> Personally, instead of bogging myself down in the related minutiae nor in the
> Grand N Worlds Cosmology, I would focus on one simple and easy fact : that
> animist magic is based on social interrelationships in a very *explicit*
> manner.
/// I like this starting idea. Your spirits are in the tree under which shade
your mother rocked you, in the stream you drink from everyday, etc. The idea of
"Great Spirits" or "Traditions" takes a much less important role.
The specifics of animism then should be that it is a conceptually simple
approach, treating all people, animals, plants, natural objects as individuals,
bound together in some specifically individualised sharing of personal
relationships.
/// Yes, until now spirits had little individuality, they were just "ratings"
from a "tradition". Even ancestor spirits felt like that. Ideally, each spirit
meaningful to a game should have its own name.
> the reader/GM can treat animism to be like family, local politics, and other
such individualised small-time social structures where actual individuals are
involved at every level of decision making and where *everyone* has a personally
individualised relationship with each of their leaders, friends, foes,
followers, and even strangers (from their point of view)
/// I also think animism is probably restricted to very primitive cultures,
"stone-age" like. As culture progresses, people lose contact with the spirits
around them and begin seeing bigger things, and wanting bigger things to worship
(deities). I see animism as the religion of reference only in small communities,
or as "throwback communities" (such as the sewers of Furthest). Unless the game
recquires something else, of course.
> "The Personal Touch" is probably a good catchphrase for animism, come to
> think of it.
/// Animism is also the religion for dirt-poor societies. By that I mean they're
mostly operating at survival level. Every day is about finding enough to eat.
"Living in Harmony" with nature (and spirits) simply means "doing what it takes
to avoid being crushed and wiped out by Nature".
> The question is one of personal respect :
/// It's a culture of NEGOCIATION. Theism is about PETITION. Sorcery is about
DOMINATION. I can picture many of these weird shamans being quite skilled
negociators. Since we discuss very personal, local, intimate spirits I guess
his/her skills might carry over with people, especially those of his culture.
> As for strangers, well -- the animist point of view is that once you have met
> someone, they are no longer a stranger.
/// Interesting, but how do you interpret that in game terms ?
> I know that you have your handy table Chris, but it smacks of God Learnerism
> :D
/// Which table ? That smells good to me ! Go Godlearners go !
> spirits are neither abstract nor distant, but that they are personally
related with at the individual level, and I'm sure that you will find your way.
/// Yes. All animist have many friends and other contacts ; they're just not all
perceptible to non-animist. I can picture a telmori walking in his camp and
"seeing" (percieving) many more people and wolves than a foreigner would see.
Also, the trees, some rocks, the local streams would seem animate for him. Their
Otheworld is this World.
> Urghh -- Top Tip : don't get me started on the failures of the Pass/Fail
> theory ...
/// Why would we do that ? We know how you get when you start ranting. OK, what
do you think of the Pass/Fail cycle ? :-)
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