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Orlanthi Hospitality Questions


Sub

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Hi everyone. I'm relatively new to Glorantha, and I have a lot of questions about particulars of the setting. I'm currently running the HQ Colymar Campaign in 1618. Please let me know if there is a better place or better format for threads like these, and if there are certain tags I should use. The first three questions apply more to Sartar than anything else.

  • If I'm a Sartarite from the Woodpecker clan, and I'm traveling to Jonstown on the trade road, does it make sense to seek out hospitality from every clan whose territory I'm passing through, or are trade roads exempt from this custom?
  • Can hospitality be granted by farmers and herders, or only warriors, or does the chief get involved every time, even for travel?
  • Does the hospitality rite compel you to tell the truth? Is there a safe way to reject hospitality, or to reject greater levels of hospitality than desired? If I only want water and safe passage, for example. If Argrath offers me duty and I want none of that, as another example.
  • How does the hospitality rite vary among Sartarite clans, Orlanthi cultures, or in your Glorantha?
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2 hours ago, Sub said:

If I'm a Sartarite from the Woodpecker clan, and I'm traveling to Jonstown on the trade road, does it make sense to seek out hospitality from every clan whose territory I'm passing through, or are trade roads exempt from this custom?

You can, or you may just follow the greetings if you encounter a patrol from that clan.

2 hours ago, Sub said:

Can hospitality be granted by farmers and herders, or only warriors, or does the chief get involved every time, even for travel?

Yes, it could (at least I would play that way). And it makes a good source of conflict/discussion if the farmer does grant it and the chief is upset about it.

2 hours ago, Sub said:

Does the hospitality rite compel you to tell the truth?

No. But if you follow through on the Hospitality rites and you break them, you are an oathbreaker. That can have some very negative consequences. (E.g. Orlanth broke his Hospitality vows in the Underworld during the Lightbringer's Quest - and he suffered for that. If you get to the third part of the HQG Colymar campaign and have to cross Janak's Bridge and are an oathbreaker, you may be going for a very unpleasant 'swim'.)

2 hours ago, Sub said:

Is there a safe way to reject hospitality, or to reject greater levels of hospitality than desired? If I only want water and safe passage, for example. If Argrath offers me duty and I want none of that, as another example.

Yes, it can be stopped at a particular level. Whether the host or guest finds that insulting or not will depend.  A character might respond to the offer of food with something like "I thank you for your generosity, and will speak of it where I travel. But the duty of gods calls me and my kin, and we must press on, following the winds of Orlanth, even though the night falls."

2 hours ago, Sub said:

How does the hospitality rite vary among Sartarite clans, Orlanthi cultures, or in your Glorantha?

I use the greetings pretty much as presented in SKoH and Thunder Rebels.

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2 hours ago, Sub said:

Hi everyone. I'm relatively new to Glorantha, and I have a lot of questions about particulars of the setting.

Good (and quite hard) questions. Keep them coming.

Quote

I'm currently running the HQ Colymar Campaign in 1618.

  • If I'm a Sartarite from the Woodpecker clan, and I'm traveling to Jonstown on the trade road, does it make sense to seek out hospitality from every clan whose territory I'm passing through, or are trade roads exempt from this custom?

Unhindered passage through clan territory is a form of hospitality, too, IMO. You don't have to stop your journey at every stead and sit down for a sip of water or to stay the night, but you will travel past lots of sisters and female cousins who married into the clans on your way, and it is good practice to at least talk to them, exchange news, etc. Hospitality can slow down your travel speed to a crawl if you have the leisure to do so. An urgent mission will allow you to promise to have those talks and sit-downs on your way back, or next time.

Then there will be clans who invite you to discuss a case of unpaid debts or worse. This too falls under hospitality laws, and may not be brushed aside that easily without deepening the conflict potential.

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  • Can hospitality be granted by farmers and herders, or only warriors, or does the chief get involved every time, even for travel?

Officially, hospitality challenges are the duty of patrols and gate-keepers. Depending on lots of factors like your status, your mission, clan relations, personal relationships, etc.

In practice, hunters, herders and outlying farmers will act on behalf of the clan or the officials on patrol, or lead you to those better equiped to deal with such interlopers. A local carl or thane will often be the highest instance of the clan leadership and make judgement about your requests if these aren't neative for the clan.

Quote
  • Does the hospitality rite compel you to tell the truth? Is there a safe way to reject hospitality, or to reject greater levels of hospitality than desired? If I only want water and safe passage, for example. If Argrath offers me duty and I want none of that, as another example.

Accepting hospitality is a sacred oath, and reneging on that has serious repercussions, political, personal, and magical. Refusing to grant (a degree of) hospitality is a political statement and may trigger  repercussions.

About traveling incognito, there is the ancient "you may call me X" routine that avoids outright lies. "I once climbed the slopes of Arrowmound on the Lawstaff path" is a valid declaration of your past, though a rather meaningless one. Such fractionary introduction won't grant you high quality hospitality, and may be sufficient grounds to deny even basic forms.

Normally, your response to the name challenge should be able to include a declaration of the degree of hospitality you are willing to accept, but like I said above, sometimes there may be offers you cannot (or don't want to) reject.

You can always make a plea for a greater duty, although with big names like Argrath or Leika these had better have as prominent or as magical backing.

Duty should only be offered to those in a follower relationship. If your clan or your party of travelers has pledged allegiance to Argrath at some point, saying no gracefully is hard.

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  • How does the hospitality rite vary among Sartarite clans, Orlanthi cultures, or in your Glorantha?

If there is anything like a prescribed liturgy for these ritual exchanges, it has to be highly flexible to take into account different degrees of hostility and purpose prior to the hospitality negotiations/offers. There will be lots of "I bring greetings from ...", too, and you might use the originators of these greetings to establish your importance.

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Telling how it is excessive verbis

 

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3 hours ago, Sub said:

Hi everyone. I'm relatively new to Glorantha, and I have a lot of questions about particulars of the setting. I'm currently running the HQ Colymar Campaign in 1618. Please let me know if there is a better place or better format for threads like these, and if there are certain tags I should use. The first three questions apply more to Sartar than anything else.

  • If I'm a Sartarite from the Woodpecker clan, and I'm traveling to Jonstown on the trade road, does it make sense to seek out hospitality from every clan whose territory I'm passing through, or are trade roads exempt from this custom?

That makes sense to me. You would want to avoid enemy clans, though.

Quote

Can hospitality be granted by farmers and herders, or only warriors, or does the chief get involved every time, even for travel?

It should apply to everyone. Part of the idea is that when you stumble upon a stickpicker cottage when you're lost in a storm, hospitality still works.

Quote

Does the hospitality rite compel you to tell the truth? Is there a safe way to reject hospitality, or to reject greater levels of hospitality than desired? If I only want water and safe passage, for example. If Argrath offers me duty and I want none of that, as another example.

No truth-telling involved. However, gods with an interest in such things (like Orlanth) might send spirits of retribution after you, and it's probably even chaotic to break the rules of hospitality (the same way other existential sins, like kin-slaying and secret murder, are). You also never have to grant hospitality - you might be socially expected to, but in the end, it's your own choice. 

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3 hours ago, Sub said:

If I'm a Sartarite from the Woodpecker clan, and I'm traveling to Jonstown on the trade road, does it make sense to seek out hospitality from every clan whose territory I'm passing through, or are trade roads exempt from this custom?

Yes, it is polite to do so. That way, when you come back and need their help, you will be on good terms.

I don't think that Trade Roads are exempt, just that you can travel along the roads without being considered travelling through clan tulas. When you stop at the side of the road for a comfort break or decide to pick some blackberries from the bushes alongside the road, then you can be drawn into a "Who are you and what are you doing?" conversation.

3 hours ago, Sub said:

Can hospitality be granted by farmers and herders, or only warriors, or does the chief get involved every time, even for travel?

Anyone can grant hospitality, but it only applies to them.

For example if you stay in a stickpicker's hovel then you have the protection of the stickpicker. If some burly warriors from the clan come along and try to bother you, then the stickpicker might argue that you are under his protection under the laws of hospitality, but that might not be enough to stop them from picking a fight. If that happens, then you can try to take it up with the clan chieftain, but he's likely to ask why you stayed there rather than coming to his hearth.

If you don't visit the clan chieftain, as a matter of courtesy, then he might not take kindly to you and might see it as a snub. If you have kin in the clan, then you might be OK to stay with them. (Yes, I know that sometimes becoming a clan member means you lose the old kinship ties, but if someone's mother's sister joined this clan and you are passing through then it would be nice to visit.)

 

3 hours ago, Sub said:

Does the hospitality rite compel you to tell the truth?

Nope. Generally, if you accept Hospitality, then you are bound by its rules. Normally the rules are:

  • Don't abuse the Hospitality
  • Don't steal from your host
  • Don't attack your host or the local people
  • Don't cause trouble
  • Don't embarrass yourself or your own clan

Lying is frowned upon, as it is being rude and might be seen as causing trouble, but sometimes it is best to lie. For example, the clan you are eating with might be an enemy of the clan you are travelling to, so no point telling them that you are travelling to their enemies.

3 hours ago, Sub said:

Is there a safe way to reject hospitality, or to reject greater levels of hospitality than desired? 

Rejecting Hospitality is normally seen as being a snub. However, you may be able to sweet-talk the people by saying that you are in a hurry,, or are geased not to eat today, or that you have already eaten and can only stay for a slice of bread with salt and water. this is where your Communication skills come into play.

3 hours ago, Sub said:

If Argrath offers me duty and I want none of that, as another example.

Argrath conning you into accepting some task would probably be seen as being a breach of Hospitality. These things should be roleplayed, as sometimes you can be tricked. So, for example, you might accept a meal and a night's sleep and might be seduced by a lovely young lady, only to find that it is the chieftain's daughter and sleeping with her is seen as a breah of hospitality and the only way to restore your good relations is to clear out the troll and her family that have settled in a nearby cave.

3 hours ago, Sub said:

How does the hospitality rite vary among Sartarite clans, Orlanthi cultures, or in your Glorantha?

Each clan might have its little variations, but generally the rite is the same. The person you are staying with formally extends Hospitality to you and you accept. This is a binding action that gives both of you some responsibilities.

Different clans might interpret the responsibilities in different ways, so one clan might give you a feast containing berries, another might feed you apples, another might give you eggs and so on. Whether you eat them or not depends on your own personal geases and tribal taboos. Refusing to eat something offered to you might constitute a breach of Hospitality, depending on the situation.

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Don't forget that in this era, few people travel away from hearth and kin. So a traveler is rare, outside of cities, where guilds hold more sway than clans and folks forget how Orlanth and Ernalda taught us to live with those we are bound to by ties of blood. If a traveler comes and you meet them, you offer them water, and then take them to the ring. The ring then decides what else to offer them. If you are a traveler, you can get water, but expect to go before the chief. The chief will want to know your business, but also hear news from the other places you have been and share their own. If you are a merchant or other regular visitor to the clan market, this meeting could be short, but if you are unknown you may get a grilling.

Breaking hospitality is to be an oath-breaker and the gods will punish you in this life, and when you come to the Perjurer's Bridge on the Path of Silence when you die. You will be swept into the River of Swords for your lying tongue, and never reach the promised after-life of your deity.

BTW every Earthly religion of this era codified hospitality and strong punishment for breaking it.

Edited by Ian Cooper
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If Orlanthi are anything like RW cultures that have written prose or epics about travellers and the guesting scenario, then they are probably pretty good at offering evasive, poetic non-lies to hide what they wish to keep secrets. (Some of these non-answers might even be codified through common cultural references. If you call yourself Wanderer in lieu of a name, the host might very well be aware that you are referencing a common story where Orlanth or Issaries or whoever is traveling incognito. It might be a bit of a wink-wink nudge-nudge moment, it might be taken as religiously auspicious, or you might be viewed as very suspicious.)

"Who are you?"
"I am called Herald, for I must bring news, and speedily."
"Where are you going?"
"Nowhere else I must go, but where the roads take me."

Now, granted, this might be rude, but technically you haven't deceived anyone.

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Thank you for your replies, everyone. I will speak ever of your generosity. I realize now that it will soon become unwieldly to reply to every bit of information, but I can't stress enough how helpful this was, and I'm eager to pick your brains more. I especially appreciate how evocative your responses and examples were. I will be reading them again and considering them through the lenses of personal, magical, societal, and mythological loss and gain.

Here are my current notes from your responses.

  • You can technicallly avoid engaging in the hospitality rites.
    • This can be accomplished by hiding in the woods or heathland, or just plain luck if you avoid any patrols, herders, farmers, hunters...
    • You don't have to start The Greeting if you don't want to. (No one can make you do anything.)
    • Potentially, staying out of the camp, stead, tula, or village is a way to do this, even if you're in view.
  • Hospitality can be granted by anyone.
    • Who granted hospitality, to whom, and what they offered, matters. To your clan and theirs.
    • Sartarites are supposed to defer to chosen leaders here, bringing strangers to a greater authority, including the clan ring and chief. Hospitality can be overruled.
  • Breaking hospitality is devastating for you as an Orlanthi, in this world and the next, because The Greeting is a binding oath.
  • You can use or abuse the hospitality greeting...
    • ...through cleverness, sweet-talking, mythological references, and telling lies through the truth.
    • ...to get what you want, in certain circumstances.
    • ...to deliver insults.
    • ...with consequences.
  • Hospitality most likely makes travel through Sartar slower and/or more difficult.
    • If you're hospitable, it's because you're meeting with authorities, clan chiefs, and other people you know, and you have obligations to them.
    • If you're not hospitable, it's because you're avoiding tulas, patrols, responsibilities, and/or enemy clans. You're risking a lot.
    • If you're avoiding clans, you're going to have to deal with the wilderness of Dragon Pass. Dragonewts are also avoiding entanglements, after all.
  • The rites do vary, but are recognizeable. Different things can be offered, different levels of hospitality are extended, there are elements of negotiation, positioning, posturing and politicking.

I really enjoy the Hospitality rites, and The Greeting, because of its ritual nature. It helps Glorantha feel different from other settings, and emphasizes that this is a religious world. We'll see if my players get tired of it.

10 hours ago, soltakss said:

Different clans might interpret the responsibilities in different ways, so one clan might give you a feast containing berries, another might feed you apples, another might give you eggs and so on. Whether you eat them or not depends on your own personal geases and tribal taboos. Refusing to eat something offered to you might constitute a breach of Hospitality, depending on the situation. 

What a terribly exciting lose-lose scenario! I wonder if putting someone in that situation knowingly means that the consequences are visited on the manipulator rather than the manipulated. Maybe both?

10 hours ago, Ian Cooper said:

BTW every Earthly religion of this era codified hospitality and strong punishment for breaking it.

Thank you for your work on Glorantha and HeroQuest. It seems that there is a pattern where Ernalda convinces Orlanth to do something that was her idea all along, so maybe in the Third Age, the first hospitality was not Orlanth's after all? I think I understand the connection between Ernalda and a strong punishment for oathbreaking, as well, given the importance of The Great Compromise.

 

More questions!

In King of Dragon Pass, a customary gift to an entire clan is 20 cows, which was easy to learn and put into practice when playing, but these are the dealings of chiefs. Is it expected that small gifts such as water and food to travelers are simply repaid by the guest's clan extending the same kindness to the granter's clan, in the form of a promise? What are acceptable, small services that could be rendered? Does a guest help thresh the grain for a while, for example? In the same vein, what are customary gifts of goods or services for a night of hospitality?

When dealing with enemy clans, either sneaking through their lands for travel or banditry, it seems like magic is the way to go here. Perhaps I sacrifice to Ulanin the Rider and hope my steeds are swifter than theirs. Are there other ways to get through an enemy clan's lands, magical or otherwise?

When dealing with neutral-to-hostile clans, what are mythologically appropriate greeting rejections? Are the rejected guests identified with certain unruly thunder brothers, more ancient enemies, or simply insulted with generally unfavorable comparisons ("Greedy woodpecker, begone", etc.)?

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1 hour ago, Sub said:

More questions!

In King of Dragon Pass, a customary gift to an entire clan is 20 cows, which was easy to learn and put into practice when playing, but these are the dealings of chiefs. Is it expected that small gifts such as water and food to travelers are simply repaid by the guest's clan extending the same kindness to the granter's clan, in the form of a promise? What are acceptable, small services that could be rendered? Does a guest help thresh the grain for a while, for example? In the same vein, what are customary gifts of goods or services for a night of hospitality?

A good traveler's tale, news from beyond the valley, some entertainment, the offer to carry news to distant kin will usually get you board and bet at a non-hostile clan as an individual or traveling in a small party.

Mutual exchange of gifts is a high-risk game for status that can easily become vicious. That said, as a traveler claiming a high rank accommodation, you have to leave appropriate material gifts behind. This applies to traders or groups traveling in state, with pack beasts or vehicles to transport stuff, or accompanying a herd driven to the market.

Promises and obligations are a currency, too. You can reciproke a gift (including basic hospitality) with a blessing or by accepting a quest or aiding your hosts in some problem. You can offer to plead your hosts' case with some authority you are going to meet, or one you have privileged access to. Including deities if you are a god-talker.

Sacrificing some personal magic at the local shrine is another way to "repay" hospitality.

 

1 hour ago, Sub said:

When dealing with enemy clans, either sneaking through their lands for travel or banditry, it seems like magic is the way to go here. Perhaps I sacrifice to Ulanin the Rider and hope my steeds are swifter than theirs. Are there other ways to get through an enemy clan's lands, magical or otherwise?

Find a mixed party to travel in. If you are pledged to that party leader, that party leader will be held responsible for your actions, but reactions of the clan you trespass will be directed to that leader. Expect to be exempted from the better hospitality offers.

Come as a negotiator. Even if your negotiation is as hopeless as Boris Johnson wanting to re-negotiate May's Brexit deal, you are still entering as a bona fide emissary, and if not your person or your clan then at least your mission is likely to be respected.

Divert the patrols - let them hunt after a decoy trespasser, or sneak in while they are busy greeting a sufficiently important potential guest.

Stick to the royal highway, and/or hire an escort trusted and respected by both you and the hostile clan. Bring an intercessor and gifts.

 

1 hour ago, Sub said:

When dealing with neutral-to-hostile clans, what are mythologically appropriate greeting rejections? Are the rejected guests identified with certain unruly thunder brothers, more ancient enemies, or simply insulted with generally unfavorable comparisons ("Greedy woodpecker, begone", etc.)?

"We offer you escort to leave our lands" might be a friendly way of telling people to get away from here.

If there is a concrete grief between the two clans, the greeters might send intruders back home with a message from their chief or some other authority concerning that grief. "Don't bother us again until you have paid the outstanding weregeld for X/have returned that stolen item" etc. It is possible to make such a demand on an unreasonable claim.

"Foul spawn of chaos..." is a rather harsh way of rejecting Lunar-affiliated people.

 

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Telling how it is excessive verbis

 

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14 hours ago, Akhôrahil said:

This is why it's such an effective insult to offer a guest old crappy beer - they still have to drink it under the rules of hospitality.

That act, in itself, could be seen as breaking the laws of Hospitality. It goes both ways.

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8 hours ago, Sir_Godspeed said:

"Who are you?"
"I am called Herald, for I must bring news, and speedily."
"Where are you going?"
"Nowhere else I must go, but where the roads take me."

It is always a good idea to plan to go somewhere else as well as your main destination, that way you can say "Oh, I am taking a cart full of trade goods to my cousin" instead of saying "I am travelling to your biggest enemies to broker a peace and marriage treaty with their clan".

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2 hours ago, Sub said:

Thank you for your replies, everyone. I will speak ever of your generosity. I realize now that it will soon become unwieldly to reply to every bit of information

Oh, you haven't been around any where near long enough, then. Some threads end up only containing detailed, point by point rebuttals of other people's detailed point by point rebuttals. 🙂

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2 hours ago, Sub said:
14 hours ago, soltakss said:

Different clans might interpret the responsibilities in different ways, so one clan might give you a feast containing berries, another might feed you apples, another might give you eggs and so on. Whether you eat them or not depends on your own personal geases and tribal taboos. Refusing to eat something offered to you might constitute a breach of Hospitality, depending on the situation. 

What a terribly exciting lose-lose scenario! I wonder if putting someone in that situation knowingly means that the consequences are visited on the manipulator rather than the manipulated. Maybe both?

Maybe both, maybe neither. Depending on the PCs, they might be able to say "Oh, that looks like an amazing leg of dog, but I am afraid that I am forbidden to eat dog, do you have mutton instead?" and the host could either say "Around here, matey, we offer dog to our guests in remembrance of Dorvat Dog-Slayer, who rid us of the Dire Auroch-Hound, you insult me with your very presence!" or "Oh, I am terribly sorry, I didn't know, we normally offer dog meat in remembrance of Dorvat Dog-Slayer, but sure, have some mutton instead, I am really sorry and didn't mean any offence, what can I do to make it up to you?", either are perfectly acceptable responses, as is anything in between.

 

2 hours ago, Sub said:

In King of Dragon Pass, a customary gift to an entire clan is 20 cows, which was easy to learn and put into practice when playing, but these are the dealings of chiefs. Is it expected that small gifts such as water and food to travelers are simply repaid by the guest's clan extending the same kindness to the granter's clan, in the form of a promise? What are acceptable, small services that could be rendered? Does a guest help thresh the grain for a while, for example? In the same vein, what are customary gifts of goods or services for a night of hospitality?

You can repay a gift by telling of news from elsewhere, telling a story, singing a song, helping the healers, threshing some grain, helping with the harvest and so on. Sometimes, a small monetary gift will do. On a HeroQuest, you might have to give away some of your clothing, or lose an eye or a finger, that kind of thing.

2 hours ago, Sub said:

When dealing with enemy clans, either sneaking through their lands for travel or banditry, it seems like magic is the way to go here. Perhaps I sacrifice to Ulanin the Rider and hope my steeds are swifter than theirs. Are there other ways to get through an enemy clan's lands, magical or otherwise?

If you are on a road, then you might be able to avoid them, by staying on the road.

However, swift horses are a good idea, as is concealment magic. Going in disguise might work, but that depends on cultural things, so if your clan always wears yellow scarves and you go through the rival's tula wearing green scarves then one of your party might go "Hang on, I ain't wearing no green scarves, I'm proud of my yellow scarf, ain't I?"

Sometimes, the best option is to take a long way around and go around the clan, so you don't step foot on their tula.

3 hours ago, Sub said:

When dealing with neutral-to-hostile clans, what are mythologically appropriate greeting rejections? Are the rejected guests identified with certain unruly thunder brothers, more ancient enemies, or simply insulted with generally unfavorable comparisons ("Greedy woodpecker, begone", etc.)?

That can be a good way of doing it. You might have ritual responses to their greetings that don't break any laws but are accepted. Sure, they might make you confirm their image of you as uncouth barbarians who don't have proper manners, but so what?

Another way of doing this is to enact a HeroQuest where Orlanth Went to a Strange Place and do the steps that made Orlanth accepted in the Strange Place. That might have other ramifications, though, as you might end up with obligations resulting from the HeroQuest. Also, you might have to make up the HeroQuest if it doesn't exist, in game terms.

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On 8/11/2019 at 9:03 AM, Sub said:

More questions!

In King of Dragon Pass, a customary gift to an entire clan is 20 cows, which was easy to learn and put into practice when playing, but these are the dealings of chiefs. Is it expected that small gifts such as water and food to travelers are simply repaid by the guest's clan extending the same kindness to the granter's clan, in the form of a promise? What are acceptable, small services that could be rendered? Does a guest help thresh the grain for a while, for example? In the same vein, what are customary gifts of goods or services for a night of hospitality?

When dealing with enemy clans, either sneaking through their lands for travel or banditry, it seems like magic is the way to go here. Perhaps I sacrifice to Ulanin the Rider and hope my steeds are swifter than theirs. Are there other ways to get through an enemy clan's lands, magical or otherwise?

Actually, any gift has to be repaid and that can be used offensively. I believe the incas were known to have expanded their territory through gifts first, resorting to war only if gift didn't work. In some ancient societies, gifts, including huge feasts and ritual burnings or destructions of priceless items were used to repay decades-old debts (creating new ones and their running interests). You can drive an ennemy clan to ruin through sheer politeness, or establish your superiority by making them publicly declare they cannot match you.

Generosity is an Orlanth's virtue, noone can ignore a gift. And even more : if, during the diner, two children want to make a race to the well to see who will have to bring the bucket back and you decide to place a bet on one of them, the local authority figure will have to match your bet and probably raise it unless he wants to admit you outrank him. His pride could drive him very far. 

Of course, using those kind of tactics bluntly will probably generate almost as much animosity as a war declaration, unless cleverly done.

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Q: are cult ties more important than tribal/clan ties? And/or - who gets free reign for travelling?

 

I presume any Rune Master of Ernalda gets awesome hospitality everywhere. Stormbull (possibly even only Lay Members) are avoided, and delicately handled by everyone. Do Lhankor Mhy and Issaries initiates get special treatment, and allowed anywhere (including hostile/enemy clans?)

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I also think Lhankor Mhy, Issaries, Ernalda, Donandar, Chalanna Arroy, ... followers are probably welcome almost everywhere. And any Rune Master won't be treated the same way that a simple initiate.

Actually, I'm starting to think you can probably write an awesome scenario with PCs having to travel on a time limit and back, and having to successively deal with all the situations described in this thread 😋

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4 hours ago, kirinyaga said:

Actually, I'm starting to think you can probably write an awesome scenario with PCs having to travel on a time limit and back, and having to successively deal with all the situations described in this thread

can we spend the rest of the thread thinking of snarky names for the scenario

feel free to riff off the idea that the PCs should, but don't, expect this to be the challenging bit

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