You know, in our society learning to fly a plane isn't all that much harder than learning to drive a car, but very few people do it. Why? Well, they don't need to, and it is expensive and time consuming, so although quite a few people might like to, it is just never a priority.
I think it is much the same in Glorantha. Remember that to be able to use a feat as such, you have to be a devotee (and HQ is much clearer about affinities being mostly for augmentation). Being a devotee takes up 60% of your time and resources, meaning that it is your occupation as well as your avocation, and that you'd better have other people willing to put bread on your plate for you. Now, there are uses to having someone around who can fly, and I'm sure certain important and wealthy folk support a few Vangarth devotees for that reason. Likewise, there may be a few people who come from well off steads who are willing to indulge someone.
Most people, however, have to worry about how to get the Barley crop in before the frost hits, stopping the roof from leaking so badly, making sure there is enough fire wood stocked up for winter, etc. Sure, it might be nice to fly, but isn't it better to have some of the god's own endurance when the sun is going down but your labors aren't close to being done yet?
> I would assume that low levels of the fly feat could be used
> for sudden gusts of wind that might catch a falling player, make a
> leap really long, or blow the player about in a random fashion.
I think this is what you could do as an initiate, just calling on the affinity. That is, you could use it to augment your leap, perhaps augment a dodge ability, or be used, possibly at some sort of penalty, to break a fall (note that Orlanthi flight is not "pulling in such strong winds that it lifts you" but rather "breathing out your invisible breath, and riding it")
>
> Some of this has to do with play style. I like a world where a lot
> of the magic effect is subtle. Where a non-believer could travel
> with an Orlanthi initiate and convince themselves that Orlanth is
not
> really doing anything. Its only when really heroic levels of magic
> are encountered where the magic can not be denied.
Your game, your choice. However HQ does make it more clear that all magic is visible. When you call on Orlanth's combat affinity as an initiate, it doesn't just make you a slightly better fighter, it has a visible effect that helps you in the fight. Perhaps your blade crackles with lightning, perhaps small winds help your shield leap to catch his blows. Perhaps a breeze blows dust in his face. Perhaps an alynx joins the fight, distracting him. Likewise, when you use Orlanth's Allfather affinity, your voice rolls out with deeper tones that resonate in the soul, your gaze has some of the power of the storm in it, you stand taller and your chest puffs out farther. The game intends all magic to be visible manifestations, not just a rules ploy of +2 to the relevant skill.
Granted, greater magic will be more visible. When you augment for a +10 with allfather, winds billow out your cloak, there is thunder in your voice, domestic animals line up at your back, wind carries your voice to the farthest extent, and lightning crackles in your gaze.
Using a feat of course makes descriptions easier, because the effect is reasonably well defines. When you call on an affinity, the god helps you in a manner appropriate to the affinity, but the details may vary widely.
--Bryan
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