The impression I got from a recentish thread on this subject was that mysticism still existed in Glorantha, but it was very much a minority pursuit even in cultures with a mystical tradition. Only a small number of die-hards were devoted mystics, and most other people were usually more committed to divine magic or sorcery.
In this context, people discussed the religions of the Eastern Isles in some depth. Disappointingly no-one said much about Kralorela, which used to be the heartland of the mystical world view in the old "four philosophies" model, which dates back to Cults of Terror. The four philosophies seem over time to be evolving/have evolved into three worlds. Possibly this is due to a relative lack of interest in the "fourth philosophy", and possibly so as to not need a fourth magic system in rules that are being streamlined in the interests of playability.
What is the current thinking on Kralori religion? Do they have divine cults, essence magic, or animism, or a bit of all three? Also do indivduals commit to one beleif system, or do most people dip their toes in a bit of all three? Depending on how far one wishes to push 'the Kralorela is like medieval China' analogy, where not everyone make a firm commitment to devote themselves just to Confucianism, or Taoism or Buddhism to the exclusion of all others (and there were times in some regions when Christianity and Islam may have entered the mix too), maybe Kralorela should be a home of mixed worship, possibly including Mysticism?
Another thing that came out of the thread was that mystics did not make very good player characters. Orthodox mystics (like Dayzatar monks sitting staring at the sun), understandably never were seen as good player character material. However the concept from the old Hero Wars rules of the martial artist who practised mysticism but was still sufficiently engaged with the world to have potential as a player-character, now seems to be out of favour too.
Finally whatever else mysticism might be nowadays, it won't be misapplied worship. Misapplied worship no longer exists in mechanics terms, though a Heortling who sees Wenelians worshipping Orlanth as a Boar would still think that the Wenelians had got it all wrong, (if indeed the Heortling believes that the Wenelians are still worshipping Orlanth at all).
Instead of misapplied worship, there is now mixed worship. I don't think mixed worship (worshipping in (and gaining magic from) more than one system) is the same as the old misapplied worship (worshipping an otherworld entity through a means other than the one native to their place in the otherworld, e.g. treating a malkioni saint as a god), but I don't mourn the passing of misapplied worship either.
People can dabble in different magical styles (though presumably only within their own pantheon), but the very best magic is the preserve of specialists who are fiercely committed to one faith only.
Richard Hayes
- On Fri, 5/3/10, aysezz <Aysez_at_wv89TRt_LsyE8Mt2RUw0TnoydKbugZDssgrYfwkg64ocUZqLMiVgFcSuCINb1IqyhPnhHp94WUvS.yahoo.invalid> wrote:
From: aysezz <Aysez_at_wv89TRt_LsyE8Mt2RUw0TnoydKbugZDssgrYfwkg64ocUZqLMiVgFcSuCINb1IqyhPnhHp94WUvS.yahoo.invalid>
Subject: On Mysticism
To: WorldofGlorantha_at_yahoogroups.com
Date: Friday, 5 March, 2010, 8:13
Say, does anybody know if Mysticism is still its own form of religion? I've seen mention of mystics worshiping the Storm Tribe. Is it now "just" a form of worship, or would that be misapplied worship?
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