Hey, I've been recently wondering about this and I'd love some of your input.

What would a individual like Kellhus look like in modern times?

What would his goals be?
He would seek to master his circumstances but what would that mean in our world? Would he seek to save us from self destruction or isolate himself in the path to enlightment?

Which path would he follow as means to power?
A technology entrepreneur building a megacorporation, a politician manipulating foes & allies, a cult leader, a revolutionary with a long trail of warcrimes behind him?

In the absence of magic & weak religion, which forces would he use?
Science, media, money, education, heidegger's and nietszche's philosophy?

What would his skills look like, what would the realistic basis for them be?
Uncanny mastery of cognitive biases, genetic engineering, nootropics, a very manipulative mother?

Where would he come from?
A Zen monastery, abject poverty, an insanely privileged family, an experimental boarding school?

Thinking of examples in fiction maybe ozymandias (Adrián Veidt) in Watchmen or the protagonist in the Limitless film, does anyone think of others?

Anyways I think this is a fun analytical excercise.