Why don't Illuminati run things?

[mikeejimbo]

Inspired by the recent "Why don't X run things" threads, I was wondering why, in your campaign, the Illuminati don't run things? I mean, the Illuminati are similar to wizards AND dragons. They're ancient, powerful, and secretive. There are a few possible reasons they don't:

A) In-fighting between different Illuminated groups
B) They don't exist in your world
C) OK, I got nothing. Most likely they actually DO run things.

[kamikasei]

How would you tell?

(Also, because in the game of shadowy n-crossing conspiracies played out over the long term, the Illuminati are nowhere near the top of the pile. If you're asking why Asmodeus, the Lady of Pain, and the Queen of Stars don't run things... a better question that needn't be asked.)

[CheshireCatAW]

Most likely C, hidden behind the illusions of A and B.

[Eldan]

Because they constantly write up stupid conspiracy theories about themselves that are actually all half-true and easily refutable, so that no one will even try and look for them?

[mikeejimbo]

Because they constantly write up stupid conspiracy theories about themselves that are actually all half-true and easily refutable, so that no one will even try and look for them?

That's the problem though. On one hand it makes it look like they don't run things, on the other, that would let them do so more easily.

[theMycon]

Of course we don't run things. We don't even try, we just like keeping that doubt in somewhere in the back of your head, and otherwise generally raising the levels of suspicious & distrust.Fnord That way, you'll spend more money to keep yourselves safe without knowing what the threat is.


We're just like the Trilateral Commission- look in the NY & LA phonebooks and you'll find us; Ancient Bavarian Conspiracy (ABC Media). Except they're mostly in it for the fun nowadays, and we're still trying to make a buck.Fnord

[daggaz]

I have reported this thread to friend computer for immediate termination. You are being watched. You always have been.

[Spiryt]

Beacuse, obviously, they are involved in eternal struggle over world domination with Jews and Masonry as other sides.

And never just one side can overpower.

[mikeejimbo]

I have reported this thread to friend computer for immediate termination. You are being watched. You always have been.

Actually though, the Illuminati love threads like this, for reasons Eldan already stated.

[TSED]

Yes, but they like putting down a couple of them every now and then to raise suspicions and tensions.

Fuels the anecdotal evidence, right? Which is AMAZING for making people believe, but TERRIBLE at making people KNOW.

[AslanCross]

Because the Lords of Dust already killed them and are impersonating them.

[jmbrown]

The Illuminati were taken over by the Majestic 12 but JC Denton destroyed area 51 which was the world's center of information. In doing so he basically plunged the world into a 2nd dark age.

Wait... what were we talking about again?

[Lysander]

The rich and powerful definitely do run things. You don't have to meet in a crypt, wear silly robes, and have a secret group name to control the world.

[jmbrown]

I just remembered how Steve Jackson Games was raided by the FBI in the 80s after they made a game called Illuminati.

Does the government truly feel the Illuminati is a threat or was it a cover up to make it seem like they're trying to do something?

[AstralFire]

I just remembered how Steve Jackson Games was raided by the FBI in the 80s after they made a game called Illuminati.

You're joking. Right?

[jmbrown]

You're joking. Right?

Actually I'm misinformed. The offices were raided based on GURPS Cyberpunk. The secret service was paranoid of hackers and thought SJG was training them or something stupid like that. In response to the raid, SJG released a game called Hackers a year later.

[mikeejimbo]

Actually I'm misinformed. The offices were raided based on GURPS Cyberpunk. The secret service was paranoid of hackers and thought SJG was training them or something stupid like that. In response to the raid, SJG released a game called Hackers a year later.

Actually the raid occurred because one of the authors had BBS connections to some hackers, and only later did the Secret Service claim it was because of GURPS Cyberpunk. Which, by the way, makes as much sense as saying that D&D teaches you how to cast spells.

[AslanCross]

The Illuminati: NWO card game looked pretty silly too. The card I distinctively remember was named "Ketchup Is A Vegetable." Never played the game, though.

[AstralFire]

Actually the raid occurred because one of the authors had BBS connections to some hackers, and only later did the Secret Service claim it was because of GURPS Cyberpunk. Which, by the way, makes as much sense as saying that D&D teaches you how to cast spells.

Okay, this version worries me much less than the first one on this thread, except for the part where the Secret Service thought that "they're making a game about hackers" would be a more acceptable answer to the general population.

[bosssmiley]

Because the Church of the Subgenius are blocking their every move (fnord).

[mikeejimbo]

Okay, this version worries me much less than the first one on this thread, except for the part where the Secret Service thought that "they're making a game about hackers" would be a more acceptable answer to the general population.

To be fair to the Secret Service, they didn't know that it was a game. I mean, I suppose they could have done some research on it, but the fact that they heard a group was making a book about hacking and one of the authors had connections to hackers does sound like something that should be investigated. But that's something they didn't do - they just raided the company. I guess Secret Service employees never read Neuromancer.

[pasko77]

Why don't Illuminati run things?

...

They do. :)

[derfenrirwolv]

To be fair to the Secret Service, they didn't know that it was a game. I mean, I suppose they could have done some research on it, but the fact that they heard a group was making a book about hacking and one of the authors had connections to hackers does sound like something that should be investigated

.

Well, the problem was that their idea of investigation was to go in, take everything in the place, and when asked for a receipt for all of it get what amounted to someone's signature on a piece of notebook paper for "some stuff". They then wouldn't give back the game manual manuscript even though it should have been clear what it was.


http://www.sjgames.com/SS/

ahhh.. here we go, strait from mr ed himself.

[Doc Roc]

You guys just don't track.... fnord fnord
fnord After all, why wouldn't they tell you? It's not like you can stop them, nor even as if you'd want to. The alternative? fnord
Why it's nothing more or less than anarchy! So just ask them.

[mikeejimbo]

.

Well, the problem was that their idea of investigation was to go in, take everything in the place, and when asked for a receipt for all of it get what amounted to someone's signature on a piece of notebook paper for "some stuff". They then wouldn't give back the game manual manuscript even though it should have been clear what it was.


http://www.sjgames.com/SS/

ahhh.. here we go, strait from mr ed himself.

Yeah, the government didn't handle it well.

It should be noted that I'm a big SJG fan, which is pretty much what inspired this thread.

[Doc Roc]

I love SJG, and hate the omg-why-not-rule-teh-world threads a lot. Really drives me up the wall, particularly because it operates on an assumption that every one of type x is fundamentally extremely greedy. It's.... I dunno. I said my piece, I out.

[Roland St. Jude]

Sheriff of Moddingham: They used to before they made one too many meta-humor threads and I shut their sorry organization down.