The Embers Crackle (RWBY/CK2-AfterTheEnd)

Raiu · May 1, 2018

QM Note: The Quest you see in front of you is in the process of being rewritten or has already been rewritten. If you wish to see the original versions, contact me and I will send it to you.

Five hundred years ago, the Four Kingdoms of Atlas, Vale, Vauco and Mistral were destroyed by tides of Grimm. The world stopped making sense. Sons were turned against fathers. Friends fought to the death. Enemies became allies. The light of civilization was snuffed out, leaving darkness in it's wake.

Look up to the sky and what do you see? Darkness, but inside that consuming dark are points of light. The same is true here on Remnant. Darkness covers the land, but the light is not gone. The flame has been stamped, covered with dirt, but the embers remain.

You hold one such ember. You are the leader of a tribe, a collection of men and women who were strong enough to survive in this new world. The times of the Four Kingdoms have become the matter of myth and legend but there can be no doubt your people have fallen from great heights. But you retain fragments of the Before Times, great boons which have helped your people survive.

[] Your people have many weapons from the Before Times, weapons which spit bullets ten times before an archer can fire his bow once. While less pure than their Before Times fathers, your people know how to make ammunition for your weapons. You, in particular, possess a weapon once held by the Huntsmen of old, a weapon of death to any Grimm. (Gain Weaponry 2, Mecha-shift Weapon, your tribe values Knowledge and Martial Might.)
[] Your people are builders, having studied the ways of the Before Times to construct great defenses. While you have yet to find a place to settle, you will turn your newfound home into a great fortress. (Gain Building 2, camps have mobile defenses, your tribe values Endurance and Intelligence.)
[] Your people are keepers of knowledge, the old tales of the Four Kingdoms clear in your cultural memory. In the darkest times, the wisdom of the ancients has given you strength, for he who does not learn from history is doomed to relive it. (Gain Knowledge from the Before Times 1, Culture 1, your tribe values Knowledge and Learning.)
[] Your people are not descendants of the Four Kingdoms. Even in the times where the Four stood strong, your ancestors rejected the comfort of the walled cities. They were bandits, people who understood the true cost of freedom. Your people, who have tasted freedom, are warriors who would never let it be taken away. (Less, but stronger warriors, raiding more profitable. Other tribes dislike you. Your tribe values only Strength and those who are not strong die.)
[] Your people are not warriors, not raiders, nor are they keepers of old knowledge. Your people are farmers, craftsmen, people who work the land to create something better than themselves. Your people have found a land to call their own, and you will never return to wandering. (Tribe is already settled and established in their region, and their military has suffered for it. Your tribe values Stability and Stewardship.)

While your tribe has fought against the Grimm for generations, the land has been your greatest ally, and most foul enemy. If the Grimm were actively malevolent, the land is utterly indifferent to your survival. Still, the land is your's, and if you come to master it, you will not need to fear the Grimm any longer.

[] You reside in the lands of Vale, a land of hills and forests. The temperate climate leads to four seasons, but it is a cursed land as it was the first to fall to the Grimm.
[] You call the sandy wastes of Vacuo home. The sun looks down harshly upon Vacuo, and sources of water are few and far between. Buried under the sand, however, are remnants of the Kingdom of Vacuo, which is said to have been destroyed not by the Grimm but by the desert.
[] You hail from the frozen lands of Solitas, the former domain of the Kingdom of Atlas. Your earliest memories are huddling around the Dust Crystals which pierce the ground for warmth, and there can be no doubt it is a rewarding, but harsh land.
[] The marshes and swamps of Mistral are your home, and in those dark, dismal places, you find not only unique varieties of Grimm, but also safety.
[] You grew up in the shadow of the Iron Walls of Kuo Kuwama in Menagerie, banished from it's safety in your Grandfather's Father's time. Your people survive in a land where the wildlife is as dangerous as the Grimm, a life of comfort forever out of reach.

You are the leader of your tribe, and your decisions will lead your people to feast and famine. You are, however, but one of many who would lead your people, and you must be careful lest another takes your place.

~~~~~

I am the Quest Master. I am not kind, and neither is the Age of Grimm. This is a CKII quest very much in the spirit of the original game, now with hordes of eldritch abominations waiting to gnaw your face off.
As a third-generation QM running a quest in an identical setting, it is necessary to note the canon of the original, From a Single Ember, is not in lock step with any other Age of Grimm quest.
1. Nor, for that matter, should my quest be considered canon for anything other than this particular instance of the quest. If you wish to create your own version of the Age of Grimm setting, you may take as much or as little from previous quests as you want, treated as though it was under Creative Commons. Just don't be a dick.
It's a succession game, which means that once your character dies or is thrown from power, you will play as their successor. Each turn is one month, but time-skips can be granted upon voluminous request.
This quest uses a 1d100 system for rolling. I will be performing all the rolls at my own discretion, and will display them as I see fit. I'll also be doing secret rolls for things that aren't within your character's ken to know, but let's be honest, you'll know where all the critical rolls are.
This quest's system is an amalgamation of various quest systems and CK2's mechanics. If you want a better idea, I'm running this quest through foppery and whim, but there's logic.
80-90% of voting will be planned. Please use standard planned voting format and refer to rules 16 and 18. Note that your traits and background may influence the weight of your plan.
1. As of the most recent turn, I have disabled vote weights, and will be looking to make certain character backgrounds more important in ways which do not limit the freedom of my players to choose.
I will close the voting when I feel like there isn't a need to continue it. I will either ask for a tally or do so my self.
Updates will be completed on availability, though I will attempt to keep a bimonthly update schedule as much as is possible.
Be creative! Write-ins are Encouraged. Don't limit yourself to the presented options! Innovative and imaginative ideas will serve you very well. They are the way you survive.
Fate Points are powerful tools for any character, be they Rival or Main. Fate Points can be spent to force a reroll or break the system in a minor way. Fate Points can also be burnt to automatically crit-succeed, survive certain death, or break the system in a major way. The cost for this ultimate power, however, is that any Fate Point burnt does not return at Turn's end.
Omakes are welcome and appreciated! They might even net you related bonuses, but that bonus will always be a secret! View my omake policy for more information, and if you create a work which I enjoy, it will find it's way into the quest.
Please be kind to your fellow quest-goers. Everyone's here to have fun, and lively debates are encouraged, but this isn't a place to pick fights. Don't be a dick. The writer is a much better target.
This quest was inspired by RedrumSprinkles. She give her some love, but also support CthulhuWasRight in Sparks Flicker, a quest run in much the same setting. Mentions go to PowerofMind, for although he has moved away from this setting, my quests wouldn't be the same without him.
Enjoy the quest. Things have changed quite a lot, but if you must die, then die gloriously.
This quest is not a happy quest. Things will go wrong, your plans will fail, people will die. The main character will be dragged through the mud. It falls on you to stand back up.
If you are voting for a plan, only vote for the plan name. I will be ignoring all votes which copy and paste the entirety of the plan. It's a planned vote for a reason people! You can also vote for any plan which contains an option you want to see by simply stating the option itself and add the word ALL at the end . This is allowed, and if you read this HORA, you deserve it.
I reserve the right to break the rules. You players will be rewarded for this, however.
Finally, all votes in this Quest are Alternate votes. If you have two plans or options you really want to see, simply mark which one you like the best with [X]1: Plan Name and [X]2: Plan Name. There is no limit to the amount of Alternate votes, so long as you mark the order your vote will be in. Please don't abuse this with #18.

The Story Clause: Mechanics stated over the course of the game can be subverted in service of the story, if a reasonable case is made and accepted. This can be as simple as the MC forming a Coalition, to as drastic as temporarily replacing the system with something else entirely.

Accepted Omakes usually gives +10 to a single roll (only one omake bonus can be applied to a roll) when I'm writing up the results or before I roll the dice on them, a truthfully answered question, a reciprocated Omake (which you can choose the subject for if I give this option), or even a Character Sheet. I tend to offer choices, and you can also request something other than what I ask, if you so want.

A good rule of thumb for a creative writing Omake is that it's well written and at least 500 words, but that restriction can be lowered if it's a suitably entertaining piece. Non-creative writing pieces don't apply to the word count restriction, so don't sweat that. Also, the bonus happens whether it's Canon or not.

AN: This is becoming a theme for me, isn't it? Well, welcome to another take on RedrumSprinkle's Age of Grimm setting, this time where I've removed much of the viscera like a lovely Tauntaun. That's why you're getting an Author's Notes rather than a primer. Things are very, very different from the previous quests, mostly due to there being no real nations at this point. Welcome to CK2: Age of Grimm, at the earliest start point.

Quest Content Packs:
The Nikean Creed - Active
A Flame From Cold Ash - Active
The Mother Maiden's Song - Active

Soundwave3591 for the locations of ruins and their names.
DritterRitter and Nakama-Kai for new Grimm species.

Raiu · May 1, 2018

The red dot above Mantle is the White Castle.

Teal: Grimmsbane Mountains
Dark Orange: The Burned Lands
Lavender: Mantle Highlands. Red dot is Mantle Runs, Yellow is the White Castle.
Red: Atlas Outskirts, with the Atlas Ruins being the Yellow dot.
Lime Green: Mantle Plains, with the Red dot being Bessimer Ruins.
Salmon Pink: The Southlands.
Dark Grey: The Old Fort, with the Red dot being the [NAME UNKNOWN] Ruins.

Current as of Turn 3-1

Name: Colubra Ezkutuko, The Cobra of Schnee
Age: 20
Gender: Female
Race: Faunus - Cobra Fangs
Faith: Dust Worship

Ambition:
Focus: Leadership
Quest:
Favored Dust: Black
Fate Points: 1

Diplomacy: 11
Martial: 11
Stewardship: 6 (9 with Focus)
Intrigue: 10
Learning: 19 (22 due to Favored Dust)

Diplomacy: 16
Martial: 14
Stewardship: 8 (11 with Focus)
Intrigue: 20
Learning: 21 (24 due to Favored Dust)

Personal Combat Score: 11 9 (14 12 with Elatha)
Weapons:

Elatha, the Moonscar, the Blade of the Crossroads, a Bronze Kopesh with a long and storied history.: +3 PCS

Tribal Influenced Education - Learning: Dutiful Dust Scholar -1 Intrigue, +3 Learning.
Blessed by the Mother Goddess: Venomous Fangs - Intrigue +2, Assassination +5
Cynical +2 Intrigue, -2 Learning, -2 Relation with Faithful, -2 Relation with Pious
Weak -1 Martial, -1 Health, -5 Fertility, -1 Personal Combat Skill, -1 Attraction, -1 Tribal
Quick-witted +3 to all stats
Dust Aficionado +2 Learning
Dust Weaver +3 Learning, +10 when working with Dust, +2 Relation with Dust Worshipers.
Mystic: +1 Stewardship, +2 Learning, +1 Relation with Elders
Pregnant: -2 Personal Combat Score
Destiny Touched: +1 Fate Point

Spouse: Ikarus
Lovers: Ikarus
Children: None
Siblings: None
Parents: What parents?

Food Consumption: 1 per turn
Raw Food: 1 (-1 per 2 turns due to rot)
Preserved Food: 4 (1 Fresh Food converted to Preserved every 3 turns.)
Your people have secured enough food for the Spring, but without a way to easily preserve food, your stores will empty during the Summer.

Dust:
-Medium Green "Wind" Dust Crystal
-Medium Blue "Water" Dust Crystal
-Small Green "Wind" Dust Crystal
-Medium Yellow "Lightning" Dust Crystal (Found by Crowe Angelus.)
Your tribe has a decent amount of Dust, but beyond turning it into Dust Strands or giving it to someone with an Awakened Aura, there is little your people can do with them. Also, without a Dust Vein to mine, you're reduced to searching for Dust on your own.

Wood: 8
Wood is an invaluable resource for your people. Not only does it serve as a source of fire during the cold Winter months, it is also the primary building material for the tribe. Any wood you gather now will be useful in the time to come, and, thankfully, it doesn't rot like Food.

Weapons: 354
- 300 Schnee Bronze Axes: Without regular trade with the Reclaimers, the Schnee tribe has taken to forging their precious little bronze into axe heads, which do good work in cutting down trees and foes alike. (Weapon Level: +0 PCS)
- 38 Schloss Bronze Swords: As much a statement of wealth as a killing weapon, these bronze swords have lists of names etched onto the blade. Each has a long legacy etched onto it's length. (Weapon Level: +0 PCS)
- 12 Krieger Beaten Steel Hammers: Taken from the rusting hulks which clutter the "Mo-tore Ways", these steel hammers can shatter even the strongest of bronze blades with their sheer weight. (Weapon Level: +1 PCS)

Special Weapons: 4
- 4 Schloss Prototype Crossbows: Strange constructions stolen from the Schloss, these odd bows fire a small arrow with uncommon power. Unfortunately, the power is too much for the bronze to handle. (Weapon Level: +3 PCS at Range, may catastrophically break when used.)

Popularity:
-Tribe 8/10
--Elders: 3/10
--Warriors: 8/10
You were chosen to be the leader of the tribe due to your popularity with your people, but the Elders have always disliked your impious ways. As it stands, you have a strong hold on the Tribe, but you must take care, lest others make themselves into a more popular ruler.

Morale: 5/50 - Hopeful
With a blow struck against the Schloss, your people have become happy with your rule. While this will change over time, if you prove your ability, the Grimm will become less powerful.

Prestige: .22 (+.11 per turn)
You are not an established Champion just yet, but in time you will earn your place among your honored predecessors.

Piety: 10.36 (+.18 per turn)
While you do not personally believe in the tales of the Elder, your talents and outward appearance will no doubt help convince the Elders you believe in their words. The fact you followed the custom of marriage also helps.

Tribal Population: 1075
-Tribemen: 692 (Slow Increase)
--Minor: Freebeast: 99 (Strong Increase for Nine Turns)
-Warriors: 234
-Elders: 50 (Slow Decline)
Your tribe has yet to see an explosive growth, but you have reached a comfortable ground. While you are not as populous as the giant Schloss tribe, you are more populous than nearly all of your rival tribes, though much less specialized.

Currently None

The Wedding Bell (The bell alights when struck, symbolizing the heat of passion. +5% Fertility. Crafted by Elder Bubo.)
Redemption (This bronze short sword carries a rune from each Champion which held it, with scant little space remaining for new runes. The last, the mark of the Traitor, has been stamped out. +1 PCS, +10 to commanding the Tribe by pulling on tradition.)

Gramr, The Unfinished Blade (The Orange Mystery Dust in this Iron Shortsword is asleep. It's effects are unknown. Started by Elder Bubo.)

Military Technologies
Walls: 0 (+10 to research Walls 1)

Economic Technologies
Dust Use: 1
-Unlocked: Your people can make use of the four Basic Dust Types (Fire, Earth, Wind, Water).
Building: 0 (+20 to research Building 1)

Cultural Technologies
Knowledge of the Before Times: 1
-Unlocked at 1: You can select a single action to gain a +10 bonus to the roll.
Culture: 1
-Unlocked at 1: Second level of Education may be obtained on a roll of 6 on a d10.

Elder Tent: 1
-Unlocked: Elders resist against Morale Shock.
Walls: 1
-Unlocked: Basic Defensive Walls
Tents: 1
-Unlocked: Your people have some defense against cold weather.
Supply Stores: 0
Smoke House: 0

Camp Buildings

Elder Tent: 100 Piety, 5*Level Wood. Unknown Effect.
Walls: 20*Level Wood Provides a sturdier defense against the Grimm and raiders.
Tents: 10*Level Wood Provides shelter for a larger population.
Supply Stores: 10*Level Wood Slows the decay of resources, and protects them against raiders.
Smoke House: 10*Level Wood, Requires 1*Level Wood Per Turn Speeds up the conversion of Raw Food to Preserved Food.

Camps

Logging Camp: 50 Wood, 100 Tribal Population Moves to Camp. Creates a small camp which generates a random amount of Wood per turn. This camp starts with Walls 1, Lumber Yard 1, and Tents 1, but must be protected and supplied to work. Lumber Yard can be upgraded to increase the amount of Wood gained.
-Lumber Yard: 20*Level Wood. Each Level increases the amount of Wood gained per turn by +1 and a die size (d4,d6,d8,d10,d12,d20).
Scavenger Camp: 50 Wood, 100 Tribal Population Moves To Camp. Creates a small camp which generates a random amount of Food per turn. This camp starts with Walls 1, Gathering Post 1 and Tents 1, but must be protected.
-Gathering Post: 20*Level Wood. Each Level increases the amount of Food gained per turn by +1 and a die size (d4,d6,d8,d10,d12,d20). This is affected by the seasons.
Dust Camp: 130 Wood, 100 Tribal Population Moves to Camp. Requires Dust Vein. Creates a small camp which generates a random amount of Dust per turn. The Dust produced is dependent on the Dust Vein. This camp starts with Walls 1, Dust Mine 1, and Tents 1, but must be protected as they are a valuable prize.
-Dust Mine: 100*Level Wood, Requires Dust Vein Generates an income of Dust based on the Dust Vein, with each level increasing the die size (d2,d3,d4,d5,d6,d10).
Outpost: 50 Wood, 50 Warrior Population Moves to Camp. Creates a small camp which serves as a base for Warriors in your territory, and helps protect nearby camps. Starts with Walls 1, Tents 1 and [UNKNOWN BUILDING] 1.
-[UNKNOWN BUILDING]: ?????

Msic. Buildings

Supply Cache: 5 Wood, 2 Preserved Food. Extends the reach of raids. Does not move when the camp changes location.

Rivals in the Schnee Tribe

Gender: Female
Race: Faunus (Lynx Ears)
Religion: Dust Worship

Opinion of Colubra: (-3/10)

Diplomacy: 5
Martial: 0
Stewardship: 8
Intrigue: 4
Learning: 17

Personal Combat Score: 6
Weapons:
*Silverstaff +1 PCS, Unknown effects if used with Dust

Tribal Influenced Education - Learning: Dutiful Dust Scholar -1 Intrigue, +3 Learning.
Coward: -2 Martial, -1 Personal Combat Skill
Awakened Aura: +1 Martial, +.5 Health, +1 Aura
Dust Aficionado +2 Learning
Dust Weaver +3 Learning, +10 when working with Dust, +2 Relation with Dust Worshippers.
Spark of Insight: Chance to gain +20 or -20 to rolls.

Popularity:
-Tribe 6/10
--Elders: 5/10
--Warriors: 0/10

Prestige: 0.1 (+.05 per turn)
Piety: 0.12 (+.06 per turn)

Gender: Female
Race: Faunus (Fox Ears)
Religion: Dust Worship

Opinion of Colubra: (0/10)

Diplomacy: 7
Martial: 14
Stewardship: 10
Intrigue: 12
Learning: 19

Personal Combat Score: 11
Weapons:
*Grannus, Trivial Red Bronze Longsword: +1 PCS, Blade can be set on fire for an additional +1 PCS, Shaped Dust

Tribal Influenced Education - Learning: Scholarly Dust Scholar: Diplomacy +1, Stewardship +1, Intrigue -1, Learning +6, -5 Fertility
Clubfooted: -1 Martial, -1 Attraction, -1 Personal Combat Score
Scarred: +.5 Tribal, +.1 Prestige
Brawny: +1 Diplomacy, +2 Martial, +1 Health, +1 Attraction, +1 Tribal, +1 Personal Combat Score
Cynical: +2 Intrigue, -2 Learning, -2 Relation with Faithful, -2 Relation with Pious
Weak: -1 Martial, -1 Health, -5 Fertility, -1 Personal Combat Skill, -1 Attraction, -1 Tribal
Quick-Witted: +3 to all stats
Leader: +2 Martial, +1 Stewardship, +2 Defense
Dust Aficionado: +2 Learning
Dust Weaver: +3 Learning, +10 when working with Dust, +2 Relation with Dust Worshippers
-Tribe 3/10
--Elders: 1/10
--Warriors: 5/10

Prestige: 10.34 (+.17 per turn)
Piety: 0.36 (+.18 per turn)

Gender: Male
Race: Faunus (Poisonous Scorpion Tail)
Religion: Faithless

Opinion of Colubra: (2/10)

Diplomacy: 2
Martial: 13
Stewardship: 4
Intrigue: 5
Learning: -1

Personal Combat Score: 23 (25/28)
Weapons:
*Alkutul Alhamra, the Red Talons: +2 PCS, can set the claws on fire for +3 PCS.
*Stone and Mortar, Runed Bronze Longsword and Knife, +2 PCS, Defensive

Tribal Influenced Education - Martial: Tough Warrior +3 Martial, -1 Learning, +.5 Health, +1 Personal Combat Skill
Scarred: +.5 Tribal, +.1 Prestige
Brawny: +1 Diplomacy, +2 Martial, +1 Health, +1 Attraction, +1 Tribal, +1 Personal Combat Score
Branded: -5 relation with Humans
Cynical: +2 Intrigue, -2 Learning, -2 Relation with Faithful, -2 Relation with Pious
Awakened Aura: +1 Martial, +.5 Health, +1 Aura
Blessed by the Mother Goddess: +1 Martial, +5 Personal Combat
Duelist: +3 Martial, +5 Personal Combat Score

-Tribe 0/10
--Elders: -3/10
--Warriors: 8/10

Prestige: 50.24 (+.12 per turn)
Piety: -0.42 (-.21 per turn)

Gender: Female
Race: Faunus (Grey Feathered Wings)
Religion: Dust Worship

Opinion of Colubra: (0/10)

Diplomacy: 9
Martial: 7
Stewardship: 5
Intrigue: 2
Learning: 12

Fate Points: 1

Personal Combat Score: 7 (8/9)
Weapons:
*Defender, a Shield and Musket: +1 PCS in close combat, +2 PCS at range.

Tribal Influenced Education - Learning: Dutiful Dust Scholar
Clubfooted: -1 Martial, -1 Attraction, -1 Personal Combat Score
Brawny: +1 Diplomacy, +2 Martial, +1 Health, +1 Attraction, +1 Tribal, +1 Personal Combat Score
Grievously Scarred: +.5 Tribal, +.15 Prestige Gain,
Touched By Destiny: Gain +10 to any roll once per turn.
Ugly: -1 Diplomacy, -2 Attraction
Weak: -1 Martial, -1 Health, -5 Fertility, -1 Personal Combat Skill, -1 Attraction, -1 Tribal
Idealist: Gain a Fate Point
Grimm Expert: +10 to actions against the Grimm
Dust Aficionado:+2 Learning
Dust Weaver: +3 Learning, +10 when working with Dust, +2 Relation with Dust Worshippers
Favored By The Elders: +2 Relation with the Elders, Unlikely to take any actions against the Elders' wishes.
Pious: +1 Martial, +1 Learning, -1 Relation with Cynical

-Tribe 8/10
--Elders: 9/10
--Warriors: 3/10

Prestige: 0.38 (+.19 per turn)
Piety: 0.44 (+.22 per turn)

Gender: Male
Race: Faunus (White Feathered Wings)
Religion: Dust Worship

Opinion of Colubra: (6/10)

Diplomacy: 11
Martial: 7
Stewardship: 4
Intrigue: 20
Learning: 5

Personal Combat Score: 6
Weapons:
*Silberstaff: +0 PCS, Insulting to Diamant

Tribal Influenced Education - Intrigue: Intricate Webweaver +1 Diplomacy, +1 Martial, -1 Stewardship, +6 Intrigue
Master Seducer: +1 Diplomacy, +2 Intrigue, +5 Attraction
Coward: -2 Martial, -1 Personal Combat Skill
Cynical: +2 Intrigue, -2 Learning, -2 Relation with Faithful, -2 Relation with Pious
Awakened Aura: +1 Martial, +.5 Health, +1 Aura
Dust Aficionado:+2 Learning
Dust Weaver: +3 Learning, +10 when working with Dust, +2 Relation with Dust Worshippers
Spark of Insight: Chance to gain +20 or -20 to rolls.

Spouse: Colubra
Lovers: Colubra
Children:
Parents:

-Tribe 3/10
--Elders: 1/10
--Warriors: 5/10

Prestige: 0.22 (+.11 per turn)
Piety: -0.38 (-.19 per turn)

Owl Faunus (Feathered Hair)
Known Traits: Pragmatic, Pious
Relation to Colubra: (?/10)

Goat Faunus (Impressive Beard)
Known Traits: Brawny, Wroth
Relation to Colubra: (?/10)

Race: Faunus (Aquatic - Unknown)
Age: 57
Known Traits: Pious, Eldest Elder, Devoted
Suspected Highest Attribute: Learning
Relation to Colubra (?/10)

Known Characters Outside the Schnee Tribe

Suspected Age: 14
Suspected Traits: Experienced Rider, Vengeful, Pragmatic
Suspected Highest Attribute: Martial
Relation to Colubra (2/10)
-Historical Schnee Tribe Actions (-3)
-Helped me break free of the Schloss (+5)

Raiu · May 1, 2018

The frozen lands of Solitas are cold, unforgiving, and valuable. No where else in Remnant do Dust crystals of such size pierce through the ground. No where else in Remnant does the weather freeze Grimm and Men solid. No where else in Remnant does the ground choke itself with writhing vines, strangling the life out of lesser plants.

Your people know Solitas better than most. They are scholars, mystics and scientists, working to unravel the secrets of the world even as their bellies growl and fingers blacken. They know the pain they feel is the payment for a golden age to come. The Four Kingdoms were so advanced, but they fell because they grew complacent. Your people will never let that fall happen again.

Solitas is a large continent, and though much of it remains inhospitable for life, there is a diversity to the tribes. Who is your tribe?

Choose ONE from the Unique Starting list OR Choose ONE each from the Location and Specialization lists.

[] Keepers of the Geppetto Vaults: Your tribe are descendants of a research institute in the Ruins of Atlas, the buildings bearing the name Geppetto, which is where your tribe gains it's name. Within the Geppetto tribe, however, there exists a divided people. One side, the Keepers, are a caste of scholars who maintain the Vaults and seek knowledge of the Before Times. The second faction, the Warhawks, are a caste of warriors who claim descent from the military of Atlas and serve as the shield against the constant Grimm and Raider attacks. Both sides vie for power and control over the Seven Vaults: long sealed constructs under the research institute. No records remain of their contents, but they no doubt contain objects of great power within. (Tribe instead values Martial Might and Learning, with two factions to manage. Gain Weaponry 2, tribe is located directly in the Ruins of Atlas. Frequent, almost constant, Grimm, Raider and Reclaimer attacks.)
-[] You come from the Keepers, who are the ones who should concern themselves of the secrets of the universe, while the Warhawks continue their traditional role. (Bonus to Learning, Penalty to Martial, Warhawks dislike a Keeper as leader.)
-[] You come from the Warhawks, who have defended the tribe for generations. The Keepers are content to simply let their knowledge rot while the rest of the world dies. You will change that fate. (Bonus to Martial, Penalty to Learning, Keepers dislike a Warhawk as leader.)
-[] You are neither Keeper nor Warhawk. Instead you are a Gatherer, part of a minor faction made up of those who are not scholars nor warriors. You exist outside of the caste system, and you may be just the force to resolve the tensions between the Warhawks and Keepers. (Bonus to Stewardship, gathering of Artifacts is easier, the Keepers and Warhawks dislike having a Gatherer in charge.)

[] Scholars of the Solitary Eye: During the time of the Four Kingdoms, your ancestors were banished to the Lonely Eye island in the center of Lake Solitas. The world saw fit to forget you, and your people only noticed the fall when the meager supplies stopped flowing. Even among the tribes of Solitas, however, you are considered barbarians. Your homeland is frozen even during the summer, and what little resources on the island have been used generations ago. Your people have made countless sacrifices to survive, but you have grown strong for it. Your people are masters of Lake Solitas, and with weapons of Dust you will strike the weak and ensure your tribe's survival. (Gain Dust Working 1, unique technology Dust Weapons 1, warriors use weapons made from Dust Crystals, leader must succeed at Raids or preform Sacrifices or be Sacrificed in turn. All tribes hate and fear you. Your island, however, is very safe.)

If you do not choose one of the Unique Starting tribes, instead choose from below. Planned voting only.

Your Tribe's name:
[] Write-In.

[] The Ruins of Atlas: Grimm infested and haunted by the ghosts of the unburied dead, the Ruins of Atlas still hold great secrets. Once the greatest center of learning in Remnant, the great research complexes surrounding the Atlas Academy are strangely quiet. Few tribes dare travel near the city, and fewer still call the Ruins home. For the Reclaimers, however, the Ruins are a holy land which hold manifestations of their machine god. No one is sure which is worse: the Grimm or the Reclaimer expeditions.

[] The Grimmsbane Mountains: To the north ofSolitas, the Grimmsbane Mountains stand like a hateful wall to any who would claim mastery over them. From a distance, the mountains seem surrounded by a sea of dark trees, but as one nears, the trees reveal themselves to be the ancient frozen forms of Grimm. The men who call this land home as equally unforgiving, the cold breeding hard folk. Even in the days of Atlas, no one could master the Grimmsbane Mountains. No one.

[] The White Castle: On a mountain near the Old City of Mantle, there stands a magnificent castle made of the purest white. The tales say, long ago, the White Castle was the home of the Schnees: the family which ruled over Atlas with an iron grip. The Schnees have not been seen since the fall of Atlas, and the only route up the mountain to the castle was destroyed long ago. Tales still remain of a thousand thousand rooms adorned with countless Dust crystals, stocked with food enough for a million lifetimes. No one who has ventured to the White Castle ever returned, but strange lights can still be seen near the grand structure.

[] The Longhorn Plains: If there is any portion of Solitas which can be called fertile, it is the Longhorn Plains. On the southern edge of Solitas, the Longhorn Plains' suffers less during the cold winter, and it's black soil nurtures much life. However, while the Longhorn Plains are rich in life, very little Dust can be found on the plains. As a result, while the people of the Longhorn Plains are well fed, they must use their strength alone to defend against the Grimm.

This option can be taken with any of the options below, with the combination counting as one choice. Age of Grimm is not a happy setting, and the thought of "We are suffering together" has yet to take form. People are scared of things which are different, and Humans notice the small difference between them and Faunus all to easily.

[] Faunus Refuge: Your people were once slaves in Solitas. By the sweat and blood of Faunus, the riches of Solitas were uncovered for Atlas. Long before the fall of Atlas, the Humans had the decency of calling you slaves, rather than the euphemistic "Outsourced Contractors." With the fall of the Four Kingdoms, what few Faunus who lived in Atlas once more found themselves slaves, but your tribe is free. You have learned from the past, and you will not let your people suffer in bondage. (Tribe is made up of Faunus rather than Humans. Bonus to raids taken at night. Access to unique Faunus abilities. Other Faunus tribes like you. Humans hate you and use your people as cheap labor.)

[] Dust Studies: If there is a single resource which is worthy of worship, it is Dust. Without Dust, the Grimm would have destroyed the Four Kingdoms long before their decline, and without Dust, your tribe would not have survived until now. Dust is a gift from the one who created Remnant, and it must be respected. (Gain Dust Use 1, religion is Proto-Children of Remnant, all people are made from Dust and to Dust do they return. Leaders are chosen for their mastery of Dust and many venerate a specific type of Dust as their own.)

[] History of Heroes: Remnant's history is filled with tales of great warriors, people who hunted the Grimm and drove them back into the darkness from whence they came. The greatest of this warriors, the Huntsmen, had Auras which could turn aside the blows of a thousand Beowulfs, and it is tales of the Huntsmen which give your people hope. By emulating the Huntsmen, your people will one day drive back the Grimm, and claim Remnant for themselves. (Gain Huntsmen Teachings 1, religion is Proto-Progenitor, the Aura is sacred and the death rate is higher for children due to the process of Aura unlocking. A favored Huntsman is selected by a hopeful leader, and their teachings must be followed.)

[] Reclaimer: The relics of the Four Kingdoms contain great power. Others may look at a relic and see a hunk of iron, but your people see the power within. You will find the sacred relics, liberating them from the hansd of the unbelievers. All hail the mighty Machine! (Gain Religion and Trait: Reclaimer, leaders are chosen by the number and quality of artifacts they find. Dismantling an artifact is a sin against the Machine and Destruction of a artifact is the greatest heresy.)

Raiu · May 5, 2018

In the histories of old, the naming of a hated enemy changed them, reducing the enemy into something which could be killed. To your people, the Schnee Dust Company was such an enemy. While others may have seen fit to replace old scars with fresh wounds, you forget nothing. The wisdom of the ancients goes "No evil deed goes unpunished," and the Schnees have a large debt to pay. This is why your tribe adopted the name of Schnee, so the debt can never be forgotten. There are other debts, of course, but none as great as the Schnees.

The Schnees, however, forced your tribe onto the path of greatness. Nearly every member of your tribe can rightfully claim heritage from one of the ancestors who once worked the Schnee Dust mines. Through their servitude, they learned much of Dust's secrets, and the tribe still holds some of the ancient knowledge. The Elders tell the story of Dust, and every member of your tribe knows the tale by heart.

This is the story of Dust, and it's truth cannot be questioned as the Elders have been blessed by Nerthus to never speak falsehoods.

Long ago, Ingwaz, the God of Humanity, grew jealous of the power Nerthus, the Mother Goddess of the Faunus, had granted onto her children, for it was far beyond any the greedy Ingwaz could produce. Without the strength to best Nerthus in battle, Ingwaz instead gave a bowl of water poisoned by a foulness to Nerthus. The Mother Goddess, ever kind to her fellow deities, drank the poison and fell into a deep slumber.

The trickster then fell upon the Mother Goddess, but when he could not steal her power, he slew Her and threw Her remains across Remnant. There She became the Dust which Humans had forced the Faunus to mine, for no Human can touch Dust which has not been excavated by a Faunus' hand. One day, the Faunus shall rise up and claim the Dust of the Mother Goddess as is their birthright. So say the Elders, and thus is the truth.

We have heard the story of your tribe, but not the story of it's leader. Your story is your own, not yet uttered by the silver tongues of the Elders.

AN: Remember, planned voting only.

Name: [] Write-In.

Gender: [] Male or Female.

Faunus Trait: [] Write-In. The Blessed By The Mother Goddess trait is needed for anything more than a cosmetic trait.

Champion Weapon: Every tribe has a weapon of the highest quality reserved for the leader of the tribe. This weapon is as much a symbol of the tribe's honor as your ability.
[] Write-In. If you choose the Champion Mechashift Weapon trait, you can combine a melee and a ranged weapon of some complexity.

History: Not every Faunus is born into a tribe. While the time of the Four Kingdoms may have been a time of at least begrudging acceptance, the Faunus of today have no such luck. Only in distant Menagerie are the Faunus able to claim acceptance, but they have simply changed the target of their loathing. Such talk of distant lands is not a part of your story, so where does your's begin?

[] You used to be a slave to a human tribe, born from other slaves of the same tribe. Your life was spent toiling on whatever project your masters deemed necessary, and the switch was never far from their hands. During a bandit attack you managed to escape, somehow finding the Schnee tribe before the Grimm found you. (Gain traits: Scarred and Brawny. Choose between Branded or Clubfooted (Non-inheritable) (if Clubfooted, gain a trait choice). One tribe considers you their property and wants you back in chains.)
[] You was the "Pet" of a tribal champion. He had taken an interest in you, stealing you from your original tribe in a raid. It had taken years for you to find the right time for your escape, but you did. In doing so, you made sure no one else would fall prey to your "owner" ever again. (Gain the Master Seducer/Seductress trait. One tribe in the area wishes to make an example out of you.)
[] Free Faunus: You were born into the tribe, and you have only see the pain of your people, never experiencing the pain first-hand. You were the favored successor for the previous champion, and were prepared for that role by the Elders. You have learned much from the Elders, and only fools would call their true teachings into question. (Gain trait: Mystic. People within your tribe gain +1 Relation (Tribal Insider). It's harder to break from tradition, with anti-traditional choices receiving a .5 weight modifier.)

Trait Selection: Choose two traits. You can gain more trait choices by selecting up to two negative traits.

[] Awakened Aura: While the process is brutal, having an Aura which can defend oneself is useful in these cruel times.
[] Wellspring of Aura: Even among those who possess an awakened Aura, your's is especially powerful. Almost as powerful as the Huntsmen of old. Counts as Two Traits. Requires Awakened Aura.
[] Blessed by the Goddess Mother: While all Faunus have a trait which separates them from Humanity, you were born with something unique. Perhaps it was a pair of beautiful wings, skin which can change color, fangs which leak venom or any other advantage which marks you as unique.
[] Mechashift Champion Weapon: The secrets of true mecha-shifting weaponry was lost with the Four Kingdoms, but some tribes have created unique replicas. Your weapon is one such masterwork. (Select a melee and ranged weapon to combine, up to a smoothbore musket in complexity.)
[] Duelist: A touchy ego and a quick trigger-sword finger make for a lethal combination.
[] Greedy: You love to hoard resources! Why? Who cares! You have shinies!
[] Giant: By the Gods, you're enormous (even by the standards of Remnant)! Genetics has (blessed? cursed?) you with a towering size, to use as you see fit. Many find you intimidating, but you have no hope of hiding in a crowd.
[] Spartan: You shun decoration and frivolities. Instead, you require simplicity, practicality, and a humbling faith.
[] Touched By Destiny: Despite the cruel world you inhabit, you've always felt a sense of… purpose.
[] Laconic: You are not prone to long-winded speeches, but when you do speak, each word bears weight beyond its brevity.
[] Coward - You didn't survive this long by sticking your head out as far as possible. Gain a trait selection.
[] Brave: You fear nothing… even if you should.
[] Gregarious: You are outgoing and boisterous, much to the delight of your company.
[] Recluse: You shun the company of others, and have dedicated your time to other pursuits.
[] Randy: You have a one track mind, one that leads straight to bed. This has led to years of expertise in dealing with the opposite (or same) sex.
[] Chaste: You've never been one to indulge in sex.
[] Fashionable: You know that keeping yourself immersed in the latest fashions is important when holding court. Plus, you look fine as hell.
[] Trusting: You like people, and they appreciate that.
[] Likeable: You're easy to get along with, and people trust you more easily. You didn't become that way by hiding away and reading a book, however.
[] Subtle: Large, ostentatious meetings or displays of power have never been your style. Manipulating from the shadows, however…
[] Paranoid: You didn't get this far in life without watching your back...constantly. Unfortunately it also has led you to assuming the worst of everyone.
[] Cruel: You are by most accounts, a vicious Champion.
[] Kind: You are known as a caring, soft-hearted Champion.
[] Wroth: You have a quick temper, and it is a dangerous, unstable thing when roused.
[] Calm: You have a neutral temperament, one that has colored your personality a great deal.
[] Attractive: You are beautiful/handsome... even by Remnant standards!
[] Ugly: By the Gods… hideous people do exist on Remnant, and you're one of them! Gain one trait selection.
[] Hunter: While everyone in your tribe has to pull their own weight, you have been known to bring back much more than is needed to feed yourself.
[] Raider: Even though you are young, you've earned a reputation as a raider equal to any bandit lord.
[] Cold: You rule your tribe with a frigid, practical demeanour.
[] Cutthroat: Even at a young age, you were always knew you would do whatever shady shit had to get done to get what you wanted.
[] Smuggler: Years of engaging in clandestine criminal enterprises have given you a wealth of experience in concealment.
[] Bruiser: Never has a problem presented itself that cannot be solved with violence.
[] Flair for the Dramatic: You missed your calling as an actor, as you are able to easily emotionally invest those you work with. However, you are less inclined to take subtle, less glory-winning approaches.
[] Pious: You love learning about your religion, and all its facets.
[] Strange Customs: No one will question your devotion to your religion… but they might raise an eyebrow at how you profess it.
[] Genius: You excel at all that you try. Counts as two traits.
[] Quick-Witted: You are a fast learner. Cannot be taken with 'Genius'.
[] Booming Voice: Your vocal cords go all the way to eleven, a useful trait to wield on the battlefield… but not anywhere else.
[] Persuasive: You always find the right words, be it small talk with leaders or a speech for your warriors. However, you are now more inclined to find the less confrontational path.
[] Silver-Tongued: You always know exactly what to say at all times.
[] Hedonist: Life has to be lived to the fullest, and you can use that experience well.
[] Interrogator: You have received good instruction on how to extract information from prisoners. This has made you very adept at the practice, but your mindset is off-putting in polite company.
[] Strong: You are blessed with a powerful physique.
[] Weak: You have been cursed with a weak frame in world of death. You've filled your time with other pursuits. Gain one trait.
[] Wroth: Your anger strikes frequently and without mercy.
[] Agile: You are flexible and quick.
[] Leader: You are a natural born leader, able to inspire and draw others to your cause. Counts as two traits.
[] Good Sense of Humor: You have a standout sense of humor. Naturally, this requires not taking everything as seriously as one should.
[] Whisperer: You keep your speech quiet, and know how to pick up on other's muted mumblings.
[] Zealous: You take your faith very seriously.
[] Cynical: Religion may be popular now, but it's never really been your thing in the first place. Gain one trait.
[] Ostentatious: You're a Champion dammit! Make your people bow and scrape before your radiant glory!
[] Pragmatic: Remnant is not a kind world, and reaching for lofty ideals is fit only for fools. Strong steel and a stronger will shall save the day.
[] Idealist: Remnant is not a kind world, but that is why you must change it. Gain one Fate Point, prepare for the consequences.
[] Arrogant: You sneer at those below you. How could you not? You are their Champion!
[] Small Frame: You aren't as large as many of your peers, but you are certainly more agile.
[] Just: You always do your best to wield the scales of justice with care, and hold yourself to a higher standard than most.
[] Arbitrary: Your rule is capricious and fickle. Gain one trait.
[] Grimm Expert: The creatures of Grimm rule Remnant, and you decided early on to acquire as much knowledge about them as you could.
[] Dust Aficionado: Dust is sacred to every member of your tribe, but you are a master in it's veneration.
[] Dust Weaver: The art of weaving Dust into threads is a mysterious and art, one which has been mastered by very few people. You, however, are one such master. Requires Dust Aficionado.
[] Spark of Insight: Madness? Genius? Who knows, but you have sudden bouts of inspiration that can bear exceptional result... If they don't kill you first.

Raiu · May 7, 2018

Before I roll up our character's stats, let me just give a run down on the political situation of the Schnee Tribe at the beginning.

Colubra Ezkutuko is the tribal Champion, and she is well known for her spiritual connection to Dust, as she has not only learned many secrets from the Elders, but has also mastered the difficult art of turning Dust Crystals into Dust Strands. There are whispers, however, that Colubra does not see eye-to-eye with the Elders, a potentially damning rumor. While The Cobra is not great in might, her mind has earned her place as the leader of the Schnees, and her fangs show how the Mother Goddess has blessed her. Perhaps one day she shall see the truth of the Elder's words, but Elatha, the weapon of the Schnee Champion, is her's to possess.

Colubra's greatest rival in the tribe is Diamant, a fellow student of the Elders and a master of the creation of Dust Strands. The two had studied under Elder Bubo, the greatest master of Dust the tribe had ever seen before his passing, and for a time it appeared the Lynx would be chosen to lead the tribe. While she has been passed over, Diamant's popularity in the tribe is nearly equal to Colubra, and while she may not be as quick witted as Colubra, she is known for sudden flashes of inspiration and the fact her Aura is awakened. However, it is said Diamant shares Colubra's disagreements with the Elders, and she shies away from direct confrontation. If Diamant proves to be a threat to Colubra's leadership, it will be far more insidious than a challenge. She wields the Silverstave, a staff of pure white with a sharp spike on one end, and a slot for a carefully worked Dust Crystal on the other end.

There are four others who could claim leadership of the Schnee tribe, though in the case of three it is much less than Diamant, and marginal in the case of the last.

Vulpina Clay, an escaped slave who was born into the now dead Clay Tribe, is popular among some of the warriors despite her hobbled leg. She is well known for her ability to lead warriors, her disability hardly slowing her down at the head of a charge. Though she had not been born with a towering strength, her hard life has mitigated much of the disadvantage, but many wish she would listen to the Elders words and fully join the tribe. It had been the Fox who had gifted the Schnees with the Clay's greatest weapon, allowing Redemption, the former Champion weapon of the Schnees, to be placedin the Elder's hall with glory. She also brought much of the knowledge of the Clay's with her when she escaped, allowing the tribe to gain a deeper understanding of Dust.

Ebon Ramirez shares a connected history with Vulpina Clay, escaping from the same tribe at the same time. Unlike his friend, however, Ebon finds his support among the scouts and vanguard of the tribe. Where Vulpina leads by pushing her men to higher and higher heights through words, Ebon leads by example, carving a path through the enemy. While others would attempt to hide their past as a slave, Ebon the Scorpion wears the large brand on his back with pride, as if he dares his captors to try and take him again. While he can claim no mastery of Dust, he has been blessed by the Mother Goddess with a strange tail which drips with poison, a trait which he frequently makes use of in conjunction with his Alkutul Alhamra, the Red Talons: a pair of claws which have Red Dust Strands worked into them by Vulpina. None but Ebon can claim the title of Schnee's greatest fighter, for few can pierce the Aura of the Scorpion.

Crowe Angelus is far from a beautiful woman. While she may have once been pleasant to look at once, her slavers had enacted much cruelty on her now veiled face. In their cruelty, they had also crippled her wings and legs, stealing from her forever the freedom of flight and movement. Despite, or perhaps because of her injuries, she is an exceptionally hopeful individual, always looking forward to the day her people would not longer need to live in fear of Humanity. She is beloved by the Elders, and though her influence does not spread much farther, she is the Shield and Shot of the Elders.

The final person who could contend for leadership of the Tribe, though barely, is Ikarus. A recent addition to the Schnee tribe, Ikarus has yet to make a large splash in the tribe, but the Angel of the Schnees is of the crafty sort. The one time pet of the Schloss Tribe, Ikarus wasted little time integrating himself into the Schnee tribe, and more than a few women have fallen for his talents. While currently a small threat, he must be treated carefully lest Colubra finds herself wrapped around his little finger. He wields the Silberstaff, a mockery of Diamant's Silverstaff in every way, as the two vehemently despise each other.

Raiu · May 7, 2018

Diplomacy: 11
Martial: 11
Stewardship: 6
Intrigue: 8
Learning: 19

Tribal Influenced Education - Learning: Dutiful Dust Scholar -1 Intrigue, +3 Learning.
Cynical +2 Intrigue, -2 Learning, -2 Relation with Faithful, -2 Relation with Pious
Weak -1 Martial
Quick-witted +3 to all stats
Dust Aficionado +2 Learning
Dust Weaver +3 Learning, +10 when working with Dust, +2 Relation with Dust Worshipers.
Mystic: +1 Stewardship, +2 Learning, +1 Relation with Elders

Diplomacy: While your people are not known for creating ties with other tribes, you strove to sooth tensions within your own tribes through words rather than through dueling. No doubt this will serve you well if you encounter friendly tribes.

Martial: Despite being cursed with a weak physique, you have replaced power with quick thinking. You know exactly where to place your force, be it through Elatha or your tribe's forces. There may be better warriors and better commanders, but you are capable.

Stewardship: Your learning at the hands of Elder Bubo did not cover much of the art of administering your tribe. You barely know how to effectively forage for food, and you have never conducted a scavenging party into the ruins of Mantle. Hopefully you will not horrifically fail.

Intrigue: While not the sneakiest of Faunus, you have experience in preparing large raids against rival tribes and the fine art of scouting. You are skilled enough to know when to pull out, so you should be able to avoid massive disasters.

Learning: You are a rare intelligence among your people, and your knowledge marks you as the successor to Elder Bubo's mastery. While others view your knowledge as a great faith, you are decidedly more secular in your knowledge. The Elders oft lament on your cynical nature, knowing that if you fully embraced the faith you would exceed Bubo's greatness.

Edit: Check the character sheet for the full story.

Raiu · May 8, 2018

The Schloss Tribe: The largest tribe in the region, the Schloss Tribe is a Human tribe spread out in a series of fortified camps. They are known to be great builders, and their ability to move their entire defensive structures in a series of days is well known. They also have many Faunus slaves, using them to build and maintain their works while their foragers gather food. They the strongest tribe in the Mantle Highlands, though they do not attack directly. They are led by Erbauer Schloss, a brutal man who likes to build great structures for himself.

The Bauernhof Tribe: The Bauernhof Tribe is a small community who has settled in the Mantle Highlands after they were driven away from the Longhorn Plains by stronger tribes. Their numbers are few, but they cultivate the land and often trade with the Schloss Tribe to improve their land. They have few warriors, preferring to keep what few fighters they have close in case the Grimm attack. They are led by Leben, a man who prefers to work the fields and ensure his people are safe.

The Krieger Tribe: Descendants of the great Army of Atlas, the Kriegers are not a peaceful tribe. While they do not engage in much fighting now, five winters ago they attacked the Schloss Tribe in a massive raid. The Schloss retaliated, decimating the Kriegers and forcing them off the war path. For now, they are content to hire out their warriors to other tribes in order to ensure food comes to their table, but they are ever watchful for a chance to strike. They are led by War, a man who constantly wears a full-face metal helmet, is known to be a great commander of men and carries a transforming weapon known as the Beast's Bane, a shotgun-axe mechashift weapon. They are also the greatest slavers in the region, putting many Faunus into chains during their exploration.

The Tier Tribe: The only other known Faunus Tribe in the Mantle Highlands, the Tier Tribe are master raiders who frequently conduct night attacks on the Schloss and Bauernhof tribes, constantly probing their defenses. Their camp constantly moves, never staying in the same place for more than a week even in the dead of winter. While you share common blood, the Tiers do not have a good relationship with the Schnees after a previous Champion attempted to convert them to the worship of Dust, with the Tiers preferring to avoid your tribe. You believe they are led by pair of twins known as Hund and Koter, and they have a reputation for being exceptionally bloody warriors.

The Zuruck Ford Tribe: The Zuruck Ford Tribe is an enclave of Reclaimers living on the very edge of the Ruins of Mantle made up of people who were expelled from the Ruins of Atlas. The Zuruck Fords delve into the depths of Mantle frequently, pulling valuable artifacts from the ruins and using them to conduct raids on the other tribes. They are lead by the Mechani-Priest, an abomination who was once a man, but who has attached so many artifacts to himself you doubt he can be called a person.

The Gathering of the Winter Warrior: On the northern edge of the Mantle Highlands, there exists a tiny tribe of people who worship a figure known as the Winter Warrior. You do not know much about these people, only that they were once made up of both Faunus and Human, but their numbers have dwindled extensively due to slavers. They are a dying tribe, but nearly all of their people have Awakened Auras. You believe they are led by someone known as The Huntsman, but you know little beyond their name.

Raiu · May 10, 2018

And thus began the leadership of Colubra Ezkutuko, The Cobra of Schnee. A mistress of Dust and the greatest mind since the passing of her teacher Elder Bubo, she became the physical guide of the Schnee Tribe, second only to the Elder's spiritual guidance.
High Elder Erasmis, The Chronicle of the Great Schnee Tribe, 525 AF

You are Colubra Ezkutuko, and you have a problem. The problem isn't the ever present threat of a Grimm attack. Nor is it the scarcity of Dust you possess. Nor, for that matter, is it the scavenged food supply which will last but three months, the fact your friend Diamant has stopped speaking to you, the thought that many Faunus are in chains, the surge in Krieger slaver parties or the still cold spring.

Your problem is High Elder Erasmus won't stop droning on about useless drivel. 'Divine right' this and 'Holy quest' that and 'Great faith' those. Did the senile old hawk think putting on a show for the tribe was going to help your people get ready for the winter?! It's spring, the time to find sources of food which would be ready to gather in the summer and to build. He can have his time preaching about his Dust myths during the winter when there is little else to do.

You thought he finished his speech, but then he drew in a breath to reveal it was a two-parter. You groaned inwardly, knowing he would have to tire eventually... You hoped.

"He's dead, you know. The Champion."

"What? Really? Where did you hear this from? How'd he kick the pail?"

"From one of the scouts, you know, the one with the scar he got from a Beowulf and is into me? Well, he told me he saw the Champ and his missionaries on their way back from the Tiers, but he won't tell me how it happened." Her voice dropped low, becoming an approximation of conspiratorial. "Apparently the Elders are keeping everything hush hush, but all I had to do was look in his direction and he told me what he could. I'm sure I could get the full story after the new Champ is sworn in."

"Well, she can't be any worse than the last one."

"Oh, you already have someone in mind? Come on, spill!"

Despite their attempts to keep the conversation quiet, you could still hear every word of your students' whispers. You'd think they would realize their voices carried in your quiet tent, but your students never seemed to learn.

"I'm not hearing hammers Sanderling, Raven." You, Dust Weaver Colubra Ezkutuko of the Schnee Tribe, put on your teacher's voice, cutting through the chatter. "Etching is the first skill you need to learn to become a Dust Weaver, not chatting. Once I'm happy with your work, then you can chat."

You let the disapproval sink in for a moment longer, watching the guilty faces of your young students. 'They're always so cute before their nameday. I did the same thing with Bubo, but I have to keep up appearances.' You thought to yourself, letting the guilt sink in a little further. After a moment, you smiled. "Besides, I already know who will win. Diamant's been the favorite of the Elders since Bubo passed, and they've been grooming her. There's no one better for it than her, and besides, I'm sure her big ideas would make her a better leader than a Dust Weaver."

The two girls looked at each other before Sanderling spoke up. "Well, I know my brother wants Ebon to take over."

Raven interrupted, "Vulpina's gotten pretty popular with the Warriors. I think she'd team up with Ebon, and be a Champion maker."

"I doubt it." You broke in, "The Warriors will follow the Elder's block, just like they've done for the past three Elections."

"You know," Raven said, cutting off Sanderling before she could speak. "I heard from my uncle who works with Ebon that the Warriors really don't like Diamant. And I mean really don't like. They're more likely to go for you than Diamant!"

You put on a troubled face and moved back to being the strict teacher. "Alright, that's enough of that. We'll find out when they call for an Election. However, what you both need to do now is to keep engraving. If you don't finish before mid-day call, we'll have to work through the meal."

Just as it had worked for you and Diamant, the threat of missing out on the tribe's social life worked wonders with the girls. 'Was it really this easy with us?'

~~~~~

Outside the your tent, you could believe spring had come early. It was unseasonably warm, with only the lightest of winter furs needed for comfort. Though it was still yet winter, the spring rugs were dragged before the ever-lit bonfire and the meal held outside. After a long winter under an incompetent Champion, the Schnees were elated to dine under the light of the sun. The conversations were animated, and the winter ration of pemmican seemed easier to swallow.

As usual, the people had questions for Bubo the Dust Master's star pupil, ranging from further insight into one type of Dust or the prayers to say for Dust to bring blessings onto this object or that person or for an easy childbirth and the like. You believed in none of it, of course, but being the one who took over for the second highest and most easily approachable religious authority meant you had to know a good deal about the lies you were dealing. 'Dust is just Dust.' You wished you could say, 'There's no need to give it divine origins. They won't tell you the future like my coins.'

Something cold and wet was gently pressed against your neck. You flinched, barely suppressing a snake-like hiss, your fangs bouncing against your tongue. There was only one person who would do that. "Diamant, don't do that! You know I hate it when my neck is cold."

Diamant, your fellow graduate of Bubo and closest friend, laughed to herself as she sat down. Out of the two of you, she clearly put in the most time looking pretty, decorating her neck with a small tear shaped icon of blue Dust, the point of the tear pointing upwards to her face and the feline playfulness in her expression. "I know Co, but watching you keep your fangs from leaping out is just hilarious. Here's my apology." She held two stone cups in her hands, placing one next to your food board.

"This wouldn't happen to be some of the Baunerhof Brew, would it?" You asked, hoping just a little some managed to survive the winter and the Champion's appetites.

"Nope, there's not a drop left in the camp. It's melt water which I soaked a dried ice peach in. A little something-something to help the food go down."

"Well, someone's in a celebratory mood." You remarked, picking up the cup. "Come on Dia, loose lips launch ships. Let's hear it."

Her feline ears drooped downwards and she shrugged. "I can't say, and I mean that. I've been with the Elders all day, and they'll be making a big announcement later."

You looked at her a little miffed. "Well, it seems that there's a lot which people can't talk about today." At Dia's look, you continued, "I won't tell where I heard this from, but this announcement wouldn't happen to be due to something happening outside the wall?"

A decidedly neutral but guarded expression rose on your friend's face. "I've been sworn to silence there." Her words were all the conformation you needed, and you sipped at the mouth chilling drink to stop a worried sound. Suddenly your students' gossip seemed far more important than just some made up rumors. If they were right, things were going to get awkward between you and Diamant.

Before you could get ask her about more questions, you saw the Elder of Elders, Natalius, climb the dais surrounding the ever-burning bonfire. "People of the Schnee, hear me!" He shouted, cutting through all conversations. The people looked at him, ready to hear a speech.

"We, the Elder council," The oldest person in the tribe began, "Have found the current Champion to be of such low and vile character, showing such incompetence in leadership, being incapable in the fight against the oppression of Our People by the Spawn of Ingwaz, we have no other recourse but to strike his name from the annals of the Schnee." To say this caused a stir would be understating the effect the Elder's words had on the people. There was a torrent of shouts, the sounds of appreciation mixing with mutters of dismay, all lost in a sea of confusion. Nothing like this had ever happened in the tribe's annals, nothing.

"Schnee!" Natalius shouted once more, silencing the tribe. "Never before in the history of our tribe, stretching from our founder Hama, has there been a Champion more deserving of being forgotten! He and his bodyguards were returning after attempting to bring the light of the Mother Goddess to our siblings in the Tier tribe when they were ambushed by the Humans!" Loathing dripped from his voice as he named the Faunus People's enemy, but it paled in comparison to his next words.

"The Champion begged for his life, offering up the tribe if he would live. He was cut down by his bodyguards before he could give voice to his treason. The Fang, however, was lost to us, further compounding his sins."

Having your suspicions confirmed and then exceeded stunned you into silence, too surprised to know the rest of the tribe was doing likewise. In the 500 and twenty five year history of the Schnee, there had never been a Champion who attempted to sell out the tribe. To have one at all was...

You looked over at Diamant and she nodded. This... Was far from heartening.

"As executors of Hama's will for all Faunus to choose their leader, we Elders shall conduct an Election at first light. Go to your tents and prepare. At last light, there we shall conduct a mass to pray for good fortune for our next Champion, and damnation for the Traitor."

~~~~~

"Well, I can see why they wanted you to keep quiet." You said, shaking out your large, traditional Dust Weaver hat in the privacy of your communal tent. "If the Elders weren't the ones to tell the tribe, a panic would have broken out."

"You can just imagine how I felt, Co!" Diamant said, using a small polished shard of bronze as a mirror while she combed her hair. "I was talking with the builders when Elder Weise enters the planning tent and tells me to follow him to the Elder's Tent. Sure, it's just a bunch of important old people, but hearing them say it was time for me to become Champion was just..." Your best friend shuddered. "Well, it's what I've been getting ready to do for the past three years, so I shouldn't be this nervous."

"You'll do fine Dia. You've spent every day speaking with people, finding out their problems and doing your best to fix them. Besides, the Elders want you to be the next Champion, so you don't have anything to worry about there." You grimaced at a new hole in your hat. "So, you're going to the sermon?"

"Yeah. I mean, it's all superstition, but it'll look bad if the Champion-to-be isn't there. You skipping out as usual?"

"I'm not the one who is going to be the Champion. Try not to fall asleep during the reciting of the Annals."

"Oh, don't remind me Co!" Dia whined, putting down the mirror and bone comb. "It's going to be hard enough getting through the sermon, don't remind me of the Annals!"

"Have fun." You said in a singsong voice, smiling. "Tell you what, get through the sermon without nodding off and I'll put the next Dust Crystal I can put my hands on and an engraving on your Silverstaff. Deal?"

"Deal." Diamant nodded, standing up. "Hold the walls for me."

You waved, but before Diamant could fully exit, you heard her stop. "Oh, didn't expect to see you two here."

"We got something to talk with Colubra about," You heard a rather rough female voice say, her accent still shining through despite years with the tribe. Vulpina, the crippled Fox herself.

"Hurry on." A male voice this time, and the connection was easy enough to make. Where Vulpina went, chances were Ebon the Scorpion was always nearby. "My Warriors are already there, and I doubt the Elders would like their little favorite shown up." There was a note of derision in his voice, fitting for the man known as Ebon the Apostate by the more religious of the people.

"It's most likely to have Ebon's blades looked at or an engraving checked." You called out. "Go on ahead Dia."

Parting the flap, Vulpina and Ebon entered with the swagger of Warriors. Vulpina, or the Crippled Fox as many called her behind her back, still wore the cloth clothing in the style of her old Southlands tribe, though more and more it was being replaced with patchwork and furs. Two sheathes were at her hip, the axe like blade of her former tribe's Champion, and a straight blade which you had never seen drawn. As another Dust Weaver, though of her tribe's tradition rather than your own, she took the bulk of the devotional work for the Warriors, technically making her your competitor. This was a setup you had no mind to change.

Ebon the Scorpion, named such for his poisonous stinger, bore the brand of the Schloss on his neck, though the indignity only seemed to fuel his Aura. A full head taller than Vulpina, you admittedly had not worked much with the greatest Warrior of your tribe, though you knew the terror he could cause with the thickly Dust woven claws he kept on him. The fact he was here did make the explanation he was here for you to check over Vulpina's work credible. Maybe.

Vulpina looked out the tent flap, watching for something. Apparently satisfied, she turned to you. "I'm going to make this one quick. Colubra, your friend would be a horrible Champion." The statement made you blink, and she continued before you could respond. "The Elders let her meddle with the Warriors before, and she won't trust anyone who actually knows how to do their job. She has no talent for Warrior's work."

Ebon charged in. "We have told our Warriors to vote for you-"

"No, absolutely not." You said firmly, an instinctual reply for a stupid request.

"Hold on, let him finish." Vulpina said, a look of annoyance spreading across her face. "It's not what you expect."

You frowned, looking between the two before nodding. "Alright, I'll hear you out. If you're expecting me to betray Dia, though, you should leave now."

"Then we won't leave.," Ebon stated, the scorpion tail wrapped around his waist twitching. "One way or another, Diamant's going to be the Champion. By having the Warriors under I and Ebon vote for you, we can force your friend to listen to us."

"I said it once," Vulpina repeated, flicking her tail, "She'd be the worst Champion, but if we," She motioned between you and the two of them, "Can shock her enough, show that she's not going to be everyone's favorite Champion, then she'll listen to us. The only choice which would really shock her would be you, especially since you led pretty well while you were under your teacher. We're not looking to burn the walls here, Colubra. Your friend will win and it'll be a matter of making it up later."

She drew her axe-like blade, holding it in open palms as if displaying it. "The Fang was lost with the last Champion, and there's no other worthy weapon. So, I will present Elatha, the Champion's Blade of my old home, to Diamant as she takes charge. This is how important I believe this plan to be."

You considered the plan for a moment. 'The instant the Champion dies, they start pulling me into their schemes. Well, at least it's better than the Champion's idiotic Dust Warrior ideas. Wait...' "You already told your Warriors to vote for me?"

"We have." Ebon nodded.

"Because this idiot," Vulpina tilted her head towards Ebon, "Jumped the axe and told everyone before we were ready."

You saw Ebon open his mouth to protest, but you had heard enough. "Then unless you can tell every Warrior you have to change their vote overnight, you've forced me into this." You took a handful of your hat, gripping it tightly as you began to pace. "Of course you didn't have time to prepare enough, but this sucks. You're forcing me to say yes to something I don't want to do." Your crumpled the Dust Weaver's hat in your hands, coming up with nothing better.

"Relax, the Tribesmen block votes after the Warriors and they'll vote the same as the Elders." Ebon explained. "They haven't voted against the Elders in..." He paused, thinking before shrugging. "Well, not any time I can remember. It's a statement, nothing more."

"That's not the problem here. The problem is I'm gaining absolutely nothing while you get everything!"

"Alright, how about this. Do this for us, and I'll share the Dust Weaving techniques of the Clays. This way you have more things to pass down to your students, and you'll get closer to matching your old teacher. Are you in?" Vulpina asked, leaning forward. You threw the hat to the ground in response.

"Do I even have a choice? Just leave me alone to think on how I'm going to explain this."

"Explain it after the Election. If you blab then-"

"I know, I know. Just... Get out and let me think."

A shorthour later, Diamant returned to the tent to find you on your fur bedding, barely un-crumpled hat covering your head. "Something happen Co?"

"No," You lied, keeping to your role. "It's just... I hate politics."

~~~~~

Twilight was dying a slow death over the camp as the people gathered in the smoldering light of the ever-burning bonfire, it's flames allowed to die down to embers for the ceremony. By law, the entire tribe was in attendance, barring fifteen Warriors who stood watch over the wall during the Election. You vaguely remembered the Warriors who would take no part in the election as a ceremonial representation of the protectors of Hama, the tribe's founder. The fact your mind was regurgitating this old and useless piece of knowledge showed how nervous you were.

The tribe was divided into thirds, with the Elders surrounding the bonfire, either standing or sitting for those too infirm to stand. An aisle was formed between the two halves of the Elders, and this stretch of empty ground served as the division between the Warriors and the Tribesmen. The dais which had been used to announce the news of the previous Champion's death had been replaced by a larger platform of three tiers, with three of the oldest Elders standing on the second tier, clutching ceremonial weapons. Hama's Companions, rendered in ceremony, waiting for the Champion-elect to ascend to the highest dais and take the place of Hama; one of the oldest rituals of your people.

Your nerves, and a desire to avoid listening to the recitation of the Annals interspersed by prayer, drove you to look for your "allies" or rather "conspirators" from your position in the Tribesman block. Ebon and Vulpina were clearly visible at the head of the Warriors, moving through the motions of prayer with varying degrees of sincerity. When not in prayer, you witnessed Ebon staring directly at Angelus, standing next to the Elder of Elders like a bodyguard; and next to Diamant, though you tried hard to not see her.

As the recitation, prayers, and call to Election ended, you heard whispered conversation occurring around you, but before you could pay mind to the mutterings, the Election began. The Elders had timed the ceremony well, and the sun's light rose about the wall the moment they delivered the vote. "The Elders stand with Diamant, student of the late Dust Master Bubo, who has vowed to return the Schnee to glory."

Scattered applause wove through the Tribesmen block, not so much a sign of their support, so much as your block attempting to participate in a ceremony where the deciding vote was rarely placed at their feet. Your mind, however, barely registered the clapping as your nerves transformed into a resounding dread. 'Just hurry and get done with it you two,' You thought pointedly at the two who forced you into this mess, 'Hurry up so I can stop waiting for a disaster and make my life normal again.'

In contrast to the instantaneous nature of the Elders' vote, the Warriors' votes were not collated beforehand. The vote of each individual Warrior, and the muttered attempts by some to convince their peers to change their vote, meant the process went on until the sun was a fist's breadth above the wall. In the end, a result was reached, and Ebon, serving as the greatest of the Warriors, stepped forward. 'Please don't make it a speech. Please don't make it a speech.' You begged.

"The Warriors do not stand with Diamant." He shouted, immediately causing a stir among the Tribesmen. You glanced at Diamant, who did not seem shocked at this, but rather slightly put off. Ignoring the complaints, the Aura'd Warrior of the Schnee simply shouted louder. "We have found Diamant to be incompetent in the ways of war, and unwilling to listen to those who have experienced bloodshed! We have found a Champion who is far more deserving of the title!"

Ebon gestured towards the Tribesmen block, quickly finding you. "The Warriors stand with Colubra Ezkutuko, Dust Master and far more willing to listen than Diamant!"

Sound surrounded you, and you could feel the eyes of your people boring into you. You had gone from a known but relatively unimportant person to a contender, a Rival. All you could do in the face of this change was to not look at Diamant. The look of betrayal you imagined on her face was painful enough; seeing the real thing would break you. With luck, this would all be over soon and you could start making things right.

Following tribal law, you moved to the front of your block, putting yourself in clear view of Diamant, averted gaze and all. You could feel her stare, which only made the wait for the Tribesmen block's vote seem endless. 'Hurry up and just vote for Dia already!' You mentally shouted at the crowd, hoping for a sudden Semblance awakening which would send your message.

Unfortunately, your hopes proved to be futile and the vote dragged on. A rational part of your mind knew the sheer size and unexpectedness of their vote was the cause. The rest of your mind was too busy wishing for it to simply be over.

The voting, convincing, whispers of someone moving around behind you took ages to progress, and eventually you decided to look up. Diamant's face did show hurt, yes, though it was a confused pain. She pointed her hands towards you, palms open like one of your students wanting more of an answer. You gave an apologetic smile, and pointed in the vague direction of your shared tent. She nodded after a pause, giving you the "you'd better" look.

The weight which had been making it hard to breathe suddenly disappeared. This short conversation gave you hope things would be alright, just as soon as the vote-

"The Tribesmen have come to a decision." Someone announced. You turned towards them, finding Ikarus, the Angel of the Schnee, next to you. A smile was on his face, as though some scheme had come to fruition. "The Tribe stands with..."

You smiled at Dia, already celebrating her victory.

"Colubra Ezkututo!" He finished.

For a moment, the words did not process, until the horrible truth sunk in. "What?" You questioned, your voice lost in the silence. You looked towards Dia-

The next conscious thought you had was 'Why am I on the dais? Why is everyone cheering? What's going on?'

You looked above your head, finding Elatha in your hand. The bonfire behind you was not smoldering embers but roaring and leaping, while the pouch of red Dust flakes you kept around your neck was missing. There were people chanting your name. 'Why?' You looked for Diamant...

And saw the look of utter betrayal on her face. "Oh," A small voice, your voice, said to yourself. "I won.

Oh shit."

~~~~~

And thus began the leadership of Colubra Ezkutuko, The Cobra of Schnee, Master Dust Weaver. A mistress of Dust and the greatest mind since the passing of her teacher Dust Master Elder Bubo, she became the physical guide of the Schnee Tribe, second only to the Elder's spiritual guidance. May the Schnees become great under her rule, ordained as she is by the Mother Goddess and the wisdom of the Elders.
Annalist Erasmis, The Annals of the Great Schnee Tribe, 525 AF

You are Colubra Ezkutuko, and you have a problem. The problem isn't the ever present threat of the Grimm, nor is it the lack of Dust in your tribe's supply. It is not, for that matter, the food supply which will last through the spring and no longer, nor the constant threat of Krieger slaving parties, nor the still cold spring.

It's the fact your best friend won't even see you after you accidentally became the champion, and the two people who talked you into doing so haven't come up with a plan to fix it yet.

'Ok, ok. Let's just take this one step at a time. I'll patch things up and it will all be fine. Dia will listen to me, I'm sure of it.'

Ambition: Everyone has a goal they want to achieve. What is yours? Choose One.

Become A Paragon of Virtue.
Have your Name Remembered Proudly.
Get Married.
Groom an heir.
Improve Stewardship.
Become The Strongest Tribe in the Mantle Highlands. (This Ambition cannot be canceled.)
Strengthen Religion.
Find a Great Artifact.

Focus: There are many different ways you can lead your people. What is it that you will focus on? Choose One. This cannot be changed for 5 years (or 60 Turns).

Leadership
Building
Seduction
Intrigue
Hunting
War
Feasting
Kinship
Dust Studies
Elder Teachings

Personal: There are matters which deal with you as a person and not as the Champion, though there is some minor overlap. Choose One.

~~Family: Even in these dark times, you can always rely on your family as a pillar of support.~~ You have no family to call your own, as it has been for quite some time.
~~Spouse: As Champion, your spouse is either your greatest ally or your most dangerous foe. You'd much rather have an ally.~~ You have yet to gain a spouse, but perhaps that is for the best.
Elevate [Rival] to Adviser of [Attribute]: While you are an able ruler, there are limits to what you are able to do alone. While it would give your rivals more power, you can elevate one of them to assist you in ruling.
Marry: In the more dire of circumstances, people hold tight to the last remnants of the old times to give them hope. Marriage is one such remnant. (Select a character in an attempt to marry or start the Marriage Event.) Homosexual Marriages are not Traditional.
Attempt to Solve Disputes Peacefully: Even in this difficult times, or perhaps because of such times, your people still have countless quarrels of little import. Perhaps by solving some of those quarrels, you can improve your own Diplomacy.
Weapon Training: You born weak, and though you make up for it through leadership, you could always do more. Perhaps by training yourself, you can increase your Martial.
Administration Experimentation: The scavengers and builders do their job admirably, but without a leader with a head for practical knowledge, they may miss something important. Perhaps you can increase your capacity for such thought through practice, thereby increasing your Stewardship.
Learn From The Scouts: The scouts are masters of subtle arts, of staying hidden from sight as they gather important knowledge for the tribe. You could learn from them, increasing your capacity of Intrigue.
Delve Into the Mysteries of Dust: While you never approached Dust with the reverence of the Elders, there are some mysteries which you have yet to fully uncover about the Dust. Perhaps through intense study, you can pierce the veil and increase your Learning.
Focus on Leading: You don't have the time to deal with personal matters this month. (Gain 2 Prestige.)
Write-In: There is no doubt more you can do for personal matters.

Diplomacy: Even in this Age of Grimm, there is still value in words. How will you use them? Choose One.

Start a Feast: Partially an attempt to improve your popularity with your tribesmen, partially to improve the wellbeing of your people, you can open the tribe's store of food and call a feast. The people will enjoy the chance to celebrate, but wouldn't such food be better served in the harsh winter?
Contact [Tribe]: The Schnees have not had much contact with nearby tribes, though this has mostly been to avoid attacks from other tribes. Perhaps it is time to talk. Contacting a Human tribe is not Traditional.
Damage the Reputation of [Rival] with [Population Group]: One of your rivals has become too popular for your liking. It's time to cut them down to size.
Befriend [Rival]: There is an old saying from the Before Times: "Keep your friends close and your enemies far away." Perhaps by improving one of your rival's opinion of you, you can turn an enemy into a friend.
Focus on Leading: You don't have time for talking. (Gain 2 Prestige)
Write-In: There is no doubt more you can do with words.

Martial: As the ancients say: "War. War always changes." How will it change for your tribe? Choose One.

Start a Contest: By tradition, young men and women can only become a Warrior by distinguishing themselves in a contest of arms. The Elders are the ones who choose who joins the Warriors, though you do have some say in the choice.
Train Warriors: Your Warriors are all able fighters, but even the greatest warriors has to work to ensure they are not surpassed.
Develop Military Advances (Write-In the theme for the military research): There are many stories of great warriors before the Fall, and though your people have fallen from great heights, there is always a way to climb back out.
Raid [Tribe] for Food: It is time to attack one of your nearby tribes and steal from their food stores. Sound the drums of war, it is time to attack. (You have not scouted out a good target, but you can still order a raid.)
Raid [Tribe] for Dust: It is time to attack one of your nearby tribes and steal their Dust. Sound the drums of war, it is time to get Dust-y. (You have not scouted out a good target, but you can still order a raid.)
Raid [Tribe] to Liberate Slaves: Your scouts have found a tribe with many Faunus slaves. You must liberate your people, and damn any Human who tries to stop you. (You have not scouted out a good target, but you can still order a raid.)
Raid [Tribe] for Artifacts: Your scouts have found powerful Artifacts in the hands of your enemies. Perhaps they would be better suited in your hands. (You have not scouted out a good target, but you can still order a raid.)
Prepare For A Massive Raid on [Tribe]: This is it, you've found a target worthy of sending every willing soul to attack. You will destroy the target and gain everything they have or die trying. (Once taken, all Martial actions will be replaced by Keep Preparing, Attack or Cancel The Raid until the attack happens or it is canceled.) Your scouts have yet to find a suitable target for such an undertaking.
Attack the Grimm: The Grimm have come too close to your camp, and their numbers are small enough you are confident you can drive them back. Warriors will die against these monsters, but it is a sacrifice you are willing to make.
Duel [Rival]: One of your rivals has become too much of a threat towards you. By risking death in combat, you can ensure your power won't be challenged for a time, perhaps even killing your rival in the process.
Focus on Leading: It is a time of peace, and you don't have the time for matters of war. (Gain 2 Prestige.)
Write-In: There is always more you can do with Warriors and a fair amount of bloodlust.

Stewardship: Food, safety, home. All of these can be found in your tribe, but what more can you do? Choose One.

Entrench the Camp: You have found a good position for the camp, and you do not want to give it up. While it would be harder to pack everything up, you can increase the defensiveness of your camp substantially.
Explore The Ruins of Mantle: The Ruins of Mantle are a barely touched treasure trove of artifacts, and they are less Grimm infested than the Ruins of Atlas. If you risk an expedition to the city, you can no doubt find many interesting things hidden in the rubble.
Search for Settling Site: Your people have traveled for long enough. It is time to set down roots. Once you have found a good location, you can truly make a stand against the Grimm.
Establish Trade With [Tribe]: The Schnees have been isolated for a long time, and you have found those who are willing to trade with you. Perhaps this will lead to greatness for your tribe and their's. Conducting Trade with Humans is not Traditional.
Discover Economic Techniques (Write in the theme for the research): The people of the Before Times had many great technological advancements. Perhaps by searching for the root of their greatness, you can reclaim some of that glory for yourself.
Scavenge For Food: Without established farms and the defenses to ensure the Grimm don't taint your fields, your people must either forage for food or steal from other tribes. You'll do the former.
Focus on Leading: Your people have enough food as is, this can wait. (Gain 2 Prestige.)
Write-In: There is always more which can be done with Food in a barter economy.

Intrigue: The scouts and sneaks are always willing to be used against your enemies. How will you use them now? Choose One.

Assassinate [Character]: Someone has raised too many questions about your rule, but you can't overtly kill them. Perhaps it's time for them to die in their sleep.
Assess [Character]: You need to know more about a certain person, so it is time to have your scouts learn all they can.
Seduce [Character]: While you are not particularly skilled in the art of pillow talk, there is someone you would like to have wrapped around your little finger.
Spy On [Character]: You know someone is hiding dangerous secrets. By knowing such secrets, you can ensure they won't move against you or be ruined.
Scout [Tribe]: You need to know more about one of the neighboring tribes. Send the scouts to learn all they can.
Scout the White Castle: The White Castle has never been breached by any tribe, but that means it would contain items of great power. Perhaps if you could find a way to it...
Steal Technology From [Tribe]: One of your neighboring tribes no doubt has made some interesting discoveries. Through subtle arts, your scouts can find their knowledge and bring it to your tribe.
Focus on Ruling: Skullduggery was never your thing, and you can put it off for another month. (Gain 2 Prestige.)
Write-In: The subtle arts are many and varied. No doubt you can come up with more.

Learning: While you don't believe in the Elder's tales, your knowledge and wisdom is your greatest strength. What will you direct it towards this month? Choose One.

~~Pray:~~ You don't believe in the muck about deities and if there is something out there, you'd do better by doing work rather than doing some nonsensical praying.
Choose Favored Dust: Everyone who worships Dust has one type which they revere above all others, having an affinity towards it over all others. (Choose one: Nerthus' Fury (Red), Nerthus' Sorrow (Blue), Nerthus' Voice (Yellow), Nerthus' Freedom (Green).)
Search for Dust: Atlas is a land known for it's excess of Dust, so there must be veins nearby which have erupted from the ground. If you find such a vein, your people will be able to harvest the Dust.
Find Cultural Discoveries (Write-In the theme of the research): Your people are collectors of the knowledge of the Before Times, but the knowledge now is limited. Perhaps by learning from the remnants of the past, you can recover another precious drop of their wisdom.
Weave Dust: The process of turning Dust Crystals into Dust Strands is a long and complicated one, but you are a master of it's working. Dust Strands are easier to work into objects, and the process makes it much easier to activate the Dust by a person who's Aura is dormant. Dust Strands are also easier to implant into someone's body, though it is a dangerous but powerful art. (You can choose to weave the resulting Dust Strands into an object such as a weapon, armor, or clothing, a selected character as part of this action, or you can save the Dust Strands for later.)
Learn from the Elders: The Elders are the oldest and most learned of your tribe, and you could learn much from their tutelage. They will no doubt try to convince you to become more pious, but that is always a risk with the Elders.
Conduct Religious Ceremony: There is value in faith as a way of giving people hope, and there are countless religious ceremonies you can conduct for each season. Conducting such can earn you the respect of the Elders, and make you seem more pious.
Send Missionaries to [Tribe]: As the wisdom of the ancients says: "Religion is the opium of the masses." While you do not know what this "opium" is, it is easier to control people who share your faith.
Focus on Leading: Let the Elders worry about faith. You have people to lead. (Gain 2 Prestige.)
Write-In: Faith is a strange concept, but there is much more you can do with it.

Free: These actions may be taken at any time and do not cost an action.

Decrease the Ration of Food: Your food supplies are running low, and you have not been able to find as much as you hoped. You can stretch out food supplies by ensuring your people are hungry but alive. Obviously, they will not enjoy this.
Induct More Warriors: While not traditional, your Warriors have suffered a massive blow. By allowing people to circumvent the contest, you can quickly bring your warband up to speed, though this will displease the Elders. This is not Traditional.

Special: This Action can only be taken on it's own, as it takes up every action available for the turn.

Move The Camp: Things have become too dangerous in the tribe's current location. Though your tribe will be vulnerable to the Grimm and other tribes, you must move if your tribe is to survive. (-10 to this roll for every time you Entrenched. Can either stay in the region or flee to another. Moving regions is much more dangerous, but sometimes necessary.)

Raiu · May 13, 2018

I'm just going to pre-roll this, because it'll be an enlightening experience for all of you. This is a sneak peek at what happens after the results are posted. This is also the basic formula. There are many ways that this gets changed.

Defense Calculation: 1d100+StaticDefenses+TerrainAdvantages+WarriorResult=Defense Total
WarriorResult = ((WarriorAmount/10)*(WeaponryTechnology|1)) + WarriorTraining.

Grimm Offense: 1d100+(-1*Morale)+(MajorityGrimmType*HordeSize)+AttentionModifierDie

Defense Total: 62+5+0+4.5 = 71
Grimm Offense: 44+15+0+4 = 63

Defense Wins with 0 DoS for First Spring Month One. Casualty Roll is 1d10/2, limited to Warriors.
5 Warriors die in the defense of the tribe.
Grimm Attention increases by one step.

Edit: For the readers from the future, I've been modifying the formula a bit. At 0 DoS, the Casualty die can either be a d6 (Grimm win) or a d10/2 (Defense Win). With every DoS, the die size either goes up a step or down a step. If the Grimm score 4 DoS (which is enough to go from a d6 to a d20, the die is a d12 with a d6 attached to the rest of the tribe. Morale Shock (30) would kick in at that moment. So, yeah, dangerous.

Raiu · May 17, 2018

[Ambition] Get Married.
[Focus] Leadership
[Personal] Attempt to Solve Disputes Peacefully: Even in this difficult times, or perhaps because of such times, your people still have countless quarrels of little import. Perhaps by solving some of those quarrels, you can improve your own Diplomacy. 20 (One roll to gain Diplomacy, TN: 11, 2 out of 20. No change.) Any change in Tribal popularity? 82. TN: 8. 10 out of 10.
[Diplomacy] Befriend [Diamant]: There is an old saying from the Before Times: "Keep your friends close and your enemies far away." Perhaps by improving one of your rival's opinion of you, you can turn an enemy into a friend. 27 + 11 - 30 (Opinion) = 8.
[Martial] Train Warriors: Your Warriors are all able fighters, but even the greatest warriors has to work to ensure they are not surpassed. 68 + 11 = 79 Exceptional Success.
[Stewardship] Scavenge For Food: Without established farms and the defenses to ensure the Grimm don't taint your fields, your people must either forage for food or steal from other tribes. You'll do the former. 79 + 9 = 88 A Delicious Success!
[Intrigue] Scout [Schloss Tribe]: You need to know more about one of the neighboring tribes. Send the scouts to learn all they can. 53 + 10 + 5 = 68 A Devious Success.
[Learning] Search for Dust: Atlas is a land known for it's excess of Dust, so there must be veins nearby which have erupted from the ground. If you find such a vein, your people will be able to harvest the Dust. 8 + 19 +10 (Knowledge of the Before Times) = 37 A Clean Success.

Everyone in the Schnee tribe has a duty. For some, their duty is to protect their tribesmen and attack other tribes to ensure the survival of their own. For more, it is to travel outside the barricade and find the resources to sustain the tribe. For a rare few, their duty was to the lives of those they led, ensuring they were spent wisely and well.

You were in the last group, but the entirety of the Schnee tribe was your charge. Those thousand strong souls were the ones who paved the way to your rule, and they were your currency, just like the tales of old. You would see your people grow, if only to offset the dangers of the winter months. There was a small voice in your head, however, which made you wonder if you should do so personally...

That would be a question for later, you decided. For now, you had work to do.

Your first task was the settling of grudges which had accumulated during the leadership of the last, purposefully forgotten Champion. The tribe had fractured over the idiot's rule, and if you were to stay ahead of your rivals, you would need to repair the bonds of your tribe.

While you are an able diplomat, some feuds were completely beyond your abilities. The feud between the Hatplain and McKormic clans was a remnant of your predecessor and well beyond your abilities. You are still not sure why they are feuding over promised land when the tribe was literally unable to claim said land.

Regardless, there were other, smaller feuds and disagreements to settle, all of which were well within your ability. A dispute on the outcome of a honor duel was settled and withdrawn by offering a second, but to the death. A feud involving a Warrior abusing his strength over a recently freed slave was healed by giving half the Warrior's ration of food to the slave, the standard punishment for an abusive spouse though there was no such connection between the two.

By the end of the month, while your tongue had not grown silvery, your tribesmen held you in higher respect due to your just ways.

Tribal popularity goes up by 1 to 9.

While you attempts to mend the divides within your tribe had found some success, you could not manage to bridge the divide between you and Diamant. Every time you attempted to approach her, your former friend was always occupied with something, usually private meetings with the Elders. You were the Champion of the tribe, but the Elders did not truly answer you. They were the spiritual heart of the tribe, and any meeting conducted with them in privacy could not be breached, even by you.

You dislike the thought your friend had grown to dislike you, but you can understand her frustration. The tribe had stolen the position the Elders had promised her, but you had no part in that matter. Still, you could do nothing unless she allowed you to talk. Hopefully she would be receptive later.

Diamant's Opinion of Coulbra changes to (???/10).

If your ex-best friend had purposefully avoided you, the Schnee Warriors had seen too much of you. While you weren't as great a warrior or leader as some of your rivals, when it came to the training of Warriors, you were a "Boss Bitch." You worked your Warriors hard, taking advantage of your scavenging parties to force your fighting men to fell and carry large trees.

By the end of the month's training, your Warriors are noticeably stronger, and hardier than usual. You also decided to make an arbitrary measurement of five to the wood gained, since an exact count would less useful. You've gained quite a bit this month.

Raids conducted within the next two months have a +25 modifier. Gain 5 Wood. Building Upgrade Costs Revealed. Stewardship Action Added: Send Logging Parties.

Speaking of the scavengers, you have never been anything but sufficient when it came to organization. While you have directed your mind towards doing the best you can at such, there are others who could no doubt do better.

This month, however, you were lucky. While the season of growth for plants had just began, wild game was plentiful, and your scavengers brought in a great bounty. While the food would not keep for long as the temperatures rose, at the very least your tribe's diet could move away from the preserved foods which remained from the winter.

Gain 3 Food. Food supply split into Preserved and Fresh. Current Supply: 3 Preserved Food, 3 Fresh Food. Fresh Food will decay if not preserved.

You turned your mind away from matters of your tribe and towards those of the others. The Schloss Tribe is the largest in the reason, effectively four tribes in the form of one. Your scouts have revealed much of the Schloss Tribe and the disparity within them. The largest camp is of the Schloss Tribe itself, and it's defenses are impressive. Well fortified, and placed on top of a clear cut hill, the Greater Schloss Camp is the only place in the Mantle Highlands where you can say Humans are living well. Humans hardly need to scavenge for food, drawing resources from the other three and from the Bauernhof Tribe. They spend their time building large structures, trying to create a spot to settle rather than searching for one. This is also where the greatest concentration of Faunus slaves reside, toiling for Erbauer's endless projects.

The second camp, the Lesser Schloss Camp, is led by Erbauer's son, Erbaut, and it is an extension of the Greater's will. Erbaut does not share his father's love of great structures, but he commands most of the Schloss' Warriors and Krieger Mercenaries. If Erbauer's camp represents the Schloss' beating heart, then Erbaut is the Schloss' Sword and Shield.

The third camp is the home of one of the Schloss' conquests, the Habens. The Habens were once a peaceful people, preferring to worship their ancestral gods. They were easily conquered by the Schloss and abandoned their ways, serving as the Schloss' gatherers. The Haben Camp pulls in the most food and resources of all the Schloss camps, but it is far less defended than the prior two.

The fourth and final camp is the Tarenti Camp, a much more recent conquest of Erbauer. While the other camps have specialized in one way or another, the Tarenti Camp has yet to be greatly changed. In terms of defenses they are roughly equal to your own, but they have their own uniqueness. Before their defeat, the Tarenti were the only rider of horses in the Mantle Highlands, and though Erbaut often attempts to train his own horse riders, this unique resource has stubbornly refused to cooperate. Your scouts managed to gather rumors as well. It seems the Tarenti chafe under Schloss rule. While working with Humans is never... traditional, perhaps the Tarenti are a gap in the Schloss' armor.

Your scouts also report they saw something massive being built in the Greater Schloss tribe, but they have seen little more than foundations. They are not sure what they could be making.

The Schloss are beginning the construction of something, but they do not know what. Raids on Schloss gain a +15 for 3 turns. Defenses of Greater and Lesswe Schloss Camps: -60 to Raids. Defense of Haben Camp: -30. Defense of Tarenti Camp: -15.

Dust is a sacred object in the Schnee Tribe, and while you don't give a damn about the religion of the Elders, you will admit Dust has it's own mystical scent. Using the shell of a Solitary Turtle, you frequently cast three Coins from the Before Times in your search for a Dust Vein. Every casting, however, did not lead you closer to a valuable Vein of Dust, but the Coins did lead you to the remains of a strange Before Times object.

The object was rusted, but from the vague markings you saw it was called a Mu-Stag, and it must have been an object of some importance, as it resided at the center of a long strip of black ground. Much of it's worth had been stripped away by scavengers and the march of time, but in between a set of rotting, yet strangely comfortable seats, you found a small Green Dust Crystal, You were not surprised by it's location, as it had been lodged deep within the cushions.

Gain a Small Green Dust Crystal.

[Ambition] Get Married.
[Focus] Leadership
[Personal] Attempt to Solve Disputes Peacefully: Even in this difficult times, or perhaps because of such times, your people still have countless quarrels of little import. Perhaps by solving some of those quarrels, you can improve your own Diplomacy.
[Diplomacy] Befriend [Diamant]: There is an old saying from the Before Times: "Keep your friends close and your enemies far away." Perhaps by improving one of your rival's opinion of you, you can turn an enemy into a friend.
[Martial] Train Warriors: Your Warriors are all able fighters, but even the greatest warriors has to work to ensure they are not surpassed.
[Stewardship] Scavenge For Food: Without established farms and the defenses to ensure the Grimm don't taint your fields, your people must either forage for food or steal from other tribes. You'll do the former.
[Intrigue] Scout [Schloss Tribe]: You need to know more about one of the neighboring tribes. Send the scouts to learn all they can.
[Learning] Search for Dust: Atlas is a land known for it's excess of Dust, so there must be veins nearby which have erupted from the ground. If you find such a vein, your people will be able to harvest the Dust.

There was one absolute rule in the Schnee Tribal Law: the Election's results are absolute. No one could take the title of Champion, or unilaterally command the tribe but those who had been chosen by the people. This fact meant you couldn't just hand the title off to Dia, no matter how much you wanted to. Elder of Elders Natalius confirmed this in private, moments after the Election. The scrolls which held the oldest writings of the tribe prohibited such transfers specifically. Diamant would need to win an Election against you to become Champion.

So, that was terrible news, but in the mean time you had a tribe to keep from being killed, food stores which will barely hold out through the spring, countless disputes and a friend to try and explain things to.

'Well, when I break it down it's not terribly bad. Let's just try to take things month by month.'

Before you could set things right with Dia, however, you needed to fix the damage the Traitor had done to the tribe's social life. So many grudges, disputes, feuds, and disagreements had gone unresolved, your first task was to remedy these ills. In your personal opinion, you were a rather able diplomat.

There were some feuds which you were utterly unable to resolve, particularly the feud between the Hatplain and McKormic families. In the case of the two families, however, this feud stretched back five centuries, and it was over an orchard which the tribe never had the ability to claim. The entire hearing was just a public airing of grievances, complaints, and becoming the next best thing to music when it came to tribal entertainment. Still, you managed to extract an oath from the family heads to keep their feud from drawing blood, and out of the Warriors entirely.

Beyond the Hotplains and McKormics, managing the difficulties of the tribe seemed to strengthen your position, much to your chagrin.

Tribal popularity goes up by 1 to 9. Diplomacy unchanged.

While the people seemed eager to meet with their new Champion, meeting with your best friend proved to be a far more difficult affair. The difficulty came not from your schedule, as you ensured you always had time to talk with her. Nor, for that matter, did it lie in a lack of trying, for you had searched for her every day for the thirty days of the month. No, the problem was Diamant did not want to see you.

Every time you had gone to meet with Diamant, she would be engaged in some activity which kept you from seeing her. A meeting with the Elders here, a rallying of her supporters there, and private lessons with your students as she was given your former position of Dust Weaver. This last excuse was rather painful, driving home the growing isolation you were beginning to suspect was inherent in the position of Champion.

You weren't lonely, not by any stretch of the word, for powerful men and women from the tribe met with you daily. You were surrounded by people almost constantly, be they bodyguards, supplicants, or curious tribesmen. Yet, there was no one who you could call an equal, a peer, a friend who you could talk to as a friend. In conversations, you were not Co. You were Champion, Leader, Former Dust Weaver. Never something as familiar and casual as Co.

When you were truly alone, you just wished Dia would talk to you, at the very least see you. You would be less starved for normal Faunus contact then.

Diamant's Opinion of Colubra has changed to (?/10).

Perhaps it was your frustrations over a failing friendship, so you trained the Warriors to complete exhaustion. Perhaps it was spite for Ebon and Vulpina's failed power move, so the Warriors went to the world outside the walls every day, felling trees and dragging them back behind the walls. Perhaps it was fear your Warriors would not be ready to defend the tribe, so you had them spar constantly.

Or maybe, just maybe, you liked watching people sweat and exhaust themselves after far longer than your thin physique would ever allow. 'Hmm... No, nothing as shallow as that.' You thought, watching a pair of glistening Warriors wrestle the other to the ground, muscles struggling to overcome the other. "I'm just making sure we're ready just in case something happens." You said to yourself, sitting on one of the logs you had the Warriors drag into the camp. "And if Dia doesn't want to see me, that's her own decision."

"Um... Champion?" One of your bodyguards was looking at you, and you blinked.

"Oops. Thought outloud there." You put up a placating hand. "Forget about it. The warm weather we're having makes me ramble a little."

Raids conducted within the next two months have a +25 modifier. Gain 5 Wood. Building Upgrade Costs Revealed. Stewardship Action Added: Send Logging Parties.

While you put the Warriors to work carrying trees, you often saw the scavengers, the light footed "meatwinners" of the tribe. Many of these young men and women were those who had failed the Contest by a bare margin, only one step away from becoming a Warrior. They had earned the right to go outside the wall, bringing back the food the tribe needed to survive.

Unlike the Warriors, to the scavengers you were "off-handed" as the Old World saying went. Besides a token guard of Warriors, you let the scavengers do as they would, trusting them to do what they had to do. Indeed, they did more than you had hoped for, bringing down enough wild ice-hogs with their wooden throwing spears to feed the tribe for a month!

Sure, the season was wrong to find berries, no doubt your people would enjoy a meal which wasn't just pemmican. Besides, dried meat could be supplemented with supplies from the other tribes in the area, if needed. For now, you're quite happy to not need to eat any more of that damned pemmican.

Gain 3 Food. Food supply split into Preserved and Fresh. Current Supply: 3 Preserved Food, 3 Fresh Food. Fresh Food will decay if not preserved.

While you were out supervising the Warriors, you had happened upon a strange sight. You emerged from the forest into a long clearing, one wide enough to fit the entire tribe and stretching from horizon to horizon. In the center of the clearing, snaking from one end to the other, was a hard, black, stone-like material which formed a flat surface. You had heard of such a sight: a Woad, a path which was used in the Old World to transport goods using strange, mystical machines known as Kars.

As luck would have it, you found one such Kar, it's muzzle buried into the hard dividing wall, every inch of it's bright yellow exterior torn by massive claws. The Kar had died long ago, but you saw lettering on the side as you approached. The letters "Mu" and "Sta" were clearly visible, though the tearing cut through the letters, though you believe you saw something which almost resembled a "K" and a "G". Some simple deduction lead to your discovery of the Kar's name: "Musk Stag."

You looked around, finding the Warriors you had supervised applying their bronze axes to nearby trees, the closest well out of earshot for a normal tone of voice. You gazed at Musk Stag, knowing you would likely fail. So long had passed there would be no logical way for the Kar to still be alive. And yet, your coins had spoken of something special occurring today, and it ever hurt to try.

"Musk Stag." You spoke, directing your voice towards the Kar. "Musk Stag." You intoned again, watching for the slightest sign of movement. You drew in a breath, finishing the ritual of summoning with your third intonation, "Musk Stag." The ritual complete, you waited.

If the ritual worked, you would have known in but a few heart beats. Unfortunately, the heart beats dragged into moments, into discernible time. The Kar was dead, utterly dead, and you would not have such a prize today. Not surprising, even the Reclaimers of Atlas did not have a working Kar.

Berating yourself for your foolishness, you turned to speak with your warriors when a strong gust of wind nearly blew you over. The wind caused the rear of Musk Stag to open, revealing a rotting box. Perhaps there had been some small spark within Musk Stag, too small to awaken it's frame, but strong enough to give an apology.

Within the rotting box, you found a Green Dust Crystal, Nerthus' Howling, Wind Dust. It was slightly larger than the size of your hand, It was a true Dust Crystal, and you held it tightly. The first Dust Crystal you had found personally. Oh the things you could weave it into.

Trusting in serendipity, you nodded towards Musk Stag, a small gift of thanks. It had given you a sacred object in the tribe's eye, and a very useful one in your own eyes. Thanks was the least you could give.

Green Dust Crystal found.

To the end of your first of hopefully few months as Champion, you had charged the scouts with learning all they could of the strongest tribe in the Mantle Highlands: the Schloss.

To say the Schloss were large would be understating the point. The entire tribe encompassed four camps, two of which held tribes which were forced into accepting Schloss rule.

Nearly all Schloss camps had the intimidating sheer white walls, but the home of the Schloss, called the Greater Schloss Camp, took to defense far greater than any settled tribe. Encompassing a clear cut hill with ever more layers of walls, the Greater Camp served as the focal point of Erbauer's endless construction projects. In other words, this was where the Schloss' slaves were kept, Faunus being worked to death in order to make yet another grand structure... The thought made you sick to your stomach. The fact something even larger was being made at the crest of the hill did not fill you with confidence.

The second camp of the Schloss, the Lesser Schloss Camp, was not a testament to an insane builder, but rather to a warhawk. The Lesser camp was ringed by two walls, spaced as to thwart any Grimm or raiders who climbed the walls. Beyond the twin walls was a camp comprised mostly of Warriors, making the Lesser camp the Schloss' Shield. The Shield was held by Erbaunt, the son of Erbauer, and you knew the Schloss had dealing with Kreiger Mercenaries. The Lesser camp would be where they were most likely stationed. There were slaves there, yes, but they were so few in numbers it would be hard to justify a raid. If you would lose more than you would save, then you weren't being heroic, you were being an idiot.

The third camp, and the first of the conquered, the Haben Camp. From the annals, you knew the Habens to once have been a tribe focused on the worship of their ancestor gods. Since their conquest by the Schloss generations ago, they have become Schloss in all but name. They did not even have their own leader, serving Erbauer as a camp of foresters and scavengers. This was where most of the wood came from for the Schloss building, though where they found the stone you could not be certain.

Finally, the last of the conquered was the Tarenti, a tribe which, until a year ago, had been free to come and go from the Mantle Highlands. A nomadic tribe, the Tarenti were the only tribe to raise horses, which made them a valuable jewel in Erbauer's ring. They put to death most of the adults of the tribe, leaving little more than children and firstborns. They are lead, in servitude, by Alexander, the former Champion's son.

With this information, you felt slightly more prepared, though prepared for what, you were unsure. If nothing else, you know about the tribe's greatest threat. The fact had to account for something.

The Schloss are beginning the construction of something, but the scouts don't know what. Raids on Schloss gain a +15 for 3 turns. Defenses of Greater and Less Schloss Camps: -60 to Raids. Defense of Haben Camp: -30. Defense of Tarenti Camp: -15.

The Embers Crackle (RWBY/CK2-AfterTheEnd)

The Embers Crackle: A Hunter Gatherer, RWBY: Age Of Grimm Quest

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