>At this overview level, it seems that MRQ *may* actually have a more
>Gloranthan feel than is at first obvious. So the basic question (and I
>realise that this is really a matter of opinion) is just how prevalent is
>magic in Glorantha. Is everyday magic the kind of thing that is really too
>weak to be worth capturing mechanically in a game system? E.g. if someone's
>casting Ploughstrong on themselves, does that require a bolt from the
>heavens and a magically glowing plough or is it a chant and mental
>dedication that keeps the plougher ploughing through the hard clods?
>
>I suspect that this question has arisen in many other situations before
>(e.g. it's a bit of an issue for HQ2.0) and I also suspect that there
>is no agreement but it would be good to know what opinion is.
The conclusion I've come to is that minor magic is very common, everyone has some, but it has a very limited effect - it makes the ploughman keep going a bit longer, grain grow a bit more fully, a spear be that bit sharper. This is what used to be battlemagic in RQ. Whether it is worth modelling separately in the rules system is debatable.
Major magic is however uncommon, maybe 5 or 10% of the population specialises that much and they can do so because their community is willing to support them for the benefits. So a clan will support a full time grain priestess because her magic makes every field more productive. The typical PC is either one of these specialists or aiming to become one.
The really big magical effects are achieved by groups of specialists acting together. Either the same or complimentary specialisms depending on what is required.
-- Donald Oddy http://www.grove.demon.co.uk/
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