Doug

What happened? Why did it go away and come back? Did Shawn and/or Peggy ever explain what was going on?

Did I see that this is back on again? A revised Valley of Plenty and an initial Rise of the Wildlings are supposed to be in the works.

Yes. That is covered in Doing Things > Die Rolls. But not under The Basics, which is where I think you were looking.

I don't want to give up hope, but this was supposed to be the year of QuestWorlds. It seems unlikely that anything can be printed and in the hands of the public (ie - my hands) before the end of the year. I guess a PDF isn't yet off the table, but I'm a dead tree person, so 2022 isn't my year.

Any updates?

Is there an ETA on the announcement of general availability for the rest of us?

Any updates? I really enjoyed VoP snd I am curious to know if you have more content.

No, I don't think Orlanthi care about incest. Ernalda doesn't like the lack of bonds between clans, but I don't think she cares about the sex. And clans are not always related. In the Second Son initiation you are "kin, or as good as". When Colymar brought his people north, I doubt if evey last one of was related to each other. This is doubly true for specialized clans like the black spear.

Athens had 4 tribes up through Cleisthenes in 508 BC. But my understanding is that 10 tribes and 100+ demes broke the old clan+tribe system. I guessed that something similar is happening in Tarsh because clan bonds are no longer strong enough to produce a passion. Sure, everyone knows what clan they nominally belong to, but that is increasingly less significant. Since the clans often have traditions that involve a certain windbag, the lunar provincial government, in conjunction with the various lunar cults, are trying to refocus people to more acceptable identities. And the Solars think fidelity to a specific city is only reasonable. As I said before, mostly I'm trying to justify why Sartarites have a passion for a clan and Lunar Tarshites for a city, and using it as a difference between the two. I could be way off base.

I believe in Tarsh clan is less important and city is more. See the base pasions on RQG p27. I know HW/HQ/TR is out of fashion now, but clan was *everything*, so switching to city-based is a fundamental societal difference

Mostali must have some sort of initiation, although they'd call it a competency test and quality control. Those who pass are proven to be skilled components of the world machine. Any who fail are obviously defective, and would be deactivated and recycled.

I can understand not taking a shield if you need both hands to herd the stolen cows. I don't know enough to say if a slung shield would get in the way of being a cowboy. I think that quote is about not being a coward. Saving the cost of the shield never crossed my mind. FWIW: I think that quote is very Ernaldan. The priestesses might not like all the fighting and feuding of the men folk, but a reputation of cowardice will paint a target on the whole clan. Better to lose a few than have the entire clan threatened.

War clans have poorer crops and more agressive and armed people. Unless they've been hiring out as mercs, raids (cattle or otherwise) is about all the warriors can do to contribute to the clan. Life in Sartar is hard, and supporting a bunch of deadweight warriors isn't viable. Sure, everyone helps with the harvest, but farmers do that better.

In KoDP I cattle raid most seasons. A lot if raiding depends on circumstances. Personalities of the ring, size of your current herd, how beat up are your weapon thanes, how often you've been raided lately, etc. So, established and stable clans trade so they only raid once or twice a year. War clans, clans trying to make a name for themselves, and those on the edge of collapse raid more often. I don't think there is an upper limit, but your neighbors will react by posting more guards or counter raiding, so there will be diminishing returns, even if you get really good at it.

Not my podcast, although I'll be glad to bask in their glory. I don't remember hearing that. And Glorantha is a dangerous place. I think everyone is heavily armed whenever leaving the tula. Who knows what bandits and monsters lurk in the wilds.

Yes, they should get the OK from someone on the clan ring. People can get killed, and no one wants that. But I imagine unauthorized raids happen all the time. I believe technically all the cattle goes to the chieftain. The chieftain will give some of it to the raiders, either directly or to the leader of the bloodline(s). If foraging troops or broo just took a lot of head of cattle, then maybe these new cattle are needed elsewhere. Likewise if lunar taxes are due or the clan is participating in a heroquest/ritual, the raiders may find out that they get nothing. So there are lots of variables: need, circumstances, popularity with the chief, politics of the bloodlines, current cottar vs carl tensions, etc. Which means the GM picks something that seems reasonable and advances the story. BTW: one of the Wind Words episodes talks about cattle raids.

Comparing to the real world is useful, but you've seen that there is not a lot of direct 1-to-1 relationships. The game King of Dragon Pass might be helpful. You can see the proto-Sartarites in action, and get a bit of exposure to the other peoples. Often by being slaughtered by them (stupid beastmen). It is a fun kingdom builder that can help with lore and myths.