Another Balazar/Elder Wilds question

[Ladygolem]

Iirc, the way it's explained in Griffin Mountain is that the tribes are not quite so different than the ones in Sartar as one might expect but still not the same. On of the main benefit of allying one's clan with a citadel tribe is that the citadels have standing armies, which (theoretically) can be counted on for military support in inter-clan conflict. The citadel kings also function as adjudicators and tiebreakers. However, unlike in Sartar, there's no particular sense of tribal loyalty and clans will switch allegiances often as needed.

That's the extent as explicitly stated but of course, that's not necessarily the whole story. As @Ali the Helering said, we can imagine in our Gloranthas a higher degree of economic and cultural cooperation beyond the pure military alliance of convenience.

[Joerg]

Does joining a citadel tribe incur any tribute demands by the citadel kings? Do clans that join one of those tribes receive preferential treatment when visiting the citadel (trading there)?

The citadels don't serve as the religious center of the clans, but they do offer a modicum of specialist folk who can provide stuff the roaming shamans cannot. Some of that stuff magical, most of it material in nature. Joh Mith doesn't visit the various clan hearths, instead his son Djimm receives folk from those clans who want to trade for civilized goods.
How territorial are those clans? While their dogs figure bigly in their culture and approach to hunting, the dogs don't set any migration patterns other than those of the prey humans and dogs take down in their cooperation.

[David Scott]

2 hours ago, Joerg said:

Does joining a citadel tribe incur any tribute demands by the citadel kings? Do clans that join one of those tribes receive preferential treatment when visiting the citadel (trading there)?

Considering the small number of people involved, and relationships in the clan list, we just assumed they were related in some way. 

2 hours ago, Joerg said:

The citadels don't serve as the religious center of the clans,

Trilus has the shrine of the Great hunter, Votank's birthplace and the start-place of the Great Hunt each year. So this will probably count as a major temple for the Great hunt. 

Quote

Each of the three citadels houses a temple that leads and serves the minor religions of the region. The temples are small and commonly have alcoves, shrines, and niches devoted to various deities. The temples are named for their predominant god. Dykene hosts the temple of the founder god, Balazar Lightson. Trilus has an edifice dedicated to the worship of Foundchild the Hunter. Elkoi houses the beehive temple of Yelmalio, son of the Sun.

Clan members will be lay members of Yelmalio, Balazar, Foundchild for ceremonies at the citadels. Given that the Citadel kings are initiates of leadership cults, clan chiefs would be too, with a few Elkoi allied leaders being members of the Seven Mothers. So the citadels are religious centres.

2 hours ago, Joerg said:

How territorial are those clans?

We treated them as not, except when it came to enemy clans (using the Intensity Of Clan Animosity table), those allied with other citadels were treated as neutral. 

[Rick Meints]

On 3/8/2021 at 10:02 AM, GMKen said:

The Griffin Mountain PoD lists 20 clans and the citadels with which they are associated.  It doesn’t tie them to particular clan hearths, but at least does provide some geographical localization based on citadel ties.  It also notes the inter-clan rivalries.

IIRC, this was taken from an old Different Worlds or White Dwarf article from way back in the day.

JG #780 - Pegasus #4, 1981.

Runeletters, Jaquays, pgs 25-26. A Griffin Mountain supplement containing a very detailed Clans of Balazar table, clan animosity table, and a brief write-up of the cult of Votanki, including the 3-pt. rune spell Summon Son of Votanki. 

[David Scott]

4 minutes ago, Rick Meints said:

JG #780 - Pegasus #4, 1981

They always had such cool covers:

https://wellofdaliath.chaosium.com/home/catalogue/publishers/judges-guild/pegasus-magazine/pegasus-04/

[jajagappa]

33 minutes ago, Rick Meints said:

JG #780 - Pegasus #4, 1981.

Never had/saw any of those back in the day.  Thanks for the info!

[Squaredeal Sten]

On 3/8/2021 at 7:01 AM, jajagappa said:

I don't think there are any tribes - the culture wouldn't support that.

When I ran Griffin Mountain material, I based clans around the camp sites/hearths marked on the Balazar map, though as a hunter-gatherer culture, I'm sure their 'territories' would vary widely.

The Balazar map pack now on Jonstown Compendium has a "political map".  That only defines the three citadels' territories, and does not go down to clan level.

Edited July 13, 2021 by Squaredeal Sten
spelling, my nemesis.