Re: Punishment for consorting with chaos

From: Peter Larsen <p3larsen_at_GnDlHfMWWTL76N5GqWE7nTi0WlL3bkRwYtJbVysEofNMX01hOTl0u93kW6Eu3vVYFFv>
Date: Thu, 1 Jan 2009 15:19:27 -0500

On Thu, Jan 1, 2009 at 2:50 PM, Bruce Mason <mason.bruce_at_ZibGU9RHDvJWystpmo7QWviZGrR6Ktg_2LpCzfcf3xgcEtZxgK4U7E5q57qgJM9QcJ_pgU1eCZ4d8IW6wA.yahoo.invalid> wrote:

> I was wondering if there is a standard punishment in Orlanthi culture
> for
> someone who has been found to have consorted with chaos in some way? In
> particular, I'm running a campaign in 2nd age Heortland.
>
> I assume it's some form of execution but what I don't know.
>
>

On page 84 of Thunder Rebels it list some punishments. For failing to alert the clan, various fines. For more active roles, fines + outlawry. This includes "those who sacrifice to Predark, or seek its mystery, knowingly or unknowingly, whether ill come of it or no," That's 20 cows (blood price for 2 cottars) and outlawry (of the permanent kind, I imagine).

On page 44 of the same book, there is a quote from "Andrin's Words" which lists "to befoul oneself in consorting with the Predark," as one of the capital crimes. Which is a bit confusing, since other parts of the book suggest that the clan cannot execute one of its own (one of the problems with kinslaying), and Andrin is the clan (as opposed to Tribal) lawspeaker. A few possible resolutions:

1. These are things so horrible that the person becomes "not kin" and may be killed.
2. Capital, in this case, means outlawry, since an outlaw saddled with such a crime is unlikely to find a home anywhere else, and will probably die quickly.
3. The person is outlawed and immediately turned over to Tribal authorities who can enact the real sentence. Or the outlaw is released near the edge of the tula with some Storm Bulls from outside the clan positioned in advance...

Anyway, the minimum seems to be outlawry and a hefty fine on your relatives for not having done something about you earlier.

Peter Larsen

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