Re: Barntar: Son of Orlanth?

From: Greg <Greg_at_t3tiF4Po1fZtW3RKq0WORNAa6LFuxchpsqYRZx7IO7xsux57e1ArJR07RQKAhL_s4kNZ2FK>
Date: Thu, 10 May 2007 22:40:06 -0800


YGWV parental_unit_2 wrote:
> I thought one of the characteristic features of a farming carl was
> that he had his own plow team. Obviously, there are other ways to get
> carl social status (for example, marry a carl, or be a particularly
> successful crafter), but the way for a male head of a farming
> household to become a carl, I thought, was behind his own plow.

I believe this is so.
A plow team is actually 8 oxen, which mean (I think) 4 for the morning and 4 for the afternoon (oxen don't eat and work at the same time, and so are only good for a half day of work). To have 8 working oxen each year requires a herd of of 20-30 cattle. This is a LARGE enterprise, and a sign of considerable wealth. NOW, I know in Domesday Book (our best resource for pre-industrial farming statistics) that many farmers had partial teams, or one owned a plow and others parts of the team.
Among the Orlanthi you get land doled out to you that you can plow, so owning half a team gets you half as much plowland as someone with a whole team.
Somewhere between the family that owns an entire team and plow and no team or plow is the line that separates carls from cottars. I'd suggest that a standard would be half a team. Cottars live mainly be vegetables. "Less bread, more cabbage."

> > My view is that a few specialists in each clan are enough to
> > provide all the magic required in normal circumstances.
>
> This makes some sense, and would explain why the default Orlanth cult
> Durev deals mostly with family life and managing a household, not
> exercising an occupation. It doesn't align with the definition of carl
> just above, but that might not really apply to Sartar; it could just
> be a sterotype.

Yes, Durev is the more basic "general farmer" type. Yes, he invented the first plow, but he also invented the first cabin to live in, the first family, etc.

  > > Even if Barntar were a subcult of Orlanth in Sartar it doesn't
> > mean he can't be a separate cult elsewhere.
>
> Good point.

Or even, as others have pointed out, a separate existence. Barntar is not dependent upon his parents to exist.

-- 
Sincerely,
Greg Stafford

Issaries, Inc.
1942 Channing Way, #204
Berkeley, CA 94704



           

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