<< Re-reading Trade Talk #3's article on the "Orlanthi" of the East Wilds
gives me
some hope however. Maybe some of the Elk Hsunchen kept their link with their
totem animal when they became Orlanthized such that some use elk instead of
horses to pull their chariots. >>
I'm not sure many of the Elk people did become Orlanthised, in the way that some ofthe other hsunchen peoples clearly did. Still, if you want elk pulling chariots in your game, who are we to argue? As you say later, maybe a heroquest could do it, though I'm not entirely sure what myth you'd want (presumably not a Pralori one).
<< As my title suggests, it seems likely to me that, just as there is no one
singular kind of Orlanthi or Westerner, the Hsunchen of Genertela vary all
over the map in how close they come to the "ideal" presented in the Genertela
Player's Book. In the East Wilds the line between "Hsunchen" and "Orlanthi"
might be a little blurry, depending on when your campaign is set. I think
this is a Good Thing.>>
I generally agree with this, although it depends how far its taken. Generally speaking, one cannot practice agriculture without losing one's hsunchen connections, but there clearly are tribes thought of as hsunchen by outsiders that don't fit the official description. Some raccoon people in Peloria, for instance, aren't *really* hsunchen even though many neighbouring peoples think they are. But it isn't entirely an all-or-nothing situation, because even the Ancient Beast Societies, who are pretty civilised in reality can summon at least limited shape-changing powers.
So, to be a *real* hsunchen you can't be an Orlanthi, but hsunchen traditions will be found among some Ralian Orlanthi to a greater or lesser degree, IMO.
Forward the glorious Red Army!
Trotsky
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