Re: Magic in Glorantha/Moral Conduct

From: simon_hibbs2 <simon.hibbs_at_...>
Date: Fri, 06 Feb 2004 12:19:57 -0000

• In HeroQuest-RPG_at_yahoogroups.com, "Oliver D. Bernuetz" <bernuetz_at_m...> wrote:
  > If my chief is always using his command followers to get me and
  > others to do things isn't he doing something wrong? Shouldn't he
  be
  > able to persuade us without using magic? Must not be much a
  chief.
  > And I think the same goes for anyone in Glorantha there's plenty of
  > occassions not to go all out.
  

I think this comes down to you and I having a very different interpretation of what these kind sof magic actualy do. Command Followers isn't anything remotely like hostile mind controll magic. For a start it only works on followers - people who have voluntarily dedicated themselves to following your orders. It is inherently friendly magic, that's helping the follower better do something they have committed themselves to doing anyway.

Similarly, trading magic isn't even remotely hostile in nature. Exchange and commerce are part of the world, part of human nature and thus part of us. Trading is itself a magical act and an Issaries trader is simply better at that magic than most of us.

Concerning your point about training sessions, yes I might well expect anyone to use their magic in training or practice sessions. After all magic needs practice just as much as mundane skills do.

Simon Hibbs