Re: Illumination

From: Peter Metcalfe <metcalph_at_...>
Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2000 12:27:24 +1300


At 23:45 16/11/00 +0800, you wrote:
> I'd add to Peters insightful summary that Illumination can be
>seen as an engagement by mysticism with theism,

It isn't _just_ a mystical engagement of theism. It could also be used for sorcery and animist magics.

> > As a result of being illuminated,
> >you achieve the realization that everybody is wrong. Real mystics
> >view illuminates as cursed because they don't know how to refute
> >these lies to find Nirvana.

> Thats probably somewhat harsh, or at least a bit judgemental
>with that 'Real'. I don't think Lunar mystics view illuminates as
>intrinsically cursed, unless they receive no further training.

And this further training is seen as a lifting of that curse.

> > What I think the situation
> >is that illumination is a profound Cosmic Truth/Strike that has become
> >divorced from any stabilizing Mystical Philosophy/Counter.

> An illuminate can, IMO, be trained and develop a Mystic
>Philosophy/ Counter, and gain abilities (and a chance at Nirvana)
>from it.

They could. But the counter was lost with Nysalor and other counters (Lunar mysteries, Order of Day) do not quite mesh IMO.

>Abilities like the classic illuminate ones are likely.

IMO the classical illuminate abilities are obtainable from the illumination 'strike' rather than from any counter. I don't think it's a matter of simply joining a cult and unloading the freebie feats into your shopping cart without being unmasked by the temple authorities, but applying your illumination to the magical abilities at hand to see if it's true or something that you can merely do.

> >The thing about becoming dark masters/bad guys is something else
> >AFAIK. This stems from the destruction of one's great self for
> >worldly power and is something that an illuminate could stumble
> >on into doing.

>And something that should be left as a moral issue, not a
>game mechanical one, IMO.

I don't think so. We can treat vampirism as a game mechanical issue and becoming a dark master should be just as profound.

--Peter Metcalfe

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