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Old 01-31-2011, 03:25 PM   #1
Icelander
 
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Default [Thaumatology] Real world magical traditions

The system of Path/Book magic is a decent fit for a secret magic campaign emulating various magical traditions which people in the real world believed (or still believe) offered mystical powers.

In GURPS Thaumatology there are various flavourful options under Mandatory and Significant Modifiers (p. 82) that are particularly suitable for emulating the Western Hermetic tradition of the Cabal. The high bonuses that can be accumulated by leveraging Decanic Correspondance, Decanic Nature, Zodiacal Correspondences and Planetary Correspondences can make magic viable in a Low Mana or even Very Low Mana worlds.

The problem is, the decans and the specific correspondances associated with them are a very Hermetic idea. Magical traditions based on Zoroastrian concepts, Jewish (as opposed to Hermetic) Kabbalah or Nordic rune magic would lose a lot of their flavour if the same Decans governed their use.

On the other hand, if the only magical tradition that could accumulate these large bonuses was the Hermetic one, that would clearly be the only viable tradition in the setting. Any magical system that is affected by the penalties for Low Mana and Very Low Mana absolutely requires some way to accumulate bonuses up to +15 or more if it is going to be worth spending points on.

Clearly, I need a list of similar modifiers that is more suited to each individual magical tradition.

I'm going to have to make up such a list for the Zoroastrian tradition and Kabbalah, which will both be Path-based on my setting. I also, probably, need one for voudon. It would not hurt to have one for Catholic mysticism, probably influenced by the Hermetic one, but with individual saints instead of decans.

What do I need from the forumites?

First, does anyone have links to online resources on the Sephiroth and what kind of places, materials, colors, metals, stones, plants, creatures, scents, body parts and tools might be associated with each sephirah? Also, if anyone has actually featured Kabbalah in their campaigns, does anyone have insights of their own about this?

Second, the same question, but about the six Amesha Spenta of Zoroastrianism. What are the associations* with each of them? Also, should I complicate things by having all six Amesha Spentas and additionally, Ahura Mazda himself, Mithra, Apam Napat and enough yazatas to make up 12 or 19 fields? This would entail having subordinate fields, so that there would be, for example, one Amesha Spenta with dominion over wholeness, health and water and under that, perhaps, a specific water dominion.

Third, what bonuses are appropriate for Kabbalah and Zoroastrian magic? Sympathy bonuses would obviously fit Kabbalah, but do they fit Zoroastrian magic? What about Contagion? True Names?

Sacrifices fit Zoroastrian magic, but does anyone know if Kabbalah has a concept of ritual sacrifice? Or would that be contrary to the tradition?

*That is to say, what gives bonuses on castings that are regulated by each of them. I've already figured out which rituals fit under each.

Edit: I'm still trying for the same feel, but am using the Ritual Path Magic system for campaigns set in 2018 and later. I'm looking for suggestions on how best to maintain a similar feel as I'm trying for in this thread with RPM.
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Last edited by Icelander; 02-25-2020 at 05:13 PM.
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