I don't think wyters know everything that goes on in the tula, at least not automatically. So
- they have an ability rating on their awareness (normally of course the narrator won't role against this, but conceptually they can be better or worse at noticing things). Some wyters are stronger than others in general, and they won't all be be even within their abilities (some may be better at awareness, some may be better at providing other blessings, while some will be pretty equal in their abilities)
- Wyters aren't generic, so they will have their own strengths and weaknesses and, in some cases, interests. To put it another way, while their awareness will be a broad ability, it will still not be "notice every stranger in the tula." If the Blue Fox clan has a blue fox daimone as its wyter, it is probably pretty good at noticing what happens in the woods, but maybe not so much at what is happening up in the sky or in the waters, for example. A Bull might be very aware of any threats to the cattle, but not care as much about people walking calmly up the road. And if it in the form of an ancient helmet that the chief wears, well, who knows what the specifics of its awareness ability is, but there will be something.
- Communication from the wyter will also vary. Some may signal any clan member (the blue fox suddenly runs into sight), some may only communicate with the chief/priestess/whoever, some may communicate openly but only at a specific location (all members of the clan can read messages in the movement of the branches of the Black Oak....but they have to be looking at the Black Oak to get the message)
- At a guess, in most clans there would be no more than about a dozen people on patrol most of the time (assuming they aren't feeling particular danger). They just can't afford to have too many people not producing. So patrols won't always be handy at the right place.
- Clans with major roads or waterways in their territory probably do have someone watching those paths into the tula, but their function may, in practice, come closer to toll collector than guard. Do the first portion of the greeting, allowing them to travel on the tula in exchange for their commitment of good conduct...after they've give a suitable present. The clan members doing that job would probably let through all but the most crazy seeming (or those with no gifts to give), trusting to the ritual to keep people on good behavior and not wanting to pass up on gifts.
>
> Well, other than "it varies", the way I see it working is that the Wyter
> guides the clan in mysterious ways. Patrols will be more likely to come
> across interlopers, because the wyter guides them. Some weaponthanes may be
> more "in tune" with the wyter than others. The chief will be more likely to
> make the right decisions due to the wyter's guidance and magical insight.
> The hunters will be more likely to find game, the crafters will be more
> likely to find valuable resources such as high quality clay or precious
> stones. I don't see the wyter as being like a booming alarm claxon that
> just warns everyone about invaders. Some might have obvous signs that are
> easily recognized, such as a flock of ravens when enemies are attacking,
> alynxes yowling when game is plentiful, strange ominous cloud formations
> when kinstrife is brewing.
>
> Just my thoughts.
>
> Phil.
> --
> Don't you just hate self-referential sigs?
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>