Gloranthan Quadrants

From: Kevin P. McDonald <paul_mcdonald_at_ncsu.edu>
Date: Thu, 29 May 2003 10:18:29 -0400


After considering the mysticism issue I have come up with a clearer (for me) way to look at the four philosophical quadrants of Glorantha, which parallel the four types of magic. My apologies if this is an old concept.

West - sorcery\logic - EXTERNAL - Practitioners seek to affect the world by manipulating it directly.

East - (formerly) mysticism/asceticism - INTERNAL - Practitioners seek to affect the world indirectly by altering themselves.

North - theism/sacrifice - SUPPLICATION - Practitioners seek to affect the world by gaining the favor of powerful beings (gods).

South - animism/ecstatic - COOPERATION - Practitioners seek to affect the world by allying themselves with sympathetic magical beings (spirits).

These terms are not perfect, particularly for animism, but it gets at the basic idea. The common factor of eastern magic seems to be internal work, whether it is an attempt to "transcend the material and immaterial" or control the flow of chi. To change the world you must first change yourself.

Interestingly, the East-West axis seems to be individually focused - magical power comes from a personal understanding of one's external or internal world. The North-South axis is focused on relationships with otherworldly beings.

~Kevin McDonald

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