My first thought after seeing the word Illuminati was they could appear something like this or that. Yes I know - I wach to much Evangelion.
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If you want to add some advantage for Illuminati to use against wizards I would suggest to give them control over Majestic-12.
Heck - make them THE MAJESTIC-12.
The Aliens technology is the way. We may not have Veritaserum, but couple of days in our Puerto Rico facility doped with alien technology-made truth drugs will give us the same effect. And we can always brainwash you.

 

That is one organization they may control. I'm looking into other nation's conspiracy theories for more. Anyone here from the UK have something for me? Maybe some of our Krauts? I know of some Indians as well...

 

You can always look up in the Conspiracy X and Illuminati books for GURPS. They always have some good ideas.
And from Delta Green setting there are:
- the British PISCES -Paranormal Intelligence Section for Counterintelligence, Espionage, and Sabotage - which is controlled be evil alien parasites that sits in their hosts head.
- the Nazi Karotechia - Old Nazis never die - they just go to South America.
- and GRU SV-8 - post-Soviet-Russian ocult investigating-fighting intelligence division.
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As for conspiracy theories and organizations, but there is couple of simple principles:
- every good conspiracy theory must have the Free Masons in it.
- Vatican always has something to say.
- main hero usually will have some common history with the main evil organization (personal history or maybe his parents/ancestors had some history with it).
- everyone stores money in Swiss banks.

 

Franki, you're on your way to becoming my sounding board. For clarification though, the Illuminati won't be aliens or some such- they'll simply be intelligent, hyper-advanced (like they have most major inventions a couple years before they are revealed to the public, which isn't a stretch when you think about the US government and U-2s and the projected effectiveness of military sat tech and experimental weapons and communications that are probably being developed as we type) puppeteers who use highly subtle manipulations to control world events. Think all the Manip!Dumbledores you've ever read added to the KGB and CIA with Green Berets and SAS teams. That's what we're talking about; a group with enormus power in the Muggle world but next to none in the Wizarding.

Edit: - the Nazi Karotechia - Old Nazis never die - they just go to South America.

This appeals to me

 

You misunderstood me. I just pointed that Illuminati could use technology retrieved from the Rosswel crash and thus - be highly advanced in technology that doesn't require electronics and can work in highly magical places like Hogwarts.

I should add that they [the Nazis] prolong their life with the help of creatures from beyond space and time.

 

Also other agencies, from science fiction or fantasy books that might fit in, like;

The Black Lab - Spirits White As Lightning ~ Men who walk around trying to catch elves in glaring green suits that the elves can't see. Based in New York.

Cult of Roshaniya - A powerful Afghanistan cult ~ Originated in the 16th century in the Afghanistan mountains, and as with all secret cults, they are otherwise... secret.

Brotherhood of the Snake - An Egyptian group ~ Inspired the snake on the American symbol for medicine, and whose aim was spiritual freedom. Whether that meant the right to worship who they pleased, or be free from influence by God, nobody is quite sure. Pretty much the Masons, only with extra hallucinogenics, and big statues of Gods.

So, here's a few mysterious groups, a few of which helped form the Illuminati.

 

I have a feeling that I'm going to have a core of conspiracy theorists around me with this. Thanks for the groups, malaga. Roshaniya sparks something...

 

While the storyline in general is not my cup of tea, I believe that if it is written well enough, it has a very strong chance of being well received. Good Luck.

 

This is a storyline that I've definitely seen before, but not quite in this way. I'm sure you can pull this off, can't wait to read the results.

 

In my opinion, the story would work better if the Illuminatus isn't the only group interested in the Magical World. If you have numerous other groups involved, each trying to take the wizarding world, then you open up the possibilites of even more confilct- and if Harry eventually breaks away from the Illmunatus then it'd make the action more profound.

I also reckon it would be more realistic if they mimic Voldemort's terror tactics- strengthening the fear in Voldemort, and the respect to the one who defeats him (Harry).

 

I've actually been toying with this similar idea for a while and ran into the problems of Muggle-counters to magical techniques.

Legilimency - Canon states it requires eye contact. In some series, such as the Artemis Fowl Series (as juvenille as they are, they were my old favorite as a fifth grader), the sprites or whatever they called themselves could mesmerize someone through direct eye contact. In the human's defense, Fowl equipped all of his members with reflective layered sunglasses so no direct contact could be manifested. Though if said sunglasses are removed, problems would obviously arise. At least the sunglasses would block probes during battle, or in passing.

Veritaserum is difficult. The only solutions I've come across is a way to keep pills in the mouth to dilude the substance until it is ineffective. Sodium Penathol was used as the 'truth serum' but it was little more than a strong halucinagen. I'd assume the effect of potions would become less potent when diluded, so keeping the afforementioned water containers may have some effect. Poison pills would also be useful, as instantaeneous death would obviously stop any divulgence of truths.

On a broader note, the wizarding world is vastly unfamiliar with the muggle world. We know that even fanatics such as Arthur Weasley possess limited knowledge of the Muggle World in itself. I doubt that an organization within society that has gone unnoted for centuries would be even cared about by the Ministry or any individuals. Hell, they can't even find the Order of the Phoenix members among their own ranks.

 

On Legilimancy, someone previously mentioned that Voldemort performed it on a Muggle without eye-contact, though this could just be because he's Voldemort. The sunglasses from Artemis Fowl were a good idea (he also designed and used mirrored contact lenses).

As for Veritaserum, the idea of diluting it is interesting. Keeping in mind that Veritaserum only requires three drops on the tongue to work... it's improbable, but interesting.

 

I've been kicking around the idea for a harry Potter/Schindler's List crossover, myself.

 

With Mudbloods instead of Jews and Death Eaters instead of Nazis?

Pfff. As if the DEs could ever come close the to the terror and awesomeness that is the SS.

 

There is always the old standby of rather biting through one's own tongue than hand over information, but because of how calm Veritaserum makes the questioned, that wouldn't work...

What about an injection of Veritaserum carried with them? It could be useful for interrogations, plus too much of the serum causes death. The only cause of death for the wizards to see would be truth serum, and they would believe it was a simple mistake on the part of the person who gave it to them.

Plausible deniability might work, but I don't know how well.

 

Don't look now, but I think I'm off-topic...

In all fairness, the Nazis are a tough act to follow for any genocidal faction. And the uniforms could scarcely be beat... especially by the cone-headed DEs from the GoF movie.

As awful and disgusting as the Nazis (and not just the FFN kind) were, it's a terrible shame that women look so good in (the practically fetishistic) SS garb.

Just ask yourself which uniform someone would look better half-clothed in. Don't bother getting back to me on that one, I am fairly certain the cone-heads ain't gonna win that contest.

Don't blame me, I've been infected by subculture's inexorable push into the collective unconscious. :cry:

I guess the lesson here is that the death eaters didn't dress for success (then again, retro-engineering that logic, neither did the Nazis. Lulz, they got knocked the fuck out).

Could be worse, people could be pretending it didn't happen at all...