Plainsrunners questions

[Viola]

I read the Plainsrunners info and I have a few questions...

Why are the children being fostered by another band?

How much is our pony/horse herd going to resemble a real herd? As in : just one stallion, the rest of them mares, the young males being cast out etc.

How many bands you want played?

[Kris]

Why are the children being fostered by another band?

1) It helps keep the bands feeling friendly towards each other. If someone else is raising your kids as their own, you're not going to go raid their stores or try to take their territory. Too, it's a good way to keep in touch. While it might be easy to dismiss going to a Mustering because the weather's bad, the trip's too dangerous, etc., you're going to go if it's the first time in a year you'll see your own child.

2) It also keeps the gene pool in each band fresh. Sure, they're all inter-related anyway, but a little new blood helps keep things strong. It's a lesson Kahvi knew, and it's one I thought the Plainsrunners would know from caring for their herds.

How much is our pony/horse herd going to resemble a real herd? As in : just one stallion, the rest of them mares, the young males being cast out etc.

Definitely a typical herd.

How many bands you want played?

There are eight bands. We can play eight or leave a couple as NPC bands.

[Viola]

Okay, but I can see how it affects a child. Kits might not understand why they need to go and move along with someone else, especially the ones more attached to either mommy or daddy.

... In fact, that's a nice starting point. Mind if I take that as a character issue? ;-) *loves trust-issues*

[Anna]

Actually, it won't be that traumatic to a child if this expectation is part of the culture they've grown up in. All their lives they would have seen this happening with other children, so they expect it and see it as normal. Yeah, they'll miss their parents, but it's part of growing up, too.

But individually, I can accept that a few children may take the separation harder than others.

[Viola]

Okay, then I'll work from that

[Viola]

I'm going to move the age-issue here instead of continueing it in a character thread :

Because of their nomadic way of life, the Plainsrunners depend upon their elders, experienced elves who know what dangers and resources await, for leadership. The elders choose a leader, but the leader relies heavily on the elders’ counsel. Elders are chosen for their wisdom, common sense, ability to handle crises, and desire to lead. Any leader they choose will share those qualities; any challenger will have to better the chosen leader, or have his or her challenge shot down.

The issue was (correct me if I'm wrong) that a character in their 300 is still a youngster.

That might be so age-wise, but I doubt it would be so experience-wise.

The plains are as dangerous as the woods, especially when you don't have a steady hideout like a covered holt. If lots of wolfriders die in the woods, instead of dying old ages, I can hardly imagine plainsrunners happily living through their immortal lives. I think Bearclaw was over 1,100 turns when he died (he even Recognized at that age!) and he looked far from old.

I don't think we have ancient elves, not with the life we're living. Had we been Sunvillagers, the story would be different, but as the plainsrunners we are, I doubt that 350 is still considered very young....

[Viola]

Oh, and I have another one (sorry for bugging you ;-)) :

Do the plainsrunners have metal weapons? Have they encountered trolls? I don't think they're blacksmiths.. Otherwise it's stone/bone/wood or something?

[Anna]

They have VERY FEW metal weapons. They have encountered trolls, but their nomadic lifestyle makes trading with them extremely erratic. Most weapons will stone, bone, or wood.