[Rq-rules] Spells & Society

[Peter Brink]

Wayne Shaw skrev:
> 
>> I disagree. I do not see the cost or the danger to be
>> prohibitive and spirit matricies would become common
>> as they get passed from parents to children.
> 
> Spirit matrices are only available on the whole if people are making 
> them, and that requires yet _another_ spirit spell.  As to the cost and 
> danger--then you have a really different definition of how serious those 
> are, given every time involves a spirit combat that can leave someone 
> possessed, and the stated costs are  often weeks worth of many lower 
> income people's resources.  For something in many cases that assists 
> them modestly.
> 

The usefulness of magic as such is probably not so important when 
discussing the impacts of magic on a magic using society.

One has to assume that if magic exists it has existed from very early on 
in history and has developed alongside the rest of society. The 
existence of it will therefore influence society on all levels. We know 
from our own history that the best technology available has not always 
been used (the Roman empire being a good example). The use of Iron is a 
good example. Iron tools are in fact not a necessarily better than 
copper or bronze tools, some flint tools are better than their iron 
counterparts (cutting edges and arrow heads spring to mind)! The 
ownership of iron tools were prestigious though, and man has always been 
inclined to spend lots of resources to improve (or maintain) his social 
status.

Since magic will always remain somewhat exclusive, one could postulate 
that the possession of magic skills and (even more) of magic items would 
become important from a social status POW. The social value of magic 
would certainly affect society and would also make people willing to 
spend the resources necessary to get magic. All IMHO of course...

/Peter Brink