[Thaumatology] Real world magical traditions

[CousinX]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

Ok, isn't allowing Decanic practice to get the same bonuses as Kabbalic practice and a bunch of Decanic bonuses too working in the wrong direction? If Symbol Drawing doesn't do anything for Decanic magic mechanically (not that they don't use symbols, just that those symbols aren't mystically potent in the setting), but does help Kaballah then that helps to balance them.

Yeah, I suppose that particular piece of info (and the general fact that Hermeticism tends to absorb anything useful from other traditions) isn't all that conducive to game balance. Reality can be terribly uncooperative for balanced gaming sometimes. :)

It's the approach taken in Cabal, which I like, but I get that it's not what Icelander is looking for.

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

Can you cite a source?

My primary source is the Torah, which goes into great detail on the matter.

The practice has come in and out of vogue with various sects of Judaism through the centuries, but it's still an important theological point. The Kosher preparation of animals involves ritual slaughter, i.e. a form of sacrifice.

But my core point was not that any Jewish sects currently practice it (I don't know if they do), but that it's been an important part of the religion for all of its (written) history, and therefor could quite plausibly show up in an esoteric practice.

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

I've just read an account of the chicken killing practice I mentioned and the author made a huge point of how it wasn't a sacrifice. I've read elsewhere that the reason that modern Jews are able to ignore the commandants of sacrifice is because they no longer have the Temple, and therefore are currently exempt.

There are plenty of different strains of Judaism, do you know which the author was from?