Orlanthi Marriage Solo

by Thomas Lindgren

Orlanthi marriage customs reflect their unruly origins and belief in personal freedom.

There are two versions: either you as the player are proposing one of the below; or you are being proposed.

METHOD 1: YOU ARE PROPOSING

For the first option, you must overcome a Reluctance as in:

Marriage proposal table
Your proposed is...	Male	Female	Notes:

You propose ...

Husband & Wife	1	1
Husband & Underwife	2	3
Wife & Underhusband	3	2
Esrolian Husband	4
Year-wife/husband	5	5
Bed-wife/husband	6	6
Love-wife/husband	8	8	Both must be monogamous
Temporary liaison	9	9

Notes

You must overcome a Reluctance of 2d6+3. You can use your charms, good looks, gifts, and deeds/skills.
As above, but gifts count double.
As case 1, but reluctance is 1d6+12 (you are in effect trying to "marry up").
As case 1, but Reluctance is 2d6+6.
As case 1, but Reluctance is 2d6
As case 1, but Reluctance is 1d6+3
As case 1, but Reluctance is 1d6 (there is no case 7)
As case 1, but Reluctance is 2d6
You must win an opposed resolution of your Lustful vs. your intended's Chaste.

METHOD 2: YOU ARE PROPOSED TO

Each year, you make a roll versus APP+(Status/1000)- your # spouses. [This can be done even if you are already married.] If you succeed, each 5 points of difference entails one roll on the proposal table below.

Marriage proposed table
Husband & Wife	1-2
Underhusband/Underwife	3-4
Esrolian Husband (or Underwife)	5-6
Year-Wife/Husband	7-9
Bed-Wife/Husband	10-12
Love-Wife/Husband	12-14	Other has no partner
Temporary Liaison	15-20

MISCELLANEOUS

There is a 1 in 6 chance that your intended already has 1d6 partners. In this case, you may refuse marriage.

These other spouses can become allies or enemies. Use your Selfish trait to determine your reaction.

If you are a man, your paternity may be challenged (e.g., if your wife has many husbands). As a woman, you roll once on Childbirth table per spouse and year, and take the lowest result (ummm, if that is the one that begets a child -- the "most begetting" roll is chosen in any case).

BENEFITS

Each Winter Phase, you get the sum of your partners' APP/2 or (Status/1000) in Status, your choice (per partner).

Some partnerships also entail a sharing of goods.

As part of the marriage, you gain a 2d6 Passion, Love (Spouse).

For children, see Miscellaneous.

ONGOING MARRIAGE

Each year, you and your spouse make a Love (Spouse) roll, adding the number of partners; this may give a Love (Spouse) check.

If your spouse fumbles, he or she will take a new partner. You then have the option of terminating the marriage and getting out with your share of the goods. If you fumble your Love (Spouse) roll, the marriage is terminated. If you fail your Love (Spouse) roll, you have the option of terminating the marriage.

For a year-marriage, your spouse will terminate it if the Love (You) roll is failed. You yourself can terminate it at your wish. The same holds for bed- and love-wives (in the latter case, both must make a Lustful check or there will be no Childbirth roll).

When a marriage is terminated, the Love (Spouse) passion is converted into a directed Lustful (Spouse) +5 trait, at the option of the character. Otherwise, the Love (Spouse) is retained.

AN EXPLANATION OF TERMS

This was taken from King of Sartar, by Greg Stafford.

Husband & Wife: equal status, share property. Wife moves to hubby's house while children belong to his clan (and thus the responsibility to raise them).

Husband & Underwife: Same as above, but H. has more status/belongings & thus more to say.

Wife & Underhusband: The reverse of H&U, but children belong to H's clan.

Esrolian Husband: As W&U, but children belong to W's clan.

Year-wife/husband: the marriage is renegotiated in a year.

Bed-wife/husband: No property changes hand, except publicly witnessed. Children belong to party not mentioned. (E.g., bed-hubby does not keep children.)

Love-wife/husband: No property changes hand, even to children. A vow of monogamy for its own or love's sake. Children go to hubby's clan.

Final note

Don't hesitate to change these values around to suit yourself. In particular, the Love (Spouse) passions and Reluctances may be too low.

Pendragon solos can be run by players. If you're interested in a specific match, rather than just getting married, the gamemaster probably has to be involved. The tables above are suitable in the Dragon Pass region. Other Orlanthi have similar but slightly different customs.

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Last updated 1 Aug 95 drd

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