From: Bernuetz.Oliver@cbsc.ic.gc.ca
Date: Mon 11 Sep 2000 - 21:33:00 EEST
Good day,
I'm looking for feedback on my first draft of a write-up of The Foundation
Ritual
used by the Orlanthi to form new clans, tribes and kingdoms. Here's my
write
up.
The Foundation Ritual
The Foundation Ritual is carried out whenever Orlanthi want to create a new
clan, tribe or kingdom.
(For the purpose of this description the new organization that the Orlanthi
are
trying to start will be referred to as the "entity". The fundamentals of
the ritual
are the same whether you're trying to create a new clan, tribe or kingdom.
The ritual and the preparation work required is of course increasingly more
involved and elaborate when you go from making a clan, to making a tribe,
to making a kingdom).
Three main things are needed before the ritual can be carried out :
1) Approval of the existing clan(s) or tribes.
2) Approval of the ancestors.
3) Approval of the gods.
The new entity will also require a set of regalia. New clans tend to get
part of
the old clan's regalia while new tribes and kingdoms get important items
from
the component unit's regalia.
1) Approval of the existing clan(s) or tribes
This can be a simple matter of holding a clan moot where the majority agree
to form a new clan to the complicated maneuvering required to form a new
tribe,
to the mind boggling work required to set up a kingdom.
NB In some cases clan approval is NOT required for creating a new clan.
This
is when a sizable minority have decided that they cannot continue to remain
in
the clan they are presently in and decide to form their own clan. There are
a fair
number of historical examples of this. This group normally has ancestral
approval
for this but even this is not always required if the motivating individuals
are
personally powerful enough. In these cases the new entity may start-up
without
any ancestral approval but usually any group could find some ancestors
(especially direct ancestors) who approve of what they've done. In many
cases
ancestors will be irritated for a while but come around. Of course in some
cases
they will never approve and will always make this disapproval manifest.
Of course this could just result in the new entity having to perform some
additional
rite, promises, etc. to gain ancestral approval. In at least one instance a
new entity
successfully sued their ancestors to gain their approval.
Conversely, you must have clan or tribal approval to form a tribe or
kingdom.
(Of course groups always have the option to form their own new clan if they
don't want to join the tribe or kingdom being formed).
2) Approval of the ancestors
Ancestral approval for creating a new entity is sought in a number of ways :
a) Consulting the Lawspeakers and devotees of the Knowing God
to determine whether the new entity would offend known ancestral
beliefs/preferences.
b) Performing a divination/conducting a sacrifice.
c) Any other signs of ancestral approval, favourable dreams,
portents,
etc..
These three sources of approval can range from overwhelming approval to
wishy
washy signs. As long as the signs are not overwhelmingly negative the new
entity
can be considered approved.
NB Ancestral approval is not always necessary either (see the NB under Clan
Approval). Powerful, persuasive individuals who are trying to form new
entities
can override ancestral disapproval. This makes clan members uneasy but if
all the other portents are positive people can live without it.
3) Approval of the gods
This is always determined by performing the "Making of the Storm Tribe" Hero
Quest. Community support is key as always and the successful completion of
this quest is a must for forming a new entity. The more successful the hero
quest,
the more successful the start of the new entity will be. (Of course the new
entity
can always blow this starting advantage easily enough).
Regalia
The new organization will require a set of official regalia which must have
at least
one new item in it that has not previously been used in a regalia. This
item will
often be obtained during the Hero Quest, "The Making of the Storm Tribe"
that is
an integral part of the ritual.
What do people think?
Oliver D. Bernuetz
www.geocities.com/bernuetz
bernuetz.oliver@cbsc.ic.gc.ca
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