Lorites

Lorites are a mathic order whose members focus on tracing ideas to their earliest attestations and challenging claims of novelty. They are frequently described as annoying but useful: when someone proposes a supposedly new idea, Lorites converge to show earlier precedents, and more often than not they are right. This habit makes them valuable for preventing wasted effort, and it demands excellent scholarship from their members. They are associated with Saunt Lora’s Proposition that every idea a human mind could devise had already been devised (sometimes treated by orthodox paleo-Lorites as the "Last Idea"). After Lora’s death, her own fid argued that her ideas had themselves been anticipated millennia earlier, a frequently cited irony.

First Appearance and Context

The order is discussed by avout at the Concent of Saunt Edhar during an Apert-time conversation explaining different orders and popular misconceptions. The mention frames the Lorites’ role within the broader mathic community.

Roles/Actions and Affiliations

• Order within the mathic world devoted to historical-philosophical scholarship.
• Challenges claims of novelty by locating earlier sources and analogues for ideas.
• Considered irritating by some, but valued for keeping scholars from re-inventing old work.
• Associated with Saunt Lora’s Proposition, which some orthodox paleo-Lorites regard as the definitive statement on the matter (the "Last Idea").

Relationships

• Reputation among other avout: "everyone loves to hate" Lorites, yet they are respected for their accuracy and diligence.
• Connected to the legacy of Saunt Lora through the Proposition that defines their stance toward originality.

Descriptions/Characteristics

• Emphasis on meticulous citation, comparison, and precedent-hunting.
• No distinctive dress or liturgical role is described; they are characterized by methods and outlook rather than appearance.

Current Status/Location

Active within the maths. Referenced in living discourse among avout; no single headquarters or leadership is identified in the current account.