Orlanth head-hunters and stuff

From: Jeff Richard <jrichard_at_cnw.com>
Date: Thu, 5 Mar 1998 08:24:25 -0800


Howdy all,

Andrew Staples, in his courageous first foray into this Gloranthan free-for-all writes:

>I came across a reference to Orlanthi head-hunting on one of the articles
on
>Loren's web-site (David Cake's Killing People Dead). Superb article, but
where
>has this idea of Orlanthi taking heads come from? Is there a published
item
>about it, or is it just part of the continual Celtification of Orlanthi?

The head-hunting Orlanthi question periodically rolls across the digest.  If I recall, the oldest published reference to this practice is the Headhunters unit in Dragon Pass. Personally, I believe that head-hunting is an East Ralian Orlanthi custom, and is not really a Heortling Orlanthi (the Orlanthi of the Lunar Provinces, Sartar and Heortland) custom.  However, during the turbulent 10th and 11th centuries many Ralian customs were introduced to the Heortlings by followers of Alakoring - presumably head-hunting was one of these. I do not believe that many Sartarites pr actice head-hunting, rather, most would view that as a barbarism practiced by northern savages.

As for the continual Celtification of Orlanthi, I borrow far more from the Norse sagas than I do from the Tain in my conception of the Heortling Orlanthi. For the East Ralians, it is the reverse. However, it is important to recognize that although there are parallels between the Orlanthi and RW cultures, they are definitely not the same. For instance, Orlanthi women are politically and socially far more powerful as a class (not just isolated individuals) than ever was the case amongst the Irish Celts, let alone the Norse.

Finally, remember that the Sartarites hardly represent the majority of Orlanthi - or even Heortlings. Far more numerous and influential are the Provincial Orlanthi who wear trousers, have nobles with estates, have civic centers, and keep written records. These Orlanthi aspire to join the Imperial Senate, and send their sons off for careers in the Lunar Auxili aries, and practice such imperial decadence as has trickled down to the Provinces (conveniently buying up unfashionable leftover stocks of foods and fabrics and paraphernalia from the Heartlands). But they also worship the Lightbringers, recognize Orlanth as King, and invoke Heort the Lawbringer.

Jeff


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