Vithela is a bit of a tricky case because there the mythology is built around mysticism and the inferiority of three worlds. Just peopling it with monastic orders doesn't work because we are told at a number of places that the Vithelans worship and receive blessings from their gods. (for example Chaquandarath has priests [Revealed Mythologies p87] and people are instructed to worship these gods if they want something [RM p54]).
Firstly what sort of beings are the Vithelan Gods and High Gods? Making the Vithelan Gods theistic gods seems wrong to me because they are supposed to be beyond theism (and animism and sorcery for that matter). I'm currently thinking that the gods are mystical concepts or runes made human in their myths. Understanding the gods as human deities gives low magic (whether it is theistic, animistic or sorcery depending on the wrong method used). The majority of Vithelans worship the Gods in this manner and are viewed as low worshippers.
However the Gods have another way in which they can make their presence felt (and for the High Gods, this is the only way). It involves seeing the truth behind the myth in a way similar to Mashunasan's exegesis of Vithelan myth in RM p55. Cultured Vithelans worship the Gods in this matter
Because the Vithelans have a superior understanding of the Cosmos, I'm inclined to give their magic a Special Ability Bonus (HQ2 p51) or +3 if they worship a Parloth (God) or +6 if they worship an Avanparloth (High God) against another gloranthan's magic.
Limitations of Vithelan High Magic
I can't just make Vithelan High Magic the same as ordinary magic (or even Lunar magic) yet at the same time it's pointless inventing new magic. So there has to be a limit or limits on what Vithelan High Magic can actually do, insofar as a Vithelan could reasonably believe there's a major difference between his magic and the ignorant magic practiced by everybody else (quoting the rulebook means nothing to them because it's not a source of authority _within_ glorantha). The best way is to choose simple rules that reinforce the look and feel of Vithela.
Obviously number #1 is no flashy stuff. Flashy effects is a sign of the antigods and hence a big no-no.
Number #2* is that when magic adversely affects other people, the effect should promote reverence for the High Gods. So no killing magics for a start. If the recipient is already respectful towards the High Gods then the magic has no effect. If the recipient is currently dissing the High Gods (ie worships foreign gods, has eaten human flesh and is unrepentant etc etc) then the magic causes a spiritual weakness that cannot be healed magically. Such a weakness can reduce the recipient to the point of incapacity but it never ever kills. If the recipient does decide to revere the High Gods then his worries vanish.
Number #3 is that when contesting with each other, the good vithelans cannot wound each other. What they resort to a lengthy demonstrations of their ability (for warrior sages, this will be an extended combat, for scholarly types this will be lengthy argument over doctrine) in which they hope to impress the other side into admitting their inferiority.
Priests
Since Chaquandarath is the priest of the High Gods, it's only fitting to make his priests the intercessors between the pious population and the Gods. They instruct people in how to worship the other gods in the high manner, providing them with affinities and feats.
Sages
Since Sages figure so prominently in the Vithelan mythology, it seems a shame to have them unplayable. So I'm inclined to treat these as analogous to monks with only the NPCs and retired heroes pursuing the goal of unrealization, stillness or immotion. For the PC hero types, there is a lot of donkey work in swotting up the theory and state of mind to pursue the goal of mystical attainment, and so the PC Sage will be spending his time applying the teachings of his order to real life. Once his superiors have judged him ready to become a true mystic, he's effectively retired.
Since the Sages are not gods, I'm inclined to make their magic sorcery with the basic grimoire being the Sayings of the Great Sage Equal to Heaven. Since they are such shy retiring non-combatants, the limits of their combat magic would be to strike the recipient with their bare hands while reciting the Great Sage's Admonition against Fools, Unbelievers and Sleeping Students. The learned masters are so skilled they can cause an unfriendly recipient to flee in shame after merely uttering a sharply word aphorism or two.
Animism?
If Chaquandarath is the theistic approach and the sages are the sorcerous approach then how would animism work? There is a deity known as Genderatha who is known as the Priestess of the Gods. The spirits she provides would be individual awarenesses of the Gods that provide tangible benefit (ie a charm) to the Vithelan. The biggest difference is that since obvious charms and fetishes are deprecated as low magic, the Vithelan should follow a taboo per spirit that he or she has.
All IMO.
--Peter Metcalfe
*A corollary of #2 is that when Vithelans often have disputes which can't be sorted out through negotiation (ie disputed land between two monasteries), their magics won't be of any use against each other. So they'll have to rely on low worshippers for an edge when using force.
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