What kind of challenges could a tribe face?

[Asmor]

I had an idea for a game where there's a world with no humans, elves, dwarves, or other civilized races. The planet's inhabited by orcs, ogres, kobolds, troglodytes, gnolls, etc, all barbarous races which exists in clan/tribe structures and don't build cities.

And in this game, the PCs play outcasts of whichever races trying to form their own tribe.

So the way it would work out in the beginning is that they need to find members for the tribe. But fast forward a bit... Say they've got a tribe together now. What are some challenges they might face?

Here's what I've got so far:

* Food shortages due to competition or over-hunting. Must solve problem or find new hunting grounds.
* Need to either find or make weapons and armor for the warriors of the tribe.
* Need to deal with natural predators as well as other tribes.
* Natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, etc
* Preparations for winter, e.g. food storage and warm clothing, or moving to warmer climes.
* Intratribal conflicts, particularly challenges for leadership
* Protecting the young of the tribe from the many dangers

I envision a world where everyone not of your tribe is an enemy and communication is difficult due to lack of a common tongue. Might have to relax that last one a bit since it would make playing the game difficult... But otherwise a very inhospitable population.

So what are some other ideas I could use?

 

[greyscale1]

quick idea, maybe a young hill giant wants to turn the tribe into his 'subjects'. Getting food for him and generally being lorded over. Naturally your players probably wouldnt go for that.

This could go two ways. Combat: yawn, okay. Or RP.

I can see a lot of ways this situation could be RPed by the PCs, especially if they are feeling tricky. A giant ally would be a boon to any small tribe.


Edit: Here's another.

Tribe has to migrate, maybe even run from some threat. On the way they set up briefly in this one beautiful marshy area. NPC members of the tribe start doing the whole 'lotus eaters' thing with local flowers or summat. Players have to either cut their losses and ditch em or find a way to get them to stop before whatever is chasing the tribe catches up. Maybe some horrible plant-y overmind is ensnaring future meals? Etc etc.

 

[Ethalias]

I like this, I've been thinking along some similar lines for a while. Some thoughts:

* If the tribe are nomadic, perhaps their traditional route becomes more dangerous/blocked/another tribe is moving in front of them, depleting resources as they go.

* Further to Intra-tribal conflict example: Conflict of spirituality e.g. A traditional druidic leader is challenged by a warlock of some description, generational issues, e.g. adolescents leaving the tribes, jeopardising tribes continuity, perhaps lead astray by an outside influence (perhaps the below?).

* It might be interesting if after a time a fledgeling civilisation begins to encroach on Tribal lands, making travel difficult, depleting resources etc.. It would be interesting to play from the other side..

I would also suggest limiting player options somewhat. I'm with Mike Mearls when he says that when you try and make room for everyone it dilutes the flavour of your campaign. *EDIT* Well, that was the gist, I'm paraphrasing and taking it out of context!

I'll keep an eye on this thread, good luck

 

[greyscale1]

Your tribe could also run into a tribe of proto-humans, or humans setting up a village. Early enough in their development when its entirely up to the players wether the village and humans live or die.

 

[Verdande]

I'd say to play up the hostility/alien nature of the other tribes. After all, one of the biggest threats to early man was other men. Competition for resources, raiding, war, murder, and all sorts of other nastiness were, apparently, a common part of their lives.

Also, the environment is a huge deal. For example, if it doesn't rain enough, then the crops might not grow. If the crops don't grow, what then? How are they going to eat? Providing your group with an open ended challenge like this could be pretty exciting, as well as extremely taxing. Do they raid the neighboring village? Do they put hunting on overtime? How are they going to survive?

 

[Fallen Seraph]

For language, it isn't quite the same but in a game I was planning on running I countered this with a form of telepathy. Essentially the concept was with prehistoric man had a form of telepathy that we as modern people still posses but it has become "silenced". By all the sound of modern life, civilization, and the sheer amount of people that now exist.

It may not work for your campaign, but that is how I worked around it with mine. It was also integrated into things like Spirit-Guides and Quests, etc.

 

[Hypersmurf]

All Hail King Torg!

-Hyp.

 

[Umbran]

Well, they are all outcasts of existing tribes. That means they are trying to fit a new tribe into an already established structure of tribes...

Competition for resources: nomadic or stationary, tribes have territory. It's all taken up - if they want food, water, animals, wood, they're either going to have to fight or negotiate for a space to call their own.

Inter-tribal politics: Hostile or not, tribes cannot afford to be in a constant state of war. War kills off all the young men you need to do your hunting and grunt work. So, there are times when you have to work to avoid it, no matter how evil you might normally be. This often includes trading rights, territory swaps, intermarriages and such.

Access to unique resources - like the plant that's a required component for the spell/ritual that's needed to heal some weird disease is in another tribe's territory.

Romance: Romeo and Juliet - but they're hobgoblins!

 

[Asmor]

Tribe has to migrate, maybe even run from some threat. On the way they set up briefly in this one beautiful marshy area. NPC members of the tribe start doing the whole 'lotus eaters' thing with local flowers or summat. Players have to either cut their losses and ditch em or find a way to get them to stop before whatever is chasing the tribe catches up. Maybe some horrible plant-y overmind is ensnaring future meals? Etc etc.

I really like that idea. Should be easy too, since they'd likely end up being nomadic hunter/gatherers (though I suppose that's up to them...)

* Further to Intra-tribal conflict example: Conflict of spirituality e.g. A traditional druidic leader is challenged by a warlock of some description, generational issues, e.g. adolescents leaving the tribes, jeopardising tribes continuity, perhaps lead astray by an outside influence (perhaps the below?).

Definitely a cool idea. I want them to have plenty of challenges from within, not just without.

Your tribe could also run into a tribe of proto-humans, or humans setting up a village. Early enough in their development when its entirely up to the players wether the village and humans live or die.

Not a bad idea, but I'm pretty strongly against having any civilization at all in the world.

Inter-tribal politics: Hostile or not, tribes cannot afford to be in a constant state of war. War kills off all the young men you need to do your hunting and grunt work. So, there are times when you have to work to avoid it, no matter how evil you might normally be. This often includes trading rights, territory swaps, intermarriages and such.

I'm kinda hoping that that will just come up naturally... I actually intend, at least at first, to keep track of every individual member of the tribe with some basic details like the fitness for fighting or hunting.

Access to unique resources - like the plant that's a required component for the spell/ritual that's needed to heal some weird disease is in another tribe's territory.

Romance: Romeo and Juliet - but they're hobgoblins!

Both cool ideas.