>> I'd disagree about the separate lodges for the bloodlines (whatever
>> TR says). I think the Chief provides hospitality in his hall
>>instead.
>I disagree too, and I cannot find this stated in TR at this moment.
>That is surely why the chief has his mead-hall - to host these
>people.
I'm certainly relaxed about this circumstance being within the range of behaviour for Heortling clans. At base it depends on how strongly you emphasise Heortling communality. I've noticed two patterns of late: some players have an analogue model of 'my stead' as a small, almost nuclear single-lodge farm containing one family/bloodline. Others take communality more seriously, and see themselves as one adult member among many in a stead of four or five lodges and perhaps more than one bloodline.
Some players seem to emphasise the difference of bloodlines, and build clans where steads usually belong to a single bloodline. Others deemphasise the relative importance of the bloodline in relation to the clan, and so build mixed steads where two or more bloodlines share the same tula, though they usually reside at separate hearths. Both are acceptable.
I certainly fall into the later camp. Its partially because of history: clans came to Sartar and initially built single or small groups of steads where the bloodlines were well-mixed: I see no particular historical reason why it should change. Of course, my campaign background is the dangerous and rugged upland wilderness of the Far Place, where I was not adverse to putting an entire clan into one enormous, well-defended stead come fort.
For me that's the main point: Heortling social and economic structures can take almost any form you like, but they are always linked to history and environment. Bring those reasons forward when building explanations.
Certainly the chief uses the mead hall for hospitality, and generosity is an absolute prerequisite for any chief. But consider a textbook clan of around 500 adults and six bloodlines, with one of the traditional ring structures.
Is being chief a full-time job? Yes, it is, and a chief deserves her hall and weaponthanes. Is being a Ring member a full-time job? In most cases, no, with the exception of a few specialised positions such as lawspeaker or chief priestess.
What does a (part-time) Ring member do? Relying on the chief's hospitality and staying at hall will put them out of daily contact with their homes and their own considerable political and economic interests. In some (but not all) places, steads will be close enough and country open enough for them to comfortably visit the chief every few days. I see most founder's steads as having lodges for many of the bloodlines anyway, moving to your own bloodline lodge there is a workable solution. Far from promoting bloodline factionalism, I'd see sharing and properly managing common resources, and working daily with people not of your family helps to understand them better, promotes a sense of clan unity, and provides an example to the young. (Except, of course, when it doesn't - YGMV).
Cheers
John
nysalor_at_... John Hughes
Perhaps I'm old and tired, but I always think that the chances of finding out what really is going on are so absurdly remote that the only thing to do is to say hang the sense of it and just keep yourself occupied.
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