IG's "Those Left Behind" [OOC-2]

[industrygothica]

Okay, I finally sat down and wrote out info on Shai's tribe in the new 4e setting, which I think fits well with how / why they got rid of him. Lemme know if it jibes for you and I'll add it to his Character post:

The Northern Barbarian Wastes are known for their harsh climates and harsher living. The tribes survive on weeding the weak from the strong. Ritual combat chooses each tribe's leaders, and annual challenges between the tribes establish the region's power structure. It's a tradition spanning back as far as they remember, and assuring that only the hardiest stock leads and produces the next generation.

At least, that's the story.

Certainly the power structure of the region is established by strength, but the Tchant'cos Mer, ruling tribe for generations, uses a strength for which their brethren have yet to find a counter: commerce.

Once they were no more than a nomadic scouting people scoffed at for not having the power to conquer and hold their own land. But while they couldn't stalk down a bear with only a hunting knife, they were especially good at laying traps. And eventually they laid those traps along the only trails out of the northern peninsula and into the more resource-rich southern lands.

Now only Tchant'cos Mer tribesman can safely traverse the trade routes south, and with their increased power and influence, soon all trade routes in the northern peninsula fell under their control, as well. It's become impossible for the brute tribes who previously lead to survive without the help of their 'lesser' kin.

So the ritual combat and annual challenges continue, and there's even an uncertainty to where many tribes will fall in the hierarchy. But the Tchan'cos Mer champion is always from the family with the greatest trade influence in his own tribe, and no one in the other tribes dares topple a Tchan'cos Mer champion.

Beautiful. A barbarian tribe that is essentially holding all the others hostage within their own lands. I absolutely love it. Now I just have to figure out how to pronounce it.

 

[jkason]

Beautiful. A barbarian tribe that is essentially holding all the others hostage within their own lands. I absolutely love it. Now I just have to figure out how to pronounce it.

lol. Glad ya like it, and sorry 'bout the name. Pretty much all of my gaming names are usually either puns or modified anagrams, the latter often resulting in ridiculous phonemes. The tribe's name was what I got by mutilating "Merchant Stock." It can certainly turn into something with fewer silent 't's in it with no problem.

 

[Leif]

'Merchant Stock' for a barbarian tribe. I love it!

 

[Scott DeWar]

Now that you said what it is, I now see it quite clearly!

 

[industrygothica]

I might be out of action for a bit. Original post

 

[Friadoc]

It's all good, IG, I know how it is. Talk about the oddity of timing, too. I'm more available, after my own issues.

Anyhow, be safe and remember the important things come first.

 

[jkason]

D'oh! Hope things work out well, IG.

 

[jkason]

If this is too much meta-gaming, feel free to quash me, but wanted to verify which of our divines had which scrolls.

Since Shai was sort of tunnel-visiony on fire spells, I'd say it's fair to assume he'd have claimed the wall of fire and produce flame scrolls (the spells are druid only, anyway, so Uulark couldn't cast them). I'd suggest the Summon Nature's Ally IV (hello, fire elemental) was his, as well.

By the same token, Dismissal and the protection from chaos / evil stuff (two circles of and a regular protection) are cleric only.

Okay, my OCD kicked in again and I went digging. Uulark was declared keeper of the scrolls here (right around there we can verify that he used up one of the restorations, too, leaving one). Move up the thread for other discussion leading up to it.

Since I don't want to backtrack in the middle of battle, figured we should verify the divvy now.

 

[Leif]

If this is too much meta-gaming, feel free to quash me, but wanted to verify which of our divines had which scrolls.

Since Shai was sort of tunnel-visiony on fire spells, I'd say it's fair to assume he'd have claimed the wall of fire and produce flame scrolls (the spells are druid only, anyway, so Uulark couldn't cast them). I'd suggest the Summon Nature's Ally IV (hello, fire elemental) was his, as well.

By the same token, Dismissal and the protection from chaos / evil stuff (two circles of and a regular protection) are cleric only.

Okay, my OCD kicked in again and I went digging. Uulark was declared keeper of the scrolls here (right around there we can verify that he used up one of the restorations, too, leaving one). Move up the thread for other discussion leading up to it.

Since I don't want to backtrack in the middle of battle, figured we should verify the divvy now.

"Quash," or SQUASH? I would not presume to contradict the results of your intensive thread study and scroll inventory. If IG also consents, I am fully prepared to accept your results as gospel. We should go ahead and split the scrolls between us though, shouldn't we?

 

[industrygothica]

Just let me know when you're ready to move on.