Tribes (social group)

When a clan reaches a certain size, the local food supply will not support so many persons. At this point, the clan separates into two or more groups, each of which move in their own directions. However, because of their organic formation, these clans continue to view each other positively, since many of them are direct relations. At different times of the year, when the salmon are running or when fruits ripen in known areas, the various clans of a tribe will gather together to exchange information, resources and members. They will turn to each other in times of threat. Large tribes will act to establish territorial claims.

In tech 6 or better regions, where food supplies are consistent and soil is good for agriculture, whole tribes will establish settlements where individual clans will dwell together. These settlements will raise some animals but will be more focused on raising crops than on livestock raising - since flocks must depend upon only upon local meadows and pastures.

Tribes will tend to spawn off bands who are rebellious against an agrarian lifestyle - very rarely are these bands considered a part of a given tribe.

In tribal settlements, because of their number, there will be a strongly organized group of leveled persons. Each tribe will typically consist of a chief, 2-8 elders and something like 3-12 warriors, strong men in the village who obey the chief and the elders and reflect what is seen as good and noble behaviour.

See Encounters