Story assistance needed.

[fuggerhugger]

Hi, I'm an experienced player, but a very inexperienced writer/DM. I have attempted DMing before but it never seems to last long. Well, I am attempting it again.

I was influenced by the myth of Saint George and the Dragon; a princess about to be sacrificed to a dragon who is stopped by a wandering hero - but you all know how it goes.
I want the players to be in Saint Georges shoes. They roll up, find out this chicks gunna die at the hands of a monster. They rush in, slay the beast and save the girl . Happily ever after. Or is it?
I am a big fan of plots with Red Herrings - to find out towards the end that 'not all is what it seems' kinda thing.

Here's what I've written so far:

Hamlet of Oaksbank, details:

The buildings mostly make up small residences, shops, storage sheds and farms. Most are simple, one-story wooden buildings. It also holds a smith, and stables. There are no walls, fences or towers surrounding.
To its northern and western sides is a thick Forest, beyond which lies a mountain. A small, slow moving river runs from the hills to the south.
Population: 300
Class: lower-class (tradefolk, journeymen, farmers) and few middle-class (merchants, edjuctacted professionals)
Alignment: Neutral Good. The people of this hamlet have a 'care in the community' outlook.
Hierarchy: a small Council made up from highly educated and/or highly reputable members of the community. The Council head being William Tovey a wise old timer that everyone trusts.

History - DM's use.
Two years ago, Tovey and his group of settlers discovered this area as they migrated, in search for a better life. It was beautifully well suited; comfortably warm, temperate climate, rich land for crops and livestock, a nearby stream for clean water supply and an abundance of wood and protection from the forest. Sounds perfect, right? Although, unbeknowns to Tovey and his settlers, the land was already occupied by a tribe of Yuan-ti; a race of serpent people. The Yuan-ti find thier home in a mountain cave a days journey to the north, where they worship their 'God' - "The Great Serpent in the Flames". One that first night the Yuan-ti visited the settlers. At first the Yuan-ti were angry, and insisted that the group leave their sacred land, but the Council members invited the Yuan-ti into their camp and negotiations began. The settlers agreed to bestow one livestock a month, at the moons fullest, for sacraficial purposes. In exchange, the settlers earned their right to stay. Reluctantly, they also agree on a tribute of one child per year. Borders were set up - the Yuan-ti caves and the humans settlement, and the land between them was halved.
Each month, on the eve of the full moon, a small group of settlers would deliver a cow, sheep or pig to the Yuan-ti cave and as promised, the Yuan-ti stuck to their borders and no-one had see them since.

Additional notes (in progress)
° Through the course if the year the settlers keep their word and each month deliver a livestock. They are aware of the upcoming choice they will need to make, but its easier for them to 'fob it off' until the time comes. Some townsfolk begin to wonder whether the price is too high.
° The end of the year arrives. Which child will be chosen for sacrifice? How would they choose? A meeting is called in the hall. Arguments break out; some think they should leave, some believe they should fight, and some think they should just continue with their bargain. Tovey argues warring with the Yuan-ti would be suicide, as they are tradesmen and farmers, not warriors, but anyone that would prefer to leave may do so as they please (no ones does) As their leader he offers his own granddaughter/daughter to be sacrificed this year.
° next year goes by, livestock are delivered. The time comes to choose a child. A lottery is drawn and a child is chosen. Much discussion, more arguing but they decide its best for the community. The child is delivered. But with guilt the child's father rallies up a small crowd and they venture off to 'rescue' the child.
On their way they meet our travelling players. They tell them that the Yuan-ti have stolen a child and need help in rescuing him/her.

Now here are my issues;
Why would the settlers stay and sacrifice children. The fact that the area is so good seems too weak on its own as a reason. The price seems too high and nothing is stopping the settlers from moving to find a different area.

Any help and suggestions would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance, Fuggerhugger

[ArcturusV]

A lack of better options goes a long way towards keeping people where they are. It depends in part on the neighboring lands. If they were completely surrounded by the Yuan-ti, then it's likely that no one else can or really wants to bother them, as they'd have to invade the monsters to get to them. But if outside Yuan-ti territory you generally have locations where they don't want to be... You have a situation where giving up one per year may be eventually seen as the best option.

This probably ties into the reason why they went off into the frontier to settle to begin with. Typical historical examples usually focus on religious persecution, or an expansionist empire which swallowed up their previous homes. It may be that due to such a thing they feel there is no going back home. It might be years, decades, even generations before the local politics change enough that they feel safe going back home. And at that point they may no longer consider it "home".

There may also be a standoff with the Yuan-ti that prevents them from leaving. The Yuan-ti may (rightly or not) feel that if the settlers leave, they may come back with reinforcements and men at arms to TAKE the fertile, valuable land from the Yuan-ti. So it might be in a situation where any villager caught wandering around may come to a bad end, and that level of fear has kept them acting in good stead until then. And for their part the Yuan-ti don't really want things to come to open war with the village because it isn't worth it. Why risk losing perfectly good warriors and younguns when you can just cow them into submission instead?

[fuggerhugger]

Thank you for your reply ArcturusV. I did some reading on why migration happened in history and you're correct, it was mainly because of religion. Religion works well in D&D when used lightly but on a larger , like as a major part in a campaign setting, it can be like playing with fire. Or at least has done historically in the games I've played.

War, on the other hand, was something I was previously toying with. And your comment about "expansionist empire which swallowed up their previous homes" would fit my setting perfectly. I'm not quite sure I should go for a 'Roman's vs the Celts' invasion seeing as its already set in a European High Middle Ages technological era. Maybe something similar to the Hundred Years' War, but one where the French successfully invaded England and made it their colony. What do you think?

[ArcturusV]

The only thought is that if such an invasion was going to work, the invaders need a serious technological edge. This would be like William the Conqueror bringing armored cavalry to take England from the Saxons. If you have to cross a sea, land in hostile territory with no home base, and STILL manage to subjugate the locals and kick them out of their homes you need some serious edge.

This doesn't have to be as extreme as the Roman Legions vs basically bronze age Celts. but it should represent something significant. Even if it's something as simple as the French in that situation having compound longbows for their archers while the Britons are still using normal shortbows.