>In other magical traditions (like Orlanth), there seems to be a relationship
>between power and number of worshipers. Only very large temples teach all
>the cults spells, ect. I am certainly at risk of playing the godlearner
>here, but how do the Arkat "societies" manage in this regard?
They don't. Sorcerers and Shamans do not need massive worshippers so it does not follow that Arkati do.
>It seems to me that these societies are both relatively small and
>produce heroes.
I'm not aware of any heroes that they produce.
>Is Arkatism a mystical philosophy that is grafted on other cults (Humakt,
>Malkionism, ect)? This would make it similar to Nysalorian Illumination,
>since the practitioners are both illuminates and members of other cults.
Arkatism is all sorts of philosophies.
There is a mystical philosophy of which the details are unknown. But its practitioners are not Illuminates and they do not behave as Illuminates do.
There are 'Saint' Cults to Arkat (Great Arkat etc). They disagree on what Arkat is like. Their power is weaker but they are more popular. In some places Arkat is worshipped as a God like the Uz do.
In all cases there are public cults and there are secret cults. Being a member of a secret cult is not evidence of Illumination as there are plenty of RW cults which condoned the concealment of one's true inclinations yet had a philosophy that did not remotely resemble illumination. An example is English Catholics and the doctrine of Equivocation in Elizabethan and early Stuarts' times. One could respond to a direct question by rephrasing the question mentally. Thus 'Are you a Priest' could be answered as 'No, I am not a Priest [Of Apollo at Delphi]'.
End of The Glorantha Digest V6 #465
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