I've had one of my shinki blight me, and it felt about the same as how I've heard newer gods describe it, so I doubt I'm powerful enough to not die of it. [Ebisu is the main one he knows of who's tried it before, but that's not information he generally passes on off-hand, so he's using an unrelated example for now.] I'd buy it being the cult, but honestly, considering how badly the old gods have reacted every time I've suggested they might have traitors in their ranks, one of them with high enough standing probably wouldn't have too much trouble getting away with it.

[As long as they were more subtle about it than Ebisu, who doesn't exactly strike Shun as the king of subtlety.]