On my return from London, the players in the ongoing Hillfolk game wanted a full report on what went down in the one-shot I ran for the Pelgrane crew, pre-Dragonmeet. Who were their alternate universe counterparts, and what did they get up to? As the game moves into outside playtesting, it’s an issue I’ll be looking at with curiosity. Are there a near-infinite number of different Hillfolk casts, or are there common parallels between the various groups?
I expect considerable overlap in the roles players choose for their characters within their villages. A raider clan at the dawn of the iron age offers only so many conceivable important roles. Greater variation is possible when it comes to dramatic poles. But will we see it?
For a refresher, the poles of the in-house crew are here.
By contrast, here’s what the London players came up with.
| Character | Role | Dramatic Poles |
| Skyrancher | Owner of many flocks | Family vs. Tribe |
| Ironarm | Blacksmith | Greed vs. Generosity |
| Rootgrinder | Healer | Healer vs. Raider |
| Lionclaw | Warrior | Bravery vs. Self-Preservation |
| Foxface | Shaman | Inspiration vs. Madness |
| Bigback | Salt-Carrier | Duty vs. Fulfillment |
Even the roles varied a good bit, with only two overlaps. Between the two groups there appeared some similar poles, but no exact matches.
In play, I’d say that Foxface’s dramatic poles wound up being Stickler vs. Helper, and that Lionclaw’s poles also became Duty vs. Fulfillment. This might be only fitting, as both he and Bigback pursued a forbidden love for Rootgrinder, the wife of Skyrancher—and stepmother to Bigback.
