Re: Re: Interpretations of Kinstrife and taboos against killing kin

From: Roderick and Ellen Robertson <rjremr_at_...>
Date: Thu, 30 May 2002 09:09:07 -0700


> > My instinct, without checking on anything specifically written
> > against it, is that if he's outlawed, he's no longer kin. Therefore,
> > no kinstrife.
>
> I wouldn't be so sure about that. It's a mistake to view Orlanthi law as
> being that cut and dried. There is always the possibility that someone is
> going to view it as kinstrife whether the relationship has been officially
> severed or not. Yes, the character will find plenty of people who see his
> act as proper and legal while others would still consider it kinstrife.
> Politics always has an effect. The fact that the clan seems to regard
this
> killing as taboo would be a strong motivator to me not to kill him. Of
> course it sounds like he needs killing and you can always redeem yourself
> afterwards, remember that old Chinese proverb it's easier to get
forgiveness
> than permission.

The problem really isn't whether someone in the clan thinks it's Kinstrife, the real question is "Will Orlanth think it's Kinstrife?"

The final answer will be whether the clan is visited by agents of reprisal or not. Check out "Divine Retribution" TR 78. If the Humakti kills his brother openly (proper for a Humakti, but also no chance to "Hide Guilt"), then an absence of Divine Retribution would indicate that he was in the right. Of course, if the clan gets hit with lost and lots of Divine Retribution, then he made a mistake. Time to atone for it...

Roderick

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