Story of the People

An experiment with converting an existing Riddle of Steel game to Heroquest.

Why convert? This game is based on the TROS_in_the_Hammer game also wikied on this website. However, as GM, I was finding that, while TROS's combat system is unique and interesting, and the Spiritual Attributes are fantastic, we kept banging up against the limits of what could be done in TROS for big political type stuff, which is the direction the game was headed. Hence, an experiment.

The People

The People are outlined in much more detail here. All members of the People have the same cultural keyword, the People, and all also have either a Tribal Keyword or the Tribeless Keyword. Additional special keywords are Aunt/Uncle, Left Hand of Justice, and Right Hand of Justice.

Base Keyword - The People

Abilities: Customs of the People, Tribal Insignia, Hunter's Sign (for Men only), Geography of the People's Lands, Speech, Spirit Knowledge (starts at 13).

Typical Religious Keywords: Most have Yesukrishnaity, but a few have Informatio, and some Gezag employees may have Kapitalisme.

Typical Relationships: Either Member of "Tribe Name" or Tribeless. Other typical relationships include Favorite of "Aunt or Uncle Name".

Typical Magic Keywords: All women have Spirit Tongue as an ability at 13. Some may also have Spirit Friendship. Men usually have no magic keywords, although some rare Informatii may have Calculare Mundus.

Tribal Keywords of the People

Fog Among the Trees

Abilities: Customs of Fog Among the Trees, Lumberjack, Forestry, Working Draft Animals, Orienteering, Live off the Forest, Spear and Axe Fighting, Archery, Hunting, Know the Forests of the People.

Typical Possessions: Spear, Long Bow, Woodsman's Axe, Forest Spirit Fetish, Draft Animal

Tribe Details:

Niche: Fog is a tribe of specialty lumberjacks, who travel into the forest to get the best wood for whatever the customer's application.

Naming convention: Fogs are usually named after natural phenomenon, animals, or plants, but often with a poetic twist. Examples: Night Hawk, Thunder's Rumble, Maple Seed Twirling, Elm's Bark.

Tribal Insignia: Hair cut into a mohawk.

Grinning Blue Moon

Abilities: Compose Entertainment, Concentrate, one or more entertaining abilities (e.g. Dance, Juggle, Play Instrument, Poetry, Puppets, Sing, Storytelling), Good Memory, Group Performance, Play Audience, Presence, Spot Trouble, Legends of the People, Customs of Other Tribes, Sword and Dagger Duelling, Brawling, Customs of the Grinning Blue Moon, Know the Towns of the People.

Typical Possessions: Instrument, Books, Works of Art, Artistic or Social Spirit Fetish, Riding Animal, Sword, Dagger

Tribe Details:

Niche: Grinning Blue Moon are consumate entertainers, tending toward the more high brow or educational. They like to entertain with stories, legends, drama, epic songs, etc.

Naming convention: Moons are typically named after famous quotations. Examples: Frankly My Dear, Curiouser and Curiouser, Four Score and Seven.

Tribal Insignia: A thin circlet with a crescent moon on it, usually in silver.

Sweet But Painful

Abilities: Honey Gathering, Live off the Forest (starts at 7W), Hide and Sneak in the Forest (starts at 17W), Archery, Find way in Forest (starts at 7W), Customs of Sweet But Painful.

Personality: All have Inscrutable.

Typical Possessions: Short Bow, Bee or Forest Fetish.

Tribe Details:

Niche: Sweet But Painful is a small tribe that primarily collects wild honey from the massive bee hives that form in the deep forest. But they are very strange, and their Aunts are well known for their Spirit Friendship. They are also consummate forest dwellers, able to literally melt away and are invisible if they want to be in their home element.

Naming convention: Sweet are typically named after famous actors and actresses. Examples: Clark Gable, Bette Davis, Lauren Bacall.

Tribal Insignia: Scarification on the cheeks and forehead.

Ghost of Cougar

Abilities: Administrate, Negotiate, Bargain and Trade, Scribe, Know the Towns of the People, Customs of Ghost of Cougar, Keep Accounts and Records.

Typical Possessions: A Business, Writing Tools, Contracts or other important documents, Business-like Spirit Fetish.

Tribe Details:

Niche: Ghost of Cougar are the bureaucrats and business tycoons of the People. They help make contracts, keep important records, manage town infrastructure, and generally keep the People's affairs running smoothly. Many have become Gezag employees.

Naming convention: Cougars are typically named something officious or bureaucratic. Examples: Dots the I's, Status Quo, Forms in Triplicate.

Tribal Insignia: A necklace with a golden claw.

Exxon's Ashes

Abilities: Charcoal Making, Work Draft Animals, Manage Woodlands, Hunting, Cudgel and Axe Fighting, Bargain and Trade, Tinker with Mechanisms, Repair Things.

Typical Possessions: Wagon, Draft Animal, Axe, Cudgel, Thick Leather Coat, Wood or Fire Spirit Fetish.

Tribe Details:

Niche: Ashes are the charcoal burners of the People, creating this important fuel source. They manage great stands of trees for this purpose near the main towns of the People. They are also well known for their fondness for gizmos, gadgets, and other mechanical geegaws, and are typically skilled at repairing household items (cart axles, pots and pans, etc.)

Naming convention: Ashes are typically named after automobiles. Examples: Cadillac Eldorado, Fiat Spyder, Chevrolet Corvette.

Tribal Insignia: A thick scarf around the face. Typically, Ashes are dusty or coated in ash, which they view as a sign of industriousness.

Tribeless

Pity the poor tribeless of the People. Second-rank citizens at best, the Tribeless generally wander about doing odd jobs, or live in shanty-towns outside of the main towns of the People.

Abilities: Scrounge for Food, Menial Labour, Brawling, OTHERS??

Special People Keywords

Right Hand of Justice

Right Hands are the police force and corrections officers of the People. They carry out the judgements of the Left Hands, and generally enforce order. Right Hands are always male, but can be of any tribe.

Abilities: Track Lawless, Laws of the People, Bind Lawless, Execute Lawless, Capture Fighting.

Personality: Oath of the Right Hands

Relationships: Member of the Right Hands, Directed by the Left Hands, Respected by the People. May also have Favored Right Hand of "Name of Left Hand".

Possessions: Silver bracer. Will also often have tools of the trade, including manacles, headsman's sword, etc.

Left Hand of Justice

Left Hands are the judges of the people. They judge disputes, investigate crimes, and sentence law breakers. Left Hands are always female, but can be of any tribe.

Abilities: Judge Truth, Laws of the People, Investigate Crimes, Determine Punishments, Direct Right Hands

Personality: Oath of the Left Hands

Relationships: Member of the Left Hands, Respected by the People. May also have Favours "Name of Right Hand" as Right Hand.

Possessions: Silver bracer.

Aunt of "Tribe"

The Aunts of the People are its main organizers; nothing of importance happens without consulting them. Usually a woman must be at least 40 years old to be considered an Aunt.

Abilities: Marriage Customs, Organize the People, Discipline Children, Teach Girls, Manage Tribal Assets.

Relationships: Aunt of "Tribe Name". Typically the Aunt with the highest rating in this relationship will be considered senior.

Uncle of "Tribe"

The Uncles are its main leaders, directing the day to day work activities of the tribe, and managing the defense of the tribe when necessary. They will usually bow to the Aunts in terms of overall plans and goals.

Abilities: Marriage Customs, Lead the People, Care for Children, Teach Boys, Direct Tribal Work.

Relationships: Uncle of "Tribe Name". Typically the Uncle with the highest rating in this relationship will be considered senior.

Magical Keyword of the People - Spirit Friendship

Only women of the People can have this keyword.

Magical Abilities: Evaluate Spirit Qualities, Spirit Tongue, Call Spirits, Mold Spirits (starts at 13), Befriend Spirits, Free Spirits.

See below for more details.

Religious Keyword of the People - Yesukrishnaity

Yesukrishnaity is fully described here LINK.

Abilities: Yesukrishnaity Theology, Spirit Knowledge.

Personality: Faith in Yesukrishnaity, Revere the Spirits.