Matters Various...
CLAN-DESTINE FICTIONS Clans.
Again.
Definitions.
Please *NO*.
I'm not getting into the definitions thingey. No way. Life is just too short for kinship debates or new versions of the Kyger Litor cult. But there is *one* point I'd like to make, dramatised somewhat to make it as clear as possible.
Clans, bloodlines, and other forms of "tribal" social organisations are NEVER based on biological relationships. *Never.* (and that's a Solar 'never').
Kinship is an ideology, a cultural system for organising the way the universe is divided up. If it occasionally mimics biological relationships that's cool, but like an amateur skald hitting the right note (or an Uroxi hitting the right target), it's almost certainly accidental.
In kinship systems, the real action is always in where the rules are being bended, broken, re-invented or conveniently forgotten, which happens about 30% of the time. (Orlanthi Trueism #381: "All tribal relationships follow the laws of kin".)
Kinship systems are systems of social control, and the people who 'know' the rules -
Not us True Orlanthi of course. The other lot. Lunars, Praxians, that hairy bunch on the other side of the hill. (You'd expect that.. Did you know their clan founder married a cross-cousin? The shame! ...)
Also, if you've ever spoken to anyone who lives in an eight-section clan system, you'll know that kinship is also a mind game, a mathematical system of stunning permutations and boundless elegance existing only for its own disappear-up-fundament self-absorbtion. Its more fun than choral farting, and eight times as addictive. Also, like most mathematical systems, completely bloody useless for chatting people up at parties.
(Parallels to rpgs should be becoming very noticeable at this point).
Despite this, in most parts of the world, talking kinship is the equivalent of talking about the weather.
Go figure.
For true believers, masochists, aspiring skalds and lawspeakers, I can only point you to
http://www.umanitoba.ca/anthropology/tutor/index.html
and say that an Orlanthi should always learn from his or her mistakes.
SPECIES-CHANGE STARBROW VICE HORROR SHOCK PIX
Greydog Nick:
>>Starbrow isn't a Duck. So let's move forwards.
WWWWWAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!! You've got to be joking...
Twagic.
Twagic.
Twagic.
Cheers
John
===
"Out of the south she came, as mysterious and violent as the blessing winds of Sea Season, and just as beautiful. Out of the south, through gors deep and gallt wide, 'cross ice-shielded streams and shadow-dark valleys. Out of the south, till at last she came to the stead called Lagerwater, home to the Bluefoot Tovtaros, the true Orlanthi folk at the very centre of the world.."
Powered by hypermail