> How can I explain about Arthing or Weregeld who didn't know,
doesn't
> know, won't know Egil's Saga or Njal's Saga? (Or Snorri?)
>
I think this problem is more common than you might realize. Although
many people on this list have delved into old sagas, I'm sure most
people playing in Glorantha have not--I know I've never read any of
them.
Weregeld however, shouldn't actually be that hard to explain. Think of each clan as being a bit like a company. If you work for XYZ company, and while driving a truck full of dangerous chemicals you have an accident and people are hurt or killed, most likely your company will pay fines for what happened. Possibly the people hurt accept the fines and accept that justice has been done. Or maybe they want you personally to suffer, and bring charges against you.
In orlanthi terms, the clan pays weregeld to make reparations for the actions of any of its people. If the injured party doesn't think that is penalty enough, they might demand that you be outlawed, so that they can take more bloody justice, or if your clan won't outlaw you, maybe they get their clan to declare a feud.
Or, to look at it another way, the most basic law is "an eye for an eye." but since we don't everyone to end up blind, eventually it is widely agreed "an eye for an eye, or else five cows."
--Bryan
Powered by hypermail