[Glorantha] Legitimacy

[Orlanth Umathi]

Me:
>>...not least because it implies that anyone can rule.

Simon:
>The strongest can rule.

Or rather the most wilful, anyone can build strength if they have the 
desire. This is the flaw of a "might is right" attitude, it challenges 
your opponents to become stronger, it can create factional feuding and 
instability. The strong can become tyrannical by default, as they become 
  focused on strength not unity.

Simon:
>[Orlanthi's] also have a principle of birthright - Orlanth is Umath's son, Umath founded the Storm Tribe. 
 >That counts for something, but it is not as strong as the Yelmic 
succession.

Yes, but in my view this is a function of politics (reflected in many 
democracies where in theory birth has no weight). It very much depends 
on your campaign themes as each tribe would be different. I don't tend 
to make hard rulings on these things (you may have noticed I like grey 
areas and vagaries).

Me:
>> ...unspoken principle that every king will reach a point where he either steps down or must be 
>> killed.

Simon:
> Possibly, but that only happens when the King is weak or has overstepped the mark.

Agreed to a point, but its a subtle insinuation into the public 
conciousness, every leader has his opponents, granted they will wait 
until they perceive weakness, but it can be implied rather than actual. 
The British political system is very much like this, and the monarchy 
has had to guard against these ideas throughout history, cultural 
attitudes are very subtle.

> In Earth cultures, the idea of a Sacred King is more pronounced, and several have Seven Year Kings, for instance. 

Yes, I like the Esrolia stuff, but these ideas involve sacrifice as 
opposed to purging. Sacrifice involves willingness on the part of the 
victim. But, often sacrificial activities will devolve into purging 
activities when ritual substitution degenerates or a society becomes 
secular.

The now out of fashion view, was that RW Sacrificial King rites were a 
Matriarchal activity, and that the shift to Patriarchy involved 
lengthier terms of kingship and eventual substitution of the King. There 
is very little evidence that matriarchies were prevalent in cultures 
that went on to develop ritual carnivals, but I believe the idea holds 
in Glorantha (which does not need to adhere to real world archaeology). 
After all these are fun issues to play with (partly my Right-Arm Island 
campaign is based upon this theame).

Jamie
Orlanth.Umathi