Subject: Re: Subject: Re: RES: [UA] Old groups and power

[Derek Johnson]

Rp Bowman, Royal Minister of Stuff wrote:

I agree with many of your points, except for the idea
of having a special 'talent.'  Aside from the talents
implied in learning any unusual skill, adepts in UA
don't really need any special magical qualities.  All
they have to be is obsessed with the paradox that
makes their magic work.  Anyone could learn to be a
dipsomancer if they obsessed on it.

Actually I agree with you. I don't post a lot so my writing is a bit
rusty. The focus/obsession to work magic is the talent in question. I
didn't want to sound hokey in the initial post and use the word 'faith'
or 'belief' and I couldn't come up with something else. But to me that
kind of obsession is something you really can't learn you either have it
or you don't. I have a friend who is frighteningly adept with
mathematics. I'm no slouch, mind you, I survived several levels of
calculus and went on to differential equations before I realized that I
really didn't like the thought of being an astronomer and instead wanted
to be journalist. But the point is that I never really liked theoretical
math. I had to work at it extremely hard to just be okay. My friend
works at it but the difference is he enjoys it. That's the level of
obsession you have to have and I see that as being very rare. An adept
(like the person chopping up vegetables) would have to have this
obsession to the point of it being a natural extension of her psyche and
not an affectation she is doing solely for power. Perhaps she is a
sculptor and therefore has a powerful fascination with the human form.
Her knowledge of the human form, which she paradoxically shapes from
clay and stone, is the fuel for her fleshworking.

Anyway, thanks for entertaining my rantings again
Derek
"Every shout becomes a ziggaraut, every prayer becomes a citadel of god,
every curse becomes a human sacrifice."
Shriekback


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