Thinky Thoughts III

[weirdlet]

The reason that Shaan's people have female princes- an anointed king's children are all sons (by mutual agreement of all the accepted kings) so that they don't have to pay out dowries and thus maintain greater wealth, and so that inheritance can't be sidestepped by having someone marry a king's daughter.  He hasn't got any daughters by the laws of his own people, therefore the property stays in his direct line rather than be swallowed up by someone else who might get ambitious about offing Papa-In-Law. 

These sorts of things have gotten rather vicious in the past, so they squashed it in order to move past the really chaotic barbarian tribe stage (now they just steal sheep instead of daughters).

Comments

[gamiel.livejournal.com]

That's an interesting and rather good idéa, Just that kind of thing a powerful leader would do to make the power stay in the family.

So Shaan's people are sheep farmers - insert bad joke about sheep farmers love life - are sheep’s and horses there main kind of livestock?

[weirdlet.livejournal.com]

I'm not certain. I need to figure out what kind of terrain they live in, or if their different clans stretch over a range of different types. Also, whether or not I'm going with normal earth animals, fantasy animals, or what.

[gamiel.livejournal.com]

It sounds like you really need to make that map, good luck.

A suggestion, you could have different clans’ farm different animals, for example: White-hawk, Red-bear & Three-lightning herd sheep’s, Two-dogs & Sky-wisent herd wisents, Three-winds & River-hoof have cattle and Stone-path hard goats. There is also the Cocking-pot clan (who are actually halflings and only honouree-members of Shaan's people) who rides and herd giant poultry.

(You have not given any indication of the naming traditions of Shaan's people or there clans, so I just throw out some name)