The Xaoticians are a sect affiliated to the Fraternity of Order. Their sect creed is typically Guvnerish, with rules and patterns, but they have what many see as an unhealthy fascination with chaos.

Anacoluthon was (and is) a mathematician who discovered (some would say dreamed up) a lot of the so-called Xaos Theory. He seceded from the mathematicians recently, and has been preaching his theory in Sigil.

Anacoluthon (Pl human male/N(faintly Good)/Xaotician (XC)/Transmuter 6) Int 18.

Xaos theory is very complicated. The strange links between order and chaos have attracted both Guvners (and rogue modrons) and Xaositects to Anacoluthon's lectures. A few simple tenets of Xaos theory follow:

Unity of Strange Attractors: A variation of the unity of rings, this rule says that things do indeed repeat in cycles, but most things never repeat exactly. Ever. Even in infinite time. One can never climb the same hill twice, even if the view from the top is familiar.

Rule of three-cycles: A strange re-appearance of the rule of three in mathematics, the rule of three-cycles says that if you see three things, there's a whole hotch-potch of stuff just out of sight. This is disconcerting, but Anacoluthon states the Planes/Layers system as an example. There are three groups of Outer Planes (Law, Conflict and Chaos) but oddly 17 planes, and innumerable layers. As the same thing doesn't go for fours, this explains the apparent lack of chaos in the mathematical sense in the inner planes.

Universality: A strange counter to the Centre of the Multiverse rule, universality says that some things are the same everywhere. A good example would be the other rules. They apply everywhere, even in Mechanus and Limbo.

Sensitive dependence on initial conditions: Essentially, the detail with which everything must be known to make good predicitions is arbitrarily fine, and so things like the result of the Blood War can never be predicted, and astrology, planology and divination spells are inherently weak. It was this rule that convinced Anacoluthon that he should leave the Mathematicians, as it struck at the heart of their philosophy.

Self-similarity: The self-similarity principle says that parts of things resemble the whole. Examples provided by Anacoluthon include the ziggurats on Mount Celestia, Yggdrasil and its branches, the Styx and its tributaries, the big and little blocks in Acheron, and the endless swinging of battles in the Blood War compared to its campaigns and to the big picture.

For a fuller discussion of the real chaos theory, read 'Chaos' by James Gleick.

Primary plane of influence: Sigil itself. Anacoluthon reasons that it is perfectly balanced between good and evil, and is different from the cold indifference of much of the Outlands. Also, Sigil is a mathematical paradox, and Anacoluthon likes it. Headquarters in Sigil: Zaromex's Studio, an artist's home in the Clerk's Ward.

Allies: Guvners (the Guvners regard the Xaoticians as a subsection of their own faction, and Anacoluthon is happy to allow Hashkar to act as his representative in meetings), Xaositects, Sensates, Athar (who like the idea of something the powers can't predict).

Enemies: Mercykillers (sensitive dependence scares them), Anarchists (don't like the idea of Xaositects and Guvners working together).

Eligibility: Any. Extreme good and evil alignments are unlikely, as are specialist diviner wizards and clairsentient psionicists.

Benefits: Because they have such an innate understanding of the hidden forces of the universe, Xaoticians are at +2 to save vs. charms and illusions.

Restrictions: Xaoticians mistrust fortune-telling, and may never pay a fortune teller, learn astrology or planology, or attempt to divine the future by magic or psionics.