I would handle this by using charms. These are made by the clan kolating, the village wisewoman, the dimuzi across the river, Auntie Em, etc. I know there are no rules for charms: I'd consider them of weaker effect and longer duration than "normal" spirit/battle magic spells, but they act as matrices - just apply MP for the effect. They probably have spirit inside them. Though I imagine the spirits would be small and easy to catch. Perhaps the charm could be made of appropriately magical materials - amber, the bone of the proper animal, the proper root gathered on the correct day - to preclude having to spend POW on a real matrix. It also leads to good reasons for adventurers to gather hard-to-get things.
Examples:
Charm/ Effect/ Matrix
Colicstopper / put on horse to prevent colic / raven feather - ravens (supposedly) never go ill in the stomach Snorestopper /put on person to prevent snoring / tuft of bear fur Protection from Drowning / wear around neck to prevent drowning in rivers (+5% swim?) / carved wooden fish
Jane also revisits the contraception question. We went over this a while ago, but it's an important topic for any campaign more in depth than monster-bashing, so I think it's worth another visit.
Sandy posted a wonderful system the Doraddi use - for them, to concieve is a simple choice by both parents, involving singing a special song. Otherwise, it doesn't occur. Voila - every child is wanted. (If I remember correctly).
I don't think the rest of Glorantha is so lucky. (In fact, I've read Gloranthan bits about people who were the product of rapes, so I'm pretty sure conception can occur involuntarily.)
Mechanisms:
I believe that Sandy also posted some info on plants found in Sartar
which can prevent conception. (Some were even cultivated by elves,
hoping to keep human numbers down!) Earth methods could work too -
guestimation as to when people are most fertile, or condoms made out of
sheep gut. (I had an NPC in Pavis - a vellum maker - who had a booming
business in condoms on the side.)
Some plants may also cause abortions, but these would probably be more risky.
Attitudes:
These are more problematic. On earth, attitutes toward contraception
has less to to with fears about loss of fertility than is does with
attitudes about sex.
Given that sex is viewed positively by the Orlanthi, most forms of contraception are likely acceptible. Fertility is a gift from Ernalda, but all gifts should be accepted carefully - especially in Orlanthi society. My Ernaldan PC was careful not to get pregnant for several years, (by being abstainant), as she was busy setting up a new stead, dealing with miserable harvests, and trying desperately enough to feed her existing daughter and her brother's children, especially after their mother died. All the huscarls and single warrior guys (who ate all the food she and her brothers had to give to Varmand), could never figure out shy she was such a stick-in-the-mud at festivals! Once the harvests improved, she had enough surplus for a dowry and got married.
I imagine that Ernaldans take a very prudent view toward contraception, and that it does not offend Ernalda. Ernalda gives life, but she is not offended when folk slaughter their livestock, for example. As long as it's performed properly.
Taking drugs - especially the wrong plants - may interfere with later fertility, or have unpleasant side effects that may be attributed to Ernalda's anger.
Praxians (and Pentans) would no doubt take a _very_ pragmatic view toward contraception, and practice it regularly. If that doesn't work, they practice infant exposure. (I think that was the Digest consensus.)
Trowjangi woud just have to stay awake all night on Tolat's night.
Attitudes in Peloria would vary.
Dara Happans, extraordinarily patriarchal gits, would not approve.
Just what could those licentious women get up to if they were relieved
of their sacred obligation to have babies, anyway? Horrifying. Even
men have no business polluting their thoughts with such activities,
unless, of course, they are fulfilling sacred obligations to make more
little citizens. (Which, I imagine, they take very seriously.)
Lodrilli, who IMO don't make a practice of forcing their views on others, would take a more pragmatic view. After all, twelve or thirteen kids are about all a couple can handle.
Carmanians, no doubt, view it as both acceptable and unacceptable. It's a good thing for you to want, but not your daughter!
Saravan wonders:
>We know something about the status of marriage and children in Orlanthi
culture, but what are the demographics of marriage in that culture? How
many people get married (on the whole) and when do they do it?
I imagine it's based on how wealthy the society is. If times are good, dowries and time to build new steads readily available, more couples get married. If taxes are high, raiding frequent, and food scarce, more people are single to older ages.
Our Ralian Orlanthi, who are from a noble line and have lots of extra incomes from raiding Naskorion, all got married around age 20, and built their own steads right away. Most have their own cottars, and spend their copious spare time composing sonnets and parading about on their captured horses.
Our Dragon Pass settlers spent years saving wealth, raising pigs, and all living together in one stead (with the livestock) to be able to marry off family members by the time they were 25 or so. Furthermore, the spouses came to _our_ stead, because we couldn't spare our siblings' labor. We had to arrange undermarriages, endure subtle insults, and make deals using "Inrigue" rolls with the mothers of the prospective spouses. I'm afraid that to Theya, arranging to a wife for her younger brother was little different than arranging stud service for the mare. Welcome to romance among the hungry.
>How common is divorce and do divorcees get remarried?
Theya is still keeping careful track of the gain in wealth of all the spouses' portions of the stead holdings (from the dowry/bride prices), so there will be little room for argument or hard feelings in case of divorce. (Her uncle is a lawspeaker...)
Remarriage is common - and one of the big resaons for divorce.
Jeff Richard could probably comment more on the Dragon Pass society numbers.
Pam
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