I always assumed three things:
1) that he visited other clans too....a tour around
Sartar could well produce over 100 weaponthanes, which
begins to get more than negligible, especially as....
2) The Tarshites have plenty of fyrd-type fighters.
What they need are professionals that can be expected
to stand up to opposing professionals and heavy magic
without faltering, and who can be expected to need
minimal help performing raids and what-not.
3) Foreign experts always seem more impressive than
your own. "Fear not my country-men, we have this band
of brave heroes from Sartar standing shoulder to
shoulder with us! These are heroes who have withstood
combat with the most fearsome of forces in that savage
land, and will mow down our enemies. (and they
wouldn't have joined us if they thought we were
doomed)."
Of course, David is no doubt right too. In Glorantha there is almost always more than one level that things operate on.
On a more game-play related level, this is a great event for pumping up your number of weaponthanes. Send off a fair chunk of your forces, the recruit heavily (and immediately) to replace them.
--Bryan
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