A while back I started a thread on known and reputed exceptions to the concentrated magic system--beings and cults that seem to mix different flavors of magic in contradiction to the nice, simple, "Wizardry *or* Theism *or* Animism" scheme. Without breaking a sweat, we came up with: Lunars, Urox, Lankhor Mhy, Uz, Zorak Zoran, Lanbril, Donandar, Eurmal, a bunch of Chaos folks, AOCD[*]. (The thread started on Oct. 29, 2003--subject line was "Beings that break the otherworld boundaries".)
So I think there are a *lot* of cases where the simple otherworld scheme presented in HQ doesn't really apply. I think that what was presented in HQ was the overwhelmingly most common case--by far most people live in cultures where the primary cults are nicely tied to one otherworld, and concentration works the way it's described. But every culture is going to have an exception or two, and in some cultures (like Uz) the exceptions are the rule, and the HQ "concentrated magic" rules just don't apply.
Can I suggest a more general principle for concentrated magic? In essence, the CM rules give players a choice between flexibility and power. Players can stay un-concentrated, and use any magic they find, though with difficulty--and the most powerful magic will be closed off to them. Or they can concentrate, in which case their magic options are limited, but within their limited options magic is much easier, and they can reach heights that generalists can't (like being a shaman, learning a cult secret, etc.).
So I think we can take that *general* principle--CM means sacrificing flexibility for power--and apply it more widely. In most cases, the specific trade-off is: I give up magic from two otherworlds (and innate talents), and magic from the third otherworld is easier. But there are known cases where the trade-off is different, like: I give up non-Lunar magic, and Lunar magic is easier and more powerful; I give up non-thieving magic, and theft-related magic is easier; I give up non-common magic, and common magic is easier.
So within that framework, I think it's easy to devise new ways of "concentrating magic", if the player and GM are interested. Maybe some culture knows how to concentrate on death magic, or magic that works underwater, or magic performed on cloudy days. Perhaps the God-Learners knew how to teach someone to concentrate on *anything* ("I choose to concentrate on magic that affects people with brown hair!") But for most players and cultures, "Concentrated Magic" is what it says in the HQ book--you pick one otherworld, and give up the others.
[*] "And, of course, Dragons". They always show up in any discussion of violations to the normal Gloranthan rules.
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