Primitive magic & more

From: nilsw_at_ibm.net
Date: Wed, 31 Jul 96 22:57:27


Peter M:
>This is complicated somewhat by the fact that even the magic of
>primitive people will become more complex over time.

Here I agree completely. A neolithic people should be able to have really sophisticated magic as long as they have been around for a long time and their magic relies on oral tradition.

David D:
>I used the primitive system for Wendaria, which is now part of Carmania.
>Possibly it's still used there. However, I suspect it's about as popular as
>bronze is today.

Also makes sense. Did they have something like divine magic too?

The rules were quite interesting btw. Lest anyone think I'm too conservative here, I'm all for magic diversification, i.e. I think there are dozens of different ways of doing magic in Glorantha outside the three "big" systems. I just think that there should be some kind of power balance between the magic types. Otherwise they wouldn't all be there.

A cool and odd magic is that of the Pamaltelan people who magically rearrange their mountains to fight their inhuman enemies in a generations long war. (Sigh, all my RQ/Glorantha stuff is still packed in boxes in the basement, and I can't remember the names).


Peter on Kralorela:
>I know that Sandy thinks that the Kralori
>do not use sorcery or spirit magic

That's an opinion I share.

>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.

I didn't think of that, but it makes good sense.

>The animism of the villagers are just viewed as backward superstition.

And that would be spirit magic I guess. Again I agree. Also, the numerous Hsunchen of the less desirable areas (mountain, jungle) use spirit magic IMO.

Anyway, I think that both sorcery and spirit magic is quite alien to the Kralorelan way. I think the Kralorelans are so infused with draconic inluence that they have a hard time using magic other than their own native mysticism.


Michael R on the LBQ:
>As the LBQ is such an important myth, i think CA, LM and I have their own
>versions of the myth, where Orlanth is but a sidekick.

OK, let's agree to disagree. I think the LBQ is CA's, LM's and I's second most important myth, but a version where they are the main characters is stretching it a bit too much for my taste. _____

Vadeli of various colours:

With all the speculation on the Red Vadeli, I can't help thinking of what the Blues are like. We have

My take: they or cold, calculating and utterly ruthless. They are not cruel or nasty in any way though. Where the Browns cheat you, the Reds torment you (and the Brithini treat you with arrogant disdain), the Blues find other humans so utterly insignificant that they don't even bother to mistreat them.

I also think that they don't have to do anything special to stay immortal and that's the reason why Zzabur and the other Brithini hate them so much. They are simply jealous that they have to keep their strict rules, while the Blue Vadeli can do just about anything that pleases them.


News on the YAHQS web page: I have added rune rules and a bunch of examples written by Nick E. The URL is still

    http://www.angelfire.com/pages1/nilsw/YAHQS.html

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End of Glorantha Digest V3 #89


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