> > All magic takes the form of spells, spirits or affinities (also natural
> > magic). There is no such thing as mystical magic.
>
> I think this is an extreme position, not supported by Eastern myth (which is rife with apparent significant acts of mystic magic).
Great point. Such a dislocation between the requirements of myth and post-Hero Wars magical theory may well be another God Learner Plot.
Without getting RM off the shelf and without touching on the definitions or politics of earthly religious terminology (both of which I know), I think an Eastern mythology filled with miraculous deeds and access to secret powers Maximizes Gloranthan Fun.
Tales of siddhis and high adventure, monkey kings and austerities and tapas and thunderbolts, sure.
Sheng Seleris. Dragon Kings. "Bridging" the Suam Chow. Big magic.
In their long ideological struggle with the world, the God Learners probably edited Eastern magical practice wherever they could in order to improve their own competitive position and bowdlerize rivals by discrediting their ability to do magic in the world.
To insert "Immanent" Mastery into an existing religious system, it really helps to reinforce the transcendentalist (radically non-immanent) currents already going on. Then you can come in and offer the people the worldly consolations you've philosophically denied the status quo the power to provide.
Naturally, that failed with a pretty big display of "authentic" Vithelan magic and Godunya is on the throne now. But many of the ideas about the East that central Genertelans have today may be artificially slanted toward what we would call Weberian other-worldly quietism as the goal of all Vithelan religious practice.
Sure. Quietism and transcendence play huge roles in the revealed mythology so far. But now that the seas are open again and people can actually go there relatively easily, we might find a lot more there.
Remember, the God Learners didn't just get their butts kicked. They broke the old world.
Powered by hypermail