Greetings!

In a recent game, the group led a warband of Danevar warriors in a fierce assault on the fortified village of Baedwich, occupied by the native Havnu tribe of people.

The Character Party
Oggdan (M) Danevar Human, Barbarian
Khaeden (M) Nambic Human, Barbarian
Varwulf (M) Danevar Human, Cleric
Vindlagga (F) Samben Human, Ranger
Margeba (F) Danevar Human, Witch
Gelda (F) Samben/Haadrim (Half Troll) Barbarian
Amberi (F) High Elf, Bard

The Character Party are members of the Henga Danevar tribe, which controls land to the south-west from the lands of the Havnu tribe. The Havnu tribe has felt threatened by the continued expansion of the Danevar tribe, as they have established several new trading posts, farms, and border forts closer to the Havnu lands in recent times, so the Havnu tribe attacked them, and proceeded to invade Danevar lands for several months. The Danevar resisted, and counterattacked the Havnu tribe. The Character Party had been successful in a series of engagements, with them closing in on the fortified village of Baedwich. The fight went on for three days, fighting amongst trenches, earthen walls, timber towers and iron gates. Pit and spike traps here and there, pots of burning oil hurled against the invading Danevar warriors. The defending forces of the Havnu have finally been defeated, with most of their leaders and chieftains killed in combat. With the various buildings and fortifications still on fire, smoke billowing into the sky, and the stench of blood and death lingering heavy on the air, the Havnu village of Baedwich surrendered to the conquering Danevar, with the surviving Havnu leaders brought in chains before the Character Party.

The group now has some 1200 Havnu people in submission, as well as 125 Trolls, and 65 Caiden Fomorach.

The Character Party have been debating potential plans for the village, and its population that have fallen into their hands by conquest. (Option A): Some members of the group have argued that the village's population be allowed to remain, and be supervised and acculturated fully into the Danevar lands.
(Option B): Others argue that all men and boys be swiftly put to the sword, and the women sold into slavery--with part of the profits gained thereby brought into the group's hands, while another part of such spoil be sent back in tribute to their mighty chieftain, Thorvan.
(Option C): Then, another segment of the group believes that the women be allowed to remain in the village, half of the men be put to the sword, with the remaining half of the men left over from that sold off into slavery.

What options do you think would be good? Or perhaps other options? What would your characters seek to implement in a similar situation?

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

There is always taking their son's to your capital as hostage/collateral and training them to fight for you.
Usually in combination with demanding an annual tribute from the conquered people.

Quote from: Thondor on November 09, 2020, 11:11:01 PM
There is always taking their son's to your capital as hostage/collateral and training them to fight for you.
Usually in combination with demanding an annual tribute from the conquered people.

Greetings!

That's a capital idea, too, Thondor! That's definitely worthy of being an "Option D"!

That's awesome, Thondor.

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Since I play good aligned PCs always I'd vote for; go home and leave the Havnu people to rebuild.

They attacked out of fear that the PC tribe would take their lands with their expansion. You crushed them in battle; their leader is dead, many of its warriors dead or wounded and certainly not a threat to your tribe any longer. The PC's tribe has its satisfaction for the attack on it.

The only option that doesn't make their attack justified and you the bad guys is for you to give them a warning about attacking your tribe in the future and leaving them to rebuild.

Every other option you listed is the textbook definition of genocide (including the keep them under your thumb and force them to adopt your culture... see modern day China's efforts).

If I had a PC there and the rest of the party insisted on one of the genocide options, I'd try to stall any execution of the plan until nightfall and then help them escape in the dark of night... leaving with them (and out of the campaign if necessary) or challenging the other PCs to an honor duel over it if necessary to ensure their survival.

My default alignment setting is Paladin (even if I fail to meet the class requirements). I tried playing some neutral characters a few times, but they always ended up getting ruled as good-aligned by the GM within a handful of sessions. I also don't buy any Woke nonsense that "good is culturally defined" as somehow making slavery and murder okay.

Quote from: Chris24601 on November 10, 2020, 06:43:50 AM
Since I play good aligned PCs always I'd vote for; go home and leave the Havnu people to rebuild.

They attacked out of fear that the PC tribe would take their lands with their expansion. You crushed them in battle; their leader is dead, many of its warriors dead or wounded and certainly not a threat to your tribe any longer. The PC's tribe has its satisfaction for the attack on it.

The only option that doesn't make their attack justified and you the bad guys is for you to give them a warning about attacking your tribe in the future and leaving them to rebuild.

Every other option you listed is the textbook definition of genocide (including the keep them under your thumb and force them to adopt your culture... see modern day China's efforts).

If I had a PC there and the rest of the party insisted on one of the genocide options, I'd try to stall any execution of the plan until nightfall and then help them escape in the dark of night... leaving with them (and out of the campaign if necessary) or challenging the other PCs to an honor duel over it if necessary to ensure their survival.

My default alignment setting is Paladin (even if I fail to meet the class requirements). I tried playing some neutral characters a few times, but they always ended up getting ruled as good-aligned by the GM within a handful of sessions. I also don't buy any Woke nonsense that "good is culturally defined" as somehow making slavery and murder okay.

Greetings!

Good stuff, Chris! I always love Paladins.

Geopolitically, the Havnu tribe are well, a different culture; they speak an entirely different language; they embrace a different religion; the serve as rivals and competitors for land, resources, and power in the local region.

Some of the party are also deeply concerned about what to do with the troll population, and the Caiden Fomorach population as well, in particular, as both trolls and Caiden Fomorach are known to be cannibalistic and enjoy routinely eating humans.

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

SHARK, thanks for the posts that are actually interesting and thought provoking.
That is all.

As for the topic. Every option has blowback and historical examples that can be used to further complicate the player's lives.

Quote from: Greentongue on November 10, 2020, 01:32:55 PM
SHARK, thanks for the posts that are actually interesting and thought provoking.
That is all.

As for the topic. Every option has blowback and historical examples that can be used to further complicate the player's lives.

Greetings!

Thank you, Greentongue! Posts that are actually interesting and thought provoking!

Yeah, the options all have lots of different implications. Personally, I enjoy the players squirming with the different positive and negative aspects they chew on, then of course their own depictions of trying to also portray characters in a Dark Ages-like, harsh and brutal world. The group for the most part are all members of barbarian tribes, struggling to survive in a dangerous world full of competing tribes, and naturally lots of humanoids and monsters, too. I add in some political, cultural, and religious conflicts, and they go crazy chewing on the stuff.

Even at lower to mid levels, the player characters are connected to a social web around them, which all embrace different dimensions of culture, politics, religion, hell, even romance, in influencing and interacting with them all. The real problems come from conflicting desires, where both such goals are worthwhile, but each has complications and consequences, both positive and negative, or at least potentially so, in different degrees.

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK