>If you eat a person because you are Hannibal, you are a murderous
>monster who must be internated.
>If you eat a dead body, because you are lost on the Andes and you are
>starving and freezing, you are simply surviving.
Not, I think, in Glorantha. There are taboo acts that cause "spiritual pollution," violate the social order, break the LAW, or whatever you want. These vary from culture to culture, but all result in the weakening of the "world-fabric" and the possibility of chaos, whether that is turning into a Broo, getting attacked by Scorpionmen or simply coming to the attention of the nearest Malia shaman. Context comes into it with the perpetrator: what's taboo to Heortlings (cannibalism) is not taboo to Uz (um, disrespecting mom?).
If your brother is possessed by some evil spirit, and you kill him to save the clan's wyter from corruption by evil, you have committed kinstrife. You might as well have let the wyter get wrecked for all the good it will do you personally. The clan will survive, but only if you're outlawed. You get cast out, cold and alone, every hand will be against you (think Cain), and you probably die a nasty death. Everyone is grateful; you get cursed. It'll make a great tragic saga some day.
This is another source of friction between Gloranthan cultures -- "Did you hear? In the Empire, fathers murder their sons all the time! Kinstrife is a way of life! No wonder they're full of Chaos! Don't deal with them! If you accept their help, you'll have to murder your kin, too! And eat them!"
Peter Larsen
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