Cannot eat meat Cannot shed blood Must undergo purification rituals if somehow comes in contact with blood, including her own Use of sharp objects is ritualized to prevent accidental bloodshed May not use any instrument or device that has shed blood, or has had blood on it Vryie Atlgan was named She Who Walks as a symbol of the order she was designated for at birth. The Walkers were the seers of the Vithrie, a secretive people of wanderers. The purity laws began as a means of survival in harsh country, then became ritualized into the force of law when it was found that the more 'pure' one was the easier it was to control the Walk. The rest of the Vithrie may eat meat if necessary and may ignore other parts of the law but the Walkers *absolutely* may not without being cast out. The Walkers are not a religious group, but inheritors of a trance phenomenon induced by fire. The fire-trance causes the Walker to respond to any question truthfully, as long as it is within their realm of knowledge and the question is phrased properly. Answers are in the asker's native language, even if this language is unknown to the Walker Questions from people that are impure /fundamentally distrusted by the Walker will not be answered. Most Vithrie regard Walking as a blessing, but the Walkers generally regard it as a curse. Walkers are required to learn as much as possible over a broad range of topics so that their answers may be more precise. E[C]: now, how would a secretive, regulated, insular sort of peoplego about this... and how would a 'more progressive' segment of that people react... E[C]: keeping in mind that the culture and purity rules thing isn't derived from religion. E[C]: and, how in particular, would the rules for such a thing work for a *Walker* rob`: you mentioned being afraid that she'd have to kill him, iirc :) rob`: maybe this is why. E[C]: I think that Mr. Sammis is going to have to pay a visit to the Council, assuming he gets up the nerve to start asking more pointed questions. E[C]: so the most fundamental questions here are: E[C]: can any Vithrie marry an outsider? E[C]: what regulations would govern that/ what would the outsider have to do E[C]: can a Walker marry a non-Walker? E[C]: can a Walker marry a non-Vithrie? E[C]: and what regulations would be in place for such a thing. E[C]: first question's answer is yes. not sure of the rest yet. E[C]: I think we'll be talking about some serious hoop-jumpage here. rob`: is Walker a genetic condition? Hereditary? E[C]: it's a born-with ability. E[C]: I never had a reason to think it out more than that rob`: If it's dominant hereditary trait, then Walkers (since the trait is so valuable) might be encouraged to marry out; children would have the property. rob`: if it's recessive, then Walkers would be encouraged to marry with Walkers, to bring out the trait. E[C]: ultimately, I think we're looking at a mixed marriage, but the trick is doing it plausibly without tripping or trampling over the rules. rob`: *nod* E[C]: however... the other factor here is Sammis' own abilities. E[C]: this 'diving under the Now' thing. E[C]: even if Walkers only marry Walkers, that ability might be enough for a dispensation E[C]: but then... E[C]: do the spouses of Walkers have to follow the purity laws? E[C]: that last question I'm thinking has got to be a yes, but perhaps not to the same degree. perhaps diet-wise but not weapons/combat-wise? E[C]: remembering that the culture we're dealing with has rules for *everything* E[C]: we're talking purity laws that rival the Hebrew laws E[C]: So if Sammis has to be brought before some council for some kind of judgement... when would that happen. E[C]: when he starts asking more probing questions about the Vithrie, or after he makes a declaration... E[C]: prolly after a declaration rob`: does he have to ask the council for permission to court her? rob`: I don't know what the relationship there is; is it ownership, clan fealty, eternal loyalty, loose association, what? rob`: i.e, is the walker an independent agent? E[C]: good question, especially since he pretty much already is, in his mind. E[C]: however, considering that Vryie is a poisoner/mental seductress/assassin... E[C]: that puts a diff light on things as well E[C]: Vryie is an agent, mostly independent day-to-day and mission-to-mission, in the abscence of higher orders. E[C]: however she has to go by the council, if they say something set in stone. E[C]: the council is made up of Walkers as well. rob`: *nod* rob`: they will, I gather, be just a titch - mildly, you understand - reactionary. E[C]: of course.