Sociology in Luminaria

The Structures of Society and Morality

Anomie and Moral Collapse (Durkheim)

When societies lose their guiding norms, they fall into anomie—normlessness. In Luminaria, this is seen when empires fall, gods vanish, or traditions are shattered. Such collapses can breed despair, crime, or even magical corruption, as the moral fabric of society dissolves.

The Social Contract

Different peoples view their obligations to rulers and gods in distinct ways. Some believe authority is necessary to prevent chaos (Hobbes), while others believe true freedom only comes without rulers (Rousseau). In some cultures, the very relationship between mortals and their gods is the social contract, shaping how power flows in worship and obedience.

Ritual and Transformation

Rituals create liminal spaces where ordinary rules are suspended. Weddings, funerals, duels, and festivals act as thresholds, transforming participants. In Luminaria, magic often flows strongest in ritual acts, binding communities and channeling divine presence through symbolic gestures.

Collective Consciousness

Societies share myths, morals, and stories that bind them together. Some sages argue that even the gods themselves are born of this collective consciousness—becoming stronger or weaker as belief shifts. This explains why forgotten gods fade, and new gods emerge from cultural change.

Morality and Deviance

Deviance is not simply crime—it is whatever a society labels as “outside the norm.” In one culture, dueling might be sacred; in another, a crime. The shifting definitions of deviance explain why adventurers are both celebrated as heroes and reviled as lawbreakers, depending on whose laws they break.