Inspired by the Argrath thread, I'm starting a thread about illumination so I can ask a bunch of questions. Or, more accurately, I'm going to summarize what I think Illumination in Glorantha in its current, published form. If I get something wrong, or if there's a cool variant, I'm all ears.
Illumination is both an in-setting concept one can find characters in Glorantha talking about, and an "out of character" concept authors and players use to describe something about Glorantha.
Illumination, generally speaking and out of character, is a cosmic awareness that allows one to break free of the normal confines of reality and one's specific religious / magical traditions (agents of reprisal, ignoring cult restructions, etc.... being impossible or overcomes dualities seem common). In character, however, Illumination is specifically linked to Nysalor, and before him, Rashorana in God time. Lots of other things exist, however, that may be called illumination OOC, even if that term isn't exactly used IC.
Here is an incomplete list of sources of illumination in 3rd Age Glorantha: [EDIT: I will edit this left as discussion develops in this thread]
-
The Pelorian "Family" of Illumination (most likely to be called IC "illumination")
-
Nysaloran Riddling
- Lunar Illumination
- The Teruvians (Notes on Illumination in the Second Age)
- The Margins (Notes on Illumination in the Second Age)
- The Jernotian Way (Unsubstantiated)
- Umbarism (HQG page 203)
- Yelmic White Sun
-
Order of Illumination (Fortunate Succession)
-
Nysaloran Riddling
-
Draconic Mysticism
- Kralori (Kralorelan draconic mystics HQG page 203)
-
EWF (EWF draconic consciousness HQG page 203)
- variants of EWF, such as what existed for a short time in
- Vithelan Mysticism (HQG page 203)
-
Golden Dragon (Notes on Illumination in the Second Age)
-
Arkati
- [[He learned it from Aldryami?]]
- Argrath's version
- The Mad Winds (Notes on Illumination in the Second Age)
- Stygianism
-
Pamaltelan
-
Cult of Silence (HQG page 203)
-
Cult of Silence (HQG page 203)
-
Western
-
None?
-
Irensavalism? (Notes on Illumination in the Second Age)
-
Irensavalism? (Notes on Illumination in the Second Age)
-
None?
-
Unclear genealogy
- Lords of True Destiny (Notes on Illumination in the Second Age)
- Chaos Monks (Notes on Illumination in the Second Age)
- New Liberation, (Notes on Illumination in the Second Age)
- Bright Beginnings, (Notes on Illumination in the Second Age)
- Random Individuals
Do I have a basic handle on what illumination is and where it is from?
I have other questions, but they make no sense if I have this wrong.