Malkioni Heroquesting (2013)

Submitted by Charles on Wed, 01/05/2013 – 02:56

Copied from David Scott’s posting at http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/WorldofGlorantha/message/19882

Arising from this discussion about myth and Malkioni Heroquesting, Jeff has asked me to put up this summary of a conversation we had on the subject.

The Malkioni don’t Heroquest in the theistic style of Heroquests, but they certainly interact with the otherworld. They just don’t do experimental heroquests after the God Learner fiasco.
Malkioni Heroquesting is objective not subjective. The starting place to understand them is the Xeotam Dialogues, you aren’t being one of the gods – you are interacting with them to impose your will on the world. Take an existing heroquest, and strip it down to its objective components. There’s likely a big book of Accepted Rituals/Spells or something approved by the Rokari. Specific spells will take you to a particular places in the Otherworld where you can start. For example, in the Old Temple ceremony, once there, you can follow the path to meet with Seshna Likita. You must confront her and overcome her guardians, but if successful, you can then mate with her to gain her support for you and your lineage.
The Malkioni reject the idea of serving the gods. They do not incarnate them, they command them, as per the Xeotam Dialogues. Sometimes the magic works better if you serve the gods, while still manipulating them. The Godleaners got others to incarnate them, then abused them for their power. Sometimes the Godlearners found it was more effective to incarnate a god than try to manipulate them, shackled gods is good imagery for the Godlearners. The God Learners did whatever got them knowledge and power, regardless of cost. They had spells that could confront the spirits of reprisal. Wizardry can affect spirits and theistic effects, as it is a logical and rational approach to Glorantha. Gloranthan wizardry has lots and lots of inherent dangers, reason and logic are dangerous tools. Sometimes it is better not to analytically deconstruct the great mysteries in order to better manage them.
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David Scott

Submitted by tindalos on Wed, 01/05/2013 – 17:05.

I imagined the low Malkioni equivalent to heroquesting (as in those performed for the benefit of non-Knowers) would resemble a Mystery or Passion Play. Despite not actually being a christianity analogue, I figured the acts of the Saints/Bodhisattva/Fathers would be acted out from their grimoires, with the relevant essences being invoked by the performers/Readers, and the mass ritual being much like a “this world” heroquest, in the result of blessing the watchers with the Saint’s lessons. Obviously, MGWV, but how much of a divergence with the standard Glorantha would this be?

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