Unfortunately, the meaning of chaos in Glorantha is confusing, because it is used in a number of ways. It is an all purpose slander, used to damn anything the speaker loathes and despises - much as fascist used to be in certain circles. An elf might cheerfully call a ZZ chaotic, ignoring the views of the trolls themselves, and the ZZ hatred of chaos.
It is also a specific rune, tied to a specific source of magical power, which is innate in some creatures, and which some traditions can access. In spite of the ravings of the Orlanthi it is not at all clear that this power is evil in itself. I would hesitate, for example, to declare that a Hon-Eel worshipper who used chaos to obtain enhanced APP and DEX, thus making her a better dancer, is evil. But, like Death and Disorder, it tends to attract bad elements. And there is no cult of chaos corresponding to Humakht that is universally accepted as transforming the power of chaos and discipling its users so as to make them arguably good.
Chaos is also a label, a way of defining something as unnatural. It is thus useful, given the endless battles over the nature of reality that Glorontha makes possible, as a device in reshaping reality. If enough people reject something as unnatural and chaotic, in Glorontha it may go away. One reason for the Orlanthi insistence on the chaotic nature of the Red Goddess is that if enough people buy this it could bring about a refight of the Castle Blue battle and the ejection of the Red Goddess from Glorontha.
Chaos is also the origin of all things, the raw material of Glorontha as it were, and the state to which it will someday return, to be born anew.
Finally, chaos is the dissatisfaction with the world as it is, that leads to actions which might either hasten the collapse of the current form of Glorontha or involve a willingness to risk this collapse in the interest of transformation. The many who reject the possibility of true illumination also tend to regard the mere acceptance of the eventual return of Glorontha to chaos as chaotic ... on the theory that the only thing preventing that collapse is the struggle of non-chaotic beings against it ... and the acceptance of eventual defeat inevitably weakens the necessary will to fight.
Needless to say, even Lunar philosophers do not consistently distinguish among these various meanings of chaos, and your run of the mill Orlanthi adventurer tends to ignore the more mystical aspects of chaos and use the simple theory that unfamiliar=chaos=bad.
Illumination has several aspects. It involves aaceptance of the cyclical nature of reality {i.e. that the current Gloranthan reality will in the end return to chaos and be born anew}, intuitive realization that everything is chaotic in that it was born from chaos, consequent feeling that nothing which exists is truly unnatural, elimination of the fear of being annihilated {i.e. destruction of the spirit as opposed to mere death which is the destruction of the body}, and often willingness to use the magical power associated with chaotic features and traditions. These realizations often produce as a side effect, greater tolerance but also greater detachment from reality. It should be noted that these aspects of illumination do not so much follow from each other as fit together ... a lot of illuminates do not use chaotic magic but it is inexpedient, while many others remain unaware of the cyclical nature of reality because they have no philosophical interests.
Raymond Turney
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