From:	SThanatos <sthanatos@*********.COM>
Subject:	Re: Hermetic vs. Shamanic mages
Date:	Tue, 5 May 1998 06:35:11 -0400

Fade inscribed thus
:
>What if hermetic mages simply were shamans following the totem of
>science? A totem with a lot of differences from the others, but with
>*exactly* the same basics. It would explain why some hermetic mages
>become insect shamans, why they have the same spells, same abilites,
>etcetera. It also goes with the thread earlier, about science as
>religion. It's more an image, a way of interpretation, than a rule.

I suppose one could interpret hermetics that way. But keep in mind that
one of the biggest discrepancies in this arguement would be the
Elemental/Nature
Spirit differentiation. If mages were true Shamans of Science, they would
still
be bound by the limitations of nature spirit domains. Likewise, in the
Grimoire,
it states that a Shaman must always be true to the path of his Totem and never
question its purpose, lest he loose his powers permanently. But there are
many manifestations of the Hermetic path, and the basis of Hermetic magic
IS questioning.
I'm not saying this arguement isn't viable, it's just that there are so many
differences between a typical Shaman and a typical Hermetic, that they have
to be
classified seperatly.