From: Jeff Richard <richaje_at_KwQsCxE40N0jGWkuFJsy92hwBvSYUqJmmZli_nGQo6bmzP02MuaptCQYEFrsLbMKy_QR_QjmdwN0wQ.yahoo.invalid>
Subject: Grimoires and sorcery
To: WorldofGlorantha_at_yahoogroups.com
Date: Tuesday, 23 June, 2009, 8:34 AM
> From what emerged from Jeff's seminar, particularly after the intervention of Nick Brooke, the new approach is that when a wizard needs to solve a problem he can research the solution in his Church's grimoire, and often he can find it! In this case, the solution might have been there since the beginning, the wizard's contribution is just that of codifying it into a spell. Makes sense to me, and it is really interesting game-wise: you no longer know what _exactly_ is in your grimoire.
It is widely held in Western thought that the answer to everything is in the Abiding book. It may be in plain sight, it may require a metaphorical understanding, or it may be in a complex code, but most Malkioni believe that within the Abiding Book are the keys to understanding the Laws of Creation.
But of course a lot of this is done outside of the Church. The Malkioni have a tradition of philosophers ("lovers of wisdom") who study the runes of creation without Church oversight. Not every grimoire is written by a holy person! There are many sages, teachers, and philosophers offering their own intellectual understanding and in some areas, these philosophers may be more influential than the Church officials. For example, who can forget the sage Yrefej the Mathematician who advised King Urfenthos II about the innate harmony between all the runes (and by extension between all Gloranthans).
Always keep in mind that the Gloranthan West is not medieval Christendom. The West has stronger echoes with Hellenistic philosophy, Zorastrianism, and other monotheistic traditions in the Ancient and Classical world, than with 13th century France.
Jeff
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