> On a more general note, if you want a "regular mutual raiding"
>sort of enemy clan, I think it's better to have them be in a
>_different_ tribe. The tribal founding ritual is supposed (ahem)
>to ensure that relations within a tribe don't descend into open
>violence (... too often).<
I thought about, reasearched, and discussed this a lot when writing Blood Feud for BA. Clans within the same tribe can and do cattle raid and inevetably feud (accidents in cattle raids, border disputes, adultery, disputed sporting events etc.) There are however checks and balances to the feud within the tribe. Note how raiding season begins in spring (Sea season or perhaps earlier) but ends with autumn and the harvest, reaching its peak in the summer. Then note how the tribal moot takes place at the end of Fire Season. That is the moot where attempts are made to bring any feud between clans in the same tribe to an end so they don't fester over those long dark winter nights. That moot is where the Jarani lawspeakers hear witnesses, propose compensation, and with the aid of the Orventili peacemakers and Velan matchmakers settle disputes by compensation and marriage.
So inter-tribe feuding does occur, but the tribe tries to provide a forum to limit it.
Feuds outside the tribe are much trickier because there is no court of jursisdiction. Sartar created confederations and a kingdom and these must have been helpful in preventing inter-tribe conflict and arbitrating it (indeed Sartar becomes king partially through arbitrating conflicts among the Quivini), but with the collapse of the House of Sartar post-invasion many of these inter-tribe conflicts grow in vicousness and degree. Of course you could always appeal to the new authority in town to arbitrate, the Empire, but their law codes and judgements may not be what you expect.
But I agree with the general thrust. Our 'hated enemies' are likely in a different tribe, because there may have been no or poor compensation for past misdeeds.
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