A closer look
The ultimate boogeyman of modern conspiracy theories was originally just a book club for guys who hated the Catholic Church. Founded in 1776, the real Bavarian Illuminati had absolutely no mystical powers, no satanic blood rituals, and no global control. They were just progressive academics who wanted to promote rational thought and separate the church from the state. Naturally, this made the monarchy so angry that they banned the group, accidentally cementing their reputation as immortal shadow wizards.
