> >How about "Adepts"? In old RQ 3rd and Tales #13 setting, it seems
> >that was equated as an advanced occupation of wizards in write-ups.
> >
> Adepts in RQ3 are a rules construct, IMO, and my interpretation is
> that their inclusion in Tales #13 was purely to reflect those rule
> mechanics. Since HW does not, IIRC, recognise Adepts as a specific
> type or grade of sorcerer I think they can now safely be ignored.
I've little to add to the current (and excellent) Malkioni thread(s), however I disagree that Adepts are just a RQ3 rules construct.
Specifically, I think it's clear that the Adept was a particular class of GL sorceror, especially one that belonged to the later and more decadant schools of GL sorcery, as it appears that the very concept of Adepts is divorced from both Zzaburi atheism as we now understand it and Malkioni monotheism as it has been explained in various recent publications.
I think that westerners consider Adepts and those who accept their philosophy to be cynical manipulators of the cosmos, as opposed of course to the Faithful, but also as opposed to Brithini materialism as a philosophical discipline.
I'm personally still a little unhappy (but let's not exaggerate) that no place at all has been given in the description of the Gloranthan West to those excellent clichés of fantasy literature, the cack-handed and long-fingernailed evil sorcerors, who violate all decent rules and rituals for their own egotistical gratification. That is, I think that such ought to be suggested or hinted at as bad exceptions to the rules.
Of course, GMs who like that sort of thing can easily come up with their own evil sorcerors, but I think it would be nice if the source material presented a school or two of evil sorcery as being divorced from ordinary Malkioni cultural oppositions and comparisons.
I feel fairly strongly that some Gloranthans are bound to practise sorcery for sorcery's sake, and that they would organise as "Bands" to further and express their cynical, egotistic ideals, and experiment with God-forbidden rituals of power.
Julian Lord
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