Re: Illumination

From: Ian Thomson <gpo.swin.edu.au_at_lucy.cc.swin.edu.au>
Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1999 10:39:45 +0000

David Cake also likes the idea of Arkati 'secret higher degrees of Initiation', believing that their teachings are 'powerful and dangerous', therefore need to be hidden from the world at large, and only passed on to the righteous! :)
(of course the more aggro Arkati will tend to keep their secrets for more selfish that righteous reasons)

Yes! These are exactly the ideas that leaped out at me after comparing official ideas on Illumination with Nikk Effingham's Arkat stuff

I hope its a concept others can also run with, even if it turns out to be cast aside in favor of something else. I think I was influenced by my ideas from running an occult Cthulhu by Gaslight campaign a year or so ago, and specifically the 'Golden Dawn' book released for that game. The Arkati rivalry and infighting suddenly reminded me of the fighting between such people as Crowley and Yeats, each convinced they were on the best path to the truth.

Another possible parrallel is that they were also both still learning and therefore their own truth continued to evolve - the kind of thing possibly leading to the making and breaking of Arkati cult temporary alliances
"Yes, well we believed that last week, now we believe something else, please chew on this sorcerously enchanted broadsword!"

These Golden Dawn people were big on circles on Intitiation, moving further and further in, and learning more and more. Perhaps at one circle that is where Initiation occurs?

Anyhow, last night I finished revising a fairly significant section of my Illumination rules, mostly the Arkati cult bit, and the Illumination abilities progression section

Its there at
www.geocities.com/Area51/Dimension/5507/illumin.html cos I loaded it this morning

once again, constructive comments welcome

cheers
Ian
ithomson_at_swin.edu.au
eyan_at_primus.com.au (Feb 99 only)

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