>
>> 1. Why does Illumination work, how makes oneself immune from gods
>> retribution?
>
The *real* reason why Illuminates can avoid divine retribution is because
they discover the secret that the gods are hollow and empty shells created
by the priests; the gods have no will or power, they are mindless,
inanimate shells into which people focus their power to create a pool from
which the priests can draw; that every person has the spark of divinity
within himself, and that the working of magic can be done without recourse
to religious ritual. Can anyone hear thunder? It is, however, the priestly
classes that hold the positions of power in the world and they don't want
their position to be undermined. Also Gloranthan societies would collapse
if they realised there were no gods. Who does look after us? Why pray for
rain etc? (Indeed this is one of the philosopher's arguments for religion
in that it has a psychological value regardless of whether or not there is
a god: - as long as people believe there is, then they will [in theory]
behave in accordance with the holy book which just to happens to say we
should all be nice to each other. Clever stuff, religion.)
This is the *real* reason why - hey, I'm sure I can smell ozone -
Illuminates are reviled in that they directly break the religious structure
of Glorantha. Not only that, they know the secret of the God Learners which
is, of ocurse, 42. They also know the ultimate question which is... zap,
pow, blamm, crash, thud, tinkle, tinkle, tinkle. Bzzzt. Pop.
Danny