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Message no. 1
From: Fahnuir All Aidur <FAHNUIR@******.BITNET>
Subject: HERMETICS
Date: Fri, 14 Jan 1994 18:08:43 PRT
This may sound a little bit strange...BUT...
Is there anyone on this list that claims to be an Hermetic Wizard ? I know th
at Paul Hume follows the Hermetic Tradition, and i think there was someone from
the list that claimed to be an Hermetic too...

If there is anyone like this on this list, i would like him to contact me via
private E-Mail


Thank you...
Fahnuir All Aidur
Message no. 2
From: Ioannis Fikouras <j07c@***.UNI-BREMEN.DE>
Subject: Re: HERMETICS
Date: Fri, 14 Jan 1994 18:59:56 +0100
at Paul Hume follows the Hermetic Tradition, and i think there was someone from

Huh? what do u mean? can u explain please ?

--

Strong am I with the Force... but not that strong!
Twilight is upon me and soon night must fall.
That is the way of things ... the way of the Force.

GCS -d+@ -p+(---) c+++ l+ u+++ e@ m++(-) s/+ !n(-) h(*) f+ g! w+ t+ r++ y?
Message no. 3
From: Fahnuir <FAHNUIR@******.BITNET>
Subject: Hermetics
Date: Wed, 19 Jan 1994 11:59:10 PRT
Someone asked me what i meant to say when i said Paul Hume was an Hermetic.

Well... At least it's what i saw written in one of the final (or inicial... hu
mmm... i don't remember) pages of INTO THE SHADOWS.


Fahnuir
Message no. 4
From: steven mancini <mancinis@******.CC.PURDUE.EDU>
Subject: Re: Hermetics
Date: Wed, 19 Jan 1994 15:09:26 EST
To quote Fahnuir:
]
] Someone asked me what i meant to say when i said Paul Hume was an Hermetic.
]
] Well... At least it's what i saw written in one of the final (or inicial... hu
] mmm... i don't remember) pages of INTO THE SHADOWS.
]
I know about the quote, it was something along the lines of
Paul Huma is the world's first hermetic mage waiting for
the Awakening.

I think it was merely a joke....

Da Minotaur
Message no. 5
From: Misty's Witch Brigade! <MHILLIARD@******.BITNET>
Subject: Re: Hermetics
Date: Wed, 19 Jan 1994 18:15:40 -0500
> I know about the quote, it was something along the lines of
> Paul Huma is the world's first hermetic mage waiting for
> the Awakening.

> I think it was merely a joke....

Maybe, but Paul does know a great deal about Western sorcery, and SR's magick
system comes closer to the real thing than any other game on the market....
Me, I suspect he's a magus, but it's by no means sure.


Slainte'!
Phelan
_____________________________________________________________________
Phelan the Undisciplined \ "Every family has its ups and
MHILLIARD@******.Bitnet \ downs"
----------------------------------\ -Eleanor of Aquitaine
---------------------------------
"No you idiot, port is LEFT!"
Message no. 6
From: The Deb Decker <RJR96326@****.UTULSA.EDU>
Subject: Re: Hermetics
Date: Wed, 19 Jan 1994 17:59:04 -0600
Magic Question for Western Magic afficiandoes:

How do you group the Chinese beliefs into it. I read that they divide the
Earth into five elements: The traditional four + metal. Obviously metal
could be subsumed under earth, but. . . opinions, anyone?
J Roberson
Message no. 7
From: Michael Porter <PORTMIC@*****.ACC.IIT.EDU>
Subject: Re: Hermetics
Date: Wed, 19 Jan 1994 18:16:37 -0500
The void is another name for the fifth element if Piers Anthony is correct
. In terms of magic I believe that Confucinist onists would be Hermetics and
Taoists would be Shamans. At least thats how I corrected the definitions
of both kinds of magic with what I read in _The Tao of Pooh_.
Message no. 8
From: The Deb Decker <RJR96326@****.UTULSA.EDU>
Subject: Re: Hermetics
Date: Wed, 19 Jan 1994 19:15:44 -0600
>The void is another name for the fifth element if Piers Anthony is correct.

*If* he's correct. How does a concept of void coincide with that of metal
(or the concepts represented by metal in Chinese mythology)?

>In terms of magic I believe that Confucinist onists would be Hermetics and
>Taoists would be Shamans. At least thats how I corrected the definitions
>of both kinds of magic with what I read in _The Tao of Pooh_.

In terms of magic I think you're confusing philosophy with magery. True, the
wisest sages of China were regarded as powerful sorcerors as well, but there
is no correlation between either tradion in the Shadowrun sense.

Shamans would be closest, of course, to the animist Wu of ancient china.

Taoism is a search for the Waym a state of being. It has been compared to
water, which yields infinitely but wears away stone (GURPS China, p10).
Taoists do organize into temples and orders, which to me is rather
unlike the traditional image of shamanism.

Confucianism can only be labeled hermetic because of its emphasis on
authority and tradition. To me this underlying philosophy does *not*
indicate a prediliction for the hermetic path; a shaman may emphasize
obedience to the tribal elders.

There are other dominating faiths in China, but these are the two you
mentioned. In short, I think comparing these philosophies with the
shamanic and hermetic paths is like comparing slugworms and Buicks. It
can be done, but it's a stretch that has little to do with the original
question.


J Roberson
Message no. 9
From: "C. Paul Douglas" <granite@********.CLARK.NET>
Subject: Re: Hermetics
Date: Wed, 19 Jan 1994 22:38:50 -0500
On Wed, 19 Jan 1994, The Deb Decker wrote:

> Magic Question for Western Magic afficiandoes:
>
> How do you group the Chinese beliefs into it. I read that they divide the
> Earth into five elements: The traditional four + metal. Obviously metal
> could be subsumed under earth, but. . . opinions, anyone?
> J Roberson
>
It certainly wouldn't hurt to have another elemental for mages to work
with - It might even help balance out between Mages and Shamans see as
how Shaman seem to have most of the magical benefits..
-----------------GRANITE
Message no. 10
From: Schnood <cdjworks@******.DIGEX.NET>
Subject: Re: Hermetics
Date: Thu, 20 Jan 1994 10:04:09 -0500
>It certainly wouldn't hurt to have another elemental for mages to work
>with - It might even help balance out between Mages and Shamans see as
>how Shaman seem to have most of the magical benefits..

I wouldn't say that exactly. Elementals can go anywhere, while spirits
are very tightly bound to their domains. You can summon a spirit inside
a building (simple hearth spirit) but if you want a spirit outside the
building you have to go through the possibility of getting more drain to
summon a city spirit. Also, elementals can do several things that
spirits can't that are useful, such as aid sorcery, aid learning of
spells, and sustain spells. Of course, spirits have some fairly nice
powers themselves. IMHO they're pretty well balanced.

GE/GCS d?(-d+) p+ c++(++++) e m* s+/-(---) !n h++ f+@ g+ w+(++) t+@
r+(++) !y
Message no. 11
From: "C. Paul Douglas" <granite@********.CLARK.NET>
Subject: Re: Hermetics
Date: Thu, 20 Jan 1994 19:49:34 -0500
On Thu, 20 Jan 1994, Schnood wrote:

Of course, spirits have some fairly nice
> powers themselves. IMHO they're pretty well balanced.

I'm not saying that they are completely out of whack..But a Shaman can
summon a spirit any time he feels like it, and at no monetary cost. While
the Mage must pay cash every time he wishes to summon an elemental and he
must do a certain amount of set up. The Mage cannot summon on the fly
like the Shaman can...
-----------------------------GRANITE
Message no. 12
From: Schnood <cdjworks@******.DIGEX.NET>
Subject: Re: Hermetics
Date: Fri, 21 Jan 1994 09:57:26 -0500
>I'm not saying that they are completely out of whack..But a Shaman can
>summon a spirit any time he feels like it, and at no monetary cost. While
>the Mage must pay cash every time he wishes to summon an elemental and he
>must do a certain amount of set up. The Mage cannot summon on the fly
>like the shaman can...

That is a mage needs to keep elementals on tap. I would rather have the
drain finished while I'm at home summoning the elementals than on a run
when I might get hosed because of it. Also, on the money part, just get
some fairly rudimentary Enchanting skill and given time (which may or may
not be available) make your own summoning materials. Though, paying
1,000 nuyen per force point tends to be annoying after awhile.

GE/GCS d?(-d+) p+ c++(++++) e m* s+/-(---) !n h++ f+@ g+ w+(++) t+@
r+(++) !y

Further Reading

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