Well, that about wraps it up for God...

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From: Colin Watson (watson@computing-science.aberdeen.ac.uk)
Date: Thu 23 Jun 1994 - 21:13:32 EEST


Devin
(about Lokamayadon):

>we can blame Orlanth's inability to react [...] on Illumination.

We sure can. How about this:
Orlanth reacts to rituals reflexively. Those who realise this and act accordingly are, de facto, Illuminated. The only reason non-illuminates can't do what illuminates do is because they don't think it will work.
I'm sure Priests use Illumination as an excuse to explain lapses in the functionality of their deity, all the time. And their flock believes it too.

>CW> I'd say the info from the divination is just based on what the god usually
>CW> knows (mostly from worshippers prayers). If the Divination gives you a
>CW> "good reference" then you get accepted. A bad reference, or too-little info
>CW> would result in rejection.
>
>Well then, what's the point of the Divination in the first place? Why not
>just ask around and get the opinion of the temple members verbally?

It's easier. It canvases the entire cult's opinion in one shot; not just the local punters. If the Priest knows the candidate personally then he might forgo the formality of Divination completely. I'd imagine it is used most frequently on strangers.

Divination always has a chance of failing (being misinterpreted). I like to have a way of explaining this other than "you failed your POWx5".


Brandon:
>I use the following dicta to decide what your God knows or doesn't [...]

This is a fine set of guidelines. (ie. I like 'em cos they don't conflict with my own ideas too much :-)


Barron Chugg:
> This is the crux of my idea: that runemagic comes from within. Now, you
>cannot get it without following some path, that is to say, by emulating
>your diety. These pathes were created in the Godtime and are woven into
>the very fabric of reality. Religon, in my view, is just the following of
>these pathes.

This is an Outstandingly Cool Idea IMHO.

My only quibble is: why does one *have* to follow an existing path? I propose that fresh paths can be forged and, if these new paths are subsequently well-trodden enough (by a cult-load of worshippers all doing the same magic in the same way) and the route is complex enough then eventually a "new god" may form.
Did this not happen with Zistor the Machine and the Red Goddess? Once the god-track is established then the magic becomes easier; but the downside is that it becomes vulnerable to other gods (cults).

Hmm, the idea of gods forming around cults rather than cults forming around gods is interesting...

___
CW.

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