>Hi Janus
>
>What are the heortling laws regarding raiding between clans/tribes?
I think the most important point here is that Heortlings don't have any centralised legal authority. Justice depends on both parties wanting to make amends, for whatever reason - to preserve their good name, to be seen as generous and just, to regain a group of potential marriage partners, to retain the support of needed allies, or to stop an ever-increasing cycle of violence that is likely to wipe out both parties. Everyone is equally responsible. Kings and chieftains can exert pressure in either direction, but they have no authority to compel.
Heortling justice is also not about punishment - its about compensation, name and honour, and in extreme cases, protecting the community.
Not is it, except in cases of exile or rare capital punishments, about individual guilt or responsibility. Its about collective responsibility and is worked out between clans.
So given all this, the system tends to regularly break down at the edges, at least for short periods of time. And raiding and feuding is where its most likely to break down.
Balanced against this, most Heortlings have a finely balanced, almost intuitive understanding of the checks and balances of the system, and can work with an eye to the long term results of their actions.
Let's think about this in terms of raiding.
You would seldom if ever raid neighbours with whom you trade, ally with, or obtain marriage partners from. Its just not worth it. That's why (theoretically :)) chieftains get to veto any raid proposal, and why they'll come down like rolling thunder on anyone who raids without permission. Of course, young Orlanthi (men) have a reputation for not being the brightest creatures on the Goddess' square earth.
Raids have to be surgical. You get in, you get out. You try hard not to hurt anyone, and certainly not to kill anyone, unless the clan is already a sworn enemy. Any tula will have a substantial number of friends and visitors from other clans, and spouses who still have families and other strong connections to their birth clans. If you hurt any of these people, then very quickly you will have three or four or five clans howling for your blood, not just one. Do something indiscriminate like burning down a stead (which in many cases will have twenty or more adults living within), and its very easy for half the whole damn kingdom to have relatives affected. And how good is that for your future prospects, let alone the short term survival of you and your near kin?
If you happen to take out a visiting Lunar official, trader, missionary or one of their household - and lets face it, everyone looks the same in the dark - you'll suddenly be faced with the LUNAR justice system, which is an entirely new, and much more deadly, ballgame. They don't particularly want to negotiate weregild, they're more likely to crucify your entire bloodline and cart off the entire stead.
>Is Wergild only required if raiders kill some of the "raid victims"? Or
>also if some raiders are killed by the raid victims?
Law suits can be brought (and weregild or other compensation demanded) for any type of infringement that effects another clan, from serious crimes to seeming trivial matters like falling asleep in a ritual, giving beer to an Uroxi, or serving meats green or durultz in the pot. (This may not appear quite so trivial to the duck involved of course). There are lots of examples of Andrin's Law in both Thunder Rebels and Storm Tribe. The trick is of course, that you only ever bring a law suit when you think you have a chance or getting what you ask, or when your actions will publicise and shame the guilty party, or when the cycle of vengeance has escalated to the extent that the clans are in effect at war. Then it comes down to oratory, precedent, and the numbers of armed kinsfolk prepared to back you up. Compromise and concession are almost always involved.
So the law suits will come when both sides want to kiss and make up. But only then.
>Can there be raids for other things than cattle (e.g. for harvested food,
>for mates, etc.)?
Sure. Anything you can carry. Some clans may even practice bride abduction - more will take thralls. But if it gets too serious, or threatens the raided clan's ability to survive the next Dark Season, then you're not really talking about raiding. You're talking about all-out-war, and genocide.
Which does happen.
Hope this helps.
Cheers
John
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