Re: Make up new Gods, dang it!

From: John Machin <orichalka_at_J_ZB2O0ZFMXP41ymrs6itfM9zK6FELMwM7oFQl95xBqd2LGXCSd128v3zxQThA1au4>
Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2007 18:37:26 +1000

> But it isn't! Almost all the Heortlings are mixed worshippers, mainly
> because mixed worship is the normal mode. Just because Big O is best
> worshipped with sacrifices doesn't mean that they don't need help from
> lots of local spirits, and Kolat has his own day of worship, etc.
>
> Yes, a concentrated Orlanth initiate might best the equivalent Aeolian,
> one on one, but sorcerous society doesn't work like that, anyway.
> There, the few clergy have their spells up at the level of the
> Heortling devotees, and have more tricks in their book, as well.

This doesn't really help the problem that player heroes and "described heroes" seem to differ significantly. This might not be an issue for people who enjoy Glorantha as a shared story-telling environment - but my shared story-telling tends to involving some gaming.

> It is only when life is safe enough that a few Heortlings can afford to
> try specializing in one type of magic, or just one god, that
> concentrated theism beats mixed or misapplied magics, and only when
> they come into real conflict. That only happens once every 500 years
> or so (about the same period as an age -- think there might be a
> connection? :-)

Is Flesh Man's magic that great that a Devotee is not prepared to give it up - I'm not so sure. Sure it might be safer to hedge ones bet and not pour ones devotion into a single entity; but its not very heroic sounding...

> Plus when the conflicts start, things fall rapidly to the point that
> concentration and devotion can get one killed, because all the
> alternate sources of assistance are cut out.

What kind of hero enters a such a serious struggle *expecting* that their entity will come out second-best? (Well there might be SOME that do, but it seems like a pretty specialised attitude to adopt).

-- 
John Machin
"Nothing is more beautiful than to know the All."
- Athanasius Kircher, 'The Great Art of Knowledge'.