Stupid question from a newbie....

[CaptLudd]

I am just starting in pathfinder after buying the PACG. What exactly is the pathfinder society and what is its function? There also appears to be some sort of hierarchy involved as there are different forums below this one. :edit:what is the grand lodge? What do you have to do to join in and progress in theses groups? Oh obviously i understand that these are not in the card game but the RPG milieu. Everything else is unclear...thanks in advance

[RainyDayNinja]

The Pathfinder Society is a fictional organization in the world of Golarion (the default setting for Pathfinder), which is similar to the National Geographic Society, or "Indiana Jones, Inc." They explore ancient ruins, recover lost artifacts, and uncover forgotten lore, then report it in the Pathfinder Chronicles.

ALSO, the Pathfinder Society is the "organized play" system for the Pathfinder RPG, in which the players are agents of the in-world Pathfinder Society. The rules are a little more standardized, so you can take your character from one game to the next, even between different countries.

[DesolateHarmony]

This is a Link to the Player Resources for the Pathfinder Society (the organized play group). Scrolling down just a little gives you the link to the Pathfinder Society Guide to Organized Play. This, with the Core Rulebook to Pathfinder Roleplaying Game gives you the foundation for the Society

[Mystic Lemur]

The "Grand Lodge" can refer to both the Pathfinder Society "headquarters" in Absalom, where the Society is based and it's most valuable/dangerous treasures are kept locked away from prying eyes, and the Faction of Pathfinders that places devotion to the Decemvirate (the masked leaders of the Society) above the petty squabbles of the other factions.

[Andreas Forster]

Also, there is the "Grand Lodge" section here on the messageboards. That's where public PFS sessions are announced. (Also, note that not every GM announces their sessions on the boards, so you might also want to check out the "events" page and/or your local game store.)