Ducks

Meet your neighbours

Ducks are a sentient species of the Beastfolk race.

As you explore around your Tula you'll sooner rather than later run into neighbours of the feathered kind.

Habitat

The ducks live in swamps, most notably Upland Marsh, and, as a result, have little use for cattle.

Culture

The ducks fight the undead on a regular basis.

“	The ducks can be ferocious fighters, especially against the undead. There are many holy warriors of Humakt among them.	”
–Ring Member, King of Dragon Pass

Religion

The ducks claim to be descended from an empire known as Ganderland. They appear to practice an alternate/corrupt form of the Orlanthi customs and religion, and believe their version to be the correct one.

Much like the Orlanthi, the ducks organize themselves in clans and tribes.

Duck clans

This is a list of known duck clan names.

• Beaker Ducks
• Cabbage Ducks
• Marsh Ducks
• Old Ducks
• Rune Ducks
• Spire Ducks
• Slapfoot Ducks
• Thunder Ducks

The Marsh Ducks can be found in the Upland Marsh generally. They're cousin to the duck clan near your tula, and any contact with them is made easier if their cousins like you.

Dealing with Ducks

Depending on what choices you make at the clan creation your dealings with the Ducks will affect you differently. For example, a clan whose ancestors fought against beastmen will gain bonusses for attempting wholesale slaughter of the ducks whilst those who fought other critters may find unexpected allies.

Chiefly, the Ducks provide comic relief if you don't consider them heriditery foes. They make good trading partners (except for treasures) and in that regard can be a real boon. If you are out of food a quick caravan to the Ducks on the edge of your Tula can provide swift succor. They also bring to your Ring a ton of events that have a wide variety of consequences.

Related Events

These events can occur at any point during the game, with the sole requirement being that you've discovered the Ducks near your Tula.

• Discovering the Ducks
• Duck: Assistance Needed Against Undead
• Duck: Duelist
• Duck: Wergild
• Ducks: Aid for Upland Marsh
• Duck eggs
• Raiders: Some other neighbours are harassing the Ducks, they ask for your aid in driving them off. Alternatively you can try to resolve this peacefully.
• Duckquest: The Ducks are on a quest for treasure or religious purposes and ask for weaponthanes or worshippers. The treasure quests seem to work fine, but religious quests have a large failmargin due to the differences between your and their versions of Orlanthi faith. Also the latter might displease your ancestors.
• A bargain is struck: If you neglect to send a merchant and establish a permanent trade route there's a chance the Ducks will send forth an emissary.
• Letter of introduction: If they like you they'll send word to their Marsh Duck cousins.

Duck events (Tribe)

Though you meet the Ducks early in any game they'll stick around long enough to see the end. Tribes deal with them too and the resultant events... Well, let's just say they're pretty unique and oft hard to come by.

The delegates approach your king/queen

• Duck: Tribe Membership: Though nigh impossible during tribe-making, the Ducks may try to join your tribe later if it's prosperous enough. This is rather rare and a difficult feat to pull off as the rest of the clans in your tribe are, in general, rather less enthusiastic.

Duck events (Foes)

Comical as they may seem, Ducks are very tough foes indeed. Ware the hornet's sting ere you poke it's nest.

Cough up compensation or blood!

• Duck: Arsonists
• Duck raid: Ducks are attacking your Tula, be afraid as they are formidable foes.
• Trouble come home: Enraged Ducks attack the Tula after you refused to pay weregild and committed other offences.
• Offer of peace: If the Ducks feel they have you beaten or can't handle you they'll offer peace like other tribes.

Duck events (Other tribes)

What the Duck?

Just because you like the ducks doesn't mean that others do... Or don't. Be prepared for some odd consequences at least.

• Tarred, Feathered, Billed: Some tribes like to make light of the Ducks. And more importantly of professed friends of the Ducks. So they tar, feeather and bill a member of your tribe. If you value your feathery friends then heavy-handed retaliation works like a charm and it makes some tribal events easier.
• Cease and desist: Tribes who abhor Beastmen will oft demand you stop being so damn friendly with the Ducks. Threats, erh, reasons for considering their request include raiding, all out feud-wars or attempts to mock you at every turn.
• Let's roast some fowl: Some tribes will invite you to raid the Duck's lands. This is not a good idea if you want them on your side.
• Necromancer Ducks?: Sometimes a tribemate or member of another clan will warn you of the encroaching march and the undead it harbors. Invariably they blame the Ducks, who are (generally) innocent. See Champions needed also.
• Clairvoiance of the feathered kind: Sometimes another clan in your tribe will receive a vision that Ducks make good trade partners or tribemates and will encourage you to have more to do with them.

Befriending the Ducks

Those who wish to enjoy the Ducks' presence in the game need to know that there are a few things which can complicate your dreams of a feather-clad tribe.

• Ducks will not trade treasures in a regular fashion. They will only offer one of their treasures if they approach you for a trade or for admission into your tribe.
• Getting Ducks into the tribe takes an epic amount of luck. The best bet you have is to have them approach you after another clan has had a favorable vision. Let either your most eloquent speaker or your trickster do the talking.
• The Ducks think their variation of the Orlanthi religion is the correct one. Joining their rituals therefore has a large error margin therefore.

Lore

• "The ducks claim to be descended from a great, vanished Empire called Ganderland."
• "I see male ducks are as vainglorious and vexing as male humans." -- Female Ring Member

Trivia

• They lay eggs
• Their battlegarb includes horned helmets
• The troupe of Adventurers has a single Duck in it, but no weregild is demanded if you slay him.
• Treasures you can obtain from them include the Tube of Truth-Seeking.