Assume that it is now 1617. The clan (any clan) is under the Lunar = occupation and is paying heavier taxes 'cos it took part in the 1613 = rebellion. Also the clan lost a lot of its fit adult men during the = fighting. The players are the existing adult men of the clan.
For the first time in 5 years, the clan is close to initiating its older = children into adulthood. The final ritual for the boys is a test of = their survival and teamwork skills but the adult men will keep a = discreet watchful eye on them to ensure the success of the ritual. = During the last night of the test the clan enemies launch a major raid = (I think that trolls would be MGF).
The clan cannot afford to lose any more members, particularly the about = to be adults and cannot afford to lose any sheep of cattle because the = Lunar tax is due in a few weeks time.
But... protecting the the boys too overtly will break the ritual - which = will delay the initiation for another year. Perhaps the initiation = could be part of a larger quest to break the curse of infertility that = has struck the clan for its "sin" of the treaty with the Lunars (I think = I have stolen this idea from Dave Dunham's web site).
My thinking is as regards numbers is that there are about 50 boys and 50 = men and say 10 trolls and 50 trollkin (this will need a very rules light = system to resolve it). The problem for the players is how to split = their forces to protect the boys in the wilderness (who as part of the = ritual are all fired up to fight the raiders), protect the cattle and = sheep and protect their homes. The far fewer trolls have the advantage = that they do not have to split their forces but can opportunistically = choose their targets.
Perhaps there will be some magical protection effect over the boys = generated by the 50 or so girls who are in the women's secret place = undergoing their part of the ritual with the women supervisors. I = haven't really though out what the girls initiation ceremony will be = like.
A few weeks later.
The Lunar tax is due. The tribal ring is sending a delegation round to = collect the equivalent of the tax in cattle (the tribal king or his = representative has to pay the tax in silver on behalf of the tribe). = However a neighbouring war-like clan has sent their "peace-keepers" = round with a suggestion that the time has come for another payment of = the traditional "protection" that our clan has paid them.
Can the clan afford to pay both "taxes"? With the new adults from the = recent initiation could the clan think about refusing to pay the = protection and fight the war clan? I would allow the clan ring to think = about not paying the tax to the king but would heavily discourage it as = being much too dangerous. Perhaps the clan could improve the earthworks = and log wall around the main settlement? Might the Lunars take this as = evidence of incipient rebellion?
regards,
Charles Corrigan
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