magic

From: David Cake <davidc_at_cs.uwa.edu.au>
Date: Sun, 17 Mar 1996 15:35:06 +0800

Frank said
> I don't see any
>difference between the magical and normal in glorantha. I think that
>killing a person with the disruption spell is just as natural as hitting
>him on the head with a trollmaul. For the same reason i don't think
>people in glorantha see "natural healing" ( 1d3 hp/ week) as any more
>natural than healing through a healing spell.
>

        I think Gloranthans understand that real 'magic' comes from the Otherworld (the Hero or God or Spirit planes). Spirit magic can be cast by normal folk, but they have to talk to otherworldly spirits to do it. During the ceremonies to gain Divine Magic, the temple becomes part of the otherworld. I don't think Gloranthans see healing spells as being 'unnatural' in the sense of against the normal order of things, but I think they do recognise that healing spells come from the otherworld directly, while natural healing does not.

        And there is the Dead Place - you can tell what is magical and what is not by going to the Dead Place and seeing if it still works (the Dead Place has no connection to the otherworld).

        So I think gloranthans do think of some things as being 'magical' and other things as not being so directly magical. The interesting question, though, is what about sorcery, which does not require direct contact with the otherworld?

        Cheers

                David



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