Editing Pavic Law and Customs (section)

==Ransoms==

In Pavis, like anywhere else in Glorantha bar a few strange spots, the family and clan is everything.

Family and clan guarantee to pay ''weregild'' - a 'life value' in coin rather than suffer the loss of a family member's life. Paying a weregild means that the the prisoner must be kept well and fed adequately. After a weregild is agreed on a prisoner must not attempt to escape, nor may they be rescued by armed intervention of the family or clan.

Weregild is paid usually to a third party who is considered trustworthy. In Pavis at this time this is almost solely the function of the Lhankor Mhy cult. The clan pays the cult who then notifies holders of the prisoner. The prisoner is delivered to the cult, who pays over the sum, and the cult notifies the family or clan that the prisoner may be collected. Note, the Lhankor Mhy cult, in total contrast to every other of their activities, does not charge anything for this function. This is due to the mystical criteria that the Lhankor Mhy cult may not engage in taking sides, and payment could allow the cult to manipulate the outcome of the exchange.

Anyone attempting to subvert the process once the Lhankor Mhy cult is involved lays themselves open to attacks by the Lhankor Mhy spirit of reprisal, who will attack when the offender is asleep within a month of the transgression.

It is not against any law or custom to refuse to accept a ransom, and some bitter conflicts preclude 'quarter'. However, if a group consistently refuses offers of ransom and executes prisoners then they may well be investigated by the authorities to see if such killings are murder. Normally, if a murderer is shielded by a clan or family then the whole group is considered responsible.