely skilled talker lampblighter would gaurentee diplomatic success. FAH Phooey. I am a great talker and wonderful fibber. I specialize in that. No barely trained sword swinging tall would ever be as good as me. The audacity that a round about trained group would be better than a specialized team is silly. Put me with some talls that can stab things in the face I color spray and can carry me around, some Slips that can open and undo hurty things and we are set. My third pathfinder task I had to fight a glob of mouths that ate you and spit acid in your eye. I alone summoned a pit under him and allowed my group to pass. The poor talls that went before us gnomeless were all eaten by that thing. They musta tried to talk with it.
Tallioso you forgot gnomes are awesome.
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I must admit I misplaced my words; the inclusion of a "lamplighter" would not guarantee success. You are right; a lamplighter guarantees nothing. However, a jack-of-all-trades could very well save a task at hand.
Like the Aram bin Kaleel, I'm worried about the current course of pathfinder specialization. Versatility is key, and the upbringing of numerous barbarians from both north and south have fueled the numbers of brutal killing machines within our ranks.
So, Pontificor, you attribute yourself as a diplomat and an illusionist. I think Aram went on the wrong rails with the initial idea, as he only addressed those who concentrate on fighting.
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These lighters of lamps... would not accept nor tolerate one such as I among their ranks. My sword arm has always been faster then my thinkings, my mind at times is clouded with distracting spirits and words do not come easily to my tongue. I have been told this is owed to a curse of birth. The Pathfinder Society knew this and yet here I am. I will remain loyal to them as they are to me. To the Abyss with the 'supreme-mists'.
Jarenthal, the last thing I wish is to fragment the Society. I would suggest that the Grand Lodge could be making this effort themselves, yet they do not. Perhaps it is their loyalty to The Ten instead of to the Pathfinder Society as a whole; their opposites, the Shadow Lodge, choose the other extreme. Is there no room for middle ground in our discourse, where we may find a balance between the masked orders of the Ten and the welfare of individual agents? May we not take as inspiration the earliest days of the Society, before there was a Decemvirate, when agents did not rely on others but were self-sufficient? If you can show me how men like Durvin Gest are poor rolemodels to aspire to in these times, I would perhaps understand your position.
And Tallos - I expected better treatment from a man who I died fighting to save. You did not have such harsh words for the Dawnflower when she healed your wounds in battle against the Scarlet Son. Alas, I must have wronged you greatly and unknowingly in our few exploits together for you to spew such venom upon my name.
Ahote - as many of pointed out, my original draft of the Lamplighter's Creed was overly restrictive, and would exclude many excellent Pathfinders. I am in the process of revising this with the input of Pathfinders of many political affiliations, and I welcome you to join us in this work. You may find us in Absalom here.
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The lampliterth theem to have a good and jutht cauth at the forfronth of their mindths, and I, Thir Bunthithar Fuzzymouthache do thupport their cauth (dethpite my applicathionth for memberthip being rejected theveral timeth on account of, erm what wath it. Ah yeth! Thuithidal bravery!). their methage of preparedneth for any occathion ith a pieth of advithe that all Pathfinderth thould athpire to. Where they go WRONG though ith trying to theperate themthevleth with lofty requiremenths. Thomething like thith should be reprethented in how you act and prepare, not in a badge of recognithion. It thould be reprethented in not what you do, but how you do it. It thould be thomething incluthive! Not divithive! We have enough divithon in the thothiety already.
Bunthizar takes a moment to wipe the spit from the inside of his helmet before finishing.
Ath I think wath conveyed in the original methage, the lamp thould be carried to light the fireth of inthpiration in other pathfinderth, not to catht thadows over them from a lofty peak.
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The door to the room swings open as if it had been kicked. An armored man enters the room, carrying himself as a noble would.
"I am Sir Eadric the Pure! Noble paladin of Iomadae and seeker of justice throughout the land! I come here in search of like-minded individuals who seek to rid this land of depravity and injustice. Who among you shall I call a friend?"
He stands there, almost triumphantly.
[ooc]
"Greetings, Sir Eadric, you are most welcome here. I am Aram bin Kaleel, and I seek to raise the Pathfinder Society back to its proud days as a Society dedicated to exploration and knowledge."
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Jarenthal, the last thing I wish is to fragment the Society. I would suggest that the Grand Lodge could be making this effort themselves, yet they do not. Perhaps it is their loyalty to The Ten instead of to the Pathfinder Society as a whole; their opposites, the Shadow Lodge, choose the other extreme.
Do I detect your true aspiration here, to control the Grand Lodge itself?
The ten seem to have been making a conscious effort to increase diversity in the society. There has been a recent influx of new nationalities such as the lantern lodge and races of divine, profane and elemental blood, not to mention the odd goblin.
Perhaps the ten understand that the uniformity you seek leads to stagnation. It is certainly something we of the longer lived races understand.
Are you are confusing dislike for some members of the society with what is good for the society as a whole? Diversity is a strength not a weakness.
Is there no room for middle ground in our discourse, where we may find a balance between the masked orders of the Ten and the welfare of individual agents?
The tail is trying to wag the dog here. Are you claiming superior knowledge to the ten? Hubris.
May we not take as inspiration the earliest days of the Society, before there was a Decemvirate, when agents did not rely on others but were self-sufficient? If you can show me how men like Durvin Gest are poor rolemodels to aspire to in these times, I would perhaps understand your position.
You answered your own question. Durvin Gest was a man of his time. We need men of _this_ time. While we can take inspiration from him, we should not aspire to be exactly like him.
You can look back on the past through rose tinted glasses at the few successes. Was Durvin Gest the only pathfinder of his time? What of the others, were they bad Pathfinders? Or was Durvin Gest the one that just happened to have the right skillset for that time out of the diversity that was the Pathfinder Society of the time?
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"I am Sir Eadric the Pure! Noble paladin of Iomadae and seeker of justice throughout the land! I come here in search of like-minded individuals who seek to rid this land of depravity and injustice. Who among you shall I call a friend?"
Ah, another seeking comfort in uniformity. You have come to the right place. You and Aram should get along famously.
Jenderthal, you mistake my message completely. I seek not uniformity for the Society - in fact, diversity is what makes us strong. Yet diversity is more than "which weapon do I specialize in?" That is the whole of my message.
A Pathfinder should be able to be more than a blunt force. My belief is, if more Pathfinders were capable of accomplishing other tasks, we would be sent on them more frequently. As it stands now, while in Varisia I have been sent out by the Society to murder, rob and blackmail the competitors of the Magnimar Lodge. Is this what Pathfinders have been reduced to?
If you do not share this belief, I respect your opinion. However, your implications as to my motives are unfounded - I seek control over nothing more than my own destiny.
And Vakog: to be remembered as is Durvin Gest is beyond my loftiest imaginings. I know you do not intend your statement as a compliment, and yet I choose to take it as such. I pray you find peace for the emptiness in your heart, that makes you tear down the ideas of others instead of building some of your own.
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As it stands now, while in Varisia I have been sent out by the Society to murder, rob and blackmail the competitors of the Magnimar Lodge. Is this what Pathfinders have been reduced to?
Ah, I share your concern there. Something is rotten in the state of Varisia.
But let us not throw the baby out with the bathwater.
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"Fah Lamplighters. May the gods that created us enjoy our travels even if we die."
"I blame the stupid Adventure Captains. They put stupid teams togeters. Every group should have one gnome since we are awesome to tell others what they want to hear, a healy person, a tall that goes first, a smarty pants that knows things, a slip to stop hurty things, someone that finds things good. Keep in mind that some gnomes and occasionally a taller or two can do more than one of these things."
"I would rather have my talls no waste time in training on how to be a good talker since they would not be as good as me. They should get good at swiming and climbing to carry me."
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A red-haired, halfling pied like a piper somersaults through the door and across the floor chanting:
"Fool me once, shame on thee,
Fool me twice shame on me.
A fool I am, a jest, a scamp,
But where stands the lighter of the lamp?
Only the shadow knows."
and tumbles hand over hand out the opposite door.
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Uhm well that was uhm... who is this myserious halfling?
*Picks up his musket and walks to the door where the halfling exited and calls out into the shadows of the night in search of the mysteious man.*
Halfling rogues are notoriously hard to perceive in shadowy hallways.
Now you see them...now you don't.
From somewhere, seemingly off in the distance, you hear a small high-pitched whisper,
"Maybe you should light a lamp."
Quiet laughter and the pitter-patter of little feet fade into the distance.