Mysticism (2013)

Submitted by Gilen on Mon, 01/07/2013 – 07:00

Hello Does anyone know how mysticism work (in rules), especially the kralori?

How do you do it?

Thanks

The Guide to Glorantha says…

Submitted by Charles on Tue, 02/07/2013 – 05:42.

Mysticism: Also called draconic magic or illumination, this method of conceiving magic involves the search for the Unknowable. Mysticism rejects logic and experience, and uses austerities to strip away the dull realities which accrue with daily and cosmic living. The magic provided is inconsequential and typically of no interest to those who study it.

Generally, the stories in the Guide indicate that mystics spend almost all of their time meditating in monasteries or fasting as hermits, etc. When, after thousands of years (!), they emerge, their powers are more often described as resisting, refuting and avoiding rather than as striking. And, of course, even in the Guide there are exceptions to the rule, as the word ‘typically’ in the quote above suggests.

In the Gloranthan East, the martial arts are associated with mysticism. Perhaps they are seen as the ‘easy’ introduction to austerities. Schools of martial arts should provide affinities, charms and/or spells.
That’s what ‘canon’ suggests. What you should do in your game is whatever works for you.

Submitted by metcalph on Mon, 01/07/2013 – 10:34.

Mysticism is generally not magic. At best, it allows you to do things that are otherwise impossible. A good example is the Lunar Way with glamours and a rune that is (almost) everything you want it to be (only when the Moon is full, mind you. On other days and nights, it’s not quite what you wanted it to be).
The Kralori magics are generally charms, affinities or spells. You can give them any old permutation of magic (ie sorcerous schools with charms) you see fit, so long as you give them an interesting story and even more interesting quirks and taboos. By way of example, the generally theistic Orlanthi have Lhankhor Mhy (a God with Spells), Pavis (a sorcery cult with affinities) and Odayla (a God with charms).
In the specific context of dragon magic (i.e an exception to the general recommendations that I had just made), I would handle draconic powers as natural magics of the dragon rune (ie a draconist with a dragon eye could manifest a third eye in his forehead with the associated dragon powers, such as think enemies to death etc). The draconist is manifesting his draconic nature/incarnating a portion of the power of the cosmic dragon/whatever loopy philosophy the draconist’s own school espouses. If anything, they are closest to feats but they do not come from Gods.
A problem with using draconic magic is the fear of avoiding entanglements. Older literature presents this as a simple system of incurring karmic debt and the later atonement for them (ie help an old man and break his leg some years later). I find this approach too simplistic. Instead I would look at the code of conduct a school imposes on the Draconist and construe them as eternal obligations (teach others the draconic path, smite a chosen servant or Orxili etc) that a Draconist must follow for fear of harming his draconic nature. Break the obligations too much and the draconist no longer has a draconic nature.
I would generally give the draconist six basic rules to follow with the life of the draconic sage being a source of those rules (for example, the followers of Thalurzni must wear no metal, balance the elements and commit their sexual nature to Vithalash through flames, chemical castration etc). Keep it interesting and colourful. Avoid creating schools that are one-stop killing shops, they are boring. Avoid creating schools that are too burdensome to play, they are no fun.

Submitted by Gilen on Tue, 02/07/2013 – 02:03.

I’d like to see the player’s face when I’ll said him that his character have to burn his b… er… his man prides 😀

Thanks

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