True, but I wasn't really referring to the numbers game alone. It doesn't really make sense to combine families. The bannerhouses thing doesn't really make sense, either, but that's already here.

I guess what I'm getting at is that there's really no way to logically merge families. I'd be all for something like a "blood purge" where you abolish the family altogether, but merging just sounds complicated. Especially when you can easily 'divorce inactivespouse/marry newspouse.' Hardcore roleplayers (I love you, Xenthos) are awesome, but it's their cross to bear.

It's why I have a 'family friends' clan position!

Edit: Complications I foresee:

How do we get the entire small family on board? The "head of the house" doesn't exist in small families yet, so it'd have to be a majority vote/unanimous decision.
New name for the merged family?
New history for the merged family?
Do the families keep their own names, but just share some communal news space?

Majority vote is easy when you're the only member who logs on.

But really. I wouldn't mind being able to "attach" my family somewhere, with very minimal effect on their end. (Say, +1 active family member, since my family has one person who logs in). Families have, IRL, banded together before, or had very small banner houses, etc. I dislike being told "Hey, just divorce your spouse if you want some family RP," because... well...

Hey, I'm in an inactive Order, too.

(Druken: Why doesn't it make sense? It has most definitely happened, and is a common theme in certain fantasy circles as well)

Sounds good.

It doesn't make sense because if a family bands together with another family, the grouping is no longer really a family. It becomes a community or a kinship. Lusternian houses are built with spousal relationships and children. You're either integrally connected by vows or blood. Just lumping someone else into a family takes away from that vibe.

And what happens to the abandoned family members who wake up? Person1 moves into the Inseira manse, for example, and Sleepingperson2 is suddenly Awakeperson2. Are they Inseira, too? Or is it tough cookies for the slumberers?

In terms of making it merged, awakeperson2 could advocate (just like a "divorce") to separate from the greater family. Families are not just about actual blood ties. You have adoption, you have bloodbonding, you have marriage. Banner houses or bringing together families would be one more thing along the same line. Further, banner houses already demonstrate that Lusternian families are not the way you claim. They actually work in much the way I'm suggesting, I'd just like smaller families to be able to do SOMETHING.

However, even with this it would be the Inseira's choice (as well as An'ryshe's) for a merge, and if you feel it takes away from the Inseira family RP, you'd deny the request. Again, just like marriage/bloodbond/etc. It's just a vow that includes more people.

Banner houses still retain their surname. The word 'merge' is what keeps throwing me. Are you advocating for the lesser house status to be awarded to every family that isn't a greater house? So that they can function basically the same way in the banner house system?

What still doesn't connect with me is the reasoning. I understand that dead families would want to have the ability to bring more people in for a resurrection attempt or simply be absorbed into another family, but those options don't really compute when the 'reject family' option exists.

If what you're saying is you want An'ryshe to keep its surname, become a conglomerate with Anotherfamily1 and Anotherfamily2 who keep their surnames, and become a 'banner conglomerate,' then I understand the reasoning. I still don't like the concept when things already exist to remedy dead/dying families.

However, the concept of a Nightshade/Inseira/Ysav'rai/An'ryshe union does sound appealing...

I'd actually see it be "absorbed," because it's too small to really be a significant banner house. We'd take the surname of the family we merge into, but we'd have our own little section / tags which say we are technically still the An'Ryshe family-- it just wouldn't exist as far as anyone is aware unless we were to break our vow and go our own way again.

I'd love to have the option. I've no idea if I would actually follow through, but I'd rather there be a choice other than divorcing Shayle or dead family. Give me the option to be absorbed by a larger family, with certain arrangements/requirements needed to forge that bond.

Nimaet! You forgot Nimaet!

Oh yeah, this part kind of sucks. I'm glad we can so easily afford the power to boot problem members but it's not really in our control if they're adopted in the first place outside of booting the misguided parent in the first place, so it's kind of harsh.

Nimaet are not a Glomdoring family. We are forest family, woo.

I know, but I want in on the awesome family politics too...

Isn't it a majority Glom though?

Yeah, and we're the fastest-growing and the biggest family in Glom. (I think.)

So now that forging is out of the window...

Maybe gain honor for killing an enemy of the family's org, but lose it for killing anyone else? Cause, killing the enemy of your city or commune should bring you fame and fortune, but being a random killer less so.

That's even worse than what we already have, which is a pain in the arse but at least foreign members of the family can defend themselves if attacked, or raid (unrelated orgs) offplane or something.