> I strongly agree with this interpretation. I seem to recall that there
> are several instances in the Icelandic sagas where securing the
> necessary silver and goods to pay wergild required the person to deal
> with various richer men. I think that in the Orlanthi setting this is a
> role often taken by the clan
I've always played 'official' (customary) weregild payments as openings bids for negotiation, as there are always extenuating/aggravating cicumstances to be taken into account. Which makes for some great speeches. Ian made the very aposit point last week that weregild is about compensation to kin: not about punishing the guilty. Obviously it has a deterent value as well.
One point about Heortling society that is often overlooked in game situations due to its long-term nature (and almost totally absracted in HW) is that men and women are emeshed in a life-long web of gifting and counter-gifting, cattle loans and ceremonial exchanges. Young men take cattle gifts from older men and women and return offer them support; bloodline elders grant loans to young couples and so build political networks. Conspicuous gifting is the sign of wealth and political influence, not how many coins you have tucked under your sleeping platform. (Cattle herds are the obvious exception: but 'cattle make cattle'). Gifting networks are build on kin networks, but are not identical ('a gift should be handed, not hurled'). Most of the roleplaying opportunities in this come from split loyalties: if both your prime sponsors gift you an elaborate torc, whose do you wear to the clan moot?
The point of this is that if a clan is responsible for weregild due to Braggi's little accident with the two-handed broadsword, it is already well-established who his sponsors and allies are. Payment will be arranged, but you can be certain that Braggi and his hearth will be repaying (counter-gifting) cattle for years to come.
David:
I thought of another thing to mention about my view of "primary heir" -- this is the individual who gets the bulk of the personal gear, such as sword and armor or a magic item. This type of property is not divisible, and it probably wouldn't make sense for a farmer to give this to one son and not also give that son a share of his cows (swords are great but you need cows to live).
I have no problem with this if it is placed in the wider context of shared inheritance and clan/bloodline elders reapportioning rights to land etc. But I think you're overemphasising the importance of inheritance: its just one small part of a life-time process of gifting and counter-gifting.
Of course if dad dies in battle or on a raid the enemy will claim his battle-wear; if he has some status as a warrior he may well be burned in his armour. If his sons and daughters are adults and have an interest in the warrior path, they will have quested for their own sword and armour in the years before marriage. If the weaponry contains cult-related markings or fetishes, there will be very real restrictions on who can claim it. In the clans that I run, the sword would more likely go to a younger brother than a son.
Cattle would almost certainly be distributed among a number of people: in fact most of the apportioning would have been done long ago, at marriage when the kinder were first establishing their own herds.
As an old man dad is more likely to be owed than owing: clients and supporters would transfer some of their obligations to his bloodline kin (here I'm in stronger agreement with David's idea), annul over parts of it by hosting a series of funeral feasts. It's also much more likely that the surviving kin would divide the inheritance collectively after dad's death than him setting out a 'last will and testament' before he hits the long road to Daka Fal's hall.
My point is that making broad generalisations is tricky and often misleading; you have to look at the network of relations obligations and counter-obligations over an entire lifetime.
In my own campaigns, a young person cannot wear a sword (at least around the stead) until he has earned the respect of the clan: it is a mark of balanced adulthood and status, that s/he knows 'when to show the blade and when to use it', a distinction often lost on the young and the restless.
Is the Gloranthan Digest down? I've had nothing for a few days and the major-domo ain't responding. At times like this you can appreciate having two general lists, even if most of the time you wonder why any split is necessary.
Cheers
John
The Journey will not be difficult,
If you follow my instructions.
A wild boar will bear your luggage,
The son of a dragon will carry you on his back.
A water monster will lead the way.
A very old stone monkey has no cause to be angry.
Ask those friends of yours -
They know the way to the West.
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