EPISODE ONE: The Treasure Hunt Rite

* Episode Type: Quest.

* Begin With: The date is Windsday, Movement Week, Storm Season, 1617 ST. The characters are all boys who have turned fifteen the last year (all were born in 1602, the year Boldhome, the capital of Sartar, fell to the Lunars) and are now eligible to undergo the manhood rites. Their parents bring them from all across the tula (the lands belonging to the clan) to Black Stag Village, where all the boys will enter initiation together. Those who survive will be recognized as men, no longer boys, with all the rights of Heortling men.

* The Situation: This is the first scenario, and includes actual character creation. Before play begins, the players should all choose a first name, and receive the Clan Haraborn Keyword. As the story progresses, they will add an Occupation Keyword (choices are provided below), three Runes, and six additional Abilities of their own devising. The quest they undergo is simple; they are sent out into the world to bring back something for the benefit of all the clan. What they return with, how they get it, and what they experience along the way will begin to define the kind of men they will be.

* Characters/NPCs: The story is about five candidates for initiation. These are Varandath Vankoratson (Guillaume), Finistan Hantrakoson (Niall), Gronogar Ulugathson, Jornin Dondarson, and Irigan Farnagarson (three NPCs).

* Short Term Goal: To go out into the tula, or beyond, and find something of value to prove their worth as men.

* Long Term Goal: This will depend on the players, who decide what their characters want. Among the NPCs, Gronogar is a bit of a coward who conceals his fear with bravado and bullying. He wishes to prove himself brave. Jornin lost his father at the Battle of Grizzly Peak, and is a quiet and somewhat feminine boy who secretly longs for revenge against the Lunars. Irigan is a bright and curious lad whose main interests are in lore, tradition, and verse.

* Scenes:

1. Family: We are introduced to the two player characters, who now decide what family they belong to and thus receive their Occupational Keywords;

Farmer #1: You are a Koravaltson. Your father, Ostgar, is a prosperous carl with his own farmstead hidden in a small valley west of Black Stag Vale. He is the eldest son of Ithgar, and inherited the farm from him, though he now shares it with his four younger brothers and their families. With all your aunts, uncles, siblings, cousins, and cottars in service to your family, the farmstead is home to 46 people. You raise barely, cabbages, and root vegetables, and own pigs, chicken, sheep, and 32 cattle (a sign of prosperity and wealth).

Farmer #2: You are a Thorbadson. Your father Adrin is a cottar from Jarlarant farmstead right there in Black Stag Vale. The Jarlarant are one of the most powerful families in the clan, with large herds and wide fields and several members who are weaponthanes. Your father, like his father before them, works in their service helping them plough the fields. He hopes someday to have land of his own.

Herder: You are a Korvaltson, son of Finvin, a cousin of Ostgar who is a cottar on his farmstead (see Farmer #1). You and your father tend to the sheep and cattle of the family, often sleeping alone and outside under the stars as you watch over them. You are self-sufficient and independent, and enter play with a pet alynx (or shadowcat) that helps you herd the animals.

Hunter: You are a Hantrakosson, son of Lonvast, and you grew up hunting on the eastern fringes of the tula. You hold cottar status, but have a pet alynx (or shadowcat) that helps you track prey. You know the wilder parts of the tula exceptionally well and have skill with a bow and sling.

Redsmith: You are a Vankoratson, son of Hrothkin Redsmith. You grew up in the Village and your father is a retainer to the chieftain and weaponthanes, manufacturing and repairing arms and armor for them. He also supports the farmer's, shoeing horses and repairing bronze implements. You have worked the bellows with him and learned much of his craft. You hold carl status.

Thane: You are a Barnestonson, son of Ulfrin. Your father is a weaponthane and one of the Chieftain's bodyguards. You grew up in the Village, where you mother holds a small home. Alongside spear and shield combat (fyrd fighting), your father has taught you the sword and the bow. You hold carl status.

Finistan choses the be a Hunter, and we learn that his mother died in childbirth. He has a somewhat cool relationship with his aloof and distant father. Varandath is the only child of one of the village's Redsmiths, and like his father is a large, brawny, and jovial man.

(During this phase I also asked the players to roll a die to determine which one would receive a special offer. Varandath one the toss and accepted my offer...which for now remains secret. Stay tuned.)

2. The Rite Begins

All the boys of age a brought to the Village. On the morning of Windsday, they are presented in the square, where their mothers symbolically bring them to their fathers and then ritually turn their back on them, marking that they are no long children. The fathers then lead them up to the chieftain's hall, where they are presented to the assembled clan ring. There, they are given a mug of mead while the skald tells them the story of the Treasure Hunt Rite;

"... This is how Orlanth became a man.

When it was time to become men, the sons of Umath and the sons of Lord Light came before the Celestial Court, and it was judged that they should go out into the wide world on a hunt. Each would return with a prize, and honor would be given to he who had hunted the most impressive thing. Now, the sons of Umath were clothed only in their own strength, cunning, and skill, while the sons of Lord Light were clad in armor of gold, given chariots with shining wheels and fiery steeds, and shining bows that rained arrows of fire. For the Bright Emperor owned just about everything, and had much to give them.

And so the Fire Brothers rode off and the Thunder Brothers trailed behind, and both parties went into the wide world to find something grand and great

.

After some time Orlanth and his brothers came upon the Honey Woman, the keeper of the hives. She had many fields that needed ploughing, and no men to help her. So she offered them whatever they wished if they would harness the oxen and plough for her. Humakt refused, for he had little interest in farming. Orlanth agreed, but asked for nothing, because he knew it was right for men to plough just as it was right for women to attend to other chores. However Urox, the Storm Bull, had spied the sealed jars of honey mead the woman had brewed, and asked for these in payment. And when the work was done he drank and drank and drank some more, and was so drunk he lay with all the cows in the herd and gave them many many calves. These are the famous Black Bulls, such as Grim Bellow, the prize of our own herds.

So Orlanth and Humakt went on alone and had many adventures, too many to tell you all about here. But in time they came upon the Summer Sisters and their children. Their men, the Star Captains, had gone off to help the sons of Lord Light in their hunt, leaving them alone and defenseless when a company of Ice Demons came howling upon them. And they begged Orlanth and Humakt to help them. Humakt agreed, for he knew much honor could be won in proving himself against such terrible foes. Orlanth agreed also, because he knew it was the duty of men to protect the women and children. So they fought together and chased the Ice Demons back to the mountaintops. Humakt stayed in case they returned and Orlanth went on alone.

And so in time Orlanth came upon the camp of the sons of Lord Light and saw they had gathered many fine treasures. They had captured griffons with bronze wings and tin claws, they had caged a dragon with scales that rippled like burning coals. They had found the Seven Song Jewels and the Sweet Green Water. And they had taken captive a herd of creatures Orlanth had not seen before, like unto the gods in shape but smaller and more frail. And when the sons of Lord Light fell asleep, having drunk much plum wine in celebration, Orlanth snuck into the camp to speak with these strange creatures. They called themselves "men."

In lowered voices they spoke to Orlanth, and told him that the sons of Lord Light had come upon them and captured them in an unbreakable net, taking them away from their families. Orlanth listened, and judged these men to be noble creatures, and so he stole the keys from the sleeping Fire Brothers and set all the men free. For he knew that slavery was wrong, and that men must be as free as the wind that blows over the mountains.

And so the hunt ended, and Orlanth returned with the sons of Lord Light (who with all their treasures barely noticed the absence of their captives). They all came before the Celestial Court, and the Bright Emperor praised his sons for their magnificent prizes. But when it came to be Orlanth's turn, he appeared empty handed. "Not so," spoke the son of Umath. "I have come with the three gifts of manhood. I have ploughed the earth, I have fought to defend women and children, and I have brought Freedom. Surely these are better than pretty toys?"

And Umath was pleased with his son, and so too was Ernalda Earthdaughter who watched from afar. But the sons of Lord Light mocked him, and the Bright Emperor scorned his gifts. And this was a matter that would be settled another time..."

The boys are then brought to the top of Stag Hill. Along the way, many people line the path with torches and solemnly watch them pass. At the top of the hill they are stripped naked, and smeared with woad. Then they are given their first real shields and spears, new clothes, and sent out to find treasure for their clan. They have three days to scour the land, and what they come back with will tell what kind of men they will be.

Such is the effect of the rite that they are in fact partially HeroQuesting. Though they are here in the mortal world, their minds and spirits skip across the Hero Plane like stones skipping across a pond. Thus, for these three days, they will see visions and omens showing them what it means to be Heortling and teaching them who they are.

3. The Choice

The quest itself should be left open-ended. To that end I have prepared a dozen or so Episodes that I can use when needed throughout the campaign (I keep adding to the list, and most of them will eventually appear in print here). The two most likely choices were a cattle raid against the neighboring Enjossi (an allied Colymar Clan) or the Sambari, who have allied with the Lunars in exchange for being given the fertile lowland valley of Richberry Vale. The other option is to raid and rob some Lunars on the King's Road that runs through Richberry Vale from Boldhome to Wilm's Kirk. The players chose this option.

This involved a day's trek down out of the mountains into the Sambari lands of the Vale, with challenges like hunting and foraging for food (Base Resistance 14 vs. Hunter Keyword or Clan Haraborn Keyword at a -6 penalty), approaching the King's Road undiscovered and unseen (Low Resistance of 8, as these lands are broad, woody, and wild), and setting up watch over the road to find a good target.

The characters set up watch over the road for the day, keeping track of Lunar patrols, and avoiding the better armed caravans. Their chance came when then spotted a Lunar bounty hunter with four retainers, leading five Sartarite men in slave collars. These men were probably bound for the new Lunar manors on the western slopes of the Quinvins, which are manned chiefly by slave labor. The players decided to free them.

4. The Ambush

The players decided to set up ambush, and scouted the road for the best place to position themselves (Resistance 18, with the following results, Major Failure -6 to gaining surprise, Failure -3 to surprise, Victory +3 to surprise, Complete Victory +6 to surprise). Though they scored a victory, they had unfortunately waited too long, and the target party had already set up camp for the night half a kilometer from where they lay in wait.

5. The Fox

This was another Sub-Episode ("The Talking Animal," detailed in another post). While they wait in the dark, a voice calls out to them. It turns out to be a talking fox, who wonders why five human boys are hiding out in the cold. Of course he has already guessed, and informs the boys that the other party is already camped. He offers to assist them in exchange for a vow from Finistan to never hunt animals again. This is a weighty promise for a character whose father is a Hunter! But Finistan agrees (with consequences that will play out later). The fox leads them to their quarry and helps distract the men while Varandath sneaks into camp and sets the prisoners free.

6. The Rescue

There are four Mercenaries (Keyword 20 each) and a Lunar Bounty Hunter, Frithvold Jarantius, a Tarshite (3w1). He is a devotee of Yanafal Ta'arnils (20) and can use magic that augments his scimitar fighting for a bonus of +4. The others have common magic that does the same, but for a +3 bonus. There are five prisoners in slave collars, magical devices used by Lunars that sap the will to fight). Confronting them directly was very difficult, and there is a very real danger of Lunar patrols arriving to step in. The best chance was to employ cunning, and this is what the players did. Using the fox to lead the men away from the camp long enough to stage a rescue and flee into the woods.

* Consequences: The boys were lucky and did very well, escaping with the prisoners without a fight. But the consequences are many. First, Finistan has his promise to the fox to consider. Second, Varandath experienced a vision during the raid that hints at the strange ability he was offered at the start of the scenario. Third, who are these men and what consequences will their presence in the tula bring? And finally, Jarantius will be very interested in finding out what happened to his bounty and who robbed him of his prize...

EPISODES (An Overview)

The first session of "Three Seasons in Sartar" kicked off yesterday with "The Treasure Hunt Rite." While the next post will detail the scenario and how it went in play, a brief entry is needed to explain the format of these episodes and how challenges are designed.

* Episode Type: What is the overall gist of the Episode? Common Types include Assistance, Attack, Nuisance, Quest, and Test.

* Begin With: How does the Episode start? How are events triggered?

* The Situation: What is going on here? Is it more than meets the eye?

* Characters/NPCs: Who are the main characters and or or antagonists?

* Short Term Goal: What is the immediate objective of the players? What are the objectives of the NPCs?

* Long Term Goal: Are there any longer range objectives involved? Are there any future consequences?

* Scenes: “Begin With” is always the first scene, followed by two to four others depending on desired length.

* Conclusion: What are the rewards, results, and/or consequences of the Episode?

In addition to this framework, in any given scenario there will be a Main Episode and possibly one or more Sub-Episodes. Sub-Episodes are essentially "mini-adventures" that occur within the context of the larger tale.

Assigning Resistances

The second edition of HeroQuest uses a simple method of assigning Resistances based on the experience of the player characters and how much of a challenge the event should be. Narrators will have to adjust their Episodes accordingly. For example, if the episode involves conflict with Trolls, for beginning characters these should be minor trollkin with abilities in the 8 (low resistance) to 20 (high) or 3w (very high) range. For seasoned characters, who have played about 10 sessions, the antagonists would now have abilities ranging from 13 to 5w or 8w. These would probably be very skilled trollkin or lower powered dark trolls. Characters with a great deal of experience (say 20 sessions under their belts) would face resistances in the 18 to 10w or 13w range, and the antagonists would be more seasoned dark trolls, and so on.

The standard Resistances are;

Nearly Impossible: Base +W2

Very High: Base +9

High: Base +6

Moderate: Base

Low: Base -6

Very Low: Base - W or 6, whichever is lower

To determine Base Resistance, use a value of 14 and increase by +1 for every two complete sessions you have finished. For example, if you have played ten sessions, the Base is 19.

YOUR HOME (Part 2: Your Leaders)

A Heortling Clan Ring in Action

The Heortlings are governed by clan chieftains, a position held by election and mutual consent. These are, in turn, advised by the Clan Ring, a circle of thanes and advisors made up from the most powerful and influential members of the community. This Ring often consists of seven positions, in honor of Orlanth and the Lighbringers. Here are the leaders of your clan;

Chieftain (gsW): Gordangar Kenstrelsson is the clan chieftain, a shrewd survivor from a powerful bloodline. He hates and fears the Lunars as his father was killed by the Lunar Army at the Battle of Grizzly Peak. He is middle-aged, generous, and traditional. Gordangar maintains friendship with King Kangharl, even though he secretly despises him. He is a supporter of the Royal House of Sartar, although he fears that Temertain is to weak to rule.

Chief Thane (gyt): Jorgunath Bladesong leads the chieftain’s weaponthanes. He is a follower of Humakt, and adheres to a strict code of honor that colors his entire perception of the world. He believes in truth, duty, and death before dishonor, and has little patience for anyone else who does not abide by similar principles (Keladon Blue Eye is the primary target of his contempt).

Priest (gsR): Savan Kentrelsson is the clan’s fulltime priest and brother of Gordangar. He is haunted by prophecies of the Hero Wars and believes that the doom of the gods and men is rapidly approaching. He is a devotee of Orlanth and spends his life performing rituals to strengthen the storm gods. Savan is a passionate defender of the Royal House of Sartar. Some (like Keladon Blue Eye and Erinia Copperaxe) suspect he is half mad.

Priestess (dxl): Morganeth Jarlarant is the clan’s fulltime priestess and performs the rites at Ernalda’s sanctuary. She has powerful healing magic. Morganeth was born to the Ernaldor clan and has strong connections to the Colymar Earth Temple. She lost her eyesight when the Crimson Bat devoured Runegate. She dislikes Humakti, distrusts Vingans, and despises Uroxings; but she is always generous with her Healing magic to members of her clan and tribe.

Lawspeaker (gsk): Joddi White Hart is an elderly thane from a rival bloodline of the chief‘s. He is wise and discerning, and knows every legal procedure and tactic. He was never a warrior and knows little about fight (but much about dying as his father, brother and two sons all died fighting the Empire), but his advice to farmers is relied on by the more prudent carls of the clan.

Champion (gyt): Erinina Copperaxe is the most ferocious warrior of the clan. A warrior woman, half her head is shaved and the shoulder-length hair on the other side is dyed bloodred. Her body is adorned with tattoos and she carries a copper-bladed axe. Debate is not her strength: she relies on intimidation, bluster, and her fearsome reputation to get her way. Erinina is jealous of any perceived rival for glory or attention.

Skald (gik): Keladon Blue Eye is the chief poet, which a prodigious memory for songs and ballads and a sharp tongue that can instantly compose biting verse. Born with one blue eye and one gray, he is a follower of Eurmal the Trickster, and sees the world with skewed vision. To him, all things are a joke, or a game.

THE TERMS OF YOUR OCCUPATION

The Kingdom of Sartar fell to the Lunars in 1602. There have been numerous rebellions since then. The Lunars have put a puppet, Temertain, on the throne, and since the last major rebellion imposed punishing terms. These then, are the terms of your occupation;

The Lunar Peace

These are the terms negotiated in 1613 by Redbird on behalf of Temertain for settlement of hostilities between the Imperial forces of the great Red Moon Goddess and the rebellious tribes of the lands of Sartar:

• The Provincial Army is allowed to take control of the cities of Boldhome, Duck Point, Wilmskirk, Jonstown, Swenstown, Aldachur and Alone.

• Plunder and standards taken from the Lunar army at the Battle of Hofstaring’s Flood shall be returned to the Empire.

• Sartar is recognized as an independent client kingdom of the Empire. The King of Sartar agrees to accept a Lunar representative as an advisor.

• The rebellious tribes of the Kingdom agree to a tribute of one cow per free adult for the first year and half that each year in perpetuity.

• Sacrifices to and worship of the Rebel God Orlanth is forbidden.

• The person and property of Lunar citizens shall be inviolate.

• Temertain son of Jotisan of the line of Sartar is recognized as the legitimate King of Sartar by one and all.

• This treaty is valid for as long as there is a King in Sartar and a Moon in the Sky. May whoever breaks this treaty suffer the loss of the King or their Moon and their lives forfeit.

YOUR HOME (Part 1)

Black Stag Vale

Located high in the Quinvin Mountains fifteen miles due west of Boldhome and at an elevation of roughly 6000 feet, lies the Haraborn community of Black Stag Vale The largest settlement in the Tula, it is home to some 350 people. The Haraborn chieftain, Hendor Andrinson, resides here at Black Stag Hall, along with his most loyal thanes. The Clan Ring assembles here every Windsday.

Geographically, the vale is a narrow v-shaped cleft between Mount Dragonwind and Three Fang, running north-south for some two and a half miles. At the north end plunges Black Stag Falls from a height of three hundred feet, where the waters pool in the Deer Pond before flowing southwards in a narrow, rushing stream known as the Deer Run. Near Deer Pond is Stag Hill, a conical mound crowned by seven dolmens arranged in a circle. Legend attests the hill is the burial mound of Jarstakos, an ancient Haraborn chieftain, and his thanes. It is sacred to Orlanth, and is the center of all male ritual activities in the Clan. A shrine to Orlanth is located on the east face of the hill, three quarters of the way up.

Six farmsteads hug the waters of the Run as they head south, each home to some 20-40 people. Black Stag Village--simply "the Village" to clan folk--sits on the east side of the Run in roughly the middle of the vale. It is home to some 170 people, including the chieftain's weaponthanes and their immediate families, as well as the redsmiths, horse grooms, and others needed to attend them. The clan market is here, and a shrine to Issaries. The Chieftain's Hall sits on a fortified hill overlooking the community. Near the southern extreme of the valley, carved into a sheer cliff face on the eastern edge of Mount Dragonwind, a stark square door enters the Riddle, a winding labyrinth carved in ancient days. This is holy to the Earth Tribe, and the shrines to both Ernalda and Uralda stand near the entrance. On the opposite side of the Run from these is the shrine to Barntar.

The Tula

The rest of the Haraborn Tula hugs the southwestern face of the Quinvins, with clans folk nestled into hidden valleys and folds. There are 27 Haraborn farmsteads outside of Black Stag Vale, ranging from a dozen to two score people. The Lunar census takers have had a difficult time even finding these steads, and have started to hire Heortling guides from rival clans to locate them. As a consequence, the Lunars currently count the Haraborn at around five hundred members, slightly less than two thirds the accurate number.

YOUR RUNES

You've chosen your gender and your name. You've received your Clan Keyword. You've started to play. In the game, you will be asked to pick your family (thus receiving a Professional Keyword), and your Runes. We'll talk a bit about them first.

Glorantha is made of Runes the way our universe is made of Periodic table elements. The Runes are powers, essences, gods, and spirits all at the same time. The Runes combine to create everything. For example, seaweed might be composed of the Runes for Water and Plant, fungi might be made up of Darkness and Plant, and cacti might be created from Fire and Plant.

Humans contain many Runic forces, but in every human being three are the most dominant. To pick yours, answer the following questions:

What is your nature?

1. Cold, cruel, and secretive

2. Mercurial, fluid, and ever changing

3. Pragmatic, prudent, and worldly

4. Passionate, violent, and unpredictable

5. Proud, loyal, and pure

Notes: 85% of Heortling men are #4, while 85% of Heortling women are #3. You can chose one of the others, but it will make things a bit more difficult for you down the road.

What is your personality like?

1. Forgiving, merciful, and peaceful

2. Destructive, reckless, and selfish

3. Generous and lustful

4. Relentless and unemotional

5. Stubborn, inflexible, and exacting

6. Adventurous, dynamic, and impulsive

7. Truthful and observant

8. Deceitful and amoral

Notes: If you decide to select two personality packages (see below) note that they are arranged in opposing pairs. Thus you could chose to be type 1 and 8 or 5 and 7, but not 1 and 2 or 5 and 6.

What are you interested in?

1. Woodlands, gardening, or farming

2. Animals, herding, riding

3. Socializing, community, people

4. Spirits and the invisible world

5. Being the best at everything

6. Magic

7. Trade and Communication

Notes: instead of selecting one of these, you can go back and pick a second set of personality traits.

Your Runes

Section One, "Your Nature"

1. Darkness 2. Water 3. Earth 4. Air 5. Fire

Section Two, "Your Personality"

1. Harmony 2. Disorder

3. Fertility 4. Death

5. Stasis 6. Motion

7. Truth 8. Illusion

Section Three "Your Interests"

1. Plant

2. Beast

3. Man

4. Spirit

5. Mastery

6. Magic

7. Communications

The Missing Runes

This list is not complete. "Luck" and "Fate" are omitted, as they govern all lives equally. Likewise, "Chaos" and "Moon" are missing, as Heortlings who manifest those are exiled or killed.

YOUR CLAN KEYWORD

After your sex and a name, all you need to do is receive your Clan Keyword. Ta-dah! Here it is;

Member of Clan Haraborn

That's really all you need, because a "Keyword" is an umbrella covering all sorts of things. For the more detail oriented, some of those things are;

Member of Clan Haraborn

• Break-out Abilities: Birthing and Healing (Women), Dragon Pass Geography, Farming, Heortling Customs, Ride Horses, Sheep Herding, Speak Sartarite, Spear and Shield Fighting (Men), Spinning and Weaving (Women), Walk with Snowshoes, Warfare (Men), Wilderness Survival

• Break-out Virtues: Courageous, Rebellious, Traditionalist

• Break-out Relationships: Duty to Clan, Fear Dragons, Hate Broo, Hate Undead, Hostile to Lunars, Uz Friends

And for those with a genuine thirst for knowledge, I provide the following words of the Clan Haraborn Lawspeaker...

Who are we?

We are the Haraborn Clan of Black Stag Vale. We stand with the proud Colymar Tribe, and are true to the line of Sartar. In ancient times these were our lands, when we followed Orgorvale the Summer Daughter and her outlander husband, Ulainn the Rider. We were here before the Atheist Necromancer made his marsh, before the people betrayed us to Dragons, before the Wyrms killed them all. We fled the Dragons into the South for a time, but followed Sartar out of exile to reclaim what has always been rightfully ours. We came back and retook our lands. Now the Men of the Reaching Moon have come to enslave us, but we will not be broken by them. These lands are ours!

Are we a great people?

The greatest! Before Time we were chosen by Kargan Tor and taught the riddles of War. Asrelia the Great Grandmother taught us the Sacrifice Dance, the source of great magic. Then came Umath the Storm, to free the world from the Bright Emperor, whose stagnant laws enslaved us all. We pledged ourselves to him and his son, Orlanth, and fought alongside the Storm Tribe against the aloof gods of the Sky. One of your ancestors was there beside Orlanth when he discovered the blade called Death, and when he used it to send the Emperor to Hell at the Battle of Extinguish Field. Orlanth liberated the cosmos, and we were there.

When Orlanth Victorious then married Ernalda, Asrelia's daughter, we made the Sacred Circle and stood watch so that their wedding would not be distrubed. This was during the Great Darkness, when the Darkness Tribe walked the surface world. Sent by Orlanth into the Underworld, the Bright Emperor tried to enforce his laws there and forced the People of Darkness out. Homeless, they wandered the world. We accepted some of them, the Jars Antanggi, as brothers and equals because our Clan has never taken slaves. We know all men must be free! They taught us their darkness magics, and ever since some of our boys and girls are born with black eyes and hair. Also, the Uz recognize us as distant kin and our relations with them have always been good.

In the Great Darkness everyone suffered, because the Unholy Trio broke the world and let the Devil inside. The legions of Chaos came with him and many gods died. We fought the Children of Thed, one of the Unholy Trio, and the Atheist sorcerers who came from the West blaming Orlanth for killing the sun. When Orlanth led the Seven Lightbringers into Hell to bring back the Sun and make the cosmos right again, we stayed behind and fought beside his brother, Humakt, Lord of Death. We fought and won. Chaos was defeated and the world changed.

And for the rest? This I have told you. We settled these lands and kept them even when the False God Gbaji came, and Arkat arrived to destroy him. We held them until the Evil Empire of Dragons was made, when people gave themselves to Wyrms and forgot the Old Ways. Then we went south, and the Dragons ate all the fools. We waited and dreamed of taking back our ancient home.

What are the differences between Men and Women?

Of course you know the obvious differences, and have been told about the Sheath and the Sword. And you know that men are like Orlanth; passionate, temperamental, rash, driven by emotion. Women are more like Ernalda; cool, calculating, patient, planning. Orlanth taught us that “No one can make you do anything” and that “violence is always an option.” Ernalda taught us “there is always another way.”

But soon you will take the adulthood rites and the differences will become more clear. Boys have in them the Breath of Men that must be awoken, and girls must give birth to their True Selves. Men exist to kill, to break, to bring change. Women exist to mend, to heal, and to make new life.

Of course, we also know that some Men are called by Ernalda and the Earth Tribe, and some Women by Vinga the Warrior Daughter and the Air Tribe. This is natural and right and accepted. So long as they love the Clan, we have no right to interfere in a person's true nature.

Why am I here?

You were brought here by your mother and father, clothed in flesh by Ernalda and given breath by Orlanth. You are here to support and love your Clan, to make certain that it continues as it always has, to help it survive. This may mean fighting for it, or it may mean giving it another generation of children.

But understand, the Clan is here to do the same for you. We will all support you, and help you to survive. And this is right and proper, for the world is full of enemies.

Who are my enemies?

Of course we hate Chaos, for it is Unholy and Unnatural. And we hate the Broo, the Children of Thed who breed in rape. Also we hate Delecti the Atheist, who turned the fertile lowlands we once lived in into a poisonous swamp, filled with his walking dead.

But our great enemy is the Evil Emperor, who comes time and time again in different forms and guises. First, before Time, he came as Yelm the Sun, the Bright Emperor who tried to make us obey his silly laws. Orlanth slew him and made us free. Then after Time began, and the sun was tamed, the First Council made the false God Gbaji, and the Evil Emperor lived again. So we allied with Arkat, even though he was an outsider and an Atheist, and joined his armies. We helped slay the Evil Emperor again.

In the Second Age that followed the foolish lowland peoples bowed down to a new Evil Emperor, the Inhuman King of the Dragonewts. And since no one can kill dragons—they just come back again!--we were forced to leave our ancestral lands and go south in exile. But soon they were given what they deserved for betraying Orlanth, and the dragons ate them all. Good riddance! We were in the southlands then, and yet another Evil Emperor came, calling himself the God-King. And when all the crazy southlanders bowed down to him we wisely decided to come home to Dragon Pass and the lands that are ours.

So we followed Sartar, who united the Tribes and made a new Kingdom. Things were right and good and the Old Ways were restored. But then, again, the Evil Emperor came, this time as the Son of the Red Moon. Our kingdom fell, but we are not broken. And the Lunars will know someday soon our wrath.

I have heard some Clans have embraced the Lunars, why do we not?

Because we are not craven dogs that roll on their bellies with their tales between their legs! We hate the Lunars, yes, but we hate the Wahote, the Yestina, the Sidask, and the Hyal Jalasor even more! These four Clans are our neighbors and kin, but they have betrayed all that we stand for, and for what? To be rewarded by their new masters with better farmland, milder taxes, and other favors? They are whores who have allowed themselves to be bought, and now we must make war upon them as we shall do upon the Lunars.

Then who are our friends?

Above all you may always rely on your Clan. But we are not without allies! You know that the Blackrock Clan is kin to us, and that many of our sons and daughters marry from them. Our blood runs together in life and battle. And the Rokarth and the Kalintor are pledged to us, and we to them, as we have all kept the Old Ways and hate the Lunars. And though many people fear the Trolls, we have a great secret, an ancient pact with them from the Days Before Days. In great need, the Trolls will come.

Who are my gods?

Of course we are the people of Orlanth, the King of the Gods, Patron of Men, and God of the Storm. We follow him and his Tribe, his sons, the Thunder Brothers, his allies, and his kin. His wife Ernalda is the Earth, and she knows the secrets of women. She sends spirits into the world and takes them back when we die. She sends us grain and vegetables and fruit, and makes our livestock thrive.

We have, you know, a special bond with dread Humakt. He was Orlanth's brother until Eurmal the Trickster fooled him into killing Grandfather Mortal. Thus he became the God of Death. But Humakt is honorable and just, and though he severed all ties with the Storm Tribe to be the One Who Stands Alone, he loves those who love Orlanth still. And in the Great Darkness we followed him while Orlanth was performing the Lightbringer's Quest.

There are many other gods in the Storm Tribe. There is Barntar, who teaches us the secrets of farming, and the Lightbringers who followed Orlanth into Hell...Chalana Arroy the Healer, Lhankor Mhy the Lawspeaker, Issaries the Traveller, Eurmal the Trickster, Flesh Man, and mysterious Ginna Jar. We honor them too.

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