A kinslayer caught in the act.
Kinstrife is the murder of one's own kin, and is an act considered heinous in many Gloranthan cultures, not the least of which being the Orlanthi, who consider it one of the worst crimes there is. The typical punishment for kinstrife is to be made an outlaw. At the same time, outlawry as punishment is a method of avoiding kinstrife, since most that are banished die anyway, but not by the hands of their relatives.
Besides the deplorable nature of the act itself, it also invites Chaos to the lands and people involved. Chaos can also be a source of kinstrife, either directly—through possession of the kinslayer—or by weakening the bonds that hold family and society together. The destruction of undead relatives that have not been given the proper funeral rites may still be considered an act of kinstrife, even though they are already dead. However, in such cases, devotees to Humakt, the death god, can—because they have ritually severed their connection to familial bonds upon initiation into his cult—circumvent these restrictions. Cutting off the head of a vampire clanmate does not count as kinstrife, however.
Lights Going Out[]
With Chaos abundant, kinstrife is a frequent danger in Lights Going Out.
Outside of your clan, you may hear variations of the following reports of kinstrife:
| “ | Some sort of infighting within the <Other> clan resulted in kinstrife. Killing within a family has no legal recourse, and brings Chaos. The <Other>s were remorseful, and have made atonement as well as one can. But the entire valley will now have to be on the lookout for further Chaos. | ” |
| “ | Though they tried to keep it quiet, I have heard that the <Other> clan recently pretended that kinstrife hadn't happened within their ranks. This has given Chaos an inroad, which can easily lead to worse. | ” |
Events[]
Events that include or discuss kinstrife include:
- Kinslayer Claims Possessed
- Krarshtkid Kinstrife
- Undead Hunters Return
- Undead Mother
- Funeral Rites Failure (mention)
- Garbled Tongues: Language Dies (mention)
- Vampirism Infected Noble (mention)
A possible start to the endgame is World's End: Betrayal, wherein the end is heralded by kinstrife.
Lore[]
You clan ring may say the following of kinstrife:
- "Kinstrife!"
- "Though dead, they share ancestors with us. Destroying them is kinstrife and will bring Chaos upon us."
- "We need to walk the narrow path to avoid the threat of both undead and kinstrife."
- "My presence, as representative of Humakt the Severer, resolves this so-called paradox. I can kill them without kinstrife."
- "These ashen undead received full funerals. Destroying them would not be considered kinstrife."
- "When kinstrife started, lesser earth goddesses sought asylum with Ty Kora Tek, Guardian of the Grave."
- "Outlawry avoids kinstrife, but it would be a violation of justice to outlaw her when she has done nothing wrong."
- "<Were it not for the laws of kinstrife, I would have strangled my father in his sleep/The laws of kinstrife prevent me from strangling you in your sleep, father>."
- "Killing members of our clan is kinstrife, a crime that, like cannibalism, invites Chaos."
- "You cannot murder one who is already dead, so cutting off <Vampirism Infected>'s head will not count as kinstrife."
- "Conflict leads to fighting, fighting leads to kinstrife, and kinstrife breeds Chaos."
Other Stories[]
To read more about kinstrife, see here on the Glorantha wiki or here on the King of Dragon Pass wiki.