Alter Aeon The Great Library

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Note - as with any topic, researchers should question the reliability
and veracity of these texts.  The library's aim is to preserve
documents, not verify accuracy.

AABN:  13777
Title: a book entitled "CHAOS!"

Chaos! It is the name of a dangerous region near the center of the
mainland, marked by strange weather and demonic monsters. It has been
slowly growing over the years, spilling into the nearby Sinar'i Valley and
Thalos. However horrible this cursed land may be, it is only a taste of the
true Worlds of Chaos that is its source.

The Worlds of Chaos are a series of loosely interconnected extra-planar
realms. These domains are dark and troubled, but the conditions there are
tolerable for life from the Prime Material plane. They are inhabited,
mostly by various sorts of demons and undead, though everything from faerie
dragons to shadow creatures can be found there.

The conditions of Chaos indicate they may be an intermediate plane between
the Prime Material plane and the Demon Realms. Demons have established
strongholds there. They use the plane as a staging ground for moving goods
and troops between different planes.

Chaos has a corrupting effect on non-native creatures. They become more
wild and violent. Their eyes bleed, then turn black. Unnatural growths
begin to sprout. If they survive long enough, their entire body transforms
into a twisted, monstrous version of their former selves. Even demons and
dragons have been known to succumb to the corruption Chaos, also called the
Chaos Sickness.

This corruption is transmitted across planar portals. Areas where portals
to Chaos stand slowly become dark and warped. It is believed there are
portals leading to the Realms of Chaos within the tainted Chaos region on
the Prime Material plane.

A curious material has been found in association with Chaos, known as
warpstone. Warpstone is dull and dark in color. It is usually perceived as
purple, though it can shift color depending on the light and angle of
viewing. Warpstone is malleable enough that skilled smiths can mold it into
armor and weaponry. Warpstone has dangerous effects on living creatures -
while it can sharpen the killing instinct and strengthen the arm of those
that bear it, it will slowly but surely drive mortals to madness.

Primordial Chaos is the deepest portion of the plane, bordering on Purnima
and the elemental plane of darkness. The region shifts from time to time,
but there are a variety of features that emerge that can be used as
temporary landmarks. Most of Primordial Chaos consists of shadows, but
there are small pockets that are charged with elemental magic. Various
creatures, mostly elementals and animentals, inhabit these pockets. The
shadowy portions also differ in density. Some points congeal into a shadow
nexus, where shadow crystals can be mined. Nullstone nodes consist of
chunks of floating dark stone that sap away the vitality of those that
venture too near them. Soul vortexes are swirling purple cyclones of mana.
They boost the mana regeneration of those that enter them, but strips away
the health of whomever spends too much time there. Chaos warps are regions
rife with warpstone of varying quality. Chaos jets are one-way wormholes to
other portions of Primodial Chaos. Using a teleport spell activates the
dormant, semi-stable wormhole.

The great tourneys the Pantheon used to host across the lands were once
called "Chaos". No doubt this is a reference to the bloodshed and malice
associated with the Realms of Chaos.