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Culbrea, early 1622


Zodgrod

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Hi!

Context: I'm running a fairly player driven Eleven Lights campaign in RQG. I've decided to run the Great Winter in a "I go, you go" style giving the players every other week to initiate something. It's closing in on the end of Sea Season and they've just returned from Boldhome via Johnstown after tracing the Resurrection doors for Minaryth.  It's their go and I've just off hand mentioned that it's rumoured that Kallyr is in nearby Culbrea lands. 

True to form, the players feel like clan based activity is an excersise in futility given the larger problems facing the clan & world so they jump on the chance to talk to Kallyr and offer support for any kind of grander mission (being also extremely anti-Lunar at this point). 

So they are going to travel through Two-Pine into Culbrea in search of Kallyr so that's where I need some inspiration: 

Where precisely should Kallyr be? And what does Culbrea land look like in these dark times?

Is she already looking for recruits to fight at Aurochs?

Is she and her entourage in hiding?  (Maybe not necessary with the Lunars holed up and undermanned especially in the very unfriendly territory of Culbrea)

Is Two-Pine ready to start threatening Red Cow leaders?  Do they have any strength at all given the lack of good reading and mercenary work? 

Is Culbrea just massing for rebellion?  How does a warlike clan & tribe feed itself in the Great Winter?

Is Hostfaring back?  If so, how does he treat Cinsina?

Any ideas would be most welcome!

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2 hours ago, Zodgrod said:

Where precisely should Kallyr be?

One step ahead of them?  😉 

There's a one-page writeup on the Rising of the Culbrea in the HQ1 Orlanth is Dead book (p.52) which is useful for this case.  You can get a pdf of that for $4.95 at DriveThruRPG here: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/12431/HeroQuest-Sartar-Rising--Orlanth-is-Dead 

If she's trying to recruit or gain aid from the Culbrea, most likely they can find her at the tribal center of Fox Hollow.  This is where you'll find King Ranulf Turn-tail, who surrendered to the Lunars during Starbrow's Rebellion.  The question is whether Kallyr actually believes she can get anything from the Culbrea, or whether she believes that he's simply a coward and Lunar sympathizer.  Can Cinsina clan members succeed here?

3 hours ago, Zodgrod said:

Is she already looking for recruits to fight at Aurochs?

Probably not.  Remember that Auroch Hills is King Broyan's battle much more than Kallyr's.  Kallyr aids him, and brings Sartarites and rebels to join him, but he's the driving force.  Also the battle is still two seasons away - right now they are looking to survive after the failure of the Sacred Time rites.  

3 hours ago, Zodgrod said:

Is she and her entourage in hiding?  (Maybe not necessary with the Lunars holed up and undermanned especially in the very unfriendly territory of Culbrea)

Yes, they are likely in hiding - there are likely still Lunar patrols (perhaps seizing grain supplies from "enemy" and "rebel" clans), and there are trolls, ice demons, Telmori, etc. that might hunt her (in an effort to put out her starlight).  Also Culbrea is not necessarily hostile to the Lunars - yet.  But friendliness to the Lunars likely isn't doing much for the Culbrea during the Great Winter either.

3 hours ago, Zodgrod said:

Is Culbrea just massing for rebellion? 

Probably not, but there are likely whispers and suggestions that this is what comes of aiding the Lunars - much grumbling amidst the clans.

3 hours ago, Zodgrod said:

How does a warlike clan & tribe feed itself in the Great Winter?

Raiding the reserves of other clans.  Taking grain, cattle, pigs, sheep - anything still alive that's edible, or anything likely to aid in survival.  

The Culbrea are likely turning to the Two-Pine to help collect tribute, or goods, that help their whole tribe.

3 hours ago, Zodgrod said:

Is Hostfaring back?  If so, how does he treat Cinsina?

If you play out the Colymar scenario, that nominally happens in 1618-1619.  Whether or not the events and effort happen or not is up to you for your campaign.  If the Colymar do not undertake it, perhaps Branduan of the Lismelder does.  Whether anyone succeeds is a significant question as it requires a quest deep into Hell.  

An important aspect to have in mind though, is that the quest in all probability does not bring Hofstaring "back" in body.  They have saved his spirit, and his spirit is strong enough to leap out of Hell and enter Orlanth's Storm Hall.  He will in all likelihood be a hero/spirit cult that the Culbrea now worship if the quest occurred and succeeded.  If someone did succeed in the quest, then whoever that is will have an "in" with the Culbrea tribe.  

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Hofstaring doesn't come back among the living, but his hero cult mught be available again, granting his feat of Teeeleaping.

The whereabouts of Kallyr following the Fall of Whitewall might be bound to Broyan, with recruitment for the Battle of Iceland a reason for her to split ways.

As the great winter is about, Lunar search patrols may be rather rare, or more intent on taking shelter in the houses they search than anything else.

Feeding the clan in the Great WInter should become a problem only in the middle of Sea Season, when the usual winter stores are used up. Depending on whether the grain farming is using winter grain, sowed in Earth Season, or summer grain, sowed in Sea Season, there may be seed grain left to survive on, ensuring starvation in the years to come. There will be scurvy as fresh produce fails to come up and the stored apples are used up.

Telling how it is excessive verbis

 

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Awesome, thanks guys for the clarifications/info, this is exactly what I was looking for!  Love the idea of introducing the Hostfaring Hero Cult ...could easily be an opportunity.

I'll definitely use the fact that Kallyr would be recruiting in Culbrea more than in Cinsina as a possible point of conflict/decision/opportunity for the players and their chosen leaders. 

One further question: I'm blanking on her main retinue. Any persons of interest in her Iron Ring?

 

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46 minutes ago, Zodgrod said:

I'm blanking on her main retinue. Any persons of interest in her Iron Ring?

Kallyr's?  Orngerin Thundercape would be one of the main ones (referenced multiple times in 11 Lights).  Minaryth Purple, of course.

All of her companions are noted in KoS p.200:

Kallyr’s Companions
Leader: Kallyr Starbrow Loriconsdotter
Watchman: Insterid Fire Eyes, of the Blackrock
Porter: Orngerin Holdfast, of the Greenhaft
Scout: Orlaront Dragonfriend of the Jerending
Fireman: Randella Offirsdotter, of the Blackrock
Waterman: Elmalandti, of the Blue Spruce

Cook: Olende Endalsson, of the farther Squat Oak
Caster: Minaryth Purple, of Jonstown
Healer: Ernaldesta the Vigorous, of the Elkenval
Singer: Oranda Laugh‑or‑cry, of the White Quartz

Most of them are from clans among the Kheldon.

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  • 6 months later...
On 8/13/2020 at 3:22 PM, jajagappa said:

Porter: Orngerin Holdfast, of the Greenhaft

 

Caster: Minaryth Purple, of Jonstown
Healer: Ernaldesta the Vigorous, of the Elkenval

I may misinterpret your bold prints, jajagappa, but the Greenhaft clan no longer belongs to Culbrea tribe in these times (see Coming Storm, p. 94). On the contrary, the Elk clan, settled in Elkenvale, is one of the Culbrea's, as far as I know.

Edited by Cassius
typo
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1 hour ago, Cassius said:

I may misinterpret your bold prints, jajagappa, but the Greenhaft clan no longer belongs to Culbrea tribe in these times (see Coming Storm, p. 94).

It wasn't about whether from the Culbrea, but relevant to and likely interacting with the 11 Lights campaign. 

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