>I would think that most farmers in Loksalm or other
>stable "sorcerous" places would also have a hard time stopping a
>spear or sword.
Although Loskalm and other places are "stable", their farmers aren't pushovers. Bandits as well as external enemies (Red Vadeli, Yggites, Hsunchen and occasionally backward Junorans) will make a habit of raiding. Then there's also what happens when the rulers fight amongst themselves or go off the rails.
>In fairly peaceful farming communities, why would
>you even want to commit a third of your efforts to developing some
>weak personal magic, when with a fraction of that time and effort you
>can support much more powerful community blessings?
IMO you are constraining yourself by the sorcery rules as they exist. I do not believe that every farmer who wants to become magically powerful has to become a liturgist (or sorcerer). There should also be avenues for magical ability through heroic prowess. Consider Talor, Gerlant and Hrestol: are we really meant to think that their magic comes through knowing the Abiding Book or a side hobby as a sorcerer?
Secondly Malkioni do not make choices about learning magic based on the criterion of "what's in it for me?". Their life is a quest to understand God's ways. Those that are farmers are content just to serve and pray. They know through their labours, others are enabled to become close to god and in return are expect to reward them with their service. OTOH a farmer could decide to embark upon life's quest and can do so long as he acts within socially acceptable ways.
>Perhaps the
>blessing available are limited, but they will generally be well
>tailored to your lifestyle. And should you want to be more involved
>in the whole magic side of things, you can become a liturgist!
Being a liturgist is a pisspoor option for heroic characters and I find it difficult to think that such a suggestion could be made with MGF in mind.
>I agree though that this makes it hard to start off heroic characters
>from western lands! Who wants to assign all the cool magic stuff to
>someone else?
All you've done so far is to show out that you don't think Western farmers can be heroic. But knights or sorcerers are "hard to start off"?
>In HW they
>generally seem to have no personal magic at all. From a maximum game
>fun point of view, I have to admit playing in the west didn't appeal
>under RQ, and appeals even less under HW.
That's not how MGF works. MGF states if you have two alternatives, you should adopt the one which leads to greater fun. Accepting that the West is no fun to play in is an complete abnegation of MGF.
--Peter Metcalfe
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