Re: Reorganising Clan Ring

From: Roderick and Ellen Robertson <rjremr_at_...>
Date: Wed, 9 Nov 2005 08:15:03 -0800

> >How often would the membership of th Clan Ring change? Does the
> >Chieftain appoint the ring, or is it by popular clamour - Wapentake
> >(sp)? I always assumed any changes occure once a year in Scared Time,
> >but can anyone tell me more about Clan Rings?
>
> The two sources for Clan Rings are Thunder Rebels and Barbarian
> Adventures but neither answer these particular questions. It
> probably depends on the clan but I don't think chieftains usually
> have that power. Nor do I think there are regular changes, they
> will occur when there is need or political desire for a change.
> They are probably endorsed by wapentake but the choice is made
> in advance by discussion and lobbying. Bear in mind that in most
> positions they are representing some group within the clan. E.g.
> in the Traditional Ring the position of Ernalda represents the
> women so they will tend to decide who gets that postion.

I think are are as many ways to change a clan ring as there are clans (okay, maybe not *quite* that many...).

The chief might autocratically appoint and dismiss Ring members at whim The chief might appoint with approval of the clan in wapentake The chief might appoitn with approval of the current ring The chief might appoint from a short list provided by (choose 1):

   The entire clan
   The subset of the clan represented by the Ring position    His Wife
   His Brothers
   The priests
The chief might approve candidates supplied by the clan/a subset of the clan The clan might vote on anyone who wants the position The clan might call on someone's patriotic duty, whether they want to do it or not
The Subset of the clan represented by the ring position might do either of the above two options
The Chief might appoint all "male" Ring positions and his wife appoint the "female" ones
 etc., etc.

The Ring changes when necessary. Who decides what is "necessary" varies as much as who gets to name the ring - an autocratioc chief would change it at a whim, while some clans may only allow a Ring member to sit for a certain number of years (just as some chiefs/kings may be restricted to the number of years they can serve).

In other words, you get to wing it. Decide on the method for your PC's clan (or better yet, let them decide), and figure out the methods for the clans that they interact with - both friendly and enemy, because who knows when a little political machination of an enemy clan might not come in handy? Finally, have at least one clan with a totally off-the wall scheme - the Ring is appointed by the Trickster, or by the farmer whose herd drops the first calf of the year, or divination of lots by the (corrupt?) priests, or some such.

RR
C'est par mon ordre et pour le bien de l'Etat que le porteur du pr�sent a fait ce qu'il a fait.
- Richelieu