The Mokteshaf Al Nour ("Collectors of Light") are a sub-group within the modern Technocracy centered around the Middle East.
Overview
A sort of Middle Eastern parallel to the Order of Reason (like the Eastern Dalou'laoshi), the Mokteshaf Al Nour are a collection of guilds and scholars who believe that a greater understanding of the world will lead to a much deeper spiritual understanding of Allah. It is their duty to help bring peace and order to the world under the banner of Islam.
History
Originally, the Mokteshaf Al Nour were part of the Web of Faith and enjoyed cordial relations with the Ahl-i-Batini and other aligned groups, like the arabian Choristers or Dreamspeakers. After the Mongols had sacked Baghdad, one of the major centers of the group, the Mokteshaf Al Nour claimed that the plan of the Batini had failed, since it could not protect the true believers from the depredations of infidels. They severed ties with the other members of the Web of Faith and relocated to Anatolia, where they put their support behind the growing power of the Ottomans. Contacts with the Order of Reason were established, but relations were cool, as both the Order of Reason and the Mokteshaf Al Nour sought to "convert" their errant brethren to the true religion.
Due to this division, the Mokteshaf Al Nour were not part of the reorganization of the Order of Reason into the Technocratic Union. However, the Collectors had become increasingly secularized and enjoyed prosperous relations with allied Technocrats, particularly from Germany and similar allied states. When the Ottoman Empire collapsed into itself, the Mokteshaf Al Nour put their support behind Kemal Atatürk and the formation of the Turkish Republic, together with the Technocracy. Afterwards, the Collectors of Light formally joined the Union, although a small group of religious hard-liners defected, going into hiding. Their current allegiance is unknown.
Sects
- The Hands of Mercy, who specialize in medicine
- The Observers of Fate, who specialize in astronomy and astrology
- The Seekers of Truth, who specialize in mathematics, alchemy and engineering
- The Riders of the Wind, who specialize in trade, travel and navigation
- The Keepers of Law, who specialize in politics, law and philosophy
References
- MTAs: Guide to the Traditions, p. 101-102