adoption and rights

From: styopa_at_iname.com
Date: Sun, 03 Jan 1999 18:04:09 -0600


>IMC the players are principally members of a certain sartarite clan that has
>been largely wiped out and the remnants are exiled in Pavis (of course). The
>clan worships their ancestors as well as being an Orlanthi type clan and
>worshipping Orlanth pantheon gods. One of the players has a Praxian
>barbarian character (no blood relation). In a recent moot the question as to
>whether or not he could be a worshipper of the clans ancestors came up.
>Clearly he has no blood connection.
>Can he just be ritually adopted into the clan and become someone elses child
>in a spiritual sense and therefore gain the right to call on his "adopted"
>ancestors?

IMO yes, but he's going to have to perform some significant task to please the ancestors to the point where they accept him. I've always DM'd that ancestor worship is a two-way street. Ancestors aren't just sitting around waiting to dispense favors. They have to be flattered, honored, and frequently mollifited for them to help. And they don't all universally like each OTHER, either. Remember Uncle Jorge? Well he always resented that Lakash's grandson became chieftan and not him, so when Lakash's descendants call on the family ancestors, Jorge has been known to mess with whatever the worshipper gets - i.e. a medicine bundle that makes his hair fall out whenever it's used, or a anti-spirit totem that, while it DOES drive away spirits, smells really really good to trolls.

>Is this what happens when a non-troll becomes a troll ?
As I recall the rites in which a human can join Uz cults is a little more brutal than adoption (like ripping out teeth, eyes, ears, etc. and applying troll ones), and frequently ends up with the applicant as little more than soup stock.

>Is this sort of adoption sufficient to allow ancestral "magic items" to be
>used ?

IMO no, subject to the ancestral approval rule. Such heirlooms are jealously guarded prerogatives of the ancestor's favorites, and can't simply be lent to some foundling or adoptee. Neither can adopted members (usually) hold clan official seats.

>Is The flame of Sartar such an item?

I'd say this one is only for the direct descendants.

>If he is adopted what position do his other blood ancestors take?
Hey, if you are joining another family wholheartedly, you are FORSAKING your previous bonds. Now, this makes it an interesting point - if an individual is adopted before they are old enough to tell what they are doing, or kidnapped and forced to join the local group, what happens? I have ruled on this on a case by case basis - one PC who was adopted as an infant was aggressively pursued by his "previous" ancestor spirits, as he had gained much power and fame. In this case, he hadn't been told about his origins when he wen through the manhood ceremony, so he was blindsided by it. In another case, a kidnapped PC was forced to join the local cult that he went beyond lay status, and his old ancestors punished him for apostasy.

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