Re: Praxian tribal campaign

From: Peter Metcalfe <metcalph_at_...>
Date: Tue, 06 Nov 2012 19:55:56 +1300


On 11/6/2012 7:54 AM, Pomeroi wrote:
> What I mean is: Thanks to the lot of Heortling material we know so much
> about "life on a stead". I know so little about "life in a kraal", and
> that even though I have some example from RW, as my interest was to
> study (not in a scholar way!) about tribal life in Africa.
There was HeroQuest voices up at Etyries.com which should helpful.

But a few pointers.

  1. Praxian society is rigid in gender roles. Men follow Waha and are warriors and raiders. Women follow Eiritha and are healers and owners of the herds. There's all sorts of weird cults that each side has to get around this restriction but there's no cross over between Waha and Eiritha. The Daka Fali, the Storm Bulls and the slaves don't have these restrictions but they are on the fringes of Praxian society. Likewise leadership in the clan is split between the Khan and the Queen. The Khan rules in matters of war and the queen rules in matters of life.
  2. Waha warriors are meant to be crafty and full of cunning. The concept of a fair fight is alien to them as weakening their own position in favour of the others harms their clan and tribe. Praxian warriors think it fair game to swear by their ancestors to guard outlanders and then slit their throats at night. Their ancestors do not mind neither because they want outlanders dead.
  3. Fellow tribals are off-limits when it comes to raiding for cattle and slaves. They have a right to request aid but this incurs a debt that must be repaid in the future. Fellow Praxians (ie those not from your tribe) may be raided freely. They have a right to request aid but inducements are preferred before the required action rather than afterwards. Once the terms of aid is agreed upon, it is taboo for the two sides to raid each other until the expiry of the agreement. Outlanders's requests for aid may be heard if the Praxian is so inclined. Large amounts of shiny stuff (metal tools and the like) are required before the Praxian makes an agreement. Further large amounts are required to ensure they carry out their agreement. There is no penalty for welshing on an Outlander's agreement. But for an outlander to welsh on his agreement is a deadly insult which must be repaid when he least expects it.

> For example:
> - Kin and bloodline may (surely! I would say) not have a
> "Heortling-deep" meaning (my brother is not considered more worthy than
> any person of the community), though:

I find it difficult to think of any society which does not consider one's brother not to be more worthy than a standard member of the community. They don't follow Heortling kinship rules but they do have rules of kinship that prohibit some conduct that the Heortlings permit and vice versa.

> - a cattle raid surely is the worst crime you can possibly do, not at
> all comparable to the "sportive event" in Sartar

Cattle raids are not crimes but socially expected. If the other tribes can't look after their cattle then our tribe will do a better job.

--Peter Metcalfe            

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