Turn 4 (2243 IC)
You begin this year by announcing to all your tribe that you and Ashi are engaged. The news is met with spontaneous celebration in your capitol and good cheer throughout your land. Ashi herself seems pleased with your choice. The other women you were considering don't appear to mind being passed over. You personally only hope that you will have time to have a proper wedding. The Kurgan are coming closer, and the Aesling and raiding your Dwarf allies. Also, as Maybol points out to you, your expected profit for the year is starting to get a little small.
You also have a small religious schism to deal with. You've had a long discussion with Tahvi about the conflict between the followers of the Allfather and those of the Singer.
Information on the Schism
Even Tahvi, perhaps the most devout follower of the Allfather, acknowledges the Singer's existence, but he seems rather dismissive of him. Thavi thinks of the Singer as just another ancestor, albeit the Allfather's firstborn son. Truly, there are no accounts of the Allfather and the Singer coming into conflict when they both walked this world. In fact, the legends say that the Singer was a most dutiful son, and Tahvi wants him to stay that way. It simply wrankles him when a few 'worshippers' hold the Singer in higher regards than his father.
According to him, the people of Jotunvagga hold the Singer in such high regards because so much of their life revolves around raising crops and animals. The Allfather has little to say or do with beasts and farming, so naturally they focus more on his son, who is said to be the patron of all kinds of fertility. There are even a few accounts that the 'Vagga land is so fertile only because the Singer spent most of his living days in that region.
Apparently, in the early days, there were many smaller groups who focused more on other ancestors than on the Allfather, but they were all overshadowed by the followers of the first and greatest of the Jotunheimers. The followers of the Singer are the only such group to remain, and the conflict over which god is greater has slowly and subtly escalated over the years. Tahvi admits that his people have perhaps been a little... overly eager to correct the views of the Singer-worshippers.
Profile of deities
The Allfather is the god of wisdom, the knower of secrets, and he who glimpses the future. He led your people to Jotunheim, and is regarded to be the first true Jotunheimer.
The Singer is the god of love, persuasion, and fertility. He is associated both with crops and the taming and breeding of animals. His rituals also address human fertility. He is the first son born to the Allfather, although the Chooser of the Slain is his older sister. In the days when the progenitors walked the land, the Singer mostly tended to the homelands, keeping the peace and tending to the fields and herds.
Population (All numbers are approximate)
Total: 25,500
Jotungram (Capitol Holdfast): 5,000
Jotunvagga (Holdfast, with lots of farming): 6,000
Jotunhroc (Holdfast): 4,000
Assorted Villages: 10,000
Military (Purely volunteer force. Distinctions are "iffy")
Morale: Medium
Number Readily Available: ~6,000
Absolute Every Fighter: ~15,000
(Below numbers represent the number readily available)
Militia (Volunteers who train in free time. Average Attack, Defense, Mobility, and Morale): 3,000
Hunters (The greatest hunters in your tribe. Honed by a lifetime of stalking deadly predators. High Attack. Medium Defense and Mobility. AboveAverage Morale. Special: Stealth, Long-Range Attack): 1000
Regular Cavalry (Fighter trained to use lance and sword from atop mountain horses. High Attack. Medium Defense. High mobility. Medium Morale.)1000
Rune Warriors (Their weapons and armor bear Dwarf runes. Each piece cost a fortune, and they have only been accumulated over generations. HighAttack. High Defense. Average Mobility. High Morale): 500 + 50 (Rune Weapons recovered in Mountain's crown) = 550
Sleipnir Cavalry (The greatest riders and fighters are allowed to ride the holy Sleipnir into battle. High Attack. Above Average Defense. Extreme Mobility. High Morale): 500 + 25 = 525
War Mammoths (Massive attack. High defense. Above Average Mobility and Morale. Special Smash): 16
Initiate Shaman: 43
Master Shaman: 17
Economy
Treasury: 2,250
Trade Income: 300 (Dwarfs)
Tax Income: 50 (Very Low Taxes)
Military Upkeep: 50 (Ongoing patrols of territory)
Infrastructure Upkeep: 100 (Sleipnirs)
Net Income: 200
Opinion
Jotungram (Capitol): 5
Yotunvagga (Farms): 5
Jotunhroc (Ravens): 8
Villages: 7
Dwarfs: 5
Ashi 7/10
Ingga 6/10
Nameless 7/10
Tahvi 10/10
Maybol 6/10
Sayble 6/10
Food Situation
Current - Large Surplus
Over the course of the year, you speak with the greatest figures of your tribe and discuss their plans for the coming year.
In addition to deciding their actions. You may vote to give one action Thorfin's personal attention. That action will receive a bonus equal to the relevant attribute - 10. (So, having him help with a Piety task would give 21-10= +11 to the role. But having him attend to a Diplomacy task would give 5-10= -5 to the role). In addition to the bonus, special secret rewards may be unlocked if Thorfin attends to certain tasks.
You may also double-down on one action a turn. Doing so will provide a +20 boost, but it will cost more money and resources. Also, if you still fail, the failure will be spectacularly bad.
Military: Ashi Axe-Child is the daughter of the last chief and greatest fighter in the tribe. She leads your warriors. Even after avenging her father, she still does not talk much, but apparently she never did. If nothing else, she seems happier, and you notice your people seem to hang on the few words she does speak (Choose 1)
[] Filling out the ranks - Every member of the tribe old enough to be allowed to braid their hair is expected to carry a weapon and to know how to use it. They mostly do, but, according to Ashi, they aren't nearly skilled enough. She wishes to establish a weekly practice day, wherein the tribe's warriors will oversee the combat training of every other member of the tribe, excluding children, shamans, and the infirm. Additionally, she wants to pushtalented individuals to spend additional time training for war. You will probably need to pay for some of their supplies. (More skilled warriors. Decreasedworkforce and food production. People may ask questions about the militarization.)
Cost: 100/turn (Supplies, and lost labor) Time: 1 year to establish, will continue until you stop. Chance of success: 100% Reward: More trained warriors
[] Raid the Aeslings - It was the Aeslings who nearly destroyed your Dwarven allies a century ago, and Ashi thinks that it is long since time for theJotunheimers to return the favor. She wishes to lead a raid of your best warriors and shamans mounted on sleipnirs into Aesling territory, so they may kill and loot your ancient enemy. You're always in favor of killing Aeslings, but it's been a long time since any Jotunheimer have ventured intoAesling territory, and you cannot predict what defences await your raiders. Your raids may draw the Aeslings attention away from the Dwarfs, which they would appreciate. The raids on the Dwarfs have gotten slightly worse.
Cost: 0 Time: 1 year Chance of Success: ? Reward: ?
[] Missing Goats? - Sayble's collection of lore revealed something rather curious. All of the goatherds in a given area lose significantly more of their flock than other goatherds. She suspects there may be a pack of one of the nastier predators in the area. She suggests you send some warriors to investigate.
Cost: 0 Time: 1 year Chance of Success: 80 Reward: Stop the goat-slayers
[] You and what army? - Ashi comes to you at the start of the year and makes a bold request. For generations, your people have gotten by with what she calls "a glorified militia." Even your greatest fighters spend much of their time working a trade. Ashi wants to change that. She wants to make a true army made up of professional warriors, who will have the time and training to truly master their craft. Of course, you will have to supply them with food and goods, but, in return, you will get a force that has real experience fighting together with discipline, and Ashi believes that having more structure to her forces will allow her to get more done each year.
Cost: 100/Year Chance of Success: 90 Reward: Improved troop quality. Bonus to morale. Bonus to troop coordination. +1 Military Action/turn. +Ashi approval.
Diplomacy: Ingga Honey-Tongue calls himself a goatherd, and, in truth, he does spend most of his time lead his flocks of Dire Goats from settlement tosettlement. However, he carries messages between groups of Jotunheimers, and when conflict arises between villages, he is always quick to use his sweet words to settle the dispute. He served the last chief well for many years.
(Choose 1)
[] Spread the word! We go to war! - Have Ingga hurry to every Stronghold and village and even to the Dwarf lands as well, so that he might tell all yourpeople and allies of your plans to expand. This will cause all to prepare for fresh conflict, although, there is the risk that your enemies may discover your plans.
Cost: 0 Time: 1 year Chance of Success: 80% Reward: Jotunheimers and Dwarfs prepare for war and ???
[] Other tribes? - Innga mentions that, while talking with the members of the farthest out villages, he discovered some of your people conduct a littletrade with other tribes. Few goods exchange hands, rarely more than a few deer-skins for some grain, or the like. However, it could be the start of something more. Jotunheim officially has no contact with other Norscans, but maybe you could change that. You could have Ingga go beyond the mountains and see how the other tribes fair. You know you are surrounded by Chaos-worshipping scum, but maybe you could find a few allies? However, it would be dangerous for Ingga.
Cost: 0 Time: 1 year Chance of Success: 70% Reward: Knowledge of nearby tribes. Warning: Ingga may be injured or killed.
[] Befriending the Bears - Last year, Ingga brought back word from the Dwarfs of the Baersonlinger tribe. Your allies conduct a small amount of tradewith the Baersonlingers. It's not much, but it give Ingga an in. That tribe seems like a pack of wandering savages, but they don't worship Chaos, so it might be worth trying to open ties with them. If nothing else, it wouldn't hurt to have a buffer state between you and any force from the Dark Lands.
Cost: 0 Time: 1 year Chance of Success: 70% Reward: Opened diplomatic ties with the Baersonlingers. More trade.
[] Dwarf Best Friend - Your people and the Dwarfs have been allies and trading partners for generations. Maybe you could grow even closer or at least get better trade deals. Ashi has been bugging you about getting better steal or maybe even more rune weapons for your warriors. You send Ingga to open negotiations with the Dwarfs and to deny no request out of hand. The Dwarfs will demand a price for any aid they offer, but they have deep coffers and excellent smiths, so surely the deal will benefit you greatly.
Cost: 0 Time: 1 year Chance of Success: 80% Reward: Deepened relations with Dwarfs. More trade. ???
[] An army of diplomats? - It appears that Ashi has shared her ideas about a 'professional army' with your other councilors. Ingga normally follows tradition, but, after spending two long years away from his family and his herds, he's ready for at least one change. He wants to be paid for his service, and he wants enough authority to recruit some others, mostly his family, who will aid him in his diplomatic efforts, and he also wants them to be paid from the chief's own coffers.
Cost: 25/year Time: 1 year Reward: +1 Diplomatic Option/Turn
[] Yeah, I'm the Taxman - Ingga has gotten to thinking, and he's come up with an idea you rather like. For years, you've been paying warriors to patrol your lands, providing everyone with more safety and security, so, really, shouldn't people pay a little for all that safety? Maybol would have to actually set up your system of tax collectors, but Ingga first needs try to sell people on the idea.
Cost: 0 Time: 1 year Chance of Success: ??? Reward: Depends on roll but some amount of increased taxes
Intrigue: You've acquired a Nameless to serve as your sneak, which leaves a bad taste in your mouth. You can only hope that he proves competent.
(Choose 1)
[] Scouting the Aesling - You would really, really like to exterminate every last Aesling, but to do that, you need to know more about them. You send the Nameless into Aesling territory in order to learn how you might strike them hardest.
Cost: 0 Time: 1 year Chance of Success: 80% Reward: Bonus to rolls to raid Aeslings. Knowledge of their actions.
[] Knowledge of Norsca - You don't really know that much about Norsca beyond your mountains. You could send your Nameless out into the wilderness to wander the lands and see what can be found. Perhaps you will find allies who also revile Chaos? If nothing else, you will know the current state of your corrupted cousins.
Cost: 0 Time: 1 year Chance of Success: 80% Reward: Knowledge of Norsca. Knowledge of potential allies.
[] Far Wanderings: Kislev - You have heard many tales of Kislev, the closest of the southerlands. Perhaps Nameless could establish contact with them? He and a select few would have to journey through the troll waste, but the risk might be worth the reward of gaining an ally that, just like your people, has fought chaos for centuries.
Cost: 0 Time: 1 year Chance of Success: 60% Reward: Contact with Kislev. The Old World becomes aware of Jotunheim. ???
Piety: Tahvi Two-Lives is perhaps the most faithful and blessed Jotunheimer alive. A living legend, he earned his honor-name when, in a time of greatstrife, he willingly offered himself as sacrifice to the Allfather. Giving up not just his eye but his very life, and, miraculously, the Allfather gave it back.
(+1 action because of high piety. Choose 2)
[] Preparing for war: Seeking Arrows - You ask Tahvi and his shamans to craft Seeking Arrows, enchanted weapons magically drawn to the archer'starget. Your shamans have made them for centuries but only for special circumstances. You do not know how many they could make in a year if they focused on this task alone. You currently have two battles' worth.
Cost: 0 Time: 1 year Chance of Success: 100% Reward: A number of Seeking Arrows
[] Preparing for war: Avalanche Stones - You ask Tahvi and his shamans to craft Avalanche Stones. These rune-marked rocks are designed such that, when activated and rolled down a slope, they will gather more stone and snow, causing an artificial avalanche. They cannot be used everywhere, but in certain slopes and mountain passes, they could do incredible damage to an enemy force. You do not know how many they could make in a year if theyfocused on this task alone.
Cost: 0 Time: 1 year Chance of Success: 100% Reward: A number of Avalanche Stones
[] About that prophecy - Have Tahvi and his shamans do all they can to divine the specifics of the Allfather's plan for you.
Cost: 0 Time: 1 year Chance of Success: 50% Reward: ???
[] Lost Lore: The Chooser of the Slain - These days your people mostly just worship the Allfather and the Jotun, but your shamans discovered that, once, far greater attention was paid to all of the progenitors, the first generation from whom all your people are descended, in spirit if not by blood.You ask your shaman to research the Allfather's warrior daughter, the Chooser of the Slain. Perhaps, old prayers and blessings may be recovered to improve your troops.
Cost: 0 Time: 1 year Chance of Success: 70% Reward: Rituals of the Chooser of the Slain
[] Lost Lore: The Runesmith- These days your people mostly just worship the Allfather and the Jotun, but your shamans discovered that, once, far greater attention was paid to all of the progenitors, the first generation from whom all your people are descended, in spirit if not by blood. You ask your shaman to research the Allfather's other daughter, the Runemith, also known as Shee Who Rivals the Dwarfs. In ancient times, she is said to haveproved her worth to a Dwarf Runesmith in so spectacular a fashion, that the Dwarf taught her the basics of dwarven runes. Your ancestor combined what she'd learned with knowledge from the Jotun and founded the Jotunheimer runic tradition. If you could recover hertraditions, you might greatly improve your enchantments.
Cost: 0 Time: 1 year Chance of Success: 70% Reward: Rituals of the Runesmith
[] Lost Lore: The Singer - These days your people mostly just worship the Allfather and the Jotun, but your shamans discovered that, once, far greater attention was paid to all of the progenitors, the first generation from whom all your people are descended, in spirit if not by blood. You ask yourshaman to research the Allfather's son, the Singer, he of the Soothing and Fecund voice.. He is said to have a voice so fine that he could talk wild Dire Wolves into laying their heads in in his lap. He spoke so well that no one ever bested him in debate. And when he sang, even the crops the field would grow and ripen in celebration of his voice. Tahvi idly mentions that that last reason might be why his worship is still popular in Jotunvagga, although they have lost his rituals.
Cost: 0 Time: 1 year Chance of Success: 70% Reward: Rituals of the Singer
[] Cleansing the mountain - You have recovered a great deal of lore from the Mountain's Crown. You decide to have Tahvi and his most trusted shamans pore of that lore and develop a ritual for cleaning that peak of Chaos. If they succeed, you will be able to cleanse other areas much more quickly.
Cost: 0 Time: 2 year Chance of Success: 70% Reward: Cleansed the Mountain's Crown. Gain land cleansing ritual.
[] Peace be with you - You decide that these squabbles over the progenitors have gone on long enough. You order Tahvi and a few other shaman known to be devout followers of the Allfather to publicly declare that they accept their Singer-centric kin. It will fix all ongoing problems with Jotunvagga, but there is a small chance of angering your shamans.
Cost: 0 Time: 1 year Chance of Success: 80% Reward: Repairs schism with the Singer-worshippers
Stewardship For decades, Maybol has worked as a smith and builder, making tools for the tribe and rebuilding mountain passes when they break down. She has never earned an honor-name, because her work is never noticed when it is done well, and she always does her work very well. She comes to you with enthusiasm typical of a person half her age. It seems the last chief was against large projects.
(Choose 1)
[] Moar Mammoths! - She has a great fondness for the huge beasts, and she would love to domesticate more of the herds that roam through the lower portions of the mountains. However, doing so would require constructing holding pens and training facilities far closer to Aesling lands than yourpeople normally go.
Cost: 0 Time: 2 year Chance of Success: 80% Reward: More tamed mammoths. Increased chance of raids.
[] All Roads lead to... nowhere. - Maybol has been to Dwarven mountain holds, and she says that, compared to their roads, ours aren't fit to piss on.With Sayble's maps, she could make some new roads. They wouldn't be the equal of the Dwarven ones, of course, but they would at least be shorter and straighter than the deer-trails that your people currently use. It would be expensive and time-consuming, but people love good roads
Cost: 100 Time: 2 year Chance of Success: 80% Reward: Easier traveling, more trade, opinion boosts, faster spread of information, faster deployment ofmilitary
[] An army of Stewards? - Maybol also spoke with Ashi, and she thinks she could get far, far more done if she had her own dedicated organization of builders and crafters.
Cost: 25/year. Chance of Success: 90% Reward: +1 Stewardship action/turn
Learning: Sayble runs your stables. Please don't crack a joke. She's heard them all. As the official caretaker of the holy Sleipnirs, she is extremely knowledgeable about all remaining lore on that species. She is extremely knowledgeable about other lore because… well… she likes books. She has a number of ideas for you.
(Choose 1)
[] Mammoths and Mammoth by products - Sayble wants to shave a mammoth, and, while she's at it, she'd like to milk a few and try to make somecheese out of them. Really, she's "just going to fiddle with their stuff until [she] gets things [she] can sell." Her words.
Cost: 0 Time: 1 year Chance of Success: 80% Reward: Increased Trade
[X] War… goats? - Sayble admits that Maybol comes to her with a rather odd idea. Your people have long since bred goats to be better at certain things, like producing more milk or wool. Maybol wanter her to try to attempt to breed Dire Goats for increased herd instinct and aggression, and, while she's at it, bigger horns. That way, they could help defend the flocks against predators. It would take only one year to set up, but five years to see real results
Cost: 0 Time: 1 year Chance of Success: 80% Reward: War Goats… really?
RESULTS IN THREE TURNS
[] I'm on a bird! - Flush from the incredible success with the Sleipnirs, Sayle now dares to go even further. She wants to try to domesticate the Dire Ravens of Jotunhroc, because she's fairly certain they're large and strong enough that they could bear a human aloft. It would be a very challenging process, but it would be useful to have even a handful of units that could stay in the air for hours at a time.
Cost: 0 Time: 1 year Chance of Success: 60% Reward: Raven Riders.
Personal: You have finally gotten a handle on your duties as chief, and you have managed to actually make more time for yourself to explore your owninterests.
(Choose 2)
[] Prayer - Pray to the Allfather. Ask for wisdom. Ask for guidance. Ask for help.
Cost: 0 Time: 1 year Chance of Success: 50% Reward: ?
[] Train with Ashi - Truly, you are only an average fighter for a Norscan. This is not fitting for a chief. You decide to ask Ashi to teach you some of her skills. If nothing else, being seen with Ashi will probably boost your popularity in Jotungram
Cost: 0 Time: 1 year Chance of Success: 80% Reward: Martial traits and/or increased popularity in Jotungram
[] A wedding to remember - You throw yourself into the preparations for your wedding celebration. You personally check and approve every little detail, and when something goes wrong, you throw your wealth at it. You will have a wedding out of legend, a wedding fitting for the first chief of a new era of Jotunheim, and you will invite all the great members of your tribe and even some Dwarfs. The common people will love it. Ashi will surely appreciate the effort, and it will give you a chance to personally speak with the mover's and shakers of your tribe.
Cost: 50 Time: 1 year Chance of Success: 80% Reward: Improved Marital relations. Improved opinion with spouse, Jotunheimers, and Dwarfs.
[] A Pilgrimage to Jotunvagga - Instead of forcing the shamans to renounce all conflict with the singers. You decide you will personally journey to Jotunvagga with Ashi in order to ask the follower of the Ancestor-God of love and fertility to bless your marriage. It might anger the shamans, but the 'Vaggas will love it, and maybe the blessing will even work. You know it wouldn't hurt to have an heir sooner rather than later.
Cost: 0 Time: 1 year Chance of Success: 80% Reward: Schism repaired. Jotunvagga opinion. ???
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