Pathfinder Society
The Pathfinder Society is a globe-spanning organization based out of Absalom, the City at the Center of the World. The membership consists primarily of Pathfinders, adventurers who travel throughout Golarion—usually inconspicuously—and explore, delve, and otherwise experience the lesser-seen parts of the world. They send journals documenting their travels back to their venture-captains, who also assign them new missions and suggest new places to explore. The most exciting and illuminating of these journals are compiled in the Pathfinder Chronicles, an ongoing series of books that collect the history and mystery of Golarion for its membership and the general public.
Members
Members of the Society are loosely affiliated adventurers who are not required to interact. They are, however, forbidden to attack or otherwise negatively influence one another. This does not stop the more unscrupulous from leading rival parties into dangerous situations and dead ends. Most Pathfinders are issued a wayfinder, a type of magical compass, and taught to recognize the signs indicating a lodge. Other than that, they are largely free to be and do what they please. This allows for a very varied membership, and a situation where a Chelaxian devil-binder and a Garundi rogue find themselves sharing a night in the same lodge in the far north of Avistan is not uncommon.Notable members
Some of the greatest explorers of the last 400 years have been members of the Pathfinder Society. The most famous of these was the legendary Durvin Gest, whose tales fill a number of the first Pathfinder Chronicles. Notable current Pathfinders include the half-elf Koriah Azmeren, the current Master of Swords, Marcos Farabellus, Venture-Captain Sheila Heidmarch of Magnimar, the steward of the Grand Lodge, Ambrus Valsin, and Shevala Iorae, who was the first person to enter and explore the Spire of Nex.Structure
The day-to-day management of the Pathfinder Society is handled by its venture-captains. These are usually older, accomplished Pathfinders or long-time allies of the organization who have settled down and claimed a Pathfinder lodge for themselves. They direct Pathfinders in the field toward new and interesting locales and receive the regular reports that will eventually become part of the Chronicles. Venture-captains are largely autonomous, but occasionally receive directions from the Decemvirate, the Society's secret leadership council. The Decemvirate is composed of ten masked individuals who direct the Society's overall strategies, but little is known about their ultimate goals, or what they do with all the information Pathfinders collect all over Golarion.
Public Agenda
The Pathfinder Society generally takes a hands-off approach with its agents, leaving them to pursue their own leads, and chose their own priorities. Pathfinders are only expected to explore the mysteries of the multiverse, report what they find, and cooperate with one another in order to assure the success of the first two duties. Pathfinders are expected to report their findings to their venture-captains, who collect and review these records and pass on the best to be published in the Pathfinder Chronicles.
History
The Pathfinder Society was founded in Absalom in 4307 AR by a group of adventurers as a means to share stories and resources. The first meeting place was a bar in Absalom called the Wounded Wisp, and the meeting locations changed frequently over the next decade. The incredible stories shared among members at these early meetings became popular forms of entertainment among the public as well.
In 4317 AR, a sage (whose name has been lost to history) offered to publish the best of the Society's stories in book form. The first edition of the Pathfinder Chronicles became wildly successful and began the Society's tradition of publishing the best of its members' exploits. In the nearly four centuries since, members of the Pathfinder Society have aspired to undertake adventures worthy of publication in the Chronicles.
In 4320 AR, the Society's Grand Lodge was founded in Absalom in a manor home donated to the Society. As the organization grew, a council of ten directors called the Decemvirate was formed to help organize its growing interests, and to shape the future of the Pathfinders. As the Society grew in wealth and power, the Decemvirate decided that for its own security and safety its members would mask themselves to hide their identities, even from other Pathfinders. The membership of the Decemvirate has presumably changed many times over the last 400 years, although their identities or even how they are chosen remain mysteries to nearly all Pathfinders as well as the general public.
Explore, Record, Cooperate
Type
Guild, Adventuring
Training Level
Trained
Notable Members
