I think they are pretty big. Heres why.
Having thought about Gargarth for a while and debated the point with wise and learned scholars on the subject (you know who you are guys) I think Gargarth _is_ actually part of society. Urain definately isn't.
Heres why I think Gargarthi aren't all maniacs:
Being Gargarthi is being a criminal. The traditional view of Gargarthi is that they get together in a big mob and go and raid (but in a really unpleasant way, unlike the nice, normal Orlanthi). I think this is an erroneous assumption though it does happen.
Criminals function best while operating within society. When a criminal is so hated that everyone knows them and they have no friends left they usually are not long for this world. The smart Gargarthi knows this and stays loosely within society but uses it to their own advantage.
They will know the greeting. They still have their background and may still have loyal kin even if they've been outlawed. They might have cousins who'd put them up for the season in return for some aid raiding a troubleshome neighbour or they may join a desperate chief who needs more warriors to defend his people. They are probably pretty mobile people, much more so than a normal clansman. This makes them difficult to pin or track down.
There are always going to be some people out there who need the services of a man prepared to do most anything, even breaking cultural taboos. A person who is damned already and knows it will do some very extreme things and I think this has a certain appeal for those in need. Ian Gorlicks example of the Thugs being hired or ignored as long as they killed other folk is typical of this kind of behaviour and will happen a lot with the Gargarthi.
Harvar Ironfist plainly was in need and used Gargarthi without compunction (or maybe he had doubts but winning is everything for some folk) but its unlikely that many people knew he was using Gargarthi. We, as GMs know this fact but to most of the people who weren't on the recieving end of his attack,it was merely a great use of magics and a clever ploy.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that Gargarthi don't carry a big sign on their chests saying "CRIMINAL" or "SECRET MURDERER". I think they can still be Orlanth initiates until they become priests of Gargarth when the tie to the Wild Hunter is so strong as to be totally binding and obvious. These guys are pretty rare and very scary.
As for Urain. Uraini are not just those capable of crime and breaking taboos. Gargarthi are sociopaths in that they don't care about the society around them, but like the fruits of that society and know that destroying it would be a bad idea. Even Gargarth himself argued for ownership of a stead not rightfully his, not wanting to destroy but to own.
Uraini simply want to destroy. They are full of hate and a burning rage ready to consume all. They operate in groups only to bring more destruction. Life for therm is surviving till the next raid and slaughter. If given a choice between a life of thieving and sumptuous wealth the Gargarthi would chose the wealth and look at you as being stupid, its his due after all. The Uraini would cut your head of and drink the blood not having heard a word you said.
In Freudian terms, Gargarthi are the ego (decision making) without the super ego (morals) and Uraini are just the id (rampant desires).
Martin Laurie
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