>TR tells that when Orlanthi perfrom the Greeting it is a binding
>magical ritual. The host learns the truth of the the stranger's
>answers during the ritual.
>
>First question: Can you equivocate? I'd have said yes, just because
>it makes for more interesting stories, but that relies on an
>interpretation that says the letter of what is said is verified not
>the intent.
Sure. Magic in RW myths and stories is (almost) always "letter of the law," I don't see why Glorantha should be different. We know that the gods can't look into their worshippers' minds and only vaguely know what is going on in the worshippers' hearts -- a divination might reveal bad intentions from a fellow Orlanthi "Thord Oskuldsson has a Bitter Heart," but strangers are even more problematic (that's why it's better to just kill them). The Greeting is essentially a contract: the visitor identifies him/herself and promises no overt evil and the host does the same.
>and once hospitality has been offered and accepted it is binding.
>Those who break it suffer Orlanth's wrath.
>
>Second Question: I am assuming this is Divine Wrath. So dDoes this
>fall on non-Orlanthi who make the Greeting or is that a 'caveat
>emptor' situation?
Another good reason to just kill strangers. While Orlanth might not be able to act directly against the foreign outrager of His hospitality, He might give bonuses to affinities used in an attempt to get revenge for the betrayal which is, after all, a snub against Orlanth's Divine Justice. If bonuses are out of line, perhaps other assistance -- daimons or divine animals to help track the offender, preventing the villian's escape through a fortuitous downpour, etc.
>Third question: Can the guest create a situation that breaks the
>ritual orforces the host to break the ritual so that he or she can
>act (i.e. commit an act of violence) without fear of Divine Wrath.
Oh, yes. This is the stuff that sagas are made of. It can work the other way, too -- goading the guest into breaking the oath by snubbing, providing bad food, stopping early in the guest ritual, etc. The Greeting is merely another attempt to curb Orlanthi violence; a clever person can find many ways around it. This is the backhand of "there is always another way."
Peter Larsen
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