Do the Dragon Pass/Kethaela Ducks have a tribal system like the Orlanthi around them?

[Brootse]

Or do they just have clans?

[Stew Stansfield]

The ducks of Dragon Pass are generally accounted as one of the tribes of Sartar, with a single tribe. That tribe has a king c. 1613 (unnamed; Wyrms Footprints, p. 103) and later a queen, Skalfara Wild-Wheat, c. 1620 or so (Barbarian Adventures, p. 6.), much like the neighbouring Orlanthi human tribes.

They have clans likewise. There's little detail of the clans, but the most detailed fan works (myself included) have used the names from King of Dragon Pass - e.g. Marsh Ducks (who are basically described in Tales of the Reaching Moon 19), Rune Ducks, Thunder Ducks, etc.

Pre-Duck Hunts the tribe numbered of the order of 10,000 ducks. I've tended to assume ten clans or so, for ease (and seem to recall others doing likewise).

I can't really speak for the Kethaelan ducks, sadly. There's no much info on them (and those who've attempted to find some in the past are deeply embarrassed by their investigations...). @jajagappa might be able to help more with a view to the duck community of Nochet.

[Joerg]

My (entirely made up beyond stuff I know that was used for the place) version of Karse has reed wetlands on the Marzeel (former Creek-Stream River) mouth opposite of (new) Karse, where Newtlings have lived since before Time, and that place has become a haven of exile for many of the Sartarite ducks as a consequence of the Duck Hunt of 1613/14. Their newtling hosts are on good terms with the Pelaskites of Karse and the Heortland coast, and they have graciously allowed the refugees to set up a permanent town on floating reed isles. Two, actually, one official trade place where boats from across the river visit, and a hidden one. Both are in respectful distance of local newtling breeding ponds.

The Marzeel estuary ducks practice gardening on floating artificial islands, and hunt for all manner of wiggly life forms which they put into their infamous soup. Instead of Upland Marsh zombies they are on the lookout for sea trolls, boat trolls and some of the more dangerous beasts that inhabit the Choralinthor Bay and its littoral zone.

The coast off Nochet has a number of marshy islands which aren't officially claimed as habitation areas. While some of the local fisherfolk will doubtlessly use the canals between them for trapping and other forms of fishing, these places make good refuges for amphibious life forms like ducks or newtlings, both of which probably will be encountered there.

 

Without protection by either the House of Sartar or the beast folk of Beast Valley, the duck exiles may have formed something like quasi-tribes. I haven't speculated about durulz marriage arrangements yet (has anybody, other than "they're somewhat like Orlanthi"?), and I have no idea about the role of their clans in this regard. It is possible that they would have arranged something like triaties once their exile became a somewhat permanent diaspora, at least if they too practice some form of exogamy.

[jajagappa]

3 hours ago, Quackatoa said:

@jajagappa might be able to help more with a view to the duck community of Nochet.

Generally I've postulated a very small duck community in and around Nochet - if anything more around it in the marshy islands to the south. Many will be refugees from the Duck Hunts. Unfortunately there are also a lot of Sartarite refugees in Nochet, many of whom might be happy to send duck trophies back north so their kin can reap the rewards, so to speak. I expect more vibrant communities in the Right-arm Islands.

[Brootse]

3 hours ago, Quackatoa said:

The ducks of Dragon Pass are generally accounted as one of the tribes of Sartar, with a single tribe. That tribe has a king c. 1613 (unnamed; Wyrms Footprints, p. 103) and later a queen, Skalfara Wild-Wheat, c. 1620 or so (Barbarian Adventures, p. 6.), much like the neighbouring Orlanthi human tribes.

They have clans likewise. There's little detail of the clans, but the most detailed fan works (myself included) have used the names from King of Dragon Pass - e.g. Marsh Ducks (who are basically described in Tales of the Reaching Moon 19), Rune Ducks, Thunder Ducks, etc.

Pre-Duck Hunts the tribe numbered of the order of 10,000 ducks. I've tended to assume ten clans or so, for ease (and seem to recall others doing likewise).

I can't really speak for the Kethaelan ducks, sadly. There's no much info on them (and those who've attempted to find some in the past are deeply embarrassed by their investigations...). @jajagappa might be able to help more with a view to the duck community of Nochet.

Thanks!

[7Tigers]

What I saved from Jeff on Google+:

Quote

10k ducks: The ducks are one of the tribes of Sartar and centered on the small city of Duck Point.

The total number of ducks is comparable to a single Sartarite tribe. They largely scattered into the marshlands after Starbrow's Rebellion, but returned to Duck Point and the Duck Vale with the return of Kallyr Starbrow to Boldhome. By 1621, Duck Point and Duck Vale were likely to some extent thought to be under the protection of Ironhoof. In 1625, the ducks acclaimed Kallyr as their Prince, and later acclaimed Argrath in 1627.
Edit (not relevant): The nes(w?)tlings in Dragon Pass are primarily transient "bachelors" from the Holy Country and Maniria. I don't actually think they are ever all that numerous - maybe around 4k (with another 3k in Prax). They then return to the Holy Country or Maniria to become full breeding adults.

 

Edited May 10, 2019 by 7Tigers
Clarification following next post

[jeffjerwin]

I assume "nestlings" above is a typo for "newtlings", and that has nothing to do with the durulz, who assuredly breed in and around Duck Point like normal.