> My query concerns one of the players who wishes to join Humakt, he is an
> orphan and is sort of pre-destined to follow Humakt. Culturally, would the
> severance from his family /clan be total or could/would he still have ties?
I believe the standard Humakti severing is legal. That is, it absolves his kin from responsibility for his actions. If he kills someone, they don't have to pay wergild. But I don't think he would feel emotionally relieved from the responsibility to avenge the death of his brother.
Remember the example from Greg Stafford's campaign (reprinted in Wyrms Footprints), of the Humakti who is in line to become tribal king. I don't believe a stranger would be able to do that.
> Would he be able to stay at the stead?
Yes. (Even if he was completely severed, he could always be a guest.)
> How would Sartarite farmers view him, could he carry on helping around the
> place?
As an initiate, he might not be a very strong force of death. Still, his help would be better used chopping down trees or removing stumps. As his powers and reputation grew, no farmer would want him helping, for fear of losing the fertility of the fields.
Similarly, even though his family may still treat him as a member, they will treat him differently. He's probably not going to be offered to hold the newborn baby, for example.
And that newborn is less likely to be his -- in my PenDragon Pass rules, Humakti have a reduced chance of offspring on the Childbirth Table (Swords of Humakt even less likely).
> Could/would he lose magic gained through just Orlanth or would he lose
> everything not from Humakt, I guess this depends on how complete a
> severance it is?
I think he's still an Orlanthi male, and would keep any Orlanth magic. (He probably couldn't get new Orlanth magic.)
> Does the initiate usually choose or is it cultural, on how severe a
> severance it is.
In most clans, I believe it's the initiate's choice -- he can always choose a more drastic severing.
In some clans (such as the Greydog, because that's the way the Tales crew plays it), severing is more extreme than in most clans.
Peter Michaels did a great piece on the Hearts of Humakt, describing
cultural variation in Humakti severing:
<http://members.aol.com/pmichaels/glorantha/humaktheart.html>
> I'm sure I've read somewhere that it does vary, can't remeber where.
I think it varies -- if for no other reason than different GMs don't agree on this one.
> Also if anybody knows good sources on the web for Humakt, particularly
> stories/myths I would be appreciated.
If you search my site, you'll find
<http://www.pensee.com/dunham/glorantha/scenarios/pilgrim4.html> (and some
mention of Humath, the Ralian equivalent).
David Dunham <mailto:dunham_at_pensee.com> Glorantha/RQ page: <http://www.pensee.com/dunham/glorantha.html> Imagination is more important than knowledge. -- Albert Einstein
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