Re: Heortlng marriage and divorce

From: Ian Cooper <ian_hammond_cooper_at_MGsIU1SUlbJ05fp55iLBvANo5vM1Ixng-XBx2DdeQ-SzF_73SEr5LczQb>
Date: Sun, 8 Jul 2007 18:53:21 +0000 (GMT)


Interestingly the birth clan issue really revealed itself to us when we played Red Cow. We realized that women within the Red Cow may have ties from their birth clan that inspire loyalty and favour. In addition, when it comes to arranging marriages, birth clan ties are important because a Frithan woman, for example, will likely recommend her sisters and nieces marry Red Cow men and that here new nephews or brothers in law marry women she knows from her birth clan. This strengthening of bonds secures her in a web of kinship obligations to and from her birth clan. In some cases the steads, though in different tulas, may be close-by and we can assume it is not uncommon for the in-laws to visit at feast-days, especially when two bloodlines share many relations.  

Within game an interesting conflict developed between one of the player characters Orsta, an Ernaldan steadwife, and a member of the ring. We knew that the Orsta had been denied the chance to marry her sweetheart, Kalf, and had instead married Argrath. In play we learnt that Darna Longcoat had objected to the marriage, when the two clan’s negotiated – secretly hoping to marry the promising young Kalf to one of her kinswomen. The situation went from bad to worse as Orsta began an affair with Kalf, brought divine wrath on the whole community, and nearly kinstrife, and divorced Argrath. In the settlement Orsta fared badly losing her custody of her children, who Darna then adopted as Argrath had no interest in looking after him. Orsta then tried to marry Kalf, but the clan turned her down, instead she ended up marrying Gringle Harvest-King (something of a come-down for the haughty Orsta as Gringle’s family were ‘trailer trash’).  

Orsta’s conflict was real high-point of the game for us, more so than many a bloody fight, and a great example of how social conflicts flourish in heroquest.

Ian Cooper

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