In the "dream walker" thread there was talk about what opportunities
there would be for young folk to visit other clans. This doesn't
directly address that, as it is aimed at reasons to get the heroes to
town. However I had it sitting around on my computer, so maybe it
will give some ideas for visiting the neighbors too.
As everyone knows, Issaries merchants tally things in dozens (or
dozens of dozens, called a gross). Everyone has seen the Harst
initiates at harvest time, counting off the dozens on the tips and
knuckles of their fingers. Because they tally things in dozens, they
also know how to tally by two, three, four, or six. Some few learn
to tally by other numbers, but most have to break down other numbers
into these values. This of course is awkward when dealing with the
imperials, who generally do things in tens or sevens.
Sometimes someone will ask an Issaries initiate how they can have
such difficulty with seven. After all, Issaries had to deal with
seven lightbringers on the famous quest. Usually the merchants won't
respond to these jibes, but once in a while one will explain "Ginna
Jar didn't eat, Flesh Man didn't eat because he was dead, and only a
fool would feed a trickster. So Issaries had to factor by four."
Except those who have taken on the light bringer aspect of Issaries,
they say "so really Issaries had to factor by six, because Orlanth
ate for two and Eurmal always managed to get hold of a share."
Of course, thirteen is an unlucky number, so when tallying up if
there is one item left over, it is included in the last dozen, making
it a long dozen or a silver dozen, depending on the land.
Storytellers know the power of three, and magicians the power of
seven, but in all the lands where Issaries is well known, when you
want to provide an extensive list, it is a dozen. "I have a dozen
songs to delight you" the singer says. "You can cook mutton a dozen
ways and it is still mutton" the youth complains. "I have protected
my stead from a dozen raids" the grizzled fyrdman boasts.
So, VERY irregularly, I'll come with a "Dozen" for your distraction.
I welcome anyone else who wants to use the format to do so too.
The first: A dozen reasons to go to town.
- Someone from the clan (best someone the heroes have a
relationship with) needs an escort to a temple in town.
Complications: They are on poor terms with their temple, the lunar
are suspicious of everyone dealing with that temple, or the visit is
really cover for a tryst.
- The clan trader needs an escort to market. Complications:
The trader is accused of selling stolen goods, lunar tax collector
says the clan is behind in its taxes and wants to confiscate the
goods, the trader is looking for something specific and can't find it
in that town, so wants to go to another city, where the trader does
not belong to the trade ring and may not be welcome.
- The heroes acquire something odd (like the skeleton of a
dragon newt). The clan ring says "we don't want to keep it here" the
clan trader says "I don't want to ruin my reputation trying to peddle
such a thing", so the heroes are told to go to town and see if any of
the strange people there might buy it. Complications: They can't
sell it in the market (they aren't part of the trade ring, or if they
are they know they could hurt their reputation), so they have to
identify those who might like such a thing, then track them down and
bargain with them. Of course, those interested in such a thing may
themselves be fairly strange, and may not live in the safest places.
- A temple summons one of the heroes. The priests have heard
of the hero's exploits, and want to know more about this budding
hero. Complications: they are mostly worried about what negative
attention from the lunars the hero may cause, or they are worried
that the hero will threaten their power in the temple.
- Nobody has heard for some time from clan member living in
town. The heroes seem good at dealing with strange things, so they
are sent to find the clan member, make sure they are alright, and see
if they want to come home. Complications: when they start asking
around, the heroes discover their clan-mate is far from the only
person mysteriously missing, or they find out the clan-mate has
become the lover of a high lunar official, or the clan-mate is wanted
for a heinous crime, and the accusers will settle for blaming the
heroes clan instead.
- The local lunar commander summons one of the heroes.
Complications (well, who needs more complications? But all the
same): The commander has the heroes confused with someone else ("all
those tattoo covered barbarians look the same to me"), the commander
is being blackmailed, but can't let any lunar types know of the
cause, so wants the heroes to get rid of his/her blackmailer (and
will be appropriately grateful. Or not). There is some strange
occurrence (marauding earth-shaker, outbreak of chaos, raiding
tuskers) and he figures why waste good lunar troops dealing with it,
when he can risk Heortling heroes instead?
- The heroes are sent to learn some of the lunar language,
because the chief doesn't trust the interpreter used by the local
lunar taxman. Complications: The teacher doesn't teach them
properly, the teacher managed to teach them Sedenyic philosophy at
the same time, the heroes get a reputation as lunar-loving-
lickspittles.
- A magical ritual needs an unusual item, that should be
available in town. Complications: It isn't available, someone else
just came by looking for the exact same thing, the same item could be
used in a much different, darker, ritual or quest, and everyone
suspects the heroes of doing it, for some reason the lunars are
trying to suppress this ritual, so have been watching for anyone
looking for this item.
- The clan chief has been convinced (conned?) to send the clan
trickster to town on some mission. The heroes are sent along to
minimize the mayhem and fines to the clan. Complications: Surely
there couldn't be any complications in a situation like this? But if
you must….the trickster really does have an important reason for
coming to town, and the heroes need to make sure he or she doesn't
completely forget about it.
- A clan member dies, and on his or her death bed describes
where they hid some valuable item in town, long ago. They thought
they'd go back and get it some day, but either times were never right
or they decided it was better left hidden. The clan wants this item,
and sends the hero to fetch it. Complications: A patron sends the
heroes, without knowledge of the whole clan, so they have to invent a
reason to go to town. The town has changed, so the description no
longer matches up with how things look now. The hiding place inside
a building now owned by a powerful lunar (or local lunar
sympathizer). Someone else found the hiding place, but has been
waiting to see who would come looking for the object.
- Some famous or infamous entertainment is coming to town.
Everyone wants to go, but only a select few get to. The heroes are
chosen amongst that select few. Complications: before leaving, the
safety of the whole group is put in their hands, angering some others
who don't feel they need to be mothered. The entertainment includes
old adversaries of the heroes, who use the opportunity to shame
them. The entertainment doesn't happen, or is massively
underwhelming, and the assembled throng riots, bringing down severe
lunar "police actions."
- A clan craftsman (ideally a relation of one of the heroes, or
even one of the heroes) completes a commission for someone in town.
The heroes are chosen to transport it. Complications: The person
who commissioned it demise having done so, complains about the
quality, or simply won't pay for it. Someone else wants it. The
crafter was a master, and awakened the daimone of the item, but
didn't tell anyone, and during the trip the daimone becomes more
aware, and more willful.
--Bryan