[Glorantha] Re: Outlawry does not remove kinship

In message <00d901c66eec$a66fa670$0200000a@malkhome02> "Malk Williams" writes:

>> Heortlings don't use the law to kill people so execution is not
>> an alternative.
>
>Sorry, semantic issue. I was using the word "execute" when I
>should have just said "kill". I will take on trust your assertion
>that Heortlings don't use the law to kill people. My suspicion is
>that they use a number of other things (swords being favourite of
>course) to kill people, and that in some circumstances, the law
>allows it, or at least is blind to it.

Heortling law isn't interested in anyone outside the clan or tribe. It's a means of resolving disputes between bloodlines within a clan and between clans. Even then if the clans aren't part of the same tribe it's more a basis for discussion than an authorative ruling. And violence is legally recognised as an option.

>Exile and outlawry may
>sometimes be tantamount to a death sentence, but it isn't one.
>Therefore, I'll stick to my original opinion that in purely
>relative terms, it is "merciful".

I doubt many Orlanthi would see it that way. Exile, even for many years, would be but that's a way of preventing feuds getting out of hand. If someone feuds with their cousin and it's getting bad enough that when they next meet there's likely to be blood spilt, then the clan may well exile one or both parties for a few years.

>> How they treat a foreigner is more a political matter than a
>> legal one and is governed by the laws on hospitality.
>
>Only if they've offered hospitality in the first place, surely?

When and how hospitality is offered is covered by those laws.

-- 
Donald Oddy
http://www.grove.demon.co.uk/