The following is my idea of how Glorantha works, at least from one of my character's perspective. Does it fit anyone elses views?
Eshaella on Gloranthan Magic
Magic on Glorantha is varied and sometimes follows apparently contradictory laws. This is made even more muddled with different groups fostering untrue beliefs to advance their own causes, or just because they dont understand and come to fear and hate different magic styles. Essentially there are two basic approaches to Magic; the Shamanic or Spirit traditions, and the Sorcery traditions. I include Divine magic with the Spirit tradition, as they have very similar approaches. Within these traditions exist a great deal of variety in approaches, but the essential act of casting a spell is remarkably similar. I have experienced Ritual magic as a wholly different magic form, but this does not always seem to be the case. I attribute this to my theory that there are many separate, but nearly identical Gloranthas.It is my theory that, as an outgrowth of the hero plane, the real world is altered and new worlds are created with each and every major heroquest. How an individual travels between these worlds I do not know, but I have done so on several occasions. I havent been able to prove this though. I have met a Sword of Humakt who claimed to have travelled down the River of Cradles with Argrath in a Giant Cradle not once but three separate times. I have talked to Argrath and he insists that he has done nothing of the kind, but agrees that it would be a good thing if he did.
The spirit tradition involves creating attachments with other entities or fragments of entities. These entities actually perform the magic, not the spirit mage. The spirit mages generally gain their spells by encountering a magically entity usually referred to as a spell spirit. The mages will usually engage these spirits in spirit combat, essentially a battle of wills, and if victorious take the knowledge of the spell from the spirit. In actuality the mages are taking a portion of that spirit and attaching it to their own spirit. In casting a spell the spirit mage provides the magic energy and commands or coaxes the fragmentary spell spirit to perform the magic. With divine magic, the magician is making a much more encompassing bond with their deity. The sacrifice for a divine spell seems to alter the a part of the spirit of the magician to conformwith a facet of the deity. It is this altered spirit fragment tat actually performs the magic. If these spirit fragments are taken from the mage, the mage retains no knowledge or ability to perform that magic.
The sorcery tradition involves the sorcerer studying magic, particularly magic spells, to be able to create, with time and mental labor, a magical pattern and impress it upon the sorcerers own spirit, or a spirit the sorcerer has significant contact with. It is this pattern that is actually performing the magic.The sorcerer is performing magic directly when creating the pattern. As the sorcerer is very familiar with the way these patterns work , she can use special techniques to modify the patterns in specific ways. If these patterns are taken from the sorcerer, the sorcerer is unable to cast spells, just like spirit tradition mages. The primary difference is that the sorcerer retains the knowledge to create another spell pattern. Sorcery spells tend to be much more limited in scope than their spirit magic counterparts, This is mostly due to the limitations of a created pattern as compared to even a fragmentary spirit.
I have experienced Ritual magic as a totally separate magic form, but it is not always so. It seems to depend on which Glorantha you are in. Where it is a truly different form, it is the only time where the mage is actually performing the magic. In this case, the knowledge of the ritual, and skills with rituals in general, are all that is required for the magic. These rituals cannot be gained from spell spirits or the like but must be learned. The pattern for the ritual cannot be enchanted to allow someone who has not learned the ritual to perform it. If this is not the case, then a ritual is a special form of sorcery pattern, or spirit fragment, that is more difficult to influence.
Let me know what you think
Allen
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