From: David Cake (davidc@cs.uwa.edu.au)
Date: Thu 09 Sep 1993 - 10:16:59 EEST
> From: henkl@holland.sun.com (Henk Langeveld - Sun Nederland)
> stormbull@cix.compulink.co.uk (Tim Westlake) writes:
>
>
> >I have been looking at the rules for Shamans, both in RQII and III and
> >have a question, Can you have a Shaman who is also a Rune Lord and/or
> >Priest? The rules do not say either way.
>
I see the real problem as not being to do with deeper incompatibilities
between the different types of magical powers, I see it as more of a problem
of practicalities. There is no reason why shamans cannot become priests, many
shamans are also priests (probably the majority of RQ3 shamans, between Hsunchen
cults, Waha. ancestor worship, Troll priestesses, elven shamans, and thats not
even counting minor spirit cults) (RQ2 purists consider Black Fang and a few
others). However many cults specifically disallow shamans (perhaps feeling they
are tooinvolved with the spirit world (heresy?) to make good priests), and
probably from Rune Lord status as well. If your cult allows it, there is no
reason not too - but don't expect your shamanto become a Light Son or other
uptight civilised cult Rune level.
>
> >The real problem is with Rune magic, if shamans cannot attain "Rune"
> >level then their access to such magic is limited. I can understand that
> >some cults would have a more shamnic tradition rather than a priestly
> >one (such as Daka Fal) and that some cults dont even have Priests
> >(StormBull according to RQIII). Does anyone have any suggestions?
In many cults the two positions of priest and shaman are compatible or the same. In others they are separate, or one or the other does not exist. It is a purely cult by cult decision.
I must point out that this comes from a largely RQ3 perspective, not so
much because I play it exclusively (I do, but I played RQ2 before hand), but
because I never quite knew what to make of RQ2 shamans. They are mentioned in
only a very few places, and their cult status is not mentioned except in a
few places. We do know that in cults that permit it, it is possible to combine
priest-hood and shamanhood (such as Black Fang).
>
> >Tim
>
> Shamans (shamen?) deliberately choose a different path. Rune magic is
> not for them, as it is too wrapped up in formalised and pompous ritual.
> It is also too limiting and would impose on their freedom of action.
Rubbish. Rune magic is one of the most important abilities of most
Gloranthan shamans (as I said above). Big organised cults, that are wrapped
up in pompous formalised ritual, are anathema to shamans ( and the feeling
is mutual) but a little Rune magic, derived from the traditional ways of the
people or whatever, is part of the whole shaman thing.
>
> Shamans are individuals. They are masters of the spirit world, and
> won't let themselves be controlled by the gods, which are abberant
> spirits anyway.
They will, however, let themselves be pushed around by the tribal ancestors, or the spirits of the land or whatever. But that is quite different (they say) :-)
> There are exceptions of course, like the spirit cults. Those people
> chosing this route give up some of their freedom in turn for temporary
> benefits, like a Rune spell or two.
I think of it more as devoting extra effort to get some extra powers.
I don't think that freedom is really the issue, freedom is a different concept
when you put the welfare of the tribe above your own welfare (as I feel most
shamans do).
> --
> Henk | Henk.Langeveld@Sun.COM - Disclaimer: I don't speak for Sun.
> oK[] | RuneQuest-Request@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM
>
Dave Cake
>
Re: a mailing list for just Glorantha stuff
> I already run several mailing lists and have good software support for such
> a beast.
>
> So, would anyone subscribe to it? :-)
I might subscribe, but I wouldn't post (except in reply, maybe). I see very little reason to split the discussion, and I feel that it would not be a good thing. The big rules discussions only come along every once in a while. And I don't think that discussion of the rules can be separated from GLorantha (look at the discussion of shamans above for an example).
Dave Cake
> --
> Clay Luther clay@cool.vortech.com
> Software Engineer Kodak Health Imaging Systems
> Yelo's gift was a necklace of clam shells from the Quel Stream strung on gut
> string with a delicate knot of reeds which performed the role of pendant.
>
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