Common Worlds

Right now I'm leaning toward a adventure where assorted members of a tribe are forced to embark on a quest outside their village. Maybe even a hero quest. Beyond that I'm saving it as a surprise.

Any particular tribe? I'm partial to Speth's homeland.

The tribe is fairly large, and interactions between characters is fine.

The Tribal chieftan and priestess are going to be NPC's but the rest is up in the air.

I want to play Big Varu!

Description: An enormous muscular thane with a ready smile and trusting eyes, riding the biggest horse you’ve ever seen.
Goals: Get Vogarth to take away the bad dreams, protect his friends, stop the bad people, win "strongest horse" competitions with Pony, build a nice stone cottage so he can get a pretty wife who knows how to make good mutton sausage.

He needs someone to be related to within the tribe. Some player character.

Once bright and serious, Big Varu’s mind has been wrong since childhood. Guileless and trusting, only hurting his friends or children makes him mad, though his impolitic questions shame miscreants. The EmarjelaTribe relies on his great warrior’s strength, but he uses Hedkoranth’s magic rather than hurt himself with sharp weapons. VogarththeStrongMan cheers him and showed him the Other Side Punch, promising one day to take away the bad dreams. Ladies admire his handsome physique, and Varu’s gentle way puts animals at ease. Asrelia taught him knots and ropemaking, which makes theearthpriestesses jealous. Bestest friends with PonytheHorse, this makes Generdala jealous. (100 words.)

the above has now been edited
Varu is my experiment character--I'm going to try to hold myself to a vow to only ever bump with hero points on things directly related to his being strong.

Speth's homeland is somewhere in Esrolia, a place where MOST of the leadership roles are taken by women.

I need to swap "Heortling" for "Esrolian" but that's easy. Here he is unadjusted.

Heortling 17
Dragon Pass Geography Farming Heortling Customs Speak Sartarite Walk in Snowshoes Wilderness Survival
Spear and Shield
Rope Making
Knot Tying

Warrior 17
Endurance
Guard Camp
Strong 7W
Know Clan Area
Listen
Mace and Round Shield
Throw Hammers
Big 20
Recognize Bad People
Ride
Charge on Foot
Fyrd Combat

Hedkoranth 17
Storm Pantheon Myths
Endure Weather
Mythology of Orlanth
Myths of Thunder Brothers
Predict Weather
Sling
Throw Stones

From description:
Used to be bright 13
Slow Witted 7W
Shame Miscreants 13
Impressive Physique 13
Clumsy with Sharp Things 15
Throw Punch 13
Charm Animals 13

Worship Storm Pantheon 17
Loves the Westhill Clan 17
Thane of the Emarjela 17
Loyal to Shield Knockers Band 17
Bestest Friend:Pony the Horse 17
Cheered by Vogarth 13
Loyal to Friends 15
Generdala wants Pony or Varu 13
Earth Priestesses disapprove 13
Blessed by the Goddess Asrelia 13

Innocent Heart 13

Guileless 13
Trusting 13
Never stops vs. those who hurt
kids or his friends 5W
Bad Dreams 20
Loves Children 15
15
Generous 17
Honorable 17
Just 17
Determined 17
Brave 17
Fear Dragons 17

Affinities
Storm 17
Thunderstone 17
Wind 17

Other Side Punch Feat 13

Flesh Man Common Magic 17
Big Jump
Keep Going
Talk to Kids
Rock Crushing Grip
Keep Away Monsters

Pony the Horse
Fronan 17
Loyal 17
Find Varu 17
Understand Varu 20
Large 10W
Strong 6W
Calm 16
Hearing 12
Jump 18
Run Fast 2W
Run Long Distance 14
Kick 15
Thick Skin +1

Spare Mule
Large Shield +1
Medium Armor +3
Huge Mace +4
Oxhide Sling +3
Throwing Hammer +4
Bag of throwing stones

Yes, Varu is stronger than his horse!

I think Speth is from North Esrolia or maybe the North March on the west side of the Welk Hills, probably somewhere along the Whitefall River.

here's a map: http://www.herowars.com/new/fan/Esrolia.jpg

Esrolia it is then.

Mike is lucky as he already has a char built. The rest of you need to create chars that are more than simple tribesmen or farmers. They are the best at what they do in the tribe and are known (either famously or infamously) within the tribe for their extrordinary abilities.

Now is the time for them to be tested outside the safe haven of their home.

While the current adventure won't have anything to do with Vampires, that doesn't mean there wasn't trouble in the past.

It's up to about you about Gernu, as currently you ALL are fairly provencial and don't travel much beyond the boundaries of your tribe. (unless you have a good reason - trader, wanderlust, etc)

Which brings up a good question:
Do Esrolian tribes roam or do they establish permanent villages?

Tribes are confederations of clans, all of which have traditional land boundaries. These can change through warfare and such, but not often.

Clan=100-500 people
Tribe = 4-8 clans
Those are Heortling averages, which could be higher in the more fertile Esrolian lands.

Land belongs to the clan, not to individuals. People who regularly travel outside of their clan lands are rare. ("Leave the tula? I'd be without the protection of the Blessed Ancestors!") Issaries traders are a gateway to the wider world.

Tribes gain and lose clans now and then, as politics force changes. Tribes are voluntary and traditional groups of clans, not mandatory ones.

Marriage is probably on the Esrolian model, where men leave their clan to join the wife's clan. But the reverse can also be true.

Wealth is measured in cows, though people do herd sheep.

Leaders are usually not hereditary, at least not officially.

The Heroquest Voices booklet at http://www.glorantha.com/products/3001.html has a section on Esrolia.

I think Kirk has a Helering warrior ready to go. What a weirdo.

Though this guy reads more like an exile from elsewhere than a member of the clan.

Don't let me step on your toes guys, but here are some names I'm going to use to fill in the blanks of my character.

Varu is from the Westhill clan of the Emarjela Tribe, whose lands are north of Asrelia's Hold in the North March, up in the hills of the southernmost Skyreach Mountains. He's an orphan whose father disappeared years ago at the Building Wall Battle. Depending on the answers below, he's a weaponthane who sleeps in the hall of the clan or tribal queen.

Chris, feel free to veto any of that, but concrete color helps everyone get going.

Chris, are we definitively working on the tribal level, or the clan level?

Aside from the Esrolian vs. heortling stuff, Varu is set now.

I think I'll take a shot at writing up the Shield Knockers war band, since they will contribute some group magic.

Someone -- or all of us together on the phone maybe--- should do this:

http://issaries.com/tools/clan_start.html

Still reading, but to answer one question:

I say Clan level. Maybe around 200-400 people. I want to get across the feeling that everyone knows each other and are pretty much into each others business.

ie..kirk's char dated Jon's chars sister who's the daughter of Mike's char's brother...etc...

Does that constrain us too much?