Re: Re: Animism: multiple traditions?

From: Roderick and Ellen Robertson <rjremr_at_...>
Date: Thu, 7 Oct 2004 10:59:34 -0700


> >Note that the sentence applies to practitioners, not
> >spiritists. So, potentially, you could allow
> >practitioners in one tradition to participate in
> >another tradition, at the low level of spiritist.
>
> Hmmm. That is problematic. Actually, I believe that spiritists do join the
> core practice as well. Meaning that I don't think that even the above is
> possible by a strict reading of what you have above. That is, I think it
> says somewhere that everybody in a tradition is a member of the core
> practice of the tradition. So, by this a practitioner cannot be in more
than
> one tradition.

Spiritists aren't "connected" to the religion enough to worry about whether a practice is "core" or not. They go to the worship ceremonies, and do what they are told. They sing the songs and trip the measures, but they don't know why (sorry, I've got Iolanthe on the stereo right now). Someone else is leading the ceremony (a Spirit-talker practitioner, usually). This week we may be dancing to make sure the sun comes up, next week we'll be singing the Well-Horse song and the next we'll be singing and dancing disease away. Is it "Core" or not? it is to us, because we don't worry that the Sun is part of the Yu Kargzant practice, while the Well-Horse song is part of the La-Ungariant practice and Singing Away Disease is part of propitiary worship of Mallia.

the 10% levels in the other magical systems are in a similar boat. You go to the ceremony, you do what you're told, and good stuff happens (or bad stuff stays away). Sure, you may know the myths of Orlanth & Ernalda, or the Majestic Horses, or St. Rokar, but it doesn't really impact you magico-religiously

> But apparently spiritists can. That is, it seems that as long as one is
not
> a practitioner at all, that one can be a member of as many traditions as
> will allow them.

And do you realize that if you are that uncommitted, you can belong to a Pantheon, a Tradition, and a Church all at the same time? Sure you can, why not? Only 30% time committment, same as an Initiate or Practitioner or Adept!

> Rory? Hate to lean on you man, but you're the only guy who knows the
intent.

As noted on page 131, "A tradition is a complete animist religion." How many people do you know that seriously belong to two completely different Religions? "I'm a Christian *and* a Cheyenne Medicine Man". (note the word "Seriously" there - I know plenty of people that like to play "let's pretend" in their religion).

MOST PEOPLE HAVE ONLY ONE RELIGION! 99.9999% of people have only one religion (if they have any at all). Somehow we didn't think we needed to stress that. (Yes, I'm aware of the Eastern religions that stress that they aren't religions...)

> Is there any parallel here with Initiates? I don't recall one, but then I
> didn't recall the above, either. It would seem somewhat odd to me that
> Initiates could join cults from other religions and get Affinities from
them
> if practitioners were limited so.

They can't. You can't belong to two different pantheons. You can leave one to join another (see page 121), but you can't be an active worshipper of two entirely different pantheons. (At least, in rules terms, we talk of belonging to two cults in the same pantheon, or multiple practices within a Tradition, and of leaving your religion, but not of belonging to two different cults/practices/orders in two different religions). See pages 107, 121, 141 and 165.

Note that the Lunars are *not* an "entirely different religion" for the Empire - they have managed to insinuate themselves into *all* the different religions of the region. You can belong to your cultural religion and the Lunar religion at the same time.

> Note that Adepts seem to have no such limitations at all, explicitly
> (though, again, I may have misread). Though different orders do have their
> restrictions, sorcerers apparently can use whatever magic they get their
> grubby paws on. Is that a balance for them being apostate? I see no
> mechanical problems with a sorcerer becoming an Initiate or practitioner
> (though I think that those organizations might have strong biases against
> such a character).

You are correct that there is no requirement for any Sorcerous character to concentrate his or her magic.

Without concentrating your magic, there is no *game mechanical* restriction on belonging to different magical systems. However, this comes back not only to having two different religions, but two (or three, or four if you count Common Magic) entirely different types of magic. *Can* you do it according to the rules? Yes. *Should* you do it, basing your decision to human nature and cultural bias? I say "No".

RR
C'est par mon ordre et pour le bien de l'Etat que le porteur du pr�sent a fait ce qu'il a fait.
- Richelieu

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