Neither nor. I would say the embodiment of the clan is its wyter, with all magical implications that brings. The chief is the person who acts and decides on behalf of the clan – unless he is overruled by the inner or outer clan ring. He could be a dictator but more often than not he is probably a primus inter pares. People follow him on their own free will. I cannot imagine many Orlanthi chiefs demanding or asking for an "adventurer fee". That would be greedy and weak. The chief and other prominent members of the clan receive gifts. Actually gifts might be the most important currency next to cattle. If the adventurers give the golden loom to the Ernalda priestess and the bull roarer to the Orlanth priest, I can't see why these things should go via the clan chief.
> A carl's family
I don't have the Sartar book at hand, but I am unsure whether the family is a legally recognised entity among Orlanthi.
As a comparison to the realworld I was thinking of the Germanic people according to Tacitus. In his Germania he describes that the people bring gifts to the leaders to honour them (chapter XV). And that the generals lead by by force but by example and virtue (chapter VII). Although there are obviously differences, Tacitus' view of the Germans gets pretty close to what I think of the Orlanthi.
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