In his latest column about The Secret World, MMORPG.com Managing Editor Bill Murphy shines the bright light of revelation on the ever-secret Illuminati. See what Bill's got to say about these folks who have even been accused of infiltrating The Simpsons. Read on!

The idea, for those unaware, behind the Illuminati (or Bavarian Illuminati) is that they mastermind and control events via government, organizations, and corporations to create and establish a ‘New World Order’ of sorts. There are people who devote their entire lives to proving this groups existence, and really there is a lot of historical truth to the Illuminati rumors/myth/conspiracy.

Read more of Bill Murphy's The Secret World: Illuminating the Illuminati.

"I wonder if the real Illuminati are getting worried about Ragnar and Funcom spilling the beans."

Getting thousands of people to buy the game, pay for the sub and open their wallets in the cash shop would have been approved by the real Illuminati I suppose. Maybe they are behind it themselves afterall.

Crap, I need to stop posting, there's someone knocking on my do ...

I am also going Illuminati. The zealotry of the Templars puts me off, and I find that the Illuminati are the most secret of the secret societies. This willingness to manipulate the world to their own ends, while remaining in the shadows, is very compelling.

This game seems like it has much potential. But with Funcom's record I am on the fence

I haven't decided if I'm going Illuminati or the templars yet....plenty of time to decide now that SWTOR release date is out.

***raises plunger in salute to the 3 factions in TSW***

I'm going with Templars. My personal outlook is much more along the lines of Dragons or the Illuminati, but I think a Templar point of view will be fun to play. Probably because it's fairly simple.

There's evil afoot in this town...we're not sure if we can kill it all with a surgical strike. Solution? Nuke the Town! They're not Templars, so they probably did something to deserve it anyway.

Everything is true......

sign me up for illuminati. i'm rather the good-natured type in real life, so i prefer to do evil and selfish things in games. also i cant stand religious people, so templars are out of question. and the keep-the-balance concept of dragon seems kind of boring to me..

Dragon here.

The Illuminati are too close to the reality of modern day politics and underhanded dealings.  I hate greed.

The Templars are too much like an incarnation of Westboro Baptist Church and Fred Phelps and flock.  Uhm, no....no thank you.

 It never ceases to amaze me the stock some people put in all the Illuminati, Freemasons , and Templar lore. I can assure all of you that there is nothing nefarious nor even secret going on with atleast the Freemasons nor the Templars of today. As far as the Illuminati goes ... it has always been my understanding that while they exsisted they no longer do, they are certainly not recruiting from the Masonic pool as it were. There are plenty of offshots working today which could have taken the place of the Illumaniti or the other .. more secret organizations, but its certainly not the ones you  the general public would know about, nor those like myself with current knowledge on the Freemasons/Templars.

Originally posted by Redemp

 It never ceases to amaze me the stock some people put in all the Illuminati, Freemasons , and Templar lore. I can assure all of you that there is nothing nefarious nor even secret going on with atleast the Freemasons nor the Templars of today. As far as the Illuminati goes ... it has always been my understanding that while they exsisted they no longer do, they are certainly not recruiting from the Masonic pool as it were. There are plenty of offshots working today which could have taken the place of the Illumaniti or the other .. more secret organizations, but its certainly not the ones you  the general public would know about, nor those like myself with current knowledge on the Freemasons/Templars.

 

It never ceases to amaze ME that some people don't recognize roleplaying when they read it or see it.  I will believe whatever I damn well please about all "secret societies" if it makes the game more fun for me.  We're talking about a game here, not real life....remember??

Originally posted by just1opinion

Originally posted by Redemp

 It never ceases to amaze me the stock some people put in all the Illuminati, Freemasons , and Templar lore. I can assure all of you that there is nothing nefarious nor even secret going on with atleast the Freemasons nor the Templars of today. As far as the Illuminati goes ... it has always been my understanding that while they exsisted they no longer do, they are certainly not recruiting from the Masonic pool as it were. There are plenty of offshots working today which could have taken the place of the Illumaniti or the other .. more secret organizations, but its certainly not the ones you  the general public would know about, nor those like myself with current knowledge on the Freemasons/Templars.

 

It never ceases to amaze ME that some people don't recognize roleplaying when they read it or see it.  I will believe whatever I damn well please about all "secret societies" if it makes the game more fun for me.  We're talking about a game here, not real life....remember??

 Hi ...

Clearly my post wasn't directed at you then, now was it?

Um....not interested in this quasi-philosophical debate. Looking forward to the game and will PLAY a Dragon, just for the fun of it.

Originally posted by just1opinion

 

Dragon here.

The Illuminati are too close to the reality of modern day politics and underhanded dealings.  I hate greed.

The Templars are too much like an incarnation of Westboro Baptist Church and Fred Phelps and flock.  Uhm, no....no thank you.

 

Im going for Dragon for the same reasons, but I think the Westboro comparison is a bit strong. Lol. Templars seem zealous for a legitimate cause, like thwarting very real evil, but Westboro people are just stupid, bored, pseudo-christian nutjobs.

/2cents

The templars in game are not religious zealots. They are just zealots against the darkness. I doubt you would have to be a specific faith in TSW to join the templars. They just are willing to go to extremes to "win". Much like the Illuminati and Dragon, except more open about it.

We've heard about Wikipedia too, OP.

Originally posted by eric_w66

The templars in game are not religious zealots. They are just zealots against the darkness. I doubt you would have to be a specific faith in TSW to join the templars. They just are willing to go to extremes to "win". Much like the Illuminati and Dragon, except more open about it.

 

Not exactly right.

Templars are exactly like religious zealots, just without religious bit - "darkness" is everyone they disagree with. Its the same concept of heretic shall burn of dark ages.  Just without religious imagery in it :)

Dragon are the most secretive of them all.

I tested as a Dragon every time I tried it, so a Dragon I will be.

Unless they are super overpopulated in which case I'll go Templar.  My absolute last choice is Illuminati, they are the only society I do not like the concept of.  But if they are severely underpopulated(should not be the case?), then I will go with them.

Originally posted by Redemp

 It never ceases to amaze me the stock some people put in all the Illuminati, Freemasons , and Templar lore. I can assure all of you that there is nothing nefarious nor even secret going on with atleast the Freemasons nor the Templars of today. As far as the Illuminati goes ... it has always been my understanding that while they exsisted they no longer do, they are certainly not recruiting from the Masonic pool as it were. There are plenty of offshots working today which could have taken the place of the Illumaniti or the other .. more secret organizations, but its certainly not the ones you  the general public would know about, nor those like myself with current knowledge on the Freemasons/Templars.

 

 

Obvious Illuminati double talk and propaganda!

Ignore the man behind the curtain! We don't exist!