> >
> > I need a clarification here. My understanding of how
> > bloodlines work is: The average clan is divided into approximately
> 6
> > bloodlines of roughly 200 people (adults) each.
>
> 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