The Causality Theorem

Being The Hand Of Change

“The call of Eris beckons us all," Isla began, "It was there at every drunken night, for all those bad decisions. It was there every time you could have saved a life. It was there for every choice you ever made. She was playing for you the whole time.”
Tyler heard the song, the symphony of the world, a strange music that could never be described playing in the background.
“Life is a game,” Isla continued, “come on,” she reached out her hand, grabbing his and forcing him to his feet. She put the apple in his hand, “Let us dance with the devil’s daughter, thee and me.”
His head throbbed, the music swelling to a roar, “The rains be the strings, the thunder be the brass,” Tyler felt a sudden rush, tears welling in his eyes as the melody neared its peak, she brought the apple to his lips. His mouth opened, giving in to temptation without his consent. He bit into it, and she did the same. The taste of spice, apples, and honey ensnared the senses. “Are we not the crescendo?” Isla smiled, “Let's make some mischief.” The taste was warm, and when he opened his eyes, he saw the paths laid out before him. Some were decent enough, possibilities leading to a long and healthy life. He knew he wouldn't take them. He saw the risks, saw the rewards, and settled on a more dangerous path...
— From The Scarlet Ashes

Those who seek to cause the storm...

Discordians use the principles of causality to create complex systems. These systems are often elaborate, and when the discordian is ready, the patterns that emerge result in a breathtaking cascade of events. It's a domino effect; one event begets another. These tiny, seemingly insignificant changes that all lead to a single goal.
Chaos is a playful companion. Destruction is only one of the many toys in her dungeon. Some discordians choose to specialize in causality. They believe chaos is not the opposite of order, rather she is the opposite of stagnation. Chaos doesn't oppose structure, it is simply a structure of a different kind. Chaos is the structure of change.

Chaos is not random. It's the opposite. Chaos is a fundamental force that exists in all things. Those who specialize in causality are clear to point this out. They are practitioners who care little about theory. They are those who think in systems. Every move they make and word they say is a gear in an ever-changing machine. Every moment of note is a potential fulcrum. They are social and existential engineers who can make the most astonishing things happen. They have moved beyond reacting to the world around them.
They are the ones who force the world to react to them.

Strange Attractors

The balance between probability and Causality is the secret to this theorem, and the genre as a whole. A practitioner who can utilize both concepts can only then be considered a true hand of change. Chaos needs both to do her job.
Take, for example, strange attractors. These objects do not hold any magical value. They grant no powers or special traits.

These objects are special only to those who share a love of discord. They notice something about an object, a presence that shrouds, it but not like an aura. It's a gut feeling that reveals these objects to the discordian. Strange attractors are always in flux, shrouded in chaotic energy.
When used, the effects are seemingly random. It is never clear what will happen.

Fractals

The universe is a set of patterns. These patterns are invisible to most. The systems involved are so complex it's impossible to decipher them, even for the initiated. They can however see these patterns in the world. The more they watch, the more they see. They gather the variables, graph them out and suddenly, a picture emerges. They begin to see a fraction of the whole.

The more data they collect, the more they can control.

Oftentimes they make tiny changes to well known systems just to observe the consequences.Causality is all about being the hand of change. One sees a system and is inherently driven to break, tinker, and restore it. They do this constantly and compulsively. The arcane effects of causality include a massive burst of chaotic energy that shifts the world in subtle ways. It's as if the world around you has moved just a fraction of an inch to the left.

The feeling is unsettling, like someone stole everything from your home, and replaced it with a replica.
The aesthetics of the most powerful abilities in the theorem are in the form of fractals. Reality weaves and folds in on itself in increasingly complex ways. Victims are trapped in the endless patterns as two folds of ground crush them to oblivion. A soldier keeps trying to advance only to stumble over rocks that he swears were not there moments before or maybe feels, however ridiculous it seems, that the ground is moving under him as she runs.

Random Generator for Strange Attractors And Their Effects

So I have many of these... I really love how these objects play out in a campaign. Its important to remember that strange attractors rarely give anything too powerful. They are curios at their core. Useful at best but never a game changer unless a player can be inventive with them, which is what the genre itself is all about. You roll three times, one for each column. Combine the results and voila! Chaotic hilarity ensues.

Dice Roll	The Object	Quality	Effect
1	An article of clothing in pristine condition.	An alarming shade of the character/gm/player's least favorite color.	If someone uses the item after activation they will become horribly ill forcing them to stay at home and rest in bed the next day.
2	A small chunk of bone.	Item has a faint but delightful smell to it.	Anything the item touches after activation will multiply one time and no more...yes anything.
3	A burlap sack of wood shavings	Item will glow a random hue but only when held and a member of the opposite gender of the carrier is nearby.	The Item will lure random creatures nearby.
4	A tobacco pipe with no draw	The item will move to random locations in the same room or if applicable on ones person when not not observed	The item will cause anyone to tell the truth after activation...including the wielder. One can choose to remain silent but if they speak what comes out will always be the truth
5	A frying pan.	the object is light as a feather despite appearance	If the object is used as a weapon after activation it has the same stats as the wielders main weapon plus 3
6	A tiny spool of string	The object "sings"	when activated, the object will allow the players to spy on the big bad of the story...they don't know the villain can spy back...
7	A broken wine bottle	Never empties/wears out/refills	When activated the object will radiate heat. This can be controlled by the wielder.
8	A rock...any rock...	The object is always wet...it cannot be dried no matter how hard someone tries.	The object makes metal limp and flimsy when it touches it.
9	A blanket that is worn with use.	The object is very fragile and can break easily.	The object is literally alive when activated.
10	A small poorly carved statue of a bucket	The object floats and gently sinks to the ground as if gravity doesn't work on it the way it should	When used, every sentient thing in a 20ft radius passes out. This cannot be resisted. When they wake up, they are in their beds and the townsfolk of a local village have gathered in a mob against those affected. They dont remember what happened, but it has something to do with an ancient wheel of cheese.
11	A wooden chair.	The object pulses with a horrible dinging sound every hour on the hour.	The object can be used as a resource pool for a resource of the wielders choice.
12	A small container of flammable liquid with a striker on the top.	The object always seems to be watching those nearby.	Activating the object will cause a shift in reality. All characters reverse genders.
13	A leather belt.	The object is transparent but only when it covers the eyes.	Activating the object will cause a rainstorm in the next 3 hours.
14	A pair of bifocals.	The object changes color randomly.	Activation will incite a riot in a town near by.
15	A deck of tarot or playing cards	The object twitches but isn't alive.	When activated, the object will summon a bag of gold coins that turn to pebbles in three hours.
16	A single six sided die	The object refuses to be held.	The object has an opening, that opening is bottomless.
17	A pair of undergarments	The object can speak and only tells lies but it can only tell the truth during the day	When activated, the object gives riddles in some way through little strips of paper.
18	A house in the middle of nowhere.	looking away from the object causes one to forget it exists. Looking at it again will spark the memories.	When activated, the object will spawn swarms of butterflies that bite any who attack the wielder.
19	A music box	The object is broken	When activated, the object will judge the actions of those around it and make sure they are aware of its findings.
20	A small porcelain doll	The object sucks in light and is very hard to see.	The object will self destruct if activated. Not a major threat as it counts down and announces the explosion.