May "Lonisisaga" Recap

From: Michael Schwartz <mschwartz_at_...>
Date: Sat, 19 May 2001 04:54:15 -0400

The first of the night's activities was the debate over tribal preparation for the impending northward migration. With the tribal ring unable to agree upon a course of action, Good King Janalagor invited two representatives from each of the larger factions to explain and defend their faction's position at the tribal moot. "The Pilgrims" advocated an immediate departure with no preparation, believing that the gods would provide. "The Mothers" recommended making the normal preparations, in accordance with tradition and to protect the children from harm. "The Sooners" argued for haste, but not so much that all caution was thrown to the wind.

The Mothers were in jeopardy early on, when their junior delegate retired from the debate in embarassment after her devotion was called into question by the Pilgrims. The Pilgrims could not take advantage of the momentum thus gained, however, and both delegates retired from the debate after being forced to concede major points of contention to the Sooners. The Sooners' effort to discredit the Pilgrims left them vulnerable to a "think of the children" plea from the Mothers, but their middle-of-the-road rhetoric ultimately prevailed. Good King Janalagor decreed that a year's preparation be made, after which the tribe would begin its journey.

[This recaps the highlights from the two-on-two-on-two group extended contest we played out, given a story-based interpretation. The contest was intended to be instructional as well as fun from a clan history standpoint, and it seemed a success.]

The second of the night's activities was discussing the form which the tribe's preparations should take. Ten opportunities are available during the year, two per season. Mundane effort in both Sea and Earth Seasons will be made on Provender. The ring agreed upon Rituals to aid Foraging, Pathfinding and Concealment, but was split between Warfare and Diplomacy as fourth Ritual. Four opportunities to prepare remain beyond this, with the following options:

RITUAL         Primary Purposes
======         ================
  Concealment: hide passage/evade contact
  Defense:     deflect attack/shield the weak

  Diplomacy: make friends/influence people   Foraging: find food/find potable water   Livestock: maintain herds/aid herdsmen   Otherside: retain magic/assist questers   Pathfinding: find best route/avoid dangers   Tribefolk: maintain health/heal injured   Warfare: demand tribute/fight enemies

MUNDANE        Primary Purposes
=======        ================
  Cunning:     conceal plans/sow misinformation
  Emissary:    negotiate passage/issue threats
  Fyrdmen:     train fyrd/improve equipment

  Knowledge: conduct research/acquire maps   Provender: stockpile grain/slaughter herds   Raiding: steal livestock/acquire plunder   Scouting: learn terrain/identify threats

  Trading:     exchange herds/goods/treasures
  Warband:     train warband/recruit warriors

Should anyone think of other options I have not covered here, let me know and I will consider them. Both lists of preparations are reasonably complete but there is always another way. :)

--
Michael Richard Schwartz | Language is my playground,
mschwartz_at_... | and words, its slides and
Ann Arbor, Michigan  USA | swingsets. -- yours truly