@Shrike, if your ring aren't helping, maybe time for some new blood?
Generally the first thing to do in the game is reorganize the ring. it's usually a good idea to try and get ring member for each statistic such as bargaining, combat, custom etc, I tend to think of these ministers .
It's also a good idea to have 7 gods represented if you can, but if the choice is having 7 gods or a crappier person who will be expert in some aspect of clan life, I usually go with expertees over religion.
Also bare in mind though that there are occasions when either a clan member doesn't know about a specific thing, or will just give a flippent answer (especially if they're a worshipper of the trickster god).
While I agree with Zcline that turning back at the sight of misfortune is a bad idea, at the same time the game can become rather depressing if you have constant disaster and nothing goes right.
if your forming a though your probably on the right track, just remember you cant' please everyone, and also remember that you don't necessarily have to go to be of the tribe first time around, especially if you have an inexperienced chief, after all time is generally on your side.
Also, if your playing the short game after being king you'll need to complete three heroquests in 10 years which is a difficult task, especially if your chief isn't up to things, so you might want to wait and let your clan expand amd grow a bit, and your ring get some experience first.
Our souls with high music ringing; O men! It must ever be
That we dwell in our dreaming and singing, A little apart from ye. (Arthur O'Shaughnessy 1873.)