Enlightenment

From: Peter Metcalfe <metcalph_at_voyager.co.nz>
Date: Thu, 12 Feb 1998 16:48:11 +1300 (NZDT)


Nikk Effingham:

>What can people tell me about Metsyla? More importantly, what can
>people tell me about Metsylan Illumination. As I understand it,
>Metsyla has replaced Rashoran as the God of Illumination in the East
>(always a good idea). Metsyla, not being a dead god like Nysalor,
>would surely have different Illumination and his own cult... I think
>these are all important features. Anyone got any ideas or secret,
>privy to Greg's unwritten thoughts on the matter?

The main side-effects of Metsylan Enlightenment are amply put in the Jonston Compendium:

        'The problem with this Emperor is that he only knew a small
        potion of the lessons of the Wheel of Life.  Thus he was
        always clearsighted in his enlightenment, but he never learned
        to be close to things, or to be wise, or to search his inner
        feelings for their truths.  This problem was common even to
        the simpler people's beliefs and would plague the region for
        all of its history'
        

Whether enlightenment is different to Arkatism or Illumination is an interesting question and the answer is probably yes. But since the game rules for Illumination are inadequate and no rules for Arkatism exist, I can't really quantify the differences.

I do believe that Enlightenment is compatible with God Learning (or at least some parts of it). The reason for this statement is that the God Learners were able to comprehend it and junk some elements of their learning in favour of it. IMO this synthesis is represented in the game as the skill known as Charismatic Wisdom. The current Kralori wisdom is similar and contains a fusion of the 'good parts' of Charismatic Wisdom with the Philosophy developed by the Exarchs in their exile in Bliss in Ignorance.

Powered by hypermail