Inheritance of heritable office (and all offices are heritable) is strictly through primogeniture. Women hold no office within the tribe, and have no status except as wife, mother or daughter. On no account can a woman inherit any office; in the event of an office holder dying leaving only a daughter, the office passes to her husband on consummation of the marriage. Marriage is a dynastic rite, and virginity enormously prized. Important people within the tribe are usually betrothed as infants.

Sexual fidelity and constancy are also considered very important, for women. Monogamy is strictly practised. Marriage outwith the tribe is not permitted. Breaches of tribal law are dealt with by judgment by a shaman following a divination rite, often followed by a bloody execution. Blood feud is practised.

Women are always veiled except in the privacy of their father's or husband's tent; they may not address a man, and may not reply to a man other than a close relative.

Property is held by the clan, which effectively means by the clan leader. There are three main clans of the Rhiconicfhearchaorusduadh, respectively the Rhiconaiach, the Rhiconicfhearchain, and the Rhiconicfheandonach. Of these the Rhiconaiach is the oldest and the most senior.

I describe the camp of the Chieftain of the Rhiconaiach.

These people were once dominant on the steppe, and still traditionally provide the barbarian guard. However, their inflexible system of military leadership has lead to their relative decline - too often, the leader of the day is not effective.

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