While the Orlanthi Are Not Vikings, some aspects of their culture are similar, and the legal situation governing feuds in particular. As many people have pointed out, Njals saga is a great example of a feud story - while weregeld will technically legally settle a feud, there existence of the feud is enough to justify the killing of those from the hostile clan in the minds of clan hotheads, especially if caught outside of their territory (and, of course, if disputed territory is part of the feud, then merely setting foot on it by the other clan can be taken as provocation). If you are lucky enough to get ahold of old copies of the fanzine Enclosure, Enclosure #2 features Rastalulfs Saga, which is a story with many elements in common with Njals saga (including an ugly feud that ends in a tragic stead burning), and is also a good read.
The nature of feuds is that why they started seldom matters. A land dispute, a crime of passion, or, as in Rastalulfs saga, just the clashing egos of powerful leaders, are all possible beginnings of a feud. But what really matters is that feuds sustain themselves - the original cause never matters as much as the latest chapter - and as long as there are hotheads who retain a sense of injustice and outrage at the history so far, the feud can always erupt, even when leaders and legal authorities insist it should be resolved. In Orlanthi society (where 'violence is always an option') it is always easy to find some excuse to reopen hostilities over even quite small slights.
Cheers
David
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