Chaos Engineers
Also known as: Xaosologists, Xaoticians
Organised Chaos
“I find it difficult to swallow, but another of the Harmonium’s attempts to create harmony through law has failed again. The chaos is spreading quickly. This is very interesting. As much as I wish to prove to them, and the Guvners, that chaos can be controlled through lawful actions, I know that they will never listen. At least not until we have proven to them that a solar system can be sustained by itself in the heart of Limbo. So far we have successfully created one mid-sized continent to include all the biomes of that continent. We are slowly populating it with various creatures native to their respective biomes as they exist on this new land.
“It is a painful process given that Limbo doesn’t given in to our demands and concentration too well. It was more difficult to master chaos shaping than I thought, but each time I attempt it, it becomes easier.
“Tomorrow we shall attempt once again attempt to create a magma flow in Limbo in order to study its effects as we attempt to master the laws of volcanism in order to create the core of our first world.
“It’s funny how easily it’s coming together. And now with more Engineers joining us, it appears that we will be closer to our goal before we know it. Our new land is becoming quite an attraction with the natives of Limbo. It looks like we must move it off to another area of the primordial soup to avoid their prying eyes as they see law shaping their chaos. I’m getting edgy just waiting for them to try an attack, we already have a place to move the site to… it should be safe – for a while.
“Still, I wish Sarin and Hashkar would come and see the law we have established here in Limbo.”
—Personal Journal excerpt of Sector Xan
Sect History: No one’s really sure where they came from, but they suddenly appeared in the heart of chaos twenty years ago. Chaos Engineers avidly study the random, and the ability to shape it. The majority of Xaosologists seem to be ex-Guvners, and though they allow nearly any alignment into their sect, they prefer that the majority of their new members be True Neutral or Chaotic Neutral in alignment, so they can better study chaos without their minds being too regimented.
The Chaos Engineers measure, record and analyse the outcome of random and chaotic effects, and use statistical mathematics to nailing down the probability an event will occur with such accuracy that they can usually predict the outcome with a 25% margin of error. No one, not even the Guvners, can boast of such accuracy for predicting random events. Even the Mathematicians are hard pressed to best them in random events.
The Xaosologists also possess a great library similar to the Guvners. This library is filled not with musty tomes of law though, but with catalogues full of random events and natural phenomena of planes across the Great Ring, but especially Limbo. Somewhere out in the roiling primordial soup, they believe they can find the answers to all of creation, and ultimately the multiverse, if they can only work out the pattern.
To hear a Xaosologist is to listen to what a body’d believe was a barmy sod. They revere chaos in a way that not even the Xaositects do. See, while Xaositects live chaos theory, and Anarchs shape it, but Xaosologists try to capture it. Xaosologists study chaos in order to put in effect the principle of Organised Chaos. They try to force chaos into a shape that’s unique, stable, yet somehow easy to change. One very good example of this subject is weather. Xaosologists love to talk about the weather as it represents the principle of Organised Chaos in effect.
If you ask a Xaosologist to explain Organised Chaos, you’ll always get a different answer from each berk you meet. They are even some so barmy that they will try to explain to you how a body can control and force chaos into the organised patterns. However, all will tell you that the laws of nature for each plane hold the key to understanding how the chaotic forces of their environments work. Xaosologists will tell you that they believe that even Mechanus holds chaos within it. This is how they explain the rogue modrons and the free roaming gear spirits.
Don’t ask a Guvner what they think about the Xaosologists. They will tell you they are a bastardisation of their faction. Not only that, but Chaos Engineers infintrated and stole Fraternity of Order secrets. They’ll claim that most of the Xaosologists couldn’t cut it as Guvners and so worked as hard as possible to advance in rank just to steal darks.
Hardheads will tell you that Xaosologists are an abomination. They will say that chaos can never be controlled by law, and should just be purged. They will also tell you that Xaosologists are nothing more than deviants that need to be brought to justice for attempting to corrupt the laws of justice and the multiverse.
Ask a Mercykiller what they think of the Xaosologists and they more than likely will tell you they’re attempting to break fundamental multiversal laws, or even worse, trying to get away with crimes and not have to be punished. They pervert justice and therefore must be dealt with in the most sever manner possible.
Xaositects will actually agree with the Hardheads on many points with the Xaosologists about the intrinsic nature and beauty of chaos. However, to see beautiful chaos shackled and controlled rather than free and joyful is abominable.
Many cutters of the Hands of Havoc secretly support the Chaos Engineers simply because the triad of law hates them so.
The Sectol: The leader of the Chaos Engineers is Xan (prime human wild mage-fighter(he/him) / Sectol of the Chaos Engineers / LN(G)
Originally of Traldaran origin, Xan spent much of his youth fighting against the various enemies of his nation: Lizardfolk, humanoid invasions & the early Thyatian Empire’s attempts to control his nation. After becoming disillusioned from the years of bloodshed, he turned his mind to more scholarly activities. He left the ways of the warrior behind him to become a wizard, but keeps his sword and armour as a reminder of where he’s come from.
From then on out, Xan sought out new places to explore and learn from. He turned his back on the Mystaran Immortals (or so he thinks) and headed for the Outer Planes. He joined the Guvners because he believed they could help him to better understand the nature of things. And he was right, to an extent. But they were too rigid for his expressive tastes and so he left the faction after he became a B5 Bureau Chief.
When asked how he became a Guvner while being a wild mage, he usually shrugs his shoulders and says: “It was purely for the study of the outcome.” Xan rarely speaks of his time as a Guvner, and will brush off any questions, instead switching the subject to the study and application of organised chaos.
Xan’s abilities to shape chaos have allowed him to re-create his body. This is a closely guarded sect secret that is mainly used by the clerics of the sect to allow them to reconstruct lost limbs for injured members of the sect. This is why he’s so physically and mentally able to perform nearly any feat.
Within the Ranks: Xaosologists have a tendency to strike cutters as being completely barmy. They seem to hold diametrically opposed opinions in their brain-boxes at the same time. Members of the sect must be able to accept the fact that they can make anything happen. The more Organised Chaos they create, the faster they will rise through the ranks.
Role-Playing the Chaos Engineers: The type of bashers most likely to become Xaosologists are ex-Guvners, Anarchs who managed to escape the Guild and artists. Cutters like these tend to grasp the principle of Organised Chaos and see its potential for the construction of new things through logical efforts of the mind, such as painting on the surface of water and having it stay, for a while anyway.
This can lead some members to suffer from delusions of grandeur. A few of these unfortunate souls have wound themselves up so tight they’ve had to be handed over to the Bleakers. Xaosologists must be patient and peaceful, they must sift through chaos and find the choice fruits to incorporate into their projects.
Primary Plane of Influence: The Outlands. The Chaos Engineers have established themselves close to the Gate town Xaos, in Xaosologistia, the ‘Kingdom of the Engineers’. They remain far enough away to keep the denizens of Xaos from growing hostile. Their “kingdom” is little more than a castle, a few farms and a market square. Most of this is a front, but Xaosologists are self-sufficient. They are one of the few sects that are.
Allies and Enemies: The Guvners, Hardheads, Xaosmen & Mercykillers are all enemies of the Chaos Engineers, as well as the Anarch’s Guild, who jealously guard their concept of chaos.. Indeps and the Hands of Havoc are their only known allies.
Eligibility: Any class, race, or alignments are allowed. The predominant classes of Xaosologists are wizards and clerics. All members are required to have an Int and Wis of 9.
Membership: This is one of the fastest growing sects in the Outlands. In fact, even some Cagers have become members of the sect. Xaos is supposedly in negotiations with Xaosologists for a trade agreement.
Namers are know as Functionaries. They take care of all the daily activities that keep the sect going.
Factotums of the sect are called Shapers. They are broken down into ranks. S10 is the lowest and S1 the highest. Low ranking Shapers do little more than what Functionaries do. S5-S1 Shapers head up research groups called Sections. Some examples of Sections are: Vulcanism, Physics, Psychology, Meteorology, and so on.
Factors are known as Foremen. The foremen head up Departments which are the administrative hubs that the Sections report to. Each Department holds on average 5 Sections which are grouped together thematically.
See also: Xaosologistia, the headquarters of the sect on the Outlands.
Canonwatch: The Chaos Engineers are a homebrew sect.
Source: Richard Balsley