Hi All,
In regards to Vorumai colour magic, I found this information in my files. It
is all written by Sandy Peterson and has appeared on the Digest before, back
in 1995. I think it may be the only stuff available about this subject in the
Digest archives. The quotes may be a little out of context, but this is how I
stored them.
Be aware Sandy may well have changed his mind about these ideas and Greg may
certainly have. I hope that Sandy doesn't mind this repetition, and perhaps
may see it and come back to us!
Based on what it says the Kenshi or Warriors use Cerulean magic, because it is like the Honour codes of the Samurai, is about loyalty and purity. I thus think that the Veridian magic of Zaktirra is more about Curses, Revenge and Secrecy. It may be used by Vormain's magicians, maybe even its Ninja equivalents. Veridian magic seems connected with monstrous behavior and poison and yet is commanded by the other gods, much like an assasin is hired to seek revenge. I think Tsankth uses some elements of the 'Blue' cerulean magic, as he is connected to the sea through his magics and may even have concepts of loyalty and honour (although not to outsiders) He is only rapacious and piratical it would seems to enemies of Vormain. Duncan Rowlands wrote a nice piece about Tsankthi behaviour in Tales 16.
Perhaps?
Ebony Magic is related to Valzain and the Imperial Household and represents strength, command, loyalty, subtlety and rule.
Sanguine Magic is related to the Earth, Baseness, Sexuality, Death and Peasantry.
Both IMO and invention of course.
Simon Bray.
"Anyway, the Vorumai color magic has only the vaguest relationship to Kralori
mysticism nowadays. In the Godtime, the East Isles agree that they were part
of the intact continent of Vithela. The Kralori agree that they were part of
Genertela (or, rather, that Genertela was part of them). It is unclear exactly
where Vormain was located. The East Islanders seem to believe that Vormain was
part of Vithela, too. The Vorumai themselves seem to believe that they were
part of Kralorela (a peninsula, perhaps?), though their tales can be
interpreted a number of ways. There is evidence that all three areas once used
similar magic. With the East Isles isolation and the arrival of the Dreaming,
they turned spiritually inward, and transformed the primeval magic of the East
into their own style of dream magic. The East Islanders recognize this as a
major change, and generally agree that they once were like the Kralori, for
whom they still hold a great deal of respect. The Kralori state that they
still use the same style of magic as at the Dawn, though refined and improved
over the years. Close study of pre- and post-False Dragon Ring practices do
seem to imply some significant differences, however. Anyway, the Vorumai, like
the East Isles, presumably once used magic similar to Kralori Mysticism -- or,
more accurately, used a magic system that would someday have evolved into
Kralori-like mysticism. The isolation of the Darkness, and the struggle for
survival significantly altered this original magic system. The current Vorumai
color magic is still a little like Kralori Mysticism, but a very specialized,
restricted form of it. It is intricately bound up with the various Vorumai
religions and philosophies in a way that even the intricate Kralori magic is
not. Anyway, that's most of what's known about the relationship between the
Vorumai color magic and the Kralori mysticism."
"The Vorumai color magic (IMO) is NOT analogous to a runic system or to a
cultic figure system, nor has it anything to do with optics. The Vorumai
colors do not exactly correspond to _anything_ in the English language. They
imply not only color, but emotion, personality, action/inaction, symbolism,
and much more. The deities who are believed to preside as Master of Cerulean
Magic, Master of Viridian Magic, and so forth are NOT the sources of the color
magic, but merely serve as pre-eminent users of it and who can teach its most
effective use to others. Without those deities, the color magic would still
exist. There are types of color magic which do not have a Master, and yet they
still exist (though they are less-exploited, obviously). Example: Cerulean
Magic (of Telask) implies mental purity, fixedness of purpose, steadfast
loyalty, the unity of the sky (it is considered sky-based), the secret
strength of the ocean (it is also considered sea-based), and the warrior
spirit. Cerulean Magic is warrior's magic and its practitioners tend to be
"kenshi" -- the warrior caste."
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