The Determinists
The Determinists are a group of Illuminates that use physical analogy to present the standard Nysalor riddles. Instead of lurking about sounding like bad Gloranthan imports of the I-Ching, they demonstrate a physical effect and use that to demonstrate the nature of Chaos in Glorantha. The determinists are internally divided over whether their abstractions and models embody the nature of Glorantha or whether they just describe it. There are even some that say their abstractions do both: They can describe an element of Gloranthan reality that doesn't yet exist and the description becomes embodied by the description.
As with all forms of Illumination, the Determinists know that Chaos is not intrinsically evil or even undesirable in all its forms. However, to reach this state, the aspirant realises that they live in an impersonal universe and that there is no such thing as free will. This is a big blow to most Gloranthans as while they feel the universe is dangerous, even hostile, they anthropomorphise the terror away and feel secure under the wings of their Gods. Ironically, it is this realisation that makes most Determinists immune to cult spirits of reprisal - they realise their Deity is a personification of a deterministic phenomenon and that all reprisal comes from the apparent free will of the worshipper.
Determinists tend to come from civilised societies, especially among the literati and learned. Architects and Engineers tend to be prime candidates to be Illuminated by this method, as they already deal with many deterministic concepts in their lives. Perhaps Illumination just tells them what they already knew unconsciously. Artists of any form find most of the concepts too alien to deal with and often go mad, their work turning dark and introspective.
Are they God Learners?
Most Determinists are branded as God Learners by those that find out about them. There is much similarity between the way the Determinists think and the way the God Learners thought. Those Determinists uneasy with being lumped in the same heap say it's a matter of attitude: The God Learners had no morals and were decadent hedonists that exploited their knowledge for their own ends, while they seek to describe but not modify.
Determinists and other races
Of all the Elder Races Mostali are likely to fall for the ideas in Determinism, mainly because their concept of the world is so deterministic already. However as Nysalor wasn't around when the World Machine rumbled into action, Illumination is a heresy that's only fixable by recrystalisation of the offending Dwarf. The Dwarf is dissolved in hot acid, filtered hot and filtered cold. Finally, the solution is neutralised and the Dwarf is precipitated from the solution while the offending idea is left in the solution.
Culturally, Aldryami tend to prefer the image of Nysalor as a God of Light and often can't comprehend deterministic ideas. Determinism seems a bit "Mostali" and many would reject it on principle.
The Uz have no real use for determinism. They put too high a price on their free will and reckon that anyone that gives that up, or glibly explains it away would probably be better off served on a plate. They don't like anyone trying to explain or tolerate Chaos as this goes against the teachings of Kyger Litor.
The Dragonewts already knew about Determinism. Exactly what they know the Inhuman King doesn't even tell himself, but one day, when the time is right he might tell the rest of us.
The Sect Founder
The founder of this school of Illumination was a siege engineer, Irripi Ontor priest, Illuminate and Lunar Examiner, Clarkus. From birth, Clarkus was cursed to never feel any emotion but curiosity. This curse changed his view of the universe until he was (supposedly) self Illuminated by studying physical models. The "Lay of Clarkus (his one and only time)" is still sung in his home of Mirins Cross. It tells of the day (in 1590) he was Illuminated. He leapt out of the bath, ran naked through the streets with the largest erection seen there since the city walls were built, screaming "I've found it! I've found it!" The song doesn't really do credence to the monumental (sic) event.
Riddles of the Sect
In 1600 Clarkus wrote the Deterministic translation of 18 riddles into his book, "Principea." The translations of the book are also known as "Principles" or "Fundamentals." The have been (supposedly) cases of Illumination of the linguists and scholars that translated the book. Various commentaries have been added to the original work by some scholars and luminaries.
Commentary on The Glorantha Bubble riddle
(By Clarkus, Mirin's Cross, 1592 - from "Principea")
This riddle shows an analogy between Glorantha as a bubble of order rising through the void of Chaos with a bubble or impurity in an effervescent solution. We can deduce the following things from this riddle:
It is possible for order to exist when surrounded on all sides by Chaos. As the bubble rises, it will expand until it bursts on the surface of the liquid. In analogous terms, we can infer the end of Glorantha when it finishes rising through the void.
What supports the bubble? What makes it keep its shape? It must be the liquid around it. By analogy, the Chaos void around Glorantha gives it its shape. If the Chaos void didn't exist around Glorantha, Glorantha would not be held together. This shows that Chaos isn't necessarily an evil, destructive force, but is necessary for our existence.
An advanced mind may note that in an effervescent solution, bubbles form from the body of the liquid. This implies to us that even the stuff of Chaos may give rise to perfect spheres of order such as Glorantha, spontaneously and without the intervention of the mythical agencies that have formed Glorantha since it's birth.
(By Hiatus, Boldhome, Sea Season 1605 - from "Enlightenment of the
Unwashed Infidel - My Sartar Campaign")
I have been studying Clarkus' first translation. I wish to advise the reader of the following Gedankenexperiment I have carried out. If the Chaos void were infinite then the bubble that is Glorantha would not be expanding, as does the bubble in the effervescent solution. If the bubble that is Glorantha is expanding then we may deduce that the Chaos void is finite and Glorantha is doomed! If the latter is correct, then one day we shall surface from the void and the bubble of the sky will burst and we shall die.
Scenario Idea
Hiatus (he can be whatever fits nicely, I made him a Seven Mothers Initiate) has become obsessed with the idea that Glorantha is expanding and that this means the end of the world. He's been measuring the distance between the Seven Mothers temple in Furthest and Mirin's Cross by timing the travel time for a cult spirit. However, the times are variable enough to swamp any increase in time he may have found over the last 10 years of trying. He's come to the conclusion that the only way he's going to get any better results is to increase the distance the spirit has to travel. He's decided to send the spirit between Corflu and the temple at Mirin's Cross. The only problem is, he has to perform a ceremony at 5km intervals lasting a day between Mirin's Cross and Corflu to guide the spirit's route.
He's willing to pay standard mercenary rates10 imperials a month, all the food (impala jerky, yum) the adventurers can eat, a point of spirit magic per season and a dedication in his next book. ("The day I killed 1000 Fuzzy Wuzzies - My Agimori Campaign").
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