Being adopted by another culture

[Elcid321]

Hey there everyone, i got a question that might be of interest for everyone.

How would someone (let's say and orlanthi) can be adopted by another culture (let's say praxian)?

I'm asking becuase i thought of what would happen if by misfortune or stupidity, my players get themselves outlawed and exiled from their clan/tribe, and somehow, once they're in another land, they tried to join the native culture.

I'm mainly looking for praxian, orlanthi and grazelander examples (because of the possibility of their children deciding they want to visit their parents families).

[AndreJarosch]

Most Gloranthan cultures do in fact adopt people coming from other cultures, if you follow their rules, customs, cults. 

Orlanthi are very open to adopting praxians or grazelanders, etc. 
Praxians will accept you, if you follow their way of life (and your cult is not to off from their way). 
IMHO You will have the most problems being accepted by the Grazelanders (they are called the Pure Horse People, not only because they stay pure in what they ride). You can be accepted as a vendref, but i don´t think that you can become a "proper grazelander" as an outsider. 

[Joerg]

1 hour ago, AndreJarosch said:

IMHO You will have the most problems being accepted by the Grazelanders (they are called the Pure Horse People, not only because they stay pure in what they ride). You can be accepted as a vendref, but i don´t think that you can become a "proper grazelander" as an outsider. 

If you can prove descent from Hyalor or Kuschile, I think you would be eligible to be adopted as a rider. And the daughter of Sartar was eligible as Feathered Horse Queen by virtue of being daughter to the previous one.

Even without such an adoption, there is always a position as a foreigner companion to a noble or otherwise leader of another culture, if your characters are worthy of that distinction. Plenty such examples in Griffin Mountain.

[Kloster]

And a bit out of scope, but the lunars seem to accept almost anybody that convert to their way. As far as I understand, this include tarshites.

[French Desperate WindChild]

1 hour ago, Kloster said:

And a bit out of scope, but the lunars seem to accept almost anybody that convert to their way. As far as I understand, this include tarshites.

I think, in particular with lunar but for any culture, there are at least different levels of adoption:

 

- you are accepted as foreigner,

you are not considered as a local, but people believe you will at least not bring issue. Maybe you are known as a friend of the local power, and are more respected / feared. People accept you but would disagree if you want to be too closed, marry with them for example (maybe even flirt)

 

- you are "incorporated" in the local culture, but you are seen as a "barbarian",

for me that is the case in grazelander like @AndreJarosch example but with lunar-yelmic nobility too (after all the pure horse people may be seen as "noble"). 

I say nobility but it could be something else, for pirate or other war community, it could depend on how strong you are to kill and plunder others for exemple

probably low social level people (vandref, lodrili, cook for army, ...) will accept you in a better way (but not all of them)

 

- you are now really adopted by the local culture, you are like others in the clan (with exception of course), maybe in the tribe (depending on the relationship with your clan), maybe in the country (depending on differences between your tribe and the others)

 

- you are Argrath:

after some "bargain", you are the model for all the cultures you lead (prax, sartar, holy country, grazelander, tarsh, wolf pirate, dara happan, ...). There is no exception... well no living official exception 😛

 

- you are not of the same species... do your heroquest, if you survive you are part of them (at least with trolls, but I think with aldryami too ?), if not you're a good nutrient source

[Akhôrahil]

6 hours ago, Elcid321 said:

I'm mainly looking for praxian, orlanthi and grazelander examples (because of the possibility of their children deciding they want to visit their parents families).

Telmori have adoption rites as well.

[French Desperate WindChild]

2 hours ago, Akhôrahil said:

Telmori have adoption rites as well.

are hunshens adoption like troll adoption ?

aka do they transform human into "something" different (kind of beast in human form) or are hunshen human and adoption rites are more like an ancestors acceptance.

[Akhôrahil]

26 minutes ago, French Desperate WindChild said:

are hunshens adoption like troll adoption ?

aka do they transform human into "something" different (kind of beast in human form) or are hunshen human and adoption rites are more like an ancestors acceptance.

I'm not sure where I read it, but I believe you get into the tribe/flock, but don't get a Telmor connection or full shapechanging. (Presumably you could through heroquesting, but that's another matter.)

[WindSerpent]

I definitely remember some things about travelers even becoming temporary lay members for holy days for a modest fee, when they wander past at the right time. From the tales in the cults book, I think. So it's obviously not a huge deal to join for a little for the benefit of a little extra magic if you're not too foreign.

I think the most difficult part would be convincing the priests/shamans/chieftain that you would be a benefit to the group as a permanent member. After that... probably just go through whatever their tribal adulthood rites are, really. I guess at that point their patron spirits/wyter/ancestors might try to test you if it wasn't sure about the idea.... or try to hurt you if it disagreed with your membership.

[Darius West]

On 11/23/2021 at 7:50 PM, Elcid321 said:

Hey there everyone, I have a question that might be of interest for everyone.

How would someone (let's say and orlanthi) can be adopted by another culture (let's say praxian)?

In the specific case of an Orlanthi being adopted by Praxians, there has been constant contact between these cultures albeit not always friendly.  Cult tolerances are important here too.  Waha and Orlanth are friendly to each other, and that matters.  Waha is the child of Stormbull and Eiritha, and as Stormbull is Orlanth's older brother, that makes Orlanth Waha's uncle by human standards.  Relations are sufficiently good that the Pol Joni tribe is allowed to exist as a half-Praxian half-Orlanthi community on the border between the two societies.  While the Pol-Joni exist, and Sartarites settled New Pavis, and Praxians do raid into Sartar now and again, there are relatively few areas of territorial dispute between the communities.  Sartar doesn't want to rule Prax, and Praxians may raid Dragon pass, but they don't want to occupy it.  Relations further improve  with the rise of Argrath Whitebull, as he is able to weld the Praxians into a confederation against the Lunars, and then he comes to power in Sartar (and eventually far beyond that).  

Now, an Orlanthi probably can't initiate into Waha, as acceptance is largely dependent on being born into Praxian tribe and being male.  The normal path for an outsider in Praxian society therefore is through the cult of Stormbull.  Conversely, Orlanth is more tolerant and will accept any air-breathers.

The state of being between these two cultures is already relatively un-exceptional prior to the period post 1602 when Sartarite refugees move into Prax, seeking a life away from the Lunars in New Pavis.  After Argrath becomes king in Sartar, with the Praxian White Bulls as a cavalry mainstay of his armed forces, it only becomes increasingly normal.  While both Praxians and Sartarites are pastoralists (they herd), the Praxian nomadic way of life is very different to that of the Orlanthi.  Orlanthi are technologically superior to the Praxians, having access to a wider array of tools, materials, gods and lifestyles.  On the other hand, Praxians are extremely difficult to conquer, as they are able to survive in the Wastes, and pursuing armies (unless Pentan), cannot.  Outsiders will be struck by how the Praxians use leather, sinew, stone, and bone to solve the technical problems of their survival. An interesting development in the RQG rules is that the house campaign pre-generated characters Vasana and Harmast both ride Prax beasts due to their time with the White Bulls. This may indicate a trend in Sartarite cavalry in the future.  Perhaps we will see a wider Praxification and a de-horsing of Sartar's forces in the future?

[Joerg]

6 hours ago, Darius West said:

An interesting development in the RQG rules is that the house campaign pre-generated characters Vasana and Harmast both ride Prax beasts due to their time with the White Bulls. This may indicate a trend in Sartarite cavalry in the future.  Perhaps we will see a wider Praxification and a de-horsing of Sartar's forces in the future?

Already present in HeroQuest Glorantha, where the mounted Sartarite warrior rides a Sable antelope.

Harmast's preference for Zebras might come from these beasts having been created by Issaries magic. Plus they breed true among themselves, or breed infertile crossbreeds with horses.

As beasts of Eiritha, Praxian steeds may not need to be broken to the rider like horses require