Re: Independent Magicians

From: Loren Miller <loren_at_wharton.upenn.edu>
Date: Wed, 17 Jan 1996 01:11:11 +0000


Martin writes:
> 1) you don't need a priest/wizard/shaman for every
> problem any more than you need a doctor for every headache or a lawyer every
> time your neighbor does you dirty;

I can accept that. You only need one when a highly trained magician is necessary. After all, if your neighbor does you dirty you can ask dear abby, but if you get sued you need a lawyer. So in a dangerous situation you'll need a highly trained magician.

> 2) people everywhere have independent magic, and sufficiently
> sophisticated peoples have always had independent magicians.

Everyone in RQ and Glorantha has or can learn magic. That handles all the independent magicians you want. Svet Two Horses who lives on mistlawns hill can make your cow all better (xenoheal 9 matrix as a gift from a dragonnewt), and he doesn't charge a calf the way the Arroyan healers do. He only asks for bread and cheese and beer enough to feed him well and a day's plowing the next spring. Winnie Quietwood in the next village over once killed a wolf by looking at it (Shatter spell learned from a lover? Elfshot given by a spirit? Who knows?), and there is whispering that she has used her evil eye on cattle for jealous neighbors who later regretted their bargain. whoah!

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Loren Miller <loren_at_wharton.upenn.edu> Computer Guy <http://hops.wharton.upenn.edu/~loren>

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