Now, I have decided IMG that Common Magic is actually a coherent fourth magic type, with rules of its own (they're pretty simple : it provides talents).
However, I mostly agree with one of the HQ ideas, that there are such beasties as "hedge wizards" out West, just as there are people worshipping small gods providing small powers, and local spirit cults et cetera.
All of these would have been more efficiently shown, IMO, in the specialized magic sections than in the confused presentation of the official HQ Common magic roolz.
So let it be said that although IMG Common magic will be treated very simply, as a fourth magic system ; in my Seshnegi game that I'll restart one day (I hope), non-specialists, commoners, and other riff-raff will have a few hedge wizards among them.
So, IMG :
Innate magic : comes from the player character. Used when a player comes up with a character concept for a magician that simply doesn't fit any other magic system, including common magic. Also used when official, unofficial, or house background material is produced that simply doesn't fit any other magic system. Innate magic therefore exists completely outside the n worlds model, and is therefore unaffected by such stuff as further specialisation et cetera. Produces Gifts. I'd frown on any player with an Innate Magic -using PC who wanted to later on join a Specialized Religion whilst retaining full use of his kewl Innate Magic stuff, but in cases where this is just one or two special abilities, such as the puma person power, then the power isn't affected by specialization or any other rules hindrance affecting common magic "talents" or whatever. And yes, I definitely see Eastern Martial Artists using Innate Magic as a focus for their skills.
Common Magic : comes from the inherent magic of the Inner World. Provides talents. IMG often resembles RQ2 Battle Magic, except that only concentrated common magicians will get the full benefit of this approach. In my game, the CM-using PC gets his magic from a weird Flesh Man avatar who lives out in the ghost woods and resembles some sort of nightmarish serial killer fantasy being ...
Animism, theism, Wizardry : should each have included a sub-section on li'l magic, with non-tradition spirits providing li'l spirit magic (small nature spirits, usually) ; small gods to provide stand-alone feats ; and hedge wizards teaching people their hedge sorcery.
And to be fair, I think that this is pretty close to Issaries' actual idea. The problem IMO is more one of presentation than intent.
IMO it would have been preferable to present the li'l magicians inside the magic-system-related chapters, to imply that in lands where people use sorcery there are hedge wizards (smelly old half-mad grannies with dozens of cats, or whatever) who teach spells to ordinary folks, et cetera : and leave it to each GM to decide what to do with the info (perhaps the smelly old granny lives in Wilmskirk instead of Pasos ?). Et cetera.
Anyways, as usual : YGWV ; this is just mine.
Julian Lord
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