From publisher blurb:
Behold the Factions of Paddock!
The Crockpot. To become a part of The Crockpot, while having culinary skills is valuable, it's not the most important attribute. The most important attribute is to respect and love food. To gain entry, you must pass a test where you cook a hearty meal that satisfies the chosen family's stomach and tongue, using only the leftovers currently available in the household. Benefits of joining The Crockpots include receiving secret recipes, access to premium ingredients, and discounts on grade A cookwares.
Farm Assistance and Review Team. FAART seeks members who are passionate about responsible farming and view it as their duty to uphold high standards. To become a FAART member, one must first own a garden or farmland that meets FAART's standards. Second, one must pass a fifty-question, multiple-choice exam that tests the potential member's knowledge of crops, farming techniques, and environmental regulations. Lastly, one must succeed in an interview with three senior members to assess if their values align with the team. Benefits of joining FAART includes financial grants, affordable farmland leasing, free training programs, and valuable mentorship, with a particular focus on supporting young gardeners. Oh, and don’t forget the pepper sprays!
Pumpernickel's Peculiar Peripatetic Performers. Pumpernickel's Peculiar Peripatetic Performers seeks individuals that have a fiery passion for finding the answers to the world’s hidden mysteries, even if it may lead to danger. Although it’s not a requirement, the traveling circus prefers individuals with a special talent, whether it’s conjuring fire, fortune telling or even bookkeeping, as all members are required to perform or help facilitate the circus. In order to gain entry, all you need to do is present a story—a tale that’s not recorded in the Song of Paddock. Benefits of joining the group includes being in a big happy family! Is that not enough? Well, I suppose there’s also the knowledge from Song of Paddock, financial support for adventuring and opportunities to meet new people.
Lamplight Tours. Before you join our happy family, there is the matter of your licensure fee and your franchise commitment. Afterwards, you need to display a sufficient aptitude for local history and take our patented training course.
Animal Protection Agency. Joining the APA is not terribly difficult. One must simply sign up for the organization and drop a donation or volunteer some time. However, these are all low-level positions with little influence, and benefits, and are the ones tasked with doing the grunt work. Going further up the hierarchy of the APA requires much more commitment, more time, money, resources, and riskier activity. You also must have a recommendation from someone higher up then which normally requires you to buy into their more extreme ideals.
The Loam-Owner's Association. You don’t really get a choice...just make sure to look around the neighborhood really really closely before joining...cause once you are in...escape is futile...
The Blackthorn Company. The Cudgel and his captains recruit directly. You do not seek out a place in their ranks–they seek you out. And if you’re cut from the right cloth, you’ll find a lucrative contract and honest work waiting for you.
Survivalist Society. There is no official way to join the faction. The group is much less official than others that exist. They connected with each through their shared goals and interests and gave themselves the name ‘survivalist society’.
Birdwatchers United. It used to be easy to join Birdwatchers United. All you had to do was sign up for a membership and you were given a card. Now, the current leader is more careful about the memberships that are given out. You have to prove yourself serious about the hobby, how this is done varies from chapter to chapter. In addition, if any of the tenants are broken, your membership can be revoked.
Who Will You Choose?