I am one of the minority who consistently argues for a less, rather than more, magical Glorantha. I definately don't think that Gloranthans require prayers to do things like make bread rise, unless they want to do it without yeast.
I think they probably so say the prayers, but not for a), but for reasons b) and c). c) is do the job more effectively. So, example, a brewer might not need to know prayers in order to brew. The beer will brew just fine. But he has prayers to appease certain trickster spirits that might trouble the brew, he has prayers that are designed to stop the brew spoiling from bad yeast, he may even have prayers to increase clarity. Several of these may not even have any real effect, they may just be little rituals that are performed by superstitious peasants. And there may be one or two guaranteed magical techniques that will produce brews with unusual properties, known only to the most skilled brewers. (I choose brewing only because it is a trade with which I have a passing familiarity).
Compare trades to combat. A warrior who knows no battle magic at all, but is handy with a sword, can still be a good fighter. Probably a better one that someone who knows a few combat spells and barely knows which end of the sword is which. But a warrior who has the skills and spells is better than either, and any professional warrior wants both. Similarly, I believe there are brewers and bakers and smiths and so on who know no spells, but have only the skill, and do perfectly well. But masters of their trade will have both the skills and knowledge of how to do the mundane aspects of the task, and collection of magical techniques that help it along.
In theyalan lands, a master Smith will be high in the cult of Gustbran, a master brewer skilled with Minlisters magics. They will also be masters of appropriate skills. In sorcerous lands, a master smith will know Form/Set, Detect <metal>, etc.
>One of the most important prayers
>would be funeral services. I'm betting that the spirits of the dead won't
>rest easy if they didn't receive the proper prayers. Sites of mass
>slaughter would be appalling places due to the numbers of ghosts around.
But I certainly agree with this - I think if funeral rites are not performed, particularly in a culture that values them highly, the spirits of the dead will cause trouble.
I don't think the spirits of the slain usually come after their slayers, though. I'm sure it happens occasionally, but more in cases of individual vengeance. In the cases of large battles, what usually happens in Gloranthan is that the spirits of the slain of both sides continue battling forever, haunting the site of the battle.
>IMO I think magical and divine things happen in Glorantha without
>people having to believe in them.
I agree - however, I also believe that the normal physical processes happen whether you believe in or pray for them or not. But some people are better than the most skilled person would be in our world (or at least, better than the most skilled person in our world would be without a technological infrastructure to support them), because they use magic.
I think this ties in neatly with Pams comment
>Perhaps animal domestication in Glorantha is easier than it is in the
>real world.
Yes, Gloranthans are able to accomplish things we cannot when they use magic. The domestication of animals in Prax is unquestionably supported by a lot of magic - its probably possible to domesticate the various praxian animals by skill alone, but wildly impractical to do so on a tribal scale with animals while depending on the same animals for your livelihood.
Cheers
David
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