I think an over-arching "Theism means you embody/emulate a rune" on some basic level works.
The Sartarites, with their deeply personal and intense religious beliefs, along with their strong individualistic streak, actually view it as the runes that make up your soul. That some tie to the runes is the very nature of being an adult and they show up in your personality and behaviour and everything. (At least, that's what I've gotten.)
I just see no need to assume that all Theist cultures would be like that. Even if the core underlying mechanic of "you have an affinity to a rune" is there, I can see it being applied/thought of differently. Perhaps the rigid Dara Happans view it as choosing a god from each aspect of your role in society. One for your social rank, one for your profession, one for your gender. It could be different towns have different sets of which gods are available in each circle, or maybe the deeply regimental nature of the Empire makes it that it is generally agreed who is in each rank. People take one rune from each of their three patron gods. These aren't viewed as internal to your soul, they are your social obligations. (I don't know, maybe Dara Happans should have some other sacred number and so have 5 gods.)
Maybe they don't even do that, relying on common magic tied to their household gods for the most part, and initiation even at the stage Sartarites take it is a more specialized function there. I suspect the other Heortlings mostly work the same as the Sartarites, although maybe other Orlanthi don't.
The wonderful aspect of HQ2, with its credibility tests, frees you up for any number of variants where the numbers aren't the issue as to why different magic works different ways - just apply a credibility test.
(i.e. - All Common Magic must be tied to a mundane action to pass a credibility test, even if you are using the ability actively)
Animism seems like the basic unit of description would be "relationship
with spirits" rather than "affinity for a rune". The spirits would have
rune associations.
Wizardry - IIRC - is going to involve grimoires and formularies that
have a tie to a rune. Within that, the different sorcerous cultures
relationships to those grimoires and spells can vary quite a bit.
The Wenelians, with their heavily mixed Animism and Theism can be approached from the ground up, etc.
Basically, the flexibility of HQ2 seems like it would make it far easier to escape the (I was given to understand erroneous) HQ1 approach of monolithic "your magic system is more important than your religion" approach where all Theism worked the same way in every culture with the same three levels which seemed to handcuff creativity.
As Kevin so eloquently said, " Naturally, this is all from my personal
background and training. The HQ
writers will certainly have their own. YGWV."
LC
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