Re: Mysticism

From: Chris Lemens <chrislemens_at_yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 21 Apr 2004 20:52:16 -0700 (PDT)


Simon Hibbs, responding to me, or perhaps a straw man that he thinks looks a bit like me:

> >3. No one would ever play a successful Mystic.
> >100% success in Mysticism takes the character
> >out of play. The closest would be someone who
> >attempts to become a Mystic, gets trapped by the
> >power of his Mystical insights, and continues to
> >try to transcend them. ("I will not use my
> >Crushing Hand of Doom because my hand
> >is just an illusion, as is my enemy.")
>
> Sure, but reaching that realisation is the end
> point of the Mystic's path to enlightenment. A
> mystic that is on that path but hansn't reached
> the end point by definition is still engaged with
> the world of illusion and is still trying to muddle
> through it all. I just don't see why we can't play
> characters going through that process.

I agree. How is that different from what I said? Is it just that you are looking at the mystic's path from the beginning of the road? (The whole issue of what you call a mystic that has not yet succeeded, where "failed" mystic feels like we've written them off?) If so, I agree.

> When they finaly reach the point when they
> achieve some level of enlightened conciousness
> and are ready to withdraw from the world fine,
> they leave play just like any character that
> realises a Great Secret of their religion, just
> as Li Mu Bai almost does in CTHD.

Again, I agree. How is this different from my statement that "100% success in Mysticism takes the character out of play"?

> What is it about Glorantha that means you can't
> play 'maystical' kung fu types without knowing
> for a fact that your character is a deluded
> fool spouting meaningless drivel?

Ease up, there, amigo. I never said or implied any such thing. I don't think martial arts are particularly mystical. Common magic seems like the most natural description for it. I think more of ascetic schools in which people try to abandon the physical as their first step toward renouncing everything. Think skinny hermits, not Bruce Lee.



Chris Lemens                          

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