Humbug, Bedlam, and Blarney

Mobius

Squire
Chicago Staff
Marshal
I been thinking all about the bits between bedlam and chaos. I do hear that bedlam are the kinder, gentler cousin o'chaos and therefore it be okay. It do all the same things--make you diseased or drained or lurch about looking for brains--but I do hear it do definitely not be chaos so we should be fine with it. That do seem weird to me.

The Shardmaster and the Blood Sage and Shennykins did talk at me at length saying bedlam not be chaos, it just be the opposite o'order. I think I do understand that, a bit - maybe. Me apprenticeship in Earth magics were quick and dirty, mostly with patching up sailors caught in the rigging, but it do include a bit about the Planes. Though, I do swear by my pinfeathers, I were lost completely when the Shardmaster do start talking that chaos do not MAKE anything, it just do exist and though necromancy do COME from chaos it not be CREATED by chaos. Do not be telling him this, but truth and all, it do drown out halfway through on account of his flopsy ears being too cute by half, I did lose meself in their pink tufts.

ANYWAY, me point is that I do not think I ever understand the difference, but me also think it do not matter. It do seem that bedlam can do things LIKE chaos and necromancy, and that be bad. Undead do be bad not just because they do taint the land, but because they eat your brain! Necromantic draining is bad because of Chaos, but also because flopping on the ground as your life ebbs away be awful.

I do be hearing a lot o'folk saying bedlam not be so bad because it not be chaos - and that do feel wrong to me. I know there be a lot o'folk who can talk me in circles and get me nodding that me tail be me top, but it just do not feel right. I be seeing more and more bedlam magic items with and folk using bedlam magic and it make me queasy. Be I the only one? It do seem like bedlam just be chaos with a bit of a hat and nice cravat, but still carrying a blackjack in his back pocket.


Ratite Hudsonia Zenorum the Only of his name
Valet and Livery to House Aviary
 
From what I have yet observed is a spoken language issue in that the same word can have different meaning depending on context.

Binar has a pretty solid explanation of Earth tainted by Void creates Necromany and Chaos. So much so, that it would be better if he explained it as my knowledge of Earth magic is substantially less. But I go further with that lesson as the basis of my further words...

Bedlam is chaos, note the lower case of the letter. In this context it is an Adjective instead of a Noun. Bedlam is disquiet, disharmony, disorder - and many other "dis" or "anti" words. It is the polar opisit of Planer energies of Order.

That said, I can imagine it channeling chaotic effects - but I don't suspect we will see it channel Necromantic effects. As we understand and practice magic, we divide it into two or three aspects which match their energies and a fair bit of overlap. A celestialist learns x, and Earthen leans y - but Bedlam is to take nearly every spell, put it into hat and draw one at random. There is no rhyme, reason, or ...order... to the casting and its aspect.

I imagine we will face creatures tainted with it in which the "normal rules" of equal and opisit do not apply. Such as the victim of an Awaken, is subjected to a curse of silence. Stone empowered by fire and eroded by ice with lighting holding a "normal" effect. Bedlam is to turn everything we think we know - upside down, and shake while we spin in circles blindfolded.


This however is different than Wild Magic, as wild magic is everything and anything (similar to bedlam) however it includes - everything known to exist within fortanis - not simply those things the antithesis of Order.
 
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