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Xaositects versus The Discordian Society

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Sun, 2006-05-21 21:26
#1
Orendil
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Xaositects versus The Discordian Society

http://www.principiadiscordia.com

"Behold the Principia Discordia: or How I Found Goddess And What I Did To Her When I Found Her.

"Wherein is Explained
Absolutely Everything Worth Knowing
About Absolutely Anything"

Before I had ever come in contact with Planescape and Sigil's factions I had known of this society and its beliefs. So when I encountered the Xaositects I actually expected something staggeringly different. I'm sure I'm not the first to bring this up but this "Principia Discordia" helped me out greatly in roleplaying Xaositects when hosting a Planescape campaign.

But notice they do not speak in scramblespeak, they speak in English but in concepts that scramble your mind.

Perhaps it's wrong of me to see the Xaositects in such a light. But to believe the universe is unexplainable (not incomprehendible, mind you) PURE CHAOS has "Chaosmen" written all over it.

Thoughts and critiques, please.

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Mon, 2006-05-22 06:14
#2
simmo
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Xaositects versus The Discordian Society

I read half of the "Illuminati Trilogy" on holiday once, but had stop as I was either suffer from sun-stroke or the books itslef was scrambling my thoughts too much. It had numerous references to Principa Discordia and I'll have to go back one day and try to read it again. In my opinion the Discordians fall somewhere between the Chaosmen and the Anarchists (perhaps even the Bleakers).

The xaOzmen presented in Planescape embrace choas as closly as they are able to, the way I've viewed them in the past is one step removed from the petitioners in Limbo. They have no agenda (or at least one that lasts any longer than one moment to the next) and they try to integrate chaos in to each level of their existance. They strive to make their thoughts, speech and actions more chaotic as time progresses.

The Discordians from my understanding do have long-term goals and aims. Ultimately they are haeding towards the same point as the Kaosmen, but the route that they are taking is quite different to PS K-osmen. Although it's entierly possible that a splinter within the Xaosmen faction follows this path.

Mon, 2006-05-22 06:25
(Reply to #2) #3
Kestral
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Xaositects versus The Discordian Society

simmo: If you've ever seen more than a bit of Discordian thought, they get progressively more random the more committed they are to it. This is a group that has a splinter sect?? that's proud to be a "for-profit religion that denounces false Prophets." (The Church of the Sub-Genius)

Believe me, there is a wide variety of very Xaositect-like stuff that true believers do. And an even wider variety of stuff that their hangers-on do. They have existed since the 60's... and from what I can tell of their stuff, they are probably one of the closest direct resources for how the Xaositects would act. If you've seen the books, and seen what they are willing to do to spread chaos, there would be no question. They don't NEED to speak in Scramblespeak to speak in Scramblespeak, nor does anything that you would associate with a Xaositect not apply to them. They are Real-world equivalents of the Xaositects almost to a tee.

As for the Xaositects, the Xaositects would probably have a huge number of splinter factions, but essentially, they'd still all be the same. After all, this is chaos we're talking about.

Perhaps this should tell you something about the way they think:

http://www.discordia.org

Mon, 2006-05-22 11:24
(Reply to #3) #4
Orendil
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Xaositects versus The Discordian Society

I agree with Kestral. The Xaositects are not a society, for calling them such would be a contradiction. The same goes for the Discordians (hence why they do call themselves a society). The Discordians do not wish to overthrow governments so much as cause confusion so people are not restricted by imposed order, government or not.

The Church of the Subgenius was my source for inspiration for some of the Athar (not the Athar as a whole, mind you) in their sarcastic attitudes toward the Powers. In where one Athar invented a diety and made profit off the worship and than told the worshippers it was all a lie. In the background a diety appeared, became very powerful (a lesser diety, his project didn't last too long) and then dropped down in power suddenly. I've set it up so the players will find the diety in order to prove his case. (speaking of which, I thought of creating a diety inspired by Chuck Norris, but that's another topic for another time).

As for the Discordians being the real world equivalent of the Xaositects, I am in a %100 agreement (whatever that means).

Mon, 2006-05-22 14:14
#5
OpheliaWhispers
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Xaositects versus The Discordian Society

*Pokes her head up*

All I have to say is...."FNORD! All hail Eris! All hail Discordia!"

*Pokes her head back down*

-Ophelia

Mon, 2006-05-22 16:32
#6
Gerzel
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Xaositects versus The Discordian Society

PRAISE BOB!

For he is my temporary short-duration personal saivor.

Mon, 2006-05-22 17:33
#7
Loki De Carabas
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Xaositects versus The Discordian Society

23! Praise my Brother Bob and Eris!
*Card carrying Subgenius since 1980. Discordian when I feel like it. Uses the name Loki. Nope, he's not normal...

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Sun, 2006-05-28 00:23
#8
ripvanwormer
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Xaositects versus The Discordian Society

I think the Principia Discordia would be an admirable resource for Xaositects to deconstruct, ignore, parody, give to strangers, tattoo on their flesh, quote from in extremely loud voices (often backwards), allude to, and make cut-ups and pastiches out of.

I think the Church of the SubGenius would work very well for the Free League. The SubGenius notion of the "temporary personal savior" fits well with the Free League philosophy, but poorly with the Athar.

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