>From: Gianfranco Geroldi <giangero_at_yahoo.com>
>Subject: Lawsuit against Sharpsword killer
I´d like to use this to make a couple of things clear.
>My campaign is based (actually) in Pavis, 1619.
>
>IMG, Garreth Sharpsword has been tainted by chaos
>(due
>to his inappropriate use of a Jrusteli Machine,
>discovered in the Cradle Vault under Magician's
>Tower,
>secretly connected to the Sorcerer Vampire Lord
>Potonis).
Certainly shows us that YGWV!!
Sounds like a great game!
>A hero Pc, a Carmanian converted from Invisible
>Orlanth to Destor, (so not really an heortling, by
>birth at least),
In fact, not a Heortling in any way. Membership in a cult does not determine kinship. If had undergone some kind of adoption ritualhe could be a Heortling. But let us be clear: this man is a Carmanian.
>just killed him in my campaign, after
>a climactic confrontation, having discovered his
>chaotic latent possession (Garreth got mad and
>ordered his companions to kill the hero, but the hero,
>instead of fleeing as I, the narrator, anticipated,
>retaliated and killed Garreth).
Man, I love these kinds of things in a game! It is what makes Narrating worth while.
>I am amused by this outcome and would like to play
>it correctly.
>
>The Destori hero killed Garreth in a regular duel,
>not secretly and not cowardly. He (and only him)
>discovered his chaos allegiances, but there was
>another Orlanthi chieftain (NPC), Degan Stormson,
>who witnessed the duel, uncertain whom to aid but sure
>that Garreth appeared suddenly mad and murderous.
>
>Legally,
OK, now, I am going to approach this legally, as per Heortling law.
>I presume, the Destori should have proved
>to a court Garreth's sin, so he could be outlawed and
>slain (after a vain cure attempt).
Nop,e the Carmanin has absolutely no obligation to rpove this at all. As a Destori he must oppose chaos and so he did what his god demands. But he has no legal obligatoin here AT ALL.
>The Destori is
>guilty of violent behaviour but he was right,
Hey, if "violence is always an option" then he is guilty of NOTHING. Yes, he did it, but there is no guilt per se. To be guilty one must do something wrong.
>acted
>in self defense and rightly showed no piety towards a
>predark slave (Garreth).
Hear hear! Good Orlanthi! Good work! He did the right thing.
>Garreth was not kin to him (the Destori was
>initiated by a Storm Voice at Horngate) so there is no
>kinstrife.
Of course not! One is a Heortling and the other is a Carmanian.
>BUT, I think, as in KOS page 176-177 (Argrath kills
>a traitor and then "purifies himself"),
OK, I don´t have my KoS with me, so I cannot reference this act. Sorry.
>the Destori
>has to make amend for his killing. Justice is a key
>Orlanthi virtue, after all, even in Pavis under
>Lunar oppression.
Justice is of absolutely no consequence here. Two men fought, one was killed. One of the men (Carmanian) had a good religious reason to act.
Please note here: Justice hs to do only with people within the same system. Carmanians worry aobut Justice with other Carmanians, maybe with all others int he Empire. Heortlings have to worrya bout other Heortlings. But when foreigners meet, there are no rules of justice!
NOW, if he wishes to try to calm down the avenging kinsmen of Garreth he can try to do this. But there are serious problems.
>He has to pay a thane weregild (50 cows) to
Is Garreth a thane in Pavis? Thane is a social rank, and requires a social system to support it. Does Garreth hav a clan in Pavis?
>Garreth's kin, prove to a jury his self-defense intent
Actualy, the jury has nothig to do with it. He would have to prove TO THE KINSMEN that it was legitimate self defense. Even if it was legitimate, this does not absolve him of responsibility, and he may still have to pay the weregeld. After all, Garreth is dead.
>(not
>difficult, he has a witness, Degan), prove Garreth
>allegiance to chaos (more difficult, but not
>impossible)
OK, so if he proves that Garreth was chaotic then the kinsmen of Garreth may very well decide to let it go, because if they acknowledge kinship with chaos it bodes poorly for their future. But even then, they might just say, "We cold have cleared him of chaos. Our man is dead. You are guilty."
>and finally "purify".
It is important to be purfied after any act which tants a person, not just with chaos but with any social stigma, and even with any unusual action. It is even common for Heortlings to be purified of killing enemies in a legitimate battle. It is necessary for women to be purified after birthing a child. Why? Because thee kinds of actions bring an unusual kind of energy into a person, and to have "childbirth energy" in a non childbirth situation can cause problems.
>Or is the weregild "purification" enough?
Under normal circumstances, if a clan accepts weregeld they have ended the problem. Basically, "our guy is dead, but this money compensates for the income he would have brought us." If they accepted the weregeld and then killed someone in the other clan, they have started a new feud.
But frankly, a clan might entertain this Carmanian's offers, accept the weregeld and then kill him and be richer for it, laughign all the wya to the bank. Aftr all, it´s just a foreigner WHO HAS NOT RIGHTS UNDER HEORTLING LAW.
>Is this purification a particular ceremony, in your
>opinion?
OK, so lets speculate that the clan has accepted that Garreth was chaotic, did wrong and that the world is better off without him. Maybe they think that Garreth was a hothead and making too much trouble anyway. Whatever. So let´s say they accept this weregeld, and then THEY purity (or specify the method of purification) for this foreigner. And they swear on their souls and swords that it is sufficient. Would that be enough? YES, I think so. The clan could sit down with this Carmanian and drink with himwithout any problems. But please note, this is an exceptional thing that the clan would have to agree with beforehand. They could just as easily cheat the poor sap as I had mentioned above. But if they had sworn an oath to accept it, they had better accept it or else whomever they swore by would go against them. Typically as above, they swear by their souls and their swords, so if they broke the oath then Orlanth (source of souls) would go against them, and so would Humakt (source of swords).
>Finally, is the Destori kin to the Storm Voice who
>initiated him, according to heortling law?
No, not at all. If they did a blood brother thing then they have kindship-like bonds, sure. But if not, there is no inship between them at all.
>I don't
>think there is an heortling, even in Prax, without
>kin,
YGWV, but I think it´s quite likely there are many Heortlings in Prax and Pavis without kinsmen.
>or that the hero's Carmanian blood relatives
>qualify, again according to heortling custom.
This is right. Carmanians have no rights under Heortlign Law. Now if there was a large number o them, therecould be a special case made that would allow it, by swearing beforehand, etc.
>Any suggestion is very welcomed.
There are mine!
Sincerely,
Greg Stafford
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