>About my statement that Spirit Magic is different in nature from
>Sorcery:
>[snip]
>Your answer may be more correct than mine as far as Glorantha
>is concerned, but think about this: magic is weird and unpredictable,
>why should it be continuous and not discrete?
From an understanding of the human condition. In the Glorantha book of the Genertelan boxed set, it's stated somewhere that the threefold (or Fourfold from CoT) division in magic systems is actually an artifical distinction created by the God Learners and not all such magic systems can be easily classified. The what the shaman, priest and sorcerer says in the rules are in effect idealized abstractions. Not every Priest in Glorantha would say the same thing as the Priest in the rulebook.
[reforming spirit magic]
P.M. >>I agree here, but think it would be better to amend the spirit
>>magic taught by Shamanistic Cults rather than theists.
>The description RQ3 gives of shamans is quite appropriate: people who
>talk to spirits, make small charms through which magic is cast and go
>out of their bodies to follow the spiritual version of their totem
>animal. Changing this instead of that blasted Spellteaching ritual that
>gives you a lot of powerful magic with low cost and no risks, this would
>>be a shame!
>Or is it making the spell descriptions different for cult spirit magic
>or shamanic magic that you are suggesting?
What I am thinking off is that the mechanics in which the shamanistic knows and casts spells be somewhat different. When the Pendragon basis of G:tG was announced, I was giving some thought as to how to make the spells more varied (like humanistic theism etc).
It occured to me that since the Shamanistics were closest to the spirit world that their magics rely on the emotions rather than the spirit. Thus to cast a healing spell would require a merciful trait rather than a POW roll. The *strength* of the spell would be dependent on the strength of the trait - normally it will be 1 point unless the trait is above 16 (nodding towards Elric!) in which case the spell strength could be the trait-15. Spells which cost more than 1 point cannot be cast unless the trait is sufficiently high - a 3 pt spell would require a trait of 18. This would explain why Waha is crap with healing magics and Eiritha crap with war magics without having artificial restrictions.
A Shaman could summon and control a spirit within his fetch to augment his natural limits. Thus having a healing spirit within his fetch, he could use the merciful trait of the healing spirit to cast higher strength heal spells than his cruel trait would warrant.
Under this system and because it's primarily emotion based, the shamanistic spell doesn't need INT (or memorize or cult lore) to keep in the head. The Theists on the other hand would operate pretty much the same as in Pendragon Pass or RQ3. Now given that traits don't exist within the RQ3 rules, the suggestion is pretty much usuable there. But I gave it as an example of what _could_ be done without changing the spell descriptions.
Pam Carlson:
>Humakti aren't cyclical - after death they just sit in Humakt's hall,
>fighting for eternity.
Er, but isn't this the same for Orlanthi? I know the Esrolians have the belief of reincarnation but not all Orlanth do likewise IMO.
>Humakt has no ties to any earth goddess.
He was considered to be married to Ralia by some tribes during the first age and probably was married to one in Carmania.
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