Smeder

From: Erik Sieurin <BV9521_at_utb.hb.se>
Date: Mon, 15 Jul 1996 15:53:01 +0100


Michael Raaterova
> Small cults in general get by thanks to pantheon initiation, making
> worshippers within the pantheon semi-initiates when they participate in the
> small cult's ceremonies. The Craft Gods could well be something like the
> above though, with their magic originating from acquired powers.
Hm. I'm very dubious about pantheon initiation having THAT effect. It says in King of Sartar that most small cults (and Chalana Arroy is mentioned as an example) cannot get their best magic without the necessary number of participants, and thus cooperate across clan boundaries - in fact, this is mentioned as one of the reasons for having tribes at all. For most places, the effect of friendly people helping out would perhaps set up a shrine.

To further complicate it, I don't think that it's enough to have the faithful crowd to achieve the divine contact necessary for spell learning and recovery. You must also have someone who knows the Deep Secrets of that particular kind of magic.

A sidethought: I know many people do not think it IS necessary to have a temple of a certain size to learn/recover Divine Magic, but if it is, consider this: In the Land of Fnurgle, there are 1000 initiates of the Earth-godess. Now, these guys (and probably a lot of gals) can EITHER congregate together in one helluva temple, or divide locally and create many small shrines, right? Or is it possible for the Big Temple to sort of gather up the general piety of the many small shrines, since they are subject to the Head High Priestess who ladies over the Big Temple? My current line is:"Well, that depends on the cult." Anyone who's got a clearer answer?

> >> The Master Smiths (of the Wayland kind) are more likely shacked up in some
> >> strange place where only the worthy may enter...
>
> >What do they eat? How do they get it?
> I think you answered you own question very well indeed. I said that Master
> Smiths were shacked up in _strange_ places, not necessarily isolated ones,
> so they could belong to a clan or group of people that cared for them and
> tended their worldy needs.

Hm, you earlier said that smiths either were wanderers or worked for a chieftain. To continue being "boring", in the first case the trouble may be FINDING the guy at all "well, I've heard he USUALLY can be found around Wintertop in this season, but I'm not sure" rather than find strange materials for him to work with. In the other case, you must answer the question "Why should I do any work for you who are not my kin or allies of my kin?" to the smith's satisfaction. And his employer's satisfaction.

Sidethought: If you have clans or kingroups with some mysterious wonder-worker living with them (Master Smith, Master Brewer etc) then it may well create certain weirdo effects in their local culture: The magic of the wonder-worker, often seen, might be seen as commonplace. "What, do wagons need HORSES where you live!!?"

Nils Weinander thought'st me boring, thinking of economic facts; well, actually I don't think of them when people meet truly mythical figures, not the half-mythical wonderworking guys. Or I might think of them in those cases as well if it creates a nice surprise effect. Actually, the way I see it in central Genertela is that people there are part-time mythical; on Wind-Death-Storm ol' Straightblade IS Humakt, but the rest of the year I can safely base his character on any old military relative or friend of mine. Well, their may be an "afterglow", or "forglow", for that matter, but usually, people are just people. Sometimes, at mystical, magical times, places and circumstancens, they slide over into Mythic Archetypes. Of course, crazed fanatics and cult leaders do so more often than "common people". Those who are mythical all the time are FEW and SCARY, but you have a chance to understand them: after all, you just have to recall that burst of energy, that wave of glory that came over you last Sacred Time.
The Westerners may have more troubles; to them their theist neighbours might seem possessed.

 > > >Why not create a new and better system? >
> I start with what i want them to be able to do, and create simple
> guidelines that adds consistency to their powers. That way i can impose the
> limitations and possibilities that i find appropriate for their setting and
> game play MGF. That is a new and better system as i see it.
OK. It just sounded to me that you thought it was unable to keep any system and keep it fun, but that's my paranoia at work.
> I agree that the small cults should be more detailed, but that won't happen
> if you don't do it yourself. I have a slight fetish for gloranthan smiths
> and consequently have done some thinking about them, most of it presented
> on the digest. I don't care a lot for the magic of tailors which
> undoubtedly exists, but someone else may, and it might eventually appear on
> the digest. That's were the guidelines will come from - so start writing
> those guidelines, Erik.

But I do, oh great patronizing one :-). When I need them, or have a strong urge to do so. I have an ancient small cult for travelling butchers and castrators of horses (there's an English name for their occupation, but I've forgot it). It was related to Issaries someway. The reason was simply that a character devised such a role for himself, an put the classical RQ question "Now, what's my cult". And no, he didn't get any cool spells or skills or anything like that, except that he had to use something like Peaceful Cut, and that he Knew Various Spurious Things he could do with the Things He Cut Out Of The Carcasses.

Erik Sieurin
PS: I had a most strange dream the other night. I dreamt I finally went off to a Gloranthan convention. There, the janitor of my house (!) introduced me to various List Luminaires. Now, I haven't the faintest idea how you look in the real world, and thus my mind placed various celebrity faces on you. The only one I can remember is Nick Brooke, who looked exactly like David Letterman....... DS.  


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