Roleplaying: The Xaositects

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*Bloodlines
Posts: 139
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am

Posted by *Bloodlines »


The Xaosmen are one of the more misunderstood factions in the Cage. Even by themselves. How can you understand a philosophy that espouses randomness, chance and all-or-nothing chaos? Well, the water perhaps ain't as murky as it might seem. I've persuaded a Xaosman friend of mine, Zoaster, to slip you the chant about what he believes the faction represents, and of course, there's the story of Varpar Hogar, a case study in the blurry line between law and chaos.


My subjects mightn't be the randomest around, but then who needs another few minutes of scramblespeak anyway? It ain't like anyone really understands it...including the factioneers, I reckon. See the puzzled look on their faces? They haven't a clue. No wonder they're all half barmy...just think, you've got to keep up the pretence of understanding it because none of 'em want to admit they haven't the faintest idea what they're talking about. Or so the chant I've heard goes...

So if you called up the Xaosmen on this mimir expecting a load of old gibberish, to disappoint sorry you cutter, someone mimir elses's try perhaps.

Roleplaying a Xaos

Every basher’s got a story about the weird things Xaositects do or say. Then there’s the time a couple of years ago when all the Xaositects acted “normal” for about a week That really shook some hashen, ’cause no one could figure what the Chaosmen were up to. Turns out thev weren’t up to anything, things just happened that way. See, the Xaositects figure that if they acted chaotic all the time, they'd become predictable. Namers, smashing things just for havoc's sake, miss the point. Being chaotic ain't an excuse to kill wantonly. The object ain't to cause chaos, but to observe it and be part of it.

A lot of cutters talk about the Chaosmen like they know em. Ain't true. Nobody really knows the Xaositects - not even other Xaositects. Members of this faction do share a few common traits though.

ALIGNMENT. Hardly needs saying, but a Xaositect's got to be chaotic. Actions always reveal a faction member's moral tendency, eventually. Evil Chaosmen still act cruel and selfish, just more randomly than most. Good ones leave haphazard beauty and chance kindnesses in their wakes. A truly chaotic cutter might commit an evil act one day and a good one the next, then seem pretty neutral for a couple of weeks. Most in the faction act chaotic neutral: even those that start out good or evil find themselves slipping away from those ethics, which only distract them from the sublime joy of chaos.

CLASS. As a body might expect, the Xaositects attract a variety of different professions. Alignment keeps out some, l i e druids and paladins, but the ranks of chaos include at least a few of almost anythiig else. Quite a lot of warriors join, since - as any mage'll say - brawling doesn't take much concentration. (By the same token, few Xaositect warriors have the single-mindedness needed to learn a weapon specialization. - Ed.) Simple fighters seem the most common, though a few solitary ranger types belong as well. Expect to see a high proportion of rogues, too, since they're usually the selfish types that like a faction that lets a body do whatever he wants. A lot of prime thieves can accept the Xaositects, 'cause it doesn't demand much from 'em. 

Chaosman priests, though uncommon, always devote themselves to a chaotic power. Chant says some of the major Xaositect priests are proxies of those powers. Thankfully, the Xaositects don't have too many wizards, either, because studying magic takes a lot of concentration, which most Chaosmen can't manage. However, since magic can add so much chaos to the cosmos, more than a few Xaositects become wild mages. The faction includes a few illusionists, transmuters, and invokers as well, but not many other specialists. A body's well-advised to stay away from any of these spellcasters. A Xaositect with a sword is one thing, hut one who can toss fireballs is another matter.

RACE. Not only do the Xaositects not have a human majority, the group hasn't got a majority of anything - just a lot of humans and githzerai, and bariaur, tietlings, and halfelves. The faction also welcomes members from a few dozen other races, from minotaurs to slaadi. A group with no rules to speak of doesn't leave anyone out. 

FACTION ABILITIES
RP Abilities only: Requires consent of a DM/EM or all players involved/affected by its use if no DM/EM is present. (per Server Rules)

Once per day, a Xaos can use the spell Babble to confuse all verbal communication within 30 feet of them. Namers use this ability every chance they get, whether they need to or not. Those in the affected area must make a will save DC of 20 or all forms of verbal communication will become incoherent to them until they leave the affected area.

Boss status gives a blood extra abilities related to chaos. They are always protected by the Nondetection spell and can radiate Confusion, like the wizard spell, once per day in a 20 foot radius. The effect lasts 2d6 rounds. Any lawful characters in the area of the effect receive -2 penalties to their saving throws.

Big Bosses gain special abilities beyond those of regular bosses. The DM or EM determines this ability. The cutter might have the power of Alter Self three times today, or be subject to it randomly with no control.  He might suddenly discover he can use a power similar to the spell Minor Creation three times a day or gain a constant Unseen Servant. These abilities are randomly caused, whether or not the Xaos wishes them to happen. That’s how chaos works: Nothing stays the same for long.
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