Re: Death Rune and creating undead

From: Peter Metcalfe <metcalph_at_eHNzWiw9HK6zfDq3YL8Py2yfbLjCn3595Dw2Ues-Ads95LdXC2hedziu2k71y6aAESm>
Date: Thu, 29 Jan 2009 22:12:35 +1300


At 09:06 p.m. 29/01/2009, you wrote:
> > >Terrible dark caves covered in spiralling text? Awful monoliths graven
> > >with blasphemous (to Malkioni POV) writings? This is what resonates
> > >for me!
> >
> > They're fine but they are not grimoires.

>Those certainly could be grimoires.

A grimoire is by definition a book in the same way that a sorceror is an evil magician. Expanding the meaning of grimoire to include magical texts in general while preserving the distinction between grimoires, formularies and scriptures seems to me unworkable.

>A grimoire is simply a magical
>text that explains, describes, or otherwise analyzes Gloranthan
>Essential metaphysics.

I don't really think Lovecraftian inscriptions on an obelisk work if they turned out to a explanatory guide to the Essenses. I think the primary source of magical power is the obelisk (or the cave) and that the inscriptions are there to enhance its function as opposed to a grimoire in which the words teach the reader.

Looking at a church or a law court (the essential "technology" that those dastardly uz are pirating), the inscriptions aren't explanations but either direct invocations of some power or statements of basic principles. One can infer magics from these inscriptions but one is better off reading a grimoire.

In the case of the Uz, their god is darkness and they can sense their god in ways that humans cannot. So most inscriptions would deepen the darkness and invoke the many portions of darkness, whether demon, shade or circle of hell. A few of the inscriptions would be seals to ward away some bad influence like the ability of demons to freely trip in from time to time.

--Peter Metcalfe            

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