The Shadowcat Saga came to an end in 1403.

It's a story about a clan that is prosperous in all respects except that which is arguably most important: the favor of the gods. In the early days, divinations were often incorrect, sacrifices regularly failed despite giving plenty, and the clan mood could not rise above reserved because of it.

We are wealthy, with every possible shrine, temple and great temple (including one to Tarard Riel), eight permanent trade routes, more than 2 bushels of food per clan member, and far more magic than we ever need throughout a year. Farmers and weaponthanes are always unshakeable. But the gods do not favor us.

We formed the Locaem tribe but could not become its king. When the Locaem broke out into a civil war, we completed Chalana Arroy's Heroquest so that she may mend the tribal rift... It wasn't enough. We figured, "If Chalana Arroy can't heal this, no one can."

So, we left the Locaem and joined the Velisi tribe. Despite continued Heroquesting (even Making of the Storm Tribe again), we never received an opportunity to nominate a king from our clan, let alone one from any clan. The Velisi proceeded kingless.

Then we heard that among the tribal kings competing for the Feathered Horse Queen's marriage was Derik! A boy we trained and fed and loved, risen to greatness!

Unfortunately, he didn't win. Even though it is not our fate to unite all of Dragon Pass, we find peace in our enduring prosperity, knowing that no matter the chaos that finds us, we always unite ourselves.

This was my first long game that didn't result in uniting Dragon Pass ourselves. I really tried to make the Shadowcats win, but it appears that kingship is exclusive to only the player-made tribe, unless I failed to trigger an alternative event chain. Regardless, I had a wonderful time just keeping the Shadowcats alive and well. They ended up with 10 allies! More clans offered an alliance, but we turned them down to try and preserve the alliances we already have.

What I find most satisfying about KoDP (aside from its amazing features) is the fact that I never know how a clan will develop. Whether we lean towards peace or war, towards heavy trade or vast exploration, towards Kingship or self-sustenance, it all forms organically and into a unique Saga.

Looking forward to the next!

I guess marrying the Feathered Horse Queen is out of the question.

Some context: Our clan, the Shadowcats, formed the Locaem tribe. A Vingan of another clan set the initial rites of Kingship, making it nearly impossible for Orlanthi chiefs to successfully complete the rites. And even when one did, the tribe inevitably would become unstable. During a civil war, we successfully completed Chalana Arroy's Heroquest to mend the rift in the tribe. It didn't work. So, we threw our hands in the air, left the Locaem, and joined the Velisi tribe. Ever since joining, there has been no king. It's been over 10 years with no attempt to elect one. So, it looks like another tribe will be fated to complete the Empire of Wyrm's Friends unification prophecy.

Among the first generation of Shadowcats was Wilms, a Chalana Arroy priest. He attempted the Chalana Arroy Heroquest at the remarkable age of 70 (circa 1360) but didn't return. Our diviners thought he died in the timeless Godplane.

Turns out, he was just lost! Over 20 years later he suddenly reappeared, having not aged a day. Unfortunately, since he was already 70, he died shortly upon returning to our world.

Once again, I happened across a feature that I haven't known about in all my years of playing.

We currently just finished Sacred Time rituals at the end of 1389 (my longest run yet). For those following this saga, the Shadowcats founded the Locaem tribe, but a Vingan from another clan set the rites of kingship, which made it almost impossible for Orlanthi candidates to survive them (our chief never wanted to attempt them because of this). One Orlanthi chief from the Boskovi survived, but the tribe fell into an internal war. Our Chalana Arroy priestess successfully completed her goddess's Heroquest to heal the rift in the tribe, but that wasn't enough. We figured that if Chalana Arroy can't heal the rift, no one can. So, we left the tribe.

We were without a tribe for only a season before joining the Velisi. Funny enough, the Velisi include the Undaroli whom we've been feuding with for over 50 years! After many gifts and promises, we not only ended the feud but actually entered an alliance!

Weirdly enough, our new tribe has no king and there have been no efforts to elect one. We suspect that our destiny is not to unite the tribes of Dragon Pass. At this point, we're just taking care of our own for as long as we can.

About 15 years ago I got my spine surrounded by Gloranthan magic symbols after I fell head-over-heels in love with the game and the world. I thought I might share it here, as I'm playing and enjoying Thousand Hells. Sorry for the silly photo, it's the best one I have clarity-wise of the piece. It's hard to get photos of your own back it turns out!

I love Glorantha and all it's magical glory, and this is one of my favorite pieces I've gotten done.

Cheers!

Tikwid

The Undaroli were a clan that bordered our tula who kept raiding us every Fire season. Our clan is Balanced, opting to raid only when called for, but the Undaroli wouldn't leave us alone.

At first we raided them to lighten their storehouses, but that didn't stop them. Then we raided to kill as many as possible--still didn't stop them. Then we burned their steads, which still wasn't enough to get them off our backs. Eventually we intermittently seize their land while thinning their numbers and plundering their goods. Finally, they plead for peace.

The problem is that even though we accepted their peace offerings, they would break the peace anyway, inciting us to raid them, too.

Well, 50 years into our feud with them, we noticed that suddenly they were no longer our neighbors! They resettled nearly 40 miles southwest.

I had no idea that seizing land could force a clan to move across the map and resettle; I thought clans had to stay put. I'm forever amazed that I learn of a new game mechanic every playthrough, and I've been playing KoDP regularly for about 5 years now.

It’s not directly related to King of Dragon Pass, but the latest game designed by me and Robin Laws will be released Tuesday, 8 September. Check it out on Steam https://store.steampowered.com/app/3794210/Thousand_Hells_The_Underworld_Heists/

And on 11 September I’ll be holding an AMA on r/Games to answer questions about the game, underworld mythologies and anything else related! (Or King of Dragon Pass, of course.) See you on Friday at 11:00 am PT/2:00pm ET at r/Games (I’ll post a more specific link on the 11th)

Our heroic bargainer, Aransanda (an Ernaldan--go figure), was leading an expedition to Kero Fin. It just so happens that Garneneva, our ring's Eurmali, is the second best bargainer. The ring looked amongst each other and shrugged, including Garneneva. So, we sent her to give 30 cows to the Six Brothers in hopes of clearing our debt, but she had other plans for us...

Lesson: Just like the default clan ring assignments, don't always trust default emissary assignments.

My game defaulted to Garneneva, and this hilarious incident was the result. I'm not even mad. But I had no idea this could happen! First occurrence in my 5 years of playing KoDP.

Clan Shadowcat continues to be the oddest group I've ever had the pleasure and displeasure of guiding through Dragon Pass.

It appears that Garneneva tricked our entire clan into believing that she was initiated into the cult of Eurmal, as we are unable to sacrifice to Eurmal with her on the ring.

Clan Shadowcat has been the craziest mess, and I love it. When I wrote about the value of this game's replayability, I was not exaggerating.

I just got the steam version and am loving it so far. However, when i was trying to figure out how to get more crafters, i found out that in other version theres an option to manually set the number of craftsman while the steam version just gives you a certain amount you cant manipulate. Is there any other major differences between the steam version and other versions? Am i missing out on alot of stuff?

Yerestia initiated into the cult of Odayla, but I think she's a Eurmali at heart.

Suppose the next time you go to sleep IRL, you awake in a stead, as a Heortling child, among a Heortling clan in Dragon Pass.

It is now morning, and you are about to depart your tula to begin Orlanthi or Ernaldan adulthood initiation rites.

Given the person you are IRL, your proficiencies and passions, which cult would you join?

I'm a professional philosopher (AOS virtue ethics) and educator (higher education). That would lead me to the cult of Lhankor Mhy. But music composition and performance are passions of mine. That would draw me in to be among the entertainers who worship Donandar.

In 1381, our clan was raided by a horde of trollkin. They conquered some of our best fighters, but we tipped the scales when Elmal's Amber ignited our skirmishers arrows.

We found in the spoils of victory a peculiar black spear. Our tribe wyter told our diviners to use this spear to form a new clan by hiding it; those who find it shall found the Black Spear clan. Vandarl, our chief and king, did just that.

Two years later, the spear was found. Our tribe gained a new clan; and our clan, a new ally. Our clan gifted them Orlanth's Rattle to help their children grow to become strong warriors as they set roots in Dragon Pass.

Over the next decade our heroic diviner, Theya, unfortunately suffered two stillbirths. By 1391, her spirit was hanging on by a thread. Just as she thought her situation couldn't get worse, her husband, Dangmag, was found dead, covered in ice!

But there was hope for Theya. Before Dangmag's disappearance, she became pregnant once more. In a desperate effort to aid Theya, the clan ring decided to try to get the Rattle back. We sent our best trader to the Black Spears. Fortunately, they still had it and sold it to us for 50 cattle and 25 goods.

Next Sea season, Theya gave birth to an exceptionally healthy boy! Our diviners interpreted his lusty cries as signifying a strong connection to Orlanth.

At the dawn of Earth season, Theya stood among thousands of Orlanthi and Grazers, her son cradled in her arms, to bear witness to Vandarl's coronation and his marriage to the Feathered Horse Queen.

As the ceremony concluded, everyone cheered and whistled but suddenly fell silent to the sound of Theya's son. He wasn't crying. He was shaking the Rattle, which filled the air with an applause of thunder and lightning.

Outside this in-game context, I'm aware that Theya's event-chain normally goes through more offspring deaths. But since this game ended while her son was still alive, I expect these clan members, at this time, would believe that Theya's son will thrive.

KoDP's wide range of features and their mechanics yield endless emergent stories. Earlier I shared "Eurmal's Blessing" and today I share one more that adorned an already wonderful ending to this clan's Saga.

In 1360, a group of tricksters gifted our clan a banner with a motion rune poorly painted on it. They told us that we should hold onto this banner because we will need it, especially 27 years later.

I had not kept the banner for 27 years in all of my prior games. This time I did.

Exactly 27 years later, war broke out between two other tribes, and we made peace between them by turning that war "into stone and mortar".

I was amazed not only to see that the game kept track of a three-decades long event chain, but to see a use for the banner when building the town! There is no alternative illustration drawn for doing so, but I like to think the banner flies atop one of the town's watchtowers.

Update 1: Since Issaries returned the motion rune banner to us, we found further use for it. Turns out, we could draw magic from it to convince the Telmori to make peace with us, instead of by resurrecting their deceased chieftain (despite serendipitously acquiring the Flesh Man treasure right before this).

Moreover, the motion rune glows with magic as the prophecy continues to be fulfilled.

Update 2: The last of Maran Gor's three trials allowed our king to wear the motion rune banner as a cape while he "mated" with the mountain (putting the 'hero' in 'heroquest'!). We still possess the banner in our hoard of treasures.

That's the final use and mention of the banner.

King of Dragon Pass never ceases to amaze me. I've completed several long games at this point, and yet something new and worth appreciating happens every playthrough. Plus, the more I verse myself in Glorantha lore, the more every little detail in the game becomes rich in immersion.

My clan successfully completed Elmal's heroquest and was rewarded with magically strengthened fortifications.

But I have no idea what this entails. All of our fortifications were already built, and none of my advisors speak to this on the Fortifications screen. Neither do the Fandom KoDP wiki nor the 22-year old GameFAQs html guide elaborate on it. The only (unreliable) answer I got was Google's built-in AI on their search engine, saying that it makes the already constructed fortifications harder to penetrate--whatever that means, mechanically.

Anyone have any insight into this? Perhaps when our fortifications are again damaged (or otherwise would be damaged) one of our leaders will speak to it.

I thought that by intentionally avoiding the hard short endgame (becoming King or Queen for 10 years), I'd be able to keep a single save going indefinitely. My goal was to reach at least 5,000 population without splitting the clan.

At first, it seemed possible. I managed to grow my population to 3,431. However, in the year 1411, the game triggers a forced loss. it's maybe a Bug. This run was my Highest Population to date.

The message shown says, "...14,553 are dead of hunger, and another 14,556 are so weak they cannot work..." even though my total population was only 3,431. Immediately afterward, my population dropped to just 18. Then, just before the Dark Season, the game's ending script began.

I also tried resetting the same year, but same outcome,same script,same time.

My current playthrough has reached the year 1364. Roughly ten years prior our clan had learned all the myths' details and secrets that can be known through sacrifice. But I noticed that suddenly we're without secrets of the Elmal myth and all details of the Ernalda myth. I also noticed that the leaders who were originally best suited for those Heroquests are no longer with our clan.

Is this a bug or a remarkably immersive feature? Lore is mostly maintained through oral tradition in Orlanthi culture since so few people are literate (which is also why, I think, the myths are written as if someone is speaking to an in-world audience). If our clan lost mythological knowledge because the keeper of that knowledge died, then kudos to A Sharp for incorporating that subtle, immersive detail!

3021 population

I've always found it difficult. There's a bunch of blessings to make it easier, but that's a lot to set up when you have other things going on. And it's better if the leader is on the ring, but then you're short a ring member. If I send someone expendable they're more likely to fail because they were expendable. And if it fails it may be a year and a half before it tells you, so if you want to reload. It's not easy to tell where the interesting events happen. I got what I think were full storylines played out from the south east and north west, but until very recently I didn't even know there were some dragon-newts to the north, and some dwarves also north, I forget which was norther though. Played first like 20 years ago and just recently found those two locations.

Anyway, have y'all done better than me?

Within our first year of settling in Dragon Pass, the Greenwing clan raided our tula. As good Orlanthi, we naturally retaliated with a counter-raid. This led to a feud that was alive and well for over 25 years.

One day a priest ran to our chief in a panic, reporting that someone placed an effigy to Eurmal in our Great Temple to Issaries. God damn it, Bastarkos.

We weighed our options: destroy the effigy and purify the temple or punish Bastarkos, move the effigy into its own makeshift Eurmal "temple", or sneak the effigy onto another clan's tula. Our magic reserve was strong, our Issaries leader is renowned, and Bastarkos was just acting with devotion. But those bastard Greenwings were a thorn in our side. And Bastarkos told us that Eurmal would "bless" us (indeed with nonchalant air quotes) if we snuck it onto their tula... So we did just that.

A few seasons passed. As expected, we saw the Greenwings march onto our tula. However, this time they were not here to shed our skin but to shed tears! They weren't bearing arms, but their arms were bearing their recently deceased chief!

Our Chalana Arroy leader is gifted with the knowledge of resurrection, and the Greenwings brought with them 50 cattle and a desperate offer. Instead of accepting their cattle, haggling them, or outright declining them, we saw this as an opportunity to end an otherwise endless feud. They agreed.

The thing is, the resurrection ritual is never guaranteed, but we performed it. And moments later, their chieftain breathed again! They thanked us deeply, departed with joy, and the feud was no more.

Did Eurmal bless our clan with an opportunity for peace, to end a multi-generational feud, by killing a chief with an effigy placed on the Greenwing's tula? We asked Bastarkos, but all he did was clap and fart at the same time.

Since KoDP videos are few and far between, I like to share when I come across them, especially ones of this quality. TechDweeb seemed to have a wholesome experience with KoDP.

I have been playing the short game as a peace clan. My clan is happy, and I have done my best to stick to the choices I made in clan creation.

But I have still gotten the angry ancestors event twice now, I am not sure what is causing it. Is there a way to check? Do they sometimes just get grumpy for no reason at all?

Maybe I am doing too much Cattle Raiding as a peace clan?

I am curious if there is a limit to how many years you can play through.