> [replying to my comment that the Heortling requirement to be a
> freeman includes ownership of a spear and shield]
> ...
> > Surely the legal requirements to be a free man among the Heortlings
> > are so low that everyone is a free man...
> ...
>
> Well, what about thralls?
You don't arm thralls. Ergo, everyone with a spear and shield is a free man.
> The
> wergild system would breakdown if paupers were allowed to become
> carls (freemen), as such people do not have the wealth to pay
> wergild.
Most carls don't really have the wealth to pay wergild -- it's intended as a deterrent as much as a penalty. (In our games, we set wergild a little lower than I think it actually is, because I *do* want players to pay it. If it were higher, they wouldn't bankrupt themselves and everything would be much bloodier.)
Ian answered me
> > I suspect the Heortlings designate their primary heirs.
>
> Why? Primogeniture only appears with feudal cultures.
You may notice I was careful not to say anything about primogeniture, as I don't think this is what Heortlings practice. I think they get to distribute their goods as they see fit (though probably only to kin). The primary heir gets the bulk of the property, but might be the youngest son.
The only relevant reference I can find is in the Genertelan Player's Book: "Your son will inherit your goods and your rights, just as you shall inherit mine." This is pretty ambiguous -- it could be primogeniture, it could be custom (since a single son would be the first choice to inherit), it could be splitting among all heirs (since a single son could be the only legal heir). I do think it does not describe the Irish model very well.
> Orlanthi
> |
> Vingkotlings [Celtic analogues]
> |
> |-- Esrolians [some Egyptian influences?]
> |
> |-- Heortlings [Germanic influences]
> Alakorings [?]--| |
> |-- Sartari[Icelandic analogues]
> |
> |-- Hendrieki [AS influences]
I can broadly agree, though I dislike any notion of Egypt and Esrolia (just because one conquerer named himself Pharaoh) -- I prefer Minoans for Esrolian influences.
> In Glorantha this could be
> represented as Alakorings not having the tradition of democracy that
> the Heortlings do.
Except that Alakoring brought the modern style (democratic) tribes from Ralios to Dragon Pass.
> Tarsh which is Alakoring has moved to a hereditary nobility.
I consider this to be a Vingkotling thing, and was saddened when "Alakoring" was used in Hero Wars, since I think the Ralian Orlanthi are quite different from the Tarshites. (They are in my opinion non-Vingkotling.)
Peter added
> At this level, there are the Drogarsi of Maniria who
> claim descent from another of Orlanth's Sons. They
> include the Wenelian Tribes.
Is this really the term? Drogarsi is the god of martial music and dance.
> Tarsh only moved to a hereditary nobility as a result of lunar
> influences.
Yarandros (fourth king of Tarsh) seems a bit early for Lunar influences if you ask me.
David Dunham <mailto:dunham_at_...>
Glorantha/HW/RQ page: <http://www.pensee.com/dunham/glorantha.html>
Imagination is more important than knowledge. -- Albert Einstein
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