Sorcery

[bronze]

A few questions on Sorcery. 

Is the Sorcery the most difficult to learn, but potentially the most flexible and powerful magic system?

Are Sorceries practiced in the East and Fonrit indigenous, or spread by the God Learners? As a formal territory of the Artmali and Vadeli empires, Fonrit might have always practiced a branch of Sorcery, but how the Sorcery has come into its own in the East? Do the East Isles practice Sorcery, too? 

Earth Priestess narration sounds unusually hostile to Sorcery. It makes a stark contrast to the condescending remarks on other cults, and the voice on the Chaos is remarkably subdued. Is some kind of coping mechanism?

 

 

Edited October 23, 2023 by bronze

[jajagappa]

32 minutes ago, bronze said:

Is the Sorcery the most difficult to learn, but potentially the most flexible and powerful magic system?

Yes.

32 minutes ago, bronze said:

Are Sorceries practiced in the East and Fonrit indigenous, or spread by the God Learners?

Unclear in the former, likely yes in the latter.

There is definitely a tradition of sorcery use in Vormain - more so than Kralorela. 

34 minutes ago, bronze said:

Earth Priestess narration sounds unusually hostile to Sorcery.

The God Learners attempted the Goddess Switch, they caused Slonta to roll over and sink beneath the waves, and led to Seshnela being shattered. So there's a lot of recent reason to be hostile.

[metcalph]

The Eastern Isles may have had its own branch of sorcery but I think it has been infused with Malkioni ideas since the Storm Age. It's like Hellenistic influence on India and China - it's not obvious unless you know what you are looking for. 

Any indigenous Fonritans sorcery is really Artmal sorcery and that too has been subject to Malkioni influences. 

A more interesting question is there any influence  by the Eastern Islanders and the Pamaltelans on the Malkioni.  Yes in a big way for one as the Malkioni How Death Was Made myth happens to be Vadel's exploration of Pamaltela. 

 

[Joerg]

Sorcery is extremely flexible as you can research any spell you want. The problem with sorcery is that you have to research every spell before getting sufficiently proficient in it to cast it - a process that may take decades.

If you happen to be taught just such a spell, it might take a sorcerer only a few seasons to get a reasonable chance to cast the spell.

So: Most flexible, yes. Flexible in a time frame useful for adventuring: usually not.

[Akhôrahil]

11 hours ago, bronze said:

Is the Sorcery the most difficult to learn, but potentially the most flexible and powerful magic system?

Yes, but emphasis on "potentially". You will suck for a long, long time, while a Rune Cult initiate can be pretty badass right away.

Lunar Sorcery has traditionally been designed a bit less flexible (as it bases off of Spirit Magic) but much easier to learn and use. Much more PC friendly.

With regards to Earth cults, one possible explanation is that Ernalda's traditional enemy is Nontraya the Taker, who can reasonably be identified with Vivamort, who is associated with Sorcery. 

Edited October 24, 2023 by Akhôrahil

[Richard S.]

9 hours ago, Akhôrahil said:

Lunar Sorcery has traditionally been designed a bit less flexible (as it bases off of Spirit Magic) but much easier to learn and use. Much more PC friendly.

Lunar sorcery is just regular sorcery, using the moon rune just makes it subject to the lunar cycle. The weird stuff that Red Goddess initiates can do to spirit magic is a different thing.