I have a pair of questions.
Could someone help me in the Underhusband concept? From KoS (p243) and TR (p20) I read of underhusbands, who are less influential than their wives, but differ from Esrolian husband by that their children "belong to his clan". It's plain and simple I thought. Yet when it happened in my campaign, certain practicalities begun to worry me. If the husband of Y clan stays happily rest of his life in his wife's X clan, then what happens to those children? Are they fostered in how early age or are they just considered "technically" as being from other clan? And furthermore, this form of words, would imply that the husband is "technically" considered as being from other clan, or does it? It just seems to me that it would be kind of odd if those children were took from their parents and shipped back to Y clan IF the man decides to stay in X clan. I can see situations where the underhusband leaves X clan and marriage to return to Y clan and by custom he'd be allowed to take children with him. But please, tell me your understanding on this. In which clan are these children initiated?
Secondly, the usual interest of mine in sexual intercourse rises it's not so literal head. If marriages are allowed only between clans, but the sexual behaviour doesn't follow same patterns, then how likely are tragedies born of love and tradition? Most of the young would (wisely) understand that marriage and love don't mix, but there is that lovemarriage form in customs, which might give wrong ideas to these innocent minds.
And furthermore, if children are born out of wedlock and everyone knows that it is a result of certain loveaffair between two bloodlines in a clan, then would that child be just ok for everyone? I thought that the marriage arrangements were to prevent unwitting incest and it somehow confuses me if that behaviour was just normal out of marriage. To simplify, is it really so that incest taboos concerning marriage are different than those concerning plain sex? If yes, then do we see those quite modern couples, who live their lives in their own hearths, copulate and beget children which are without any degree of shame brought up in her stead? Even if that bond is blatant and the man is called as the father of their kids? Is it really possible to do anything you like in the clan between two adults if they just don't get married? Odd to say the least. Perhaps I misinterpret these customs, do give me a better explanation.
Otto
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