Above the law? Which law? Are you subject to the laws of Kurdistan? No? Are you above the law then? Was Orlanth "above" the law, or outside of it?
Likewise Umath and his people came from *outside* of Yelm's original realm, and hence had some immunity from belonging to it. Sure, the Romans would have like for the Goths to conform to their laws, but were the Goths required to do so by their own laws?
> And even when in exile, people
The period when Orlanth was out, away from home so that Ernalda had different husbands (well, one of the times she did), is not an exile. He had released Death and the great wars were beginning. He had business elsewhere.
> sacraficed to bring him back.
More or less. See below.
> Mythologically that should impact on what it means to be a chieftan yes?
Well, yes but in what manner do you mean?
A little bit of mythological lesson here.
Let us start with the quote:
One time all of his brothers conspired, and helped by a thief and a trickster they caused Orlanth to be outlawed. This is the time of Ernalda's other guardians. [...]
While Orlanth was gone, kinstrife rocked the Storm Tribe.
Finally Vadrus killed Barntar, who stayed
dead. This was the first true death in the kinstrife.
After Orlanth's time of exile was over, Vingkot sacrificed and called
him back.
TR, page 146.
Myths often conflate events or compress them. This one sure does. Half of the Storm Age is compressed between the theft of the sword and the "return" of Orlanth.
So start by noting that this is from an essay about the Vingkotling Age, not about the life of Orlanth. So it has that slant. When it says that Vingkot "called him back" it is not a literal fact that Vingkot was responsible for this. It's a notation that the sacrifice was going on and was a link between Orlanth and his son, just like is done in the time of the storyteller.
Compare it to this:
One time the Great Brothers conspired, and helped by a Tea party they caused George Washington to be outlawed. This is the time of great kinstrife. While George was in the field, kinstrife rocked the New Country. Finally the governor or NY angered the people there. This was the first time the urban natives turned against invaders. After Washington's time of exile was over, the people called him back.
Not false, though not really quite true.
--Greg
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