Magical Places

From: Maria & Michael <michael.raaterova.7033_at_student.uu.se>
Date: Sat, 19 Jul 1997 15:54:19 +0000


JOERG:
>IMO the Skyfall is a manifestation of Godtime in northern Dragon
>Pass, just as the Eternal Battle is in Prax.

There are quite a few magical places like this in Glorantha that we know of, like hidden castles, disappearing lands and weird spots in general. IMG these are places where the mundane world and the otherworld weren't fully, or at all, separated; the boundaries between the worlds are diffused or softer there. There are also dead places where the worlds are totally separated, like the Dead Place in Prax.

I wouldn't call them "manifestations of Godtime" though; more along the lines of places where Godtime or the world of the gods is closer to the mundane world. The Eternal Battle is one of these places; it just happens to move around (like the Flying Land).

So what does this mean for Glorantha? Well, some regions are closer to the otherworld and thus more magical: spirits may manifest freely or are automatically manifested there, people may walk into the otherworld without knowing, weird and strange entities or extinct creatures may be encountered, magic points are regenerated faster, DI is easier etc. The reverse is true of Dead Places.

Temples and altars are often located in such places since communion with spirits and gods are easier (and more dangerous) there.

In Ars Magica there is the concept of Regio, which is roughly what i'm talking about. Certain areas are more or less magical; these areas can range in size from a single monolith, a grove of trees or a glen, to a small land. The closer you get to the centrum of the Regio, the more magical it gets and you get closer to the otherworld.

Regios of low power are only slightly more magical than the surroundings, and you may never notice it. Regios of medium power are more noticeable, since they are usually enchanted, eerie or haunted and certainly dangerous, and thus usually avoided. Regios of high power, like the Skyfall and Hell Crack, are open doors to the otherworld.

Since this is Glorantha there should be Chaos Regios or Voids as well, like the Worm Hole in the Caves of Chaos in the Hollow.

IMG these magical places are not all alike; their appearance and nature are defined by what they are associated with, or inhabited by, though most are associated with Spirit or Magic as well. Some are gentle and welcoming due to an association with Harmony in some way, while others are inhabited by malevolent spirits due to association with Disorder. An Esrolian Necropolis built in a magical place that was originally associated with Harmony (rest in peace and all that) could well get associated with Death as well, not losing its Harmony ties. Some places are simply associated with Spirit or Magic.

Some places are tied to specific gods or spirits, due to the Godtime events, or man-made events within Time, that originated the place, like Sporewood or the Block. I'm not saying that all of Sporewood is a Regio, but there should be at least one place there that is strongly associated with Mee Vorala. I wouldn't be surprised if Sporewood had lots of Voralan holy places and a few Regios of high power (though these probably wouldn't be used as doors to the otherworld by any others than Voralans, since most of them would lead to Mee Vorala's parts of the Godtime).

In Far Point, the land in Glorantha i know best, there are lots of Regios, some small and some very big. All of the Sharl Plains is a low power Regio associated with Fire, with some smaller areas of higher power. IMG the Firemane breed of horses come from the Sharl Plains; they originated from Firemane, a fiery Hippoi spirit being that can be encountered near or in one of the Regios of high power. Maran's Crack is another Regio, quite small but very dangerous since crevices sometimes wriggle off into the neighbouring areas and can swallow unwary travellers and damage structures. In the Vale of Bones there is an open door to otherworld which is a great nuisance to the clans in the area since lots of Hunger spirits haunt the area so the local clans have to hold yearly ceremonies to keep the spirits appeased. The Vale of Bones has also been the death of many a would-be heroquester who has tried to enter the Otherworld there.

Use, abuse or ignore as you want; i hope i gave some of you food for thought.

Michael Raaterova

<.sig omitted on legal advice>


Powered by hypermail