> > I usually make peace with them - the 50 food is nice, but the
> beastfolk
> >are scary, and I can use all the goodwill I can get. Plus, they have some
> >interesting treasures - like the moldy old book about dragon pass that
> helps
> >you when you explore.
>
> Is there anything you need to do to get the treasures? They never agree to
> trade them with us.
I misspoke - after posting, I remembered that the moldy book was a dragonnewt treasure, not a beastfolk treasure. However, what I was referring to was exploring in the beastfolk wilds - not trading with the ducks for them. When you explore in the beastfolk swamps, you stand a very high chance of having your entire party be captured or killed. However, if you're on good terms with the ducks near you, you have at least a chance of getting good reactions as well. I've never really tempted fate too much with it, but every so often I send someone expendable over to see what they can dig up.
> > On easy level, this happened? Interesting. You start with two
> > feuds, but
> >I've usually seen it as a good thing to get rid of the feuds ASAP - of
> >course,
> >having an enemy far enough away that he won't be a part of any possible
> tribe
> >is a good thing, but kicking him too much is bad.
>
> Excessive kicking is bad? Why? We've usually aimed to have a single feud
> going, simply to have a raid target.
Because if you hurt them too much they'll leave; because the more angry they are with you, the more likely they are to curse and raid you; because when you get them really upset, it's hard to make it up to them later if you need to.
Also, it's not very Orlanthi to commit genocide.
> > That would do it. Have you considered cattle raids against
> neighbours?
>
> Do cattle raids count as raids for keeping your War Magic fresh? I think
> an earlier posting on this list (buried in the archives somewhere) said
> those didn't count?
Hm, not sure. I do both kinds of raids, usually one real raid every 3-4 years, so it's hard to say.
> Any tricks to stealing the statue? We sometimes get it, sometimes
> don't. Does party size have an impact, or the combat or magic skill of the
> leader?
Party size has a definite impact. I've noticed that with a lot of things (raids of any kind), the smaller your party, the better the chance they'll get in and out without a fight. However, the larger your party, the better the chance they'll survive. When I found the silver statue in my last game, I sent in an exceptional fighter and only a half-dozen companions, gambling on getting it without getting caught (which I've done before). I was caught, had to fight my way out, and took losses - the game said only my leader's presence saved the group from being totally exterminated. Did get it, though.
You see this in action in other places, such as when Orlanth tells you that if you raid with less than a dozen men, you'll do quite well, or when trying to steal from the dwarves.
Dave
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