The Pathfinders

Overview

The Pathfinders are a charitable organisation operating throughout the Couvalon Kingdom, dedicated to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of those two travel along the jungle roads that connect the regions settlements. With their trademark patterned green and brown cloaks, Pathfinders serve as scouts, healers and guides. The Pathfinders were founded during the early expansion as part of the Emerald Army's exploratory forces, but their function switched as they became a separate entity. Today, the organisation is funded by donations and royal grants, as a merely humanitarian effort.

Appearance

The symbol of the Pathfinders is a compass with a fern shape in place of the compass's pointer. This is usually stitched on their lapel, and on their travel cloaks. Their equipment otherwise is deliberately practical: sturdy boots, leathers, broad brimmed hats to protect from the sun. Each Pathfinder typically carries a journal to record encounters and problems with the routes.

Structure

Whilst decentralised by design, Pathfinders do operate out of chapter houses in major settlements across the continent, with Wayposts dotted about, usually at intersections of roads, which double as resting stops for travellers. Each waypost is managed by a Lead Pathfinder, with roving bands assigned to patrols between posts.

Ranks within the organisation are informal, based more on experience and reputation. New members begin as trailhands, eventually rising to Pathfinder status, Leads and if lucky, Veteran Pathfinders.

Role

Pathfinders duties include:

• Assisting lost or injured travellers
• Guiding caravans through unfamiliar or unforgiving terrain.
• Providing emergency food, water and shelter.
• Removing dangerous flora or fauna from key routes.
• Documenting changes to jungle trails, including sudden flooding, plant overgrowth, or any other reason why a route become impassable.

Whilst not soldiers, Pathfinders are trained in basic combat, medical aid and navigation. They are not law enforcement, and avoid involvement in political disputes. However, their neutrality can serve as a useful mediator in personal disputes.

Culture

Pathfinders are widely respected, especially by the more rural and frontier communities. To urban nobles and merchants, they are seen as a necessary cost of doing business in the region. Even the native Zurkali view them with respect, recognising the good the Pathfinders do and the accompanying knowledge they must learn in order to do their duties. They view the Pathfinders as a noble enterprise, as they act as a Zurkali would if they encountered a person in need in the jungle. Whilst a Zurkali leaving their groves is a rare occurrence, most that do, is to join the Pathfinders and it is arguably the least contentious reason for leaving the groves.