For what it's worth (I've been interested in this subject), here are some thoughts:
<snip>
> 3) HQ, p 57, lists a number of Teshnan cults which provide both
> affinities (suggesting an other side in the gods world) AND talents
> (which are supposed to originate in the inner world). Can worshippers
> of these cults concentrate at all? Can they keep both affinities and
> talents if they do?
I don't think that there is enough published information about Teshnos to get a good grasp on how the religion works. I think that they must have some method of concentrating their magic, however, because they have reputations as powerful magicians. One possibility is that it may be possible to concentrate one's magic on a particular transcendental entity such as Somash or Solf. Or maybe on the pantheon as a whole. Or maybe the ordinary rules of concentration apply, and you just lose access to "low" magic like talents and spells.
> 5) The entity worshipped in a common religion resides by definition in
> the inner world, correct? If so, how do people heroquest into the
> myths of such an entity (eg, "Berentos has quested into the myths of
> the Seabird Army several times, clashing with both Orlanthi and Sofali
> turtle folk," Men of the Sea, p 72)? My understanding was that in
> order to do a heroquest, one had to cross over to the other side ---
> gods world, spirit world, or saint plane, depending on which other
> side one's religion gave one access to --- and from there travel to
> the hero plane (or gods' war, which I think is an interchangeable
> term, yes?). If this is the case, I am puzzled as to how Avelania ---
> who, since she provides only common magic, would seem to reside in the
> inner world --- grants her worshippers access to her actions during
> the Great Darkness. Did Berentos have to get a Sofali shaman or an
> Orlanthi priest (ie, his ritual enemies) to help him cross over to the
> other side? Alternatively, if the Avelania cult does know how to
> cross over to the other side, which otherworld does it get you to?
Again, there are a variety of possibilities. I think that many "common magic" entities (such as Imarja) live in short worlds, which allow them access to earlier mythic ages. See http://www.glorantha.com/new/short_worlds.html . Others may dwell in otherwords connected to the mundane plane (for example, Vai Madar Sa dwells in the Sky World, and Avalania probably dwells in Luathela) from which there are doors to the other mythic areas. Or, these entities may simply have "false homes" in an appropriate otherworld (like Lanbril).
> 6) Do other common religions involve heroquesting? Some of them, like
> Imarja in Esrolia or the Parondpara of the East Isles, are absolutely
> central to the identities of the people that follow them. It seems as
> though they must have great volumes of stories about them that people
> should be using for heroquests.
I certainly hope so. I think Vai Madar Sa probably has some great heroquests (on the model of the Ramayana).
> 7) Do you have to concentrate your magic to learn symbolic
> sight/spirit face/soul vision/moon eye? If a hero belongs to the
> relevant cults (eg, he is both an initiate of Gerendetho and a
> novitiate of a Lunar regimental immortal), can he or she learn more
> than one of these four otherworldly perception abilities?
>
No, these abilities are gained at the initiate/practioner level, for which you don't have to concentrate. Spirit face is particularly useful because you use it as your defense against spirits.
Just my two cents.
Thanks,
David.
Powered by hypermail