On April 17, 2007 05:49 am, valkoharja wrote:
> We have a lot of examples of chaos monsters and chaos cults. The taint
> of chaos is usually permanent and even gods have been permanently lost
> to this horror.
>
> But what is it like on a more practical level. I have a feeling that
> chaos is something you (usually) have to choose or accept. A spiritual
> and magical phenomenan, rather than pollution or a disease.
I have to disagree. I think what evidence I've seen in actual printed sources implies just the opposite. Or that at the very least you can't look at it on an individual level. If your clan chooses chaotic actions, you can get struck down. Look at the Skullpoint adventure in Gathering Thunder. There's that old adventure involving little kids who are born Chaotic. Now, this could just be an outgrowth of the whole lack of individuality aspect of Heortlings. (Your clan IS the defining identity.)
> The practical thing I was thinking about was that is it safe to eat
> chaotic things, if they are othervice edible? I would assume that once
> the life of a broo for instance has been extinquished, an animal that
> eats the flesh of the broo is only in danger of disease, not of
> becoming tainted with chaos itself. A heortling propably would not eat
> a deer* that had three eyes and a tentacle, but I assume if he did, he
> wouldn't actually be in danger of growing a tentacle him/herself.
I'd say that no animal would willingly eat the remains of the broo, so obviously tainted is it.
> *The chaotic deer itself is an interesting dilemma. What has made the
> deer into a chaotic horror?
Touching chaos. Contact with chaos. Being on lands of a clan messing with Chaos.
> So how does a human being (or other mortal) become chaotic? What level
> of worship of chaos turns you chaotic? Propitiating Malia with
> sacrifice propably won't do it. What about initiation to a more subtle
> cult like that of Thanatar or Krarst. If you turn away from the cult
> and try to redeem yourself, is it too late? Is your soul irrevocably
> "broken"?
You hope not. Chaos doesn't follow a rule about this. You might go ages without getting a chaos taint, especially if you don't realize your magic is coming from Chaos (entirely possible with Krarsht as the cult has been presented in the past).
> ***
>
> Does the Three Worlds structure of the magic realms mean anything to
> chaotic entities? I've been thinking of Thanatari in the Janube
> valley. If somebody forms a "saintly order" analogue around thanatari
> knowledge ripping magic, is there any sense of misapplied worship? Are
> the chaotic entities spirits, gods and essences, or are they more like
> powerful entities of the Hero Planes?
Personally, I say no. All Chaos is misapplied worship in my view. I'm not sure you CAN concentrate on Chaos as an other world (and if you did, you automatically become tainted with Chaos, I would think). Chaos is from none of the other worlds. It is all common magic, as far as I am concerned. You can worship them in any style you are used to. I doubt the Chaos entities care. If Thanatari in the west are used to a veneration/wizardry style magic, then they could use that. But it would be misapplied. (Note, I would NOT have the use of Chaos done in the same style as which you are concentrated break your concentration. I think that's a nice temptation of chaotic magic.)
> ***
>
> What "level of entity" is Ralzakark supposed to be?
Don't know Ralz, as it is before my time, but from what I'd heard, he's got to
be Super Hero/Demi God level. I'd say he's limited to Dorastor for a reason.
Could just be that his power base is there and he's not ready to leave yet.
It could be that he knows that the Empire will take him out if he oversteps
his bounds.
>
> ***
>
> Thank you for your interest. I look forward to seeing what replies
> this gets.
Me too.
LC
Powered by hypermail