Re: Adept's questions on chaos

From: Andrew Solovay <asolovay_at_YZAVeNSl8eLM6wRWqg6PBtqs4mqDYlrH5PqEkIlC4gzItNRJJUSLb1JXSdTxCzO4Xwg>
Date: Mon, 23 Apr 2007 23:16:08 -0000


In the hopes of clarifying things... This is Peter M's statement, as I understand it. Peter, is this a fair summary?

RQ2 talked about creatures having or aquiring a "chaos taint". In RQ2, this was *distinct* from having a "chaotic feature". (For example, the spell to grant a chaos feature specifically states that the recipient becomes tainted by chaos.)

Peter's contention is that the "chaos taint" never comes *in isolation*. If you have a "chaos taint" (if you are "chaotic"), there is always *some* physical and/or spiritual effect. This may be the random "chaotic feature" of RQ2/Anaxial's Roster. It may be a nonrandom,  consistent characteristic of that kind of chaotic being (such as an ogre's strength and pointy teeth; other examples might include a broo's fecundity and immunity to disease, and a Thanatari's effect on silver).

But the point is, the chaos taint never happens *all by itself*. If Oddi is not chaotic in spring, and he is chaotic in the fall, then if you look hard enough you'll find *something* objectively different about him besides just the chaos taint; maybe he'll have superstrength,  maybe he'll have a soul wound that bleeds power into the void, maybe he'll have an extra finger. He *won't* be "just the same as before, only with a chaos taint".

Peter, is this a fair summary of your position?            

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