David Dunham had spoken about Primitive Magic
>However, I do have one question, which
>people have this primitive magic and why?
Think of Mathematics throughout RW history - trig functions, zero, negative numbers, calculus, transfinite numbers etc - the key feature is that it has become more complex over time. What David was meant by 'primitive magic' was that the people who practiced it were using the state-of-the-art magicial technology yet such magic would be viewed as obslete by us today.
This is complicated somewhat by the fact that even the magic of primitive people will become more complex over time. As a shaman uses magic, he will make certain innovations or incorporate outside knowlege. Some of this will be passed on to his students and thus over time, the shamna and his community will become more adept in magic. This is a gradual process and is limited by the capacity of the poplace to learn magic and the longetivity of the Shaman.
Similar arguments apply for sorcery and divine magic.
Tim Torres:
>would a one-use mystical poem be imbued with specific mystic effects
>or simply allow the user to concentrate more mystic energy to create
>greater effects with his/her own mystic talents? (In spirit magic
>terms, would it be more like a spell matrix or more like a POW-storing
>crystal?)
Depends on the type of Poem. Attain Oneness might concentrate his talents whereas Discern Deceit might let the mystic know when he has been lied to.
>Also, in addition to cult magics, my ultra-civilized Kralorelan citizens use
>mysticism (variously taoist/buddhist/etc) instead of sorcery, altho there are
>also sorcerors found in all the cities and the outlying villages have their
>share of village elders (wise men/women) who practice a form of spirit magic
>instead (based on the kami of shinto religious belief).
This seems right IMO, although I know that Sandy thinks that the Kralori do not use sorcery or spirit magic (I may have misunderstood and he really said 'All Kralori use Mysticism'). Most Sorcerers (ie those who follow the Western Path as opposed to Mysticism) are despised for they use the foul arts of the False Dragons. The animism of the villagers are just viewed as backward superstition.
IMO the mystic way of the Kralori depends on the Three Upright Pillars. The first are the Bureacracts, Sages and Scribes who order Society about. The Second are the Wise Men (*not* animistic villagers), Monastics and Hermits who study the Mystic Way to Perfection but are aloof from Society. The Third are the Draconists who master the Draconic Path.
>And is there any more printed source material?
The Fortunate Succession mentions Proxies which appear to be automata of some description. The Lunars learned it from Sheng Seleris who apparently learned it from the Kralori. Think of Guardians carved from Jade and you can't go wrong.
Powered by hypermail