Pathfinder Chronicles - Faction Guide (oef).pdf - WORLDWAKE

Pathfinder Chronicles: Faction Guide
PR o P h e t s o f
k a l i s t R a d e
Curiously understated and often underestimated,
the prophets of Kalistrade adhere to a set of secular
prophecies concerning wealth and rulership of the
world. They wear long white gloves and abstain from
tattooing, certain meats, and most kinds of sex, and
uphold various other prohibitions to demonstrate their
separation from the world and dedication to the principles
of the prophecies—namely, that personal wealth is the key
to rulership and personal fulfillment.
Almost preternaturally calm and focused, the prophets
are master negotiators and appear prepared to handle
nearly any threat to their wealth and lives, in that order.
Although they do not own markets as large as those in
Katapesh or Absalom, the prophets hold significant
interests in every public market in the Inner Sea.
go a l: ga i n Pe R s o n a l we a lt h
The prophets of Kalistrade differ from other trade-oriented
factions in Golarion because for the prophets, trade is only
a means to the end goal of personal wealth. They favor trade
as the easiest and surest way to gain wealth, but any method
is acceptable: marriage, inheritance, adventuring, or even
theft, as long as the acquired wealth can be assured.
al i g n M e n t: ln
Everything is subservient to the pursuit of wealth.
Adherents to the prophecies have no interest in good or
evil and little intrinsic interest in order or chaos. However,
a firm obedience to law creates reliable systems for
gaining and retaining wealth. So like all matters Druman,
a commitment to law is a commitment to wealth.
Some adherents seem quite chaotic—behaving in
cutthroat ways, lying, or double-dealing. Sharp observers
may note, however, that these hucksters are never high on
the earnings pyramid. A reputation for honoring deals
and conducting business within contractual stipulations
has proven to be the best path to wealth—although
ruthlessness within the contract is considered fair.
fac t i o n le a d e R
High Prophet Kelldor (LN male human diviner 8) knows
every major political or civil leader on two continents by
name. He is not a high-profile person in world affairs
because he does not aspire to power or fame, only to wealth.
He is friendly and calm, and understands the interplay
of non-financial factors in obtaining and maintaining
wealth—as the Prophecies of Kalistrade stipulate, wealth is
a prime mover, an abstract force in the universe, driving
people to achieve their ends. Kelldor rarely leaves his
38
estate (a small district in the capital city of Kerse), but he
consumes information voraciously, spending almost as
much time scrying as he does awake.
go o d cl a s s ch o i c e s
Bard, Rogue, Wizard
ch a l l e n g i n g cl a s s ch o i c e s
Barbarian, Druid, Paladin, Ranger
he a d q ua Rt e R s
The Gilded Vault Opulent in Kerse, known informally as
“the Opulent,” is the center of prophet activity. The cluster
of buildings includes offices, a bathhouse, a banquet hall,
and a sculpture garden, offering numerous delights for the
eyes, ears, and palate and every opportunity to display wealth
to one’s peers while doing business. The name is a reference
to a prophecy that refers to a “vault of opulent delights” that
forms whenever prophets, each of whom possesses a vault of
wealth, gather to display their riches. Of course, the Opulent
is guarded with the same violent tenacity of any Kerse estate.
Jo i n i n g
The prophets accept anyone willing to adhere to the
strictures described in the Prophecies of Kalistrade. This
means a person of any race, nationality, gender, or social
heritage may join the faction.
ga i n i n g PR e s t i g e
Achieving goals that lead to wealth, especially demonstrable
wealth, earns the respect of the prophets.
Re s o u Rc e s
The prophets prefer indentured, debt-bound servants
rather than slaves or hirelings. A faction member becomes
an indentured servant by borrowing money from a
prophet and then working in some domestic capacity
until the debt is paid, thus becoming living collateral for
a long-term loan. These indentured servants typically use
the borrowed money to fund an investment, which makes
them more loyal and predictable to their employers.
A typical indentured servant’s service lasts for 1 year,
though some stay on longer with a prophet in exchange
for another, more substantial loan. Indentured servants
do not normally enter dungeons or other dangerous areas,
though they can be paid to do so (doubling the servant’s
CPA cost); even under these conditions, however, they are
noncombatants and f lee if threatened.
5 TPA, 1 CPA: Acquire an indentured servant to work
as a valet (LN expert of half the character’s level). A valet
caters to the character’s whims and learns to anticipate the
character’s needs. A Druman valet understands the rules and
requirements of following the Prophecies, handles mundane