Re: Runes for non-theists [was: 'Three Runes']

From: L C <lightcastle_at_3juMqXv9_4Oh4cc1IIfktaxrOZiTFaF80KYlyo32-DBiWYmdHWD7KVI2RaTpbNW_>
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 2009 10:29:53 -0500

All of this depends entirely on the idea that people have runes that are important in that way. So far, we only know for sure that Sartarite Orlanthi have them and then from them forge links to the Gods. (It seems likely ALL Orlanthi have them, from what I'm hearing.) Whether other cultures think of people as having internal runes, and whether or not those influence magic in any significant way, is an open question that the writers have not addressed, and so assuming these things is just beating our heads against the wall.

LC

Gavain Sweetman wrote:
>
>
> Quoting from KoH Rune magic section on p 68: "The Runes are symbols
> that have power inherentin them; they are the building blocks of
> Glorantha. They are symbols, archetypes, embodiments, and actual
> matter or energy of the mundane world."
>
> From that it follows that people are also made of runes in a
> fundamental way, and not only that people are probably made of all
> runes to lesser or greater extents. So anyone can forge a real
> connection to any rune. It wouldn't surprise me if in Glorantha many
> characteristics are named for the rune they link to.
>
> However, my main point it to link this to the way runes influence
> magic. With theists it seems easy, their magic is internal, their use
> of the rune is mediated through their belief in a god or gods. "If god
> did this then I can too."
>
> With spiritualists it is also easy they don't do magic themselves so
> the only important thing is the rune that their spirits link to. The
> main influence of the runes is that they will predispose the
> spiritualist to certain sorts of spirits and find them easier to deal
> with.
>
> Magicians use logic and learning to access powers of the runes. The
> intuition that their own internal runes provides will give them some
> help but because they don't access their powers internally they don't
> make that direct connection to the power. Perhaps only with the
> individual spells they learn do they have a chance.
>
> In writing this, it occurs to me that one of the things illumination
> offers is that gods, spirits and grimoirs become irrelevant, because
> the illuminant realises that the only power is the runes themselves.
> Illuminants can therefore access their internal runes directly without
> intervention or limitation from other sources. Thus giving them the
> freedom to use unexpected powers.
>
> Just my thoughts for this morning. :-))))
>
> Gavain
>