Gruul Clans Write-Up

Gruul Clans:

Food & Cuisine:
	Surprisingly, pretty good and heavily vegetarian. The Gruul have access to a lot of above-ground territory that they reclaim for farmland. And while the majority of able-bodied folk fight and raid, when they're not raiding or fighting, they're raising crops and tending to animals. Raiding between clans is also common. The food itself is fairly standard and would be made with no alchemical additives, except in the cases when the Gruul raid a Golgari or Selesnayan food caravan or something.

	Alcohol and drugs are absolutely welcome in Gruul society, as it makes them better warriors, sends shamans on vision quests, helps them take the edge off, and used in various bonding rituals. If the Gruul want to trade something to society, which they rarely do, it's their drugs, which fetch a good price.

Leisure & Recreation:
	Very physical. Each clan competes with each other constantly. When they're not raiding, they'll have things like climbing to the top of the local spire, or races, and so on. What's popular is ritualized combat, and one of the first things that a Gruul clan sets up is a fighting arena when they settle down for a bit. Another thing that's popular is listening to shamans and skalds in the telling of histories, usually with a lot of good bits about fighting, but also, of the Ravnica that was. Hunting is another popular pastime.

Friendship & Conflict:

	Gruul, despite being a guild that's against organization and society is surprisingly hierarchical about friends. Kin above clan above guild above everyone else. Most friendships form within kin, because they're family and you got their back and they got yours, you versus the world, etc. Friendships in the clan are also common, because common heritage and so on, and it becomes a big deal when it's clan versus tribe (then the clan becomes your family). Friendship between clans is uncommon, but happens, usually based on mutual respect. That being said, when the other guilds threaten something that's important to the Gruul, the rest of the clans remember that they're also Gruul, and join ranks. ((So essentially, the Gruul dislike outsiders and dislike them more/less based on how close they are to the kin unit.))

	Conflict in the Gruul clans is decided via fighting. Chieftains almost never interfere in this and just direct the two or more parties into the fighting pit. If it's a minor issue, usually the fight will be to unconsciousness, if it's a major one, then to the death. In the former, usually everyone goes for drinks after the fact, in the latter, that usually starts blood feuds. Conflict between the clans is decided in a similar fashion, but generally involves massive melees with clan-on-clan brawls, though usually with non-lethal weapons. Exceptions are possible if the source of conflict is important enough.

Relationships and Sexuality:

	Relationships as a whole are fairly simple. You like someone, you ask them out, you spend time together, you have sex, and then maybe you get married, maybe you don't. Depends on the clan. But generally "hookup culture" is absolutely a thing in the Gruul Clans, with them not treating sex as something to be ashamed of. Most cultural heroes (of both genders) are known for both fighting and f**king. For the purpose of procreation and avoiding of inbreeding, the Clans sometimes meet up so that the various youngsters can mess around in different ways, or join other clans based on marriage, since that'll make them kin. ((Overall, if you refer to how the Vikings did it, you'll be right on the money.))

The Gruul don't think much about gender and sexual roles as a whole, but are in an interesting position. They are supposed to keep traditions, but at the same time, reject the rule of civilization. So what generally tends to happen is that each clan has its own traditions and tendencies. Some tend towards traditional gender roles and sexuality, some tend towards non-traditional ones. That being said, the Gruul are generally a meritocracy based on combat prowess and personal charisma, so it doesn't matter much. Sure, the more traditional clans might grumble if a woman is a chieftain, but if that woman can kick their ass, then they'll keep quiet about it.

Childhood & Old Age:
	The Gruul Clans don't see childhood as a major concern and certainly don't have an organized response to it. Children are raised by kin first, then when they become old enough, start helping out the clans, with the parent teaching the child the basics of clan life. Then the child recognizes talents or interests and becomes apprenticed to that person. This is personal decisions, not some over-arching plan.

	Old age is generally treated with respect IF you survive. Since Gruul society values martial ability, the fact that you made it to the point where you can't fight anymore, they'll generally make the old person an elder, who will advise the chieftain and the clan on things, since they'll have the experience to back it up. No social programs exist for it, but kin will take care of kin.

General Notes:
	The Gruul Clans are a collection of clans and each one does things a little differently. What remains constant is that the rest of the guilds stabbed the Gruul in the back, so they're just going to play by their own rules, and damn them all anyway.