How much power do Starfinder Society members (PCs) hold?

[Reebo Kesh]

I'm running Dead Suns at the moment and just curious to know how much power/recognition/responsibities will the PCs have once they are accepted in the Starfinder Society?

Are they like law enforcement?

Do citizen have to answer questions?

Can they arrest suspects?

Do they have a salary?

Or

Are they more like Private Investigators?

[Ikiry0]

They have the power to do whatever they need to do to hide the dark secret of the society: That they destroyed the old world.

More seriously: It's not really covered too much yet and likely varies a LOT by planet.

[Claxon]

I imagine it's a lot like the Pathfinder Society was on Golarion.

Some people and places liked and respected them. Some were annoyed by them. Some out right hated them.

But no, they aren't law enforcement. That's the Sentinels. Citizens aren't compelled by law to answer questions, anymore so than they are by any other person. They can arrest someone in the same way the other citizens can arrest people (citizens arrest is a thing).

They definitely don't get paid by the government. The society might give them a stipend for expenses but no real pay as such.

I wouldn't even liken them to PIs.

They're adventurers, explorers, and nosy busybodies who stick their nose in where they're not wanted ;)

[Reebo Kesh]

Claxon wrote:

I imagine it's a lot like the Pathfinder Society was on Golarion.

Some people and places liked and respected them. Some were annoyed by them. Some out right hated them.

But no, they aren't law enforcement. That's the Sentinels. Citizens aren't compelled by law to answer questions, anymore so than they are by any other person. They can arrest someone in the same way the other citizens can arrest people (citizens arrest is a thing).

They definitely don't get paid by the government. The society might give them a stipend for expenses but no real pay as such.

I wouldn't even liken them to PIs.

They're adventurers, explorers, and nosy busybodies who stick their nose in where they're not wanted ;)

Thanks Claxon, never had much reason to use the Pathfinder Society in my own games, only the Pathfinder rules. Now I know why I didn't, they organisation isn't a very original in concept.

[Strannik1973]

Think of it as a sci fi/fantasy version of a mix of the Royal Geographical Society and the Royal Society of London (Wikipedia). Instead of funding and staffing expeditions to Africa, the Amazon, et cetera, to better map the world and understand the flora, fauna and indigenous people, you are doing it in space with planets and aliens. Then reporting your findings for publication (and fame, fortune when you discover the Lost City (Planet?) of Gold and such).

That said there is nothing to say a PC can't be employed in law enforcement or be a PI and be a member of the Society.

[UnArcaneElection]

^ . . . Other than the high probability that this would make your work/life balance even worse than it already is . . . .