From Chaos A Tale-telling game of Wild Magic and Dawning Worlds by Mendel Schmiedekamp Designed for Game Chef 2014 to build a wild magic table by absorbing names and quotes from books and not-books. Formatted to be edited during play and for text to speech conversion. From Chaos is a game of telling the stories of a magical world you and up to five friends are creating. You will tell these stories and create the world through four phases. Phase 1: Creation - where you play the cosmic powers who create this magical world. Phase 2: The Fall - where you play the mythic beings who cause the doom and darkness to enter this world. Phase 3: Great Deeds - where you play the legends who through heroism and villainy change the face of the world. Phase 4: Simply Life - where you play just regular people who live in the world you have built. The raw materials you will need to play From Chaos are an editable copy of this game, a dozen or more six-sided dice, and a book or other source of quotes for each player. The source of quotes can fiction, a gaming book, a website or wiki, or an album’s song lyrics. Whenever possible, quotes should be taken from a random page of a book or a random song’s lyrics, although some sources may make this harder to accomplish. Example 1: Through the power of hypothetical cloning, I prepare to play From Chaos with three copies of myself. We each bring a different source: Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher, The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the World’s Ancient Languages, Player’s Handbook 3 for D&D 4th Edition, and the liner notes for The Badlees’ Epiphones and Empty Rooms. Exercise 1: Pick a source that is near or otherwise accessible. Each phase has three steps to set up: First, name and describe your character and write down something he/she/it is always doing. Example 2: A cosmic power might always be humming unspeakably beautiful tunes or carving mountains. A mythic being may always be soaring the wide sky, cultivating talking plants, or asking impertinent questions of the cosmos. A legendary hero or villain might always be searching for the truth, fighting duels, or conquering. A regular person might always be worrying, cooking, reading, or building houses. Exercise 2: Write down three things you are always doing. Second, decide an order of players to take turns. Third, in that order each player chooses a blank entry for this phase’s sub-table and writes a quote from one of the sources which will be the thing created, the doom wrought, the great deed performed, or the simple act lived, respectively. Then pick one of the entries from 3 to 18 on the master table to link to this entry. Stop when all entries for this phase are selected. Example 3: Using the sources in Example 1, what is created could be a “mighty prison”, “a multi-national state (such as that of the Persian Empire)”, or a “gate”. Dooms wrought could be a “kingdom falls”, “deepening gloom”, or “isolation introduces purpose”. Great deeds could be “walking the path of the death arrow”, “emerging from the bracken”, or a “writing system”. Simple acts lived could be “deceives the mind or the senses”, when “a shelter began to grow warm, even cosy”, or “make everyone stop and do double take”. Exercise 3: Using your source from Exercise 1, select a quote for a thing creates, doom wrought, great deed, and simple act lived. Now that the phase is set up, play this phase by going in a circle taking turns describing what your character is doing. Each turn ends with the character doing one of the things he/she/it is always doing - triggering the wild magic of your world. When this happens, roll 4 six-sided dice, choosing three to sum for the master table, and then the last is used for the sub-table. Example 4: With a roll of 1, 3, 4, 5 I have four options: 8 on the master table and 5 on the sub-table, 9 on the master table and 4 on the sub-table, 10 on the master table and 3 on the sub-table, or 12 on the master table and 1 on the sub-table. If I rolled 1, 1, 4, 4, I have two options, a 6 on the master table and a 4 on the sub-table, or a 9 on the master table and a 1 on the sub-table. If this is the first time this sub-table is rolled, you decide the name of the sub-table quoting a word or short phrase from a source that suits the category of that sub-table. Example 5: Using the sources in Example 1, Energies could be or dreams or lightning. Elements could be sacred or water. Bodies could be knight or rhino, meaning that some of the people in this world are particularly knight-like or rhino-like. Minds could be reason or ritual, meaning reason or ritual are key philosophical divisions of this world. Exercise 4: Using the source in Exercise 1, find a name for an Energy, Element, Body, and Mind. If this is the first time that entry of the sub-table is rolled, then decide the quote for that entry from a source. In either case, that quote describes the outcome of the wild magics and strange events surrounding your character doing what your character is always doing. Example 6: Using the sources in Example 1 and names in Example 5, a rhino body wild magic effect could be a “heartening surge” or “everyone is going somewhere else than here”. Likewise a sacred elemental effect could be “free to decide on his own” or “with this the politics will pacify”. Exercise 5: Using your source from Exercise 1, and names from Exercise 4, find a quote for each of your named sub-tables. To find the consequences of that event look at the phrase at the end of that entry: Introduce a Character - name and describe a new character in this phase. Start a Conflict - describe a new conflict involving a player’s character and him/her/itself or another character. A conflict means there are wants or needs that conflict, even if they are the wants or needs of a single character. Each player involved gets to roll a six-sided die representing that conflict, keeping it so it can be exchanged with the dice rolled during subsequent wild magic rolls. Expand a Conflict - describe how an existing conflict now involves an additional character or a broadened scope. A newly involved player gets to roll a six-sided die representing that conflict as normal. If there are no conflicts, you may Start a Conflict. Twist a Conflict - transform a conflict, describing how it becomes more complex or important. All dice related to this conflict are re-rolled. If there are no conflicts, you may Start a Conflict. Resolve a Conflict - describe how a conflict ends, deciding who gets what they want or need and who does not. Learn a Lesson - lessons are learned. You can do any of the other consequences in this list or you can add a new “Is Always Doing” to your character. Example 7: Conflicts always have two or more wants or needs, so some internal conflicts can be the desire to be seen as good versus the desire for power or hunger versus safety. More external conflicts could be both of us want to conquer this town, both of us want to woo this young man, or you want to protect your sheep and I want you to become a great warrior. It helps to make a note of the conflicts, and if it is written down that is an excellent place to place the extra six-sided die the conflict lets you use. In Phase 1, if you name a sub-table linked to Creation describe how your Cosmic Power has performed that act of creation. When all acts of creation are accomplished, begin Phase 2. In Phase 2, if you are the first to add a quote to a sub-table linked to The Fall, describe how intentionally or not your Mythic Being has caused this doom to fall upon the world. When all the dooms have occured, begin Phase 3. In Phase 3, if you add a quote to a sub-table linked to a Great Deed, describe how your Legend accomplishes that deed and how it changes the world. When all deeds have been accomplished at least once or have no blank entries in their sub-tables, begin Phase 4. In Phase 4, if you Resolve a Conflict or Learn a Lesson in a sub-table linked to Simply Life, your character experiences that aspect of life. You may fill in a blank entry of any sub-table with a quote. When no sub-table has a blank entry, the game has ended. Exercise 6: Find some friends and play From Chaos. ________________ The Master Wild Magic Table When playing From Chaos always roll 4 six-sided dice, choosing three to sum for this table, and then the last is used for the sub-table. Before choosing dice you may swap any dice from your conflicts with those you just rolled without changing the values they show. When using this table after a game of From Chaos, roll a twenty sided die for the master table and a six-sided die for the sub-table. 1. Creation 2. The Fall / Dooms Energies: 3 to 6 3. 4. 5. 6. Elements: 7 to 10 7. 8. 9. 10. Bodies: 11 to 14 11. 12. 13. 14. Minds: 15 to 18 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. Great Deeds 20. Simply Life ________________ 1. Creation 1.1. quote - 1.2. quote - 1.3. quote - 1.4. quote - 1.5. quote - 1.6. quote - Cosmic Powers: Each player names one and chooses one thing he/she/it is always doing. Name - Is Always Doing - Creations - Name - Is Always Doing - Creations - Name - Is Always Doing - Creations - Name - Is Always Doing - Creations - Name - Is Always Doing - Creations - Name - Is Always Doing - Creations - ________________ 2. The Fall / Dooms 2.1. quote - 2.2. quote - 2.3. quote - 2.4. quote - 2.5. quote - 2.6. quote - Mythic Beings: Each player names one and chooses one thing he/she/it is always doing. Name - Is Always Doing - Dooms - Name - Is Always Doing - Dooms - Name - Is Always Doing - Dooms - Name - Is Always Doing - Dooms - Name - Is Always Doing - Dooms - Name - Is Always Doing - Dooms - ________________ 19. Great Deeds 19.1. quote - 19.2. quote - 19.3. quote - 19.4. quote - 19.5. quote - 19.6. quote - Legends: Each player names one and chooses one thing he/she/it is always doing. Name - Is Always Doing - Deeds - Name - Is Always Doing - Deeds - Name - Is Always Doing - Deeds - Name - Is Always Doing - Deeds - Name - Is Always Doing - Deeds - Name - Is Always Doing - Deeds - ________________ 20. Simply Life 20.1. quote - 20.2. quote - 20.3. quote - 20.4. quote - 20.5. quote - 20.6. quote - Just People: Each player names one and chooses one thing he/she/it is always doing. Name - Is Always Doing - Life - Name - Is Always Doing - Life - Name - Is Always Doing - Life - Name - Is Always Doing - Life - Name - Is Always Doing - Life - Name - Is Always Doing - Life - ________________ Energies: 3 to 6 3. name - 3.1. quote - Introduce a Character 3.2. quote - Start a Conflict 3.3. quote - Expand a Conflict 3.4. quote - Twist a Conflict 3.5. quote - Resolve a Conflict 3.6. quote - Learn a Lesson 4. name - 4.1. quote - Introduce a Character 4.2. quote - Start a Conflict 4.3. quote - Expand a Conflict 4.4. quote - Twist a Conflict 4.5. quote - Resolve a Conflict 4.6. quote - Learn a Lesson 5. name - 5.1. quote - Introduce a Character 5.2. quote - Start a Conflict 5.3. quote - Expand a Conflict 5.4. quote - Twist a Conflict 5.5. quote - Resolve a Conflict 5.6. quote - Learn a Lesson 6. name - 6.1. quote - Introduce a Character 6.2. quote - Start a Conflict 6.3. quote - Expand a Conflict 6.4. quote - Twist a Conflict 6.5. quote - Resolve a Conflict 6.6. quote - Learn a Lesson ________________ Elements: 7 to 10 7. name - 7.1. quote - Introduce a Character 7.2. quote - Start a Conflict 7.3. quote - Expand a Conflict 7.4. quote - Twist a Conflict 7.5. quote - Resolve a Conflict 7.6. quote - Learn a Lesson 8. name - 8.1. quote - Introduce a Character 8.2. quote - Start a Conflict 8.3. quote - Expand a Conflict 8.4. quote - Twist a Conflict 8.5. quote - Resolve a Conflict 8.6. quote - Learn a Lesson 9. name - 9.1. quote - Introduce a Character 9.2. quote - Start a Conflict 9.3. quote - Expand a Conflict 9.4. quote - Twist a Conflict 9.5. quote - Resolve a Conflict 9.6. quote - Learn a Lesson 10. name - 10.1. quote - Introduce a Character 10.2. quote - Start a Conflict 10.3. quote - Expand a Conflict 10.4. quote - Twist a Conflict 10.5. quote - Resolve a Conflict 10.6. quote - Learn a Lesson ________________ Bodies: 11 to 14 11. name - 11.1. quote - Introduce a Character 11.2. quote - Start a Conflict 11.3. quote - Expand a Conflict 11.4. quote - Twist a Conflict 11.5. quote - Resolve a Conflict 11.6. quote - Learn a Lesson 12. name - 12.1. quote - Introduce a Character 12.2. quote - Start a Conflict 12.3. quote - Expand a Conflict 12.4. quote - Twist a Conflict 12.5. quote - Resolve a Conflict 12.6. quote - Learn a Lesson 13. name - 13.1. quote - Introduce a Character 13.2. quote - Start a Conflict 13.3. quote - Expand a Conflict 13.4. quote - Twist a Conflict 13.5. quote - Resolve a Conflict 13.6. quote - Learn a Lesson 14. name - 14.1. quote - Introduce a Character 14.2. quote - Start a Conflict 14.3. quote - Expand a Conflict 14.4. quote - Twist a Conflict 14.5. quote - Resolve a Conflict 14.6. quote - Learn a Lesson ________________ Minds: 15 to 18 15. name - 15.1. quote - Introduce a Character 15.2. quote - Start a Conflict 15.3. quote - Expand a Conflict 15.4. quote - Twist a Conflict 15.5. quote - Resolve a Conflict 15.6. quote - Learn a Lesson 16. name - 16.1. quote - Introduce a Character 16.2. quote - Start a Conflict 16.3. quote - Expand a Conflict 16.4. quote - Twist a Conflict 16.5. quote - Resolve a Conflict 16.6. quote - Learn a Lesson 17. name - 17.1. quote - Introduce a Character 17.2. quote - Start a Conflict 17.3. quote - Expand a Conflict 17.4. quote - Twist a Conflict 17.5. quote - Resolve a Conflict 17.6. quote - Learn a Lesson 18. name - 18.1. quote - Introduce a Character 18.2. quote - Start a Conflict 18.3. quote - Expand a Conflict 18.4. quote - Twist a Conflict 18.5. quote - Resolve a Conflict 18.6. quote - Learn a Lesson