> << "Cleverly exploiting the similarities and differences
> in all that they found,>>
>
>This would include, IMO, finding and cataloguing similarities and differences
>- and as a possible side effect, learning/exploiting their powers , albeit
>inefficiently.
I think they would have used the Runequest Sight to comprehend the ceremonies as well as summon the entities directly and compel it to confess its secrets. If they had learned the powers through direct participation in the rituals, then IMO they would not have made the infamous short-cuts that ultimately lead to their destruction.
>I would think only a few
>godlearners did the really high level universe changing. Perhaps a
>cult/order secret.
A university in Umathela taught about 50,000 fully qualified God Learner Heroquesters (over the entire length of its operation, I assume) before its destruction. Hence I assume that Godlearnerism was as common as the Lunar mysteries are now in the Empire. The doing-the-impossible magic was more about resources than know-how (like the RW example of nuclear bomb building - anybody can find out how it works but few have the resources to make one).
>The godlearner did big things that changed
>everything, but I do not think they were a huge cohesive organisation,
They weren't a monolithic order but they did have a coherent philosophy and they strive for a unified understanding of the Cosmos.
>and
>probably included more sects and secret orders than modern day Safelster.
That's a heck of a lot of orders. A draft stated that every city in Safelster was dominated by a cabal (a bunch of secretive Arkati) and that there were also two or three rival cabals in each city that were bitterly opposed to the dominant cabal and in many cases were the dominant cabal in the past. As always, take with a grain of salt.
--Peter Metcalfe
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