Great, long, article about how a Polynesian concept and word came to be used for "magic energy" in games and across western culture in general.
http://theappendix.net/issues/2014/4/the-history-of-mana-how-an-austronesian-concept-became-a-video-game-mechanic
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so you dont think the bible had anything to do with it?
ReplyDeletestorm bringer rpg used in early 80s as did many games not mentioned here - nice article but not complete - biblical manna often spelled with one "n"
ReplyDeleteQuite an article! I didn't know Bonewits' book was first publishing in 1978! That pushes back the chronology for me. I also had never heard that he helped Hargrave. Interesting stuff.
ReplyDeleteI first saw mana in an RPG in "Fantasy Wargaming." Niven's "The magic goes away" definitely was an influence on that, as was some study of "historical" magic beliefs, but by some guys in England with no connection to Bonewits & his circle.
Biblical manna was just a bread-like food provided by God, I thought.
Konsumterra, you may be thinking of Elan, which represented a priest's ability to call upon supernatural favor. Magic used by sorcerers was embodied by Power.
ReplyDeletemikemonaco, you are correct. Biblical manna has no relation to Polynesian mana, other than the fact that the words are homophones.