Normally, I'd agree. The clan generator coughed up a high Shrewd Virtue. I'=
ve been playing around with a large number of ideas to explain this and real= ly fit it into the flavor of the clan, since it's not as common a Virtue as = some others (such as Courage). I see it's time for me to put some of my mate= rials up for public comment, especially as I don't think any of my players a=re on this list. Apologies for length.
Orlstand the Beekeeper
When the Pharaoh took over the Holy Country, Orlstand's clan was riven by =
strife. He knew that his cautious kin supported the Pharaoh, but the better = men in the clan would not back down from the fight that was brewing so he so= ught another way to prevent kinstrife. He spoke passionately at the moot and= described the wondrous new land of Dragon Pass, and called for the bravest = to go there, form a new clan, and see what there was to see. Orlstand's more= cautious kin would not go, and so kinstrife was avoided. When the Tarkali arrived in Dragon Pass, they selected a new chieftain, wh= o sent agents to his neighbors to make peace. But many of the nearby clans w= ere full of bullies, who would only negotiate with those who were stronger t= han they. Orlstand's new clan was full of brave men and women strong in magi= c, but it was also very small. When the Tarkali sent emissaries, their neigh= bors raided them instead, stealing cattle and killing the new chieftain. Wha=t was worse was the damage they caused the Iron Unity Ring, a treasure that = had been brought from Heortland; it was the center of the clan's magic, and = if it was lost, the clan would cease to be.
At the moot, some spoke of going back, but Orlstand knew that it was not t=
he right thing to do. He said that the clan needed a chieftain who was stron= g in magic and wise in the ways of Orlanth, who could cow their neighbors in= to submission. Someone said that they needed a man like Tarkal, the great he= ro of old. Orlstand said that this was the right idea, and he knew how to ma= ke it work, even though Tarkal was not there to lead them. Some protested, b= ut Orlstand had a clever plan. He quested for many days and nights. When he = returned, he caused an effigy of Tarkal to be made, sitting tall on his grea= t chair and with the Iron Unity Ring clasped on his neck, and had it put und= er a canopy with curtains in the chieftain's hall. Then he sent messengers t= o the clans with the most magic to try to make alliances. When they sent negotiators, Orlstand had them brought into the hall. They = wanted to talk to the chieftain, but Orlstand said, "He dreams, but he is aw= ake. One of his feet is in Karulinoran; the other one is here. Make your rep= resentations to the clan ring, and he will give us a sign to guide us." The = messengers were awed that such a great man was chieftain here, and made agre= ements beneficial to the Tarkali. After the negotiations were complete, the =curtains around the effigy blew out in a great gust of wind, so everyone kne= w that Tarkal was in favor of it. In this way was our magic made even strong= er.
With the new alliances in place, Orlstand could work to defend his clan. W=
hen raiders approached again, they found the way blocked – bridges mysteriou= sly disappeared, holes opened up under their feet, and trails they thought t= hey knew led off of cliffs or into lakes. These strategies and tricks gave t= he clan the time they needed to grow in strength. When the year came that ra= iders made it past these deterrents, the clan was large enough to repel them= on its own. The people wanted to make Orlstand the chieftain, but he refused. "Never d= raw attention to the hand that does the trick," he said to them. In his late= r years, Orlstand left the politics of the clan ring to tend to his bees. Wh=enever people came to talk to him, he would always give them his best advice= . Although he was never the chieftain, wise elders and canny weaponthanes co= ntinue to honor him to this day.
Membership requirements: To join his cult, a prospective worshipper must b= e a thane; typically, cult members eventually become members of the clan rin= g, if they weren't already.
Mental Skills: Defensive Tactics, Negotiation. Virtues: Shrewd, Wise. Affinities: [man rune] Subtlety (Conceal Motive, Conceal Weakness, Devious =Plan, Discern Motive, Masterful Negotiation, Protect Tula, Understand Wyter)=
Secret: Restore Wyter ritual (Otherworld magic. The use of this secret requ=
ires the devotee to journey to the Other Side in a heroquest to reenact the = heropath of the wyter. Upon his return, he may reconstruct the wyter, healin= g it of any damage it has suffered, or repairing it's housing object. Depend= ing on the success of the ritual, the wyter may end up a bit stronger than b=efore!)
> I think that it would probably help with the wyter's recovery
> from exertion and perhaps allow it to augment more frequently.
> I think it would be an out-out-of-game function. Perhaps it
> allows those who know the secret to help the wyter somehow?
I like this idea better than my own. Think I'll steal it...
> I don't think its 'stored' in a weapon - it lives there.
Of course you're right. My Freudian slip is showing -- obviously, I'm still= too used to the RQ3 way of storing spirits in objects.
Roland
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