Just a few thoughts arising from a question as to the competence or otherwise of some of the Clan ring posited for the Stormsteads ring. I'm cross-posting to both the Stormsteads and Hero Wars Yahoo Groups as I think it has a more general application. A version of the Stormsteads Clan Ring can be found at http://home.iprimus.com.au/pipnjim/stead/clanr ing.html
The Composition of the Clan Ring will vary from Clan to Clan, and Barbarian Adventures lists a number of common types. It is unusual for the type of ring to change once a Clan is established, since it's rituals will be built up around the ring. One case where a change is likely is if a Clan changes status on the War Clan/Peace Clan axis, when more or fewer representatives of War Gods may be raised to the ring - We already know that making this sort of change can affect your magic.
This means, of course that sometimes you may end up with no ideally suited member of the clan to fit a particular post - a situation that can be seen in Dragon Pass, where the Clan ring will sometimes advise "If we had a xxxx Cultist on the ring, we could devote more magic to yyyy" (to which you shout at the PC "I know, but since we apparently don't have any in the Clan we'll have to make do" - or is that just me?). It may still be better to put an alternative person into that role than to try and reform the clan around a new set up.
The Clan Ring also has a political role, as well as a mystical one, and there are obvious advantages, or potential advantages for those bloodlines and steads who can dominate the ring. (This is even more true of Tribal Rings - again KoDP shows us clans negotiating for the right to provide representatives to the Tribal Ring when tribes are formed). It may be that sometimes a suitable candidate is overlooked or marginalised if they come from a less powerful bloodline, or a weaker candidate is promoted in order to balance the ring between families or factions.
Not everyone wants to be on the Ring, of course - some people are happier doing the job they know than spending their time administering and arbitrating - this may be especially true of devotees of gods with no strong leadership tradition.
Members are elected to the Clan Ring by those members of the clan they represent (so in the Stormsteads ring, it is the Clans Fisher folk who chose Koreng as the Poverri representative, and the Hunters who chose Errol as the Ormalaya speaker). Naturally they may be influenced by both past performance and future expectations - Someone with ambitions to serve on the ring will do well to cultivate the Orlanthi trait of Generosity!
The ring serves the Clan as a whole, and anyone (providing they can round up sufficient support) can ask that a ring member stand down and be replaced (Another situation that KoDP players will doubtless be all to familiar with!).
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