Post by The Forsaken Subtle Sin Saint on Dec 2, 2005 1:42:46 GMT -8
Any dispute of Law is brought before the Lawgiver, who will summon a clutch meeting on the Ceremonial grounds. Non Avians who are not mated to an Avian or are not honorary members of the clutch may attend if invited, but may not call a Contest of Law unless it affects them directly, and may vote when it is time to do so.
- Mating
[**]Dual claim
If two males claim the same female as promised to them in handfasting, the right to claim her is settled by a battle. The victor is proclaimed the true mate, and the defeated male suffers no penalty for failure. If the males refuse to battle, the female is then forced to become a Consort. She may never mate or seek a mate if this occurs, so it is best to fight, if called to a battle of dual claim.
[**]Disolution of handfasting
Basically, this is the Avian term for divorce. It is not something that is granted lightly. If a female is abandoned by her mate, she may ask for a dissolution, rather than be forced to become a Consort. She may later take a second mate if she so desires. Also, if she lives offworld and is breeding or has lain her egg and is abandoned, her eggs must hatch before a Hunter finds her and the eggs, or she will be forced to become a Consort, and the eggs become community wards, to be cared for by the entire clutch. She may not take a second mate or mate, and she may not claim sole custody of her offspring.
[**]Second mating
In the event of a widowed or previously married Avian wishing to remarry, they must seek permission from the clutch. The intended is to be present, and a vote will be taken by the clutch, majority ruling. If they are forbidden to handfast, the Avian has the choice of living in exile offworld, where the Law does not apply except in the case of abandonment of a breeding female in good standing. If the second mate is approved but is not Avian, he or she is made an honorary clutch member before the handfasting ceremony. - Caste
[**]Rite of ascension
At the Time of Choosing, if an Avian requests to become a Hunter or a Lawgiver and the clutch disagrees with this, the Rite of ascension must be performed. The Avian is given a test by the Lawgiver to prove his or her worthiness. There is no punishment for failure, other than they must choose to either be a Consort or an ordinary clutch member. If they succeed, they not only get the caste they sought, but each Avian who protested must surrender a lock of hair to the Avian in question, who keeps them as a sign of vindication.
[**]Ceremony of Shame
If for some reason a Hunter chooses to become an ordinary clutch member, he or she must endure the Ceremony of Shame. They will be demoted from Hunter to common clutch member, and the Krai staff or will be taken from him or her. This is the ultimate form of shame for a Hunter, since they must live without their main weapon.
If a Hunter fails any task set forth by royalty, they have two choices; commit ritual suicide (think Samurai,) or be consumed by the entire clutch. Although shamed by defeat, the taking of their own life honorably restores them enough in death that they will be ritually consumed by the clutch, and allowed to join the souls within the Lawgiver. The same goes if they choose to be consumed instead of the suicide.
If for whatever reason a Lawgiver no longer wishes to be Lawgiver, he or she may also undergo this ritual, but they must battle the entire Crow Hunter corps to the death to do so. If they win (and all they have to do is kill one Hunter to win), they may resign, and the souls are transferred from them to the apprentice Lawgiver's body. They are then made common citizens. If they fail, after removal of the millions of souls from their body, they are executed as criminals, which of course turns them into Raiders. - Contest of Law
[**]Royal contention
If a King or Queen desires to make a change in the Law, they must call a Contest of Law. On the Ceremonial Grounds, a vote is called by the Lawgiver, and the majority rules. If they vote against the royal wishes, the King or Queen has the right to combat. They will face the entire Hunter corps, and if they live, the Law changes. The battle is to the death. If they die, their spouse takes them back to the royal Nest to consume them in private, with the Lawgiver near to absorb his or her soul.
[**]Common contention
If a common clutch member, Hunter, Consort, Mouthpiece, Namesake, second clutch King or Queen or honorary clutch member wishes to make a change in the law, they too can call a Contest of Law. The majority rules in a vote. If the vote is against the contestant, he or she has the right to combat. He or she must then battle the Queen to the death. If the combatant wins, the Law changes, and the King takes the Queen back to the Nest to consume her with the Lawgiver nearby. If the combatant fails, he or she is consumed ritually with honor by the clutch as the Law dictates, and the Lawgiver absorbs the soul.