Re: Area of Steads lands

From: BEThexton <bethexton_at_BE7X31eiGdWCTeLxOMr8li9eC0_tUNry6XZJOwx7965STKJT9wWcy9nluY5q8zRtsp>
Date: Thu, 07 Mar 2002 18:01:10 -0000

Erk, it is the dreaded conflicting sources again. I thought most clans were around 1000 total people, so around 500 adults?

Each bloodline lives
> in about 3 steads and, presumably, controls about 1/6 of the
clan's
> resources.

Some clans may represent an alliance between half a dozenish bloodlines, but I suspect many also follow different patterns. One dominant bloodline forming half the clan and most of the ring, and a few smaller ones subservient to it. Two bloodlines of (mostly) carls, each with an associated bloodline of cottars. One huge, sprawling, bloodline of mostly cottars (with a good reason why they don't become carls), and a number of small, wealthier, bloodlines. Three ancient bloodlines, and one token bloodline really formed from the children of thralls. A dozen bloodlines, formed from a variety of refugees from some disaster. Etc.

I think almost any arrangement is possible, and that in this one area there may almost be no "typical" arrangement--clans were formed in all sorts of different ways, and history will have had its own effects (All the young men of the Harstkin blood went off to fight the lunar invasion, and the bloodline has gone from one of five equals to a small and impoverished line not holding any steads of their own, for example).

> That's great for imagining clans, but kind of monolithic at
> the personal level. I imagine that bloodlines break down into
smaller
> groups (probably by stead) and those "sub-lines" can be divided by
> more immediate family groupings. If I am right, our stead should be
> part of CLAN and BLOODLINE, with the stead being held by Swensline
> (Or the Whiterapids or whatever), a sub-line that may, someday
become
> a distinct bloodline.

As I said above, not all bloodlines will be equal in numbers or age. This could be a fairly young and small bloodline that is the main holders of only one or two steads....or they could be fairly large, but only hold the one stead, but now provide the hunters and fishers and many other steads, for example.

I know we don't want to get too odd, but in my view perfectly average is odd too. Everyone on this list could probably tell you something special about their home town, why should heortling steads be any less idiosyncratic?

--Bryan            

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