Absorb all Factions into the Grand Lodge

[Lambien]

With the new PFS year, it seems Factions have been rendered irrelevant. Specifically, Prestige from Faction missions have been eliminated in favor of gaining a second Prestige Point through success at a secondary mission objective, now even retroactively to all seasons' scenarios.
Why shouldn't all characters just be Grand Lodge? It seems choice of Faction means as little in game now as age, height, weight, gender, and in SOME cases, alignment.
If all the Faction choices are kept, since there are Paizo sourcebooks involving Factions, shouldn't a clamor arise for a sourcebook or a rules expansion on age, height, weight, gender, and/or alignment? I'm not being sarcastic or snarky, I truly would like to know the reason to spend time on choosing a Faction.

[Halcyon Reaper]

For the Glory of Andoran, that's why!

Because Factions are trying to accomplish goals throughout the season and the scenarios have some faction missions within them. If these missions are performed successfully the character(s) that succeeded gain a boon of one sort or another.

[MeriDoc-]

Why should not all characters just be Grand Lodge
two words dear, Zarta Dralneen.

[GM Lamplighter]

Each faction still has story goals which some players may want to engage in. There are benefits to doing so, both in story and mechanically... it's just not a requirement of gaining prestige.

[William Ronald]

I would imagine that the accomplishment of story goals will have some benefits for faction members.

Also, there is a certain realism in having factions. In real life, there are some divisions in large organizations. Even when the goals are the same or similar, there can be different approaches to those goals.

[BigNorseWolf]

There are also faction specific boons to consider.

[Matthew Trent]

I vote no. Factions are fun.

[IQuarent]

Well, in the Inner Sea there are many countries that have a sphere of influence, that influence being represented by factions; Orision, Qadira, Taldor, Cheliax, Andoran. By having an actual faction with characters as faces to represent these places and their stake in the Pathfinder Society adds a lot of flavor and consistency to the game. I, for one, am also a fan of the boons.