> > details of the player's concept of the character. If the character's
> > goal has long since been that of becoming a shaman, and she even shows
> > certain signs that she's "destined" to become one, it is totally
> > reasonable that her common magic would stem from the spirit world as
> > well. Maybe not exclusively, but I wouldn't consider it powergaming if
> > most of her Common Magic abilities were charms under this aspect.
>
> Within Glorantha, a young person wouldn't really have the werewithal to
> cherrypick his (or her) common magic. You learn what the family (or
entities
> in the surrounding land) know. If there is a mix of Spells, Charms,
Feats
> and Traits around, then that's most likely what the young person
would have.
> Only when you step back and begin to plan out your character's life
does the
> mix resolve itself - "Oh, I'd better get just Charms, because I want
her to
> grow up to be a shaman". The Powergaming comes from having (relatively)
> complete control over the character's background and future.
>
> Very few people actually follow through with their childhood
ambitions - my
> mother "always" knew she wanted to be a doctor and became one, but I
wanted
> to be a Fireman. or a Cowboy. So sure, you cna claim that "my charctar
> always knew she was going to be a shaman so she only picked up
Charms", but
> that gets tired after the third, or fourth, or fifteenth character
uses it.
>
I'm not in full agreement that this is the only way to look at it. It
takes a hero point to learn a common magic ability in play if related
to what is going on, two if unrelated. This implies that even when
you have access to a common magic ability, it takes some effort to learn an ability. Be this time, practice, sacrifice, learning the right ceremony, sucking up to the teacher, or whatever.
Most people (kids especially) are more willing to put forth an effort on things that appeal to them and at which they find some success. If your nature happens to be less mixed than most peoples, it may well be that feats or charms or spells are easier to learn, or you get along better with their teachers, or you find it easier to please the entities granting them, or whatever.
Rather like I didn't take part in science fairs in elementary school because I thought it was going to prepare me better to study engineering, I took part in them for some of the same reasons that I studied engineering—I found the material easy but interesting, and I was rewarded for my faculty in that regard.
Also a note about commonality of natural magic. Sure it is not common, but it may not be quite so rare—just rarely relevant or well developed or remarkable. That is, I'm not sure how clear most people would be on the difference between natural magic and a talent. If Rana can understand birds sometimes, just like her mother and all their ancestors low these hundred generations, does it make much difference to her life? Some people might be leary around her, but if she is born a cottar is it apt to elevate her status? Probably not. Even if Antyr can start fires occasionally, well anyone with the right tools or right talent can do that. Exactly how does it help bring in the harvest? It no doubt may win some free drinks at the tribal market, but what of it? So there are certainly few strong natural magic users around, but I don't know that they would be so unheard of.
-Bryan
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