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?
Powered by hypermail