>From: "Philippe Sigaud" <sigaud_at_...> > >Did someone used dragon magic, be it the Kralorelan adoration or the >Immanent Mastery way? What kind of rules did you use?
Can't say that I've tried to emulate these Gloranthan magical styles. But I have done mysticism and dream magic, and perhaps a dozen other sorts of magic other than "the Big Three" of Glorantha (or any of the more specific Gloranthan ones).
In fact I was supposed to write an article on this one, but we never got to it in the queue. But here's the short form. There are two basic techniques involved.
So, with whatever method you're using, simply come up with the groupings that you think magic will come under. And then create an appropriate sort of relationship/skill to that group. So you have the affinity rating, or grimoire rating, but then you also have the relationship to the diety or an understanding of the founder...or in the case of animists, even a relationship directly to the being in question.
This is the key - coming up with this structure. Once you've decided on some sort of packages, often you can simply use something identical to one of the other methods to enumerate it. Sure they're called Koans or something, but they work just like grimoires, mechanically. The structure of the format is often less important than the abiliities that back the framework. In fact, sometimes you won't be able to see a framework or structure at all, in which case...
In fact, there's a strong argument that could be made that the structures of the magic systems that exist now are overkill, and not really neccessary. I like them, but then I like complexity.
OK, so in practice, what does Mysticism look like? Well, given that even in Glorantha, as I understand it, the source material is thin, I think we'll be guessing mostly anyhow, and working off real world cognates. So let's just go with that, and I'll create "Sunrise Monastary Mysticism." In this monastary set in some as-yet-unwritten-up corner of Glorantha, the monks rise early to greet the dawn each day. Each morning they chant something like koans from each of three books that were written by the founder, Ichunarong the Blessed, who became enlightened and dissappeared from Glorantha centuries ago.
OK, simple set up, we have the three books, each with chants that can put the user in a state of mind where he realizes the illusionary nature of the world, and is thus able to do what he wants uninhibited by the false laws of the world.
*Chants of the Body
- - Cease Breathing
*Chants of the World
- - See True Reality
*Chants of the Mind
- - The Clear Mind
You get the idea. Then I'd use the wizardry rules, complete with the ability Know Founder. Or maybe, if I see the chants from each book as being closely related, I could have them work like affinities (with less dedicated "initiates" gaining only the "base chants.") The otherworld entry ability would be "Exit Illusion" or something. "See True Reality" could be the magic sight ability instead of a chant above. You get the idea.
By doing a more thoughtful and consciencious job than I have above, using this technique, it's pretty easy to emulate whatever magic form you come up with. If it's too much, then just use the easy method which is pretty much as good. Later you can fill out certain details about the cult - are there "secrets"? Do they have otherworld entities that they contact? Etc. But just the above is enough to get started.
Mike
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