#chaosbuzz

[chaosbuzz]

BINGO WINNER: Haze

[chaosbuzz]

LEGISLATURE

The Wizengamot serves as the parliament of Wixen Britain. It is a composite chamber made up of 25 Elders, as part of a hereditary peerage system, and 50 elected Members of the Wizengamot. 

There are no formal political parties in the Wizengamot. However, the Minister typically relies on the support of certain loose factions and patronage networks in the legislature in order to pass laws. For an Act of Wizengamot to be passed, it must be voted in by a simple majority. For laws relating to constitutional changes, a two thirds majority is required.

Elders of the Wizengamot

The twenty five Elders (who are granted the title of Lord, Lady, or Liege) represent certain ancient constituencies which are determined by family origin. These twenty five peerages are represented by Britain’s noble Houses.

The current noble Houses are as follows:  Abbott  Avery  Black  Bulstrode  Burke  Carrow  Crouch  Fawley  Flint  Greengrass  Lestrange  Longbottom  Macmillan  Malfoy  Nott  Ollivander  Parkinson  Prewett  Rosier  Rowle  Selwyn  Shacklebolt  Shafiq  Travers  Yaxley

The inheritance rules of such peerages largely adhere to the Peerage Act of 1963: descent is always to the heirs of the body, regardless of gender. A person who is a possible heir to a peerage is said to be "in remainder". In the past, peerages were sometimes forfeit or attainted, as determined by the other Elders. This was the case with the Weasleys and Potters whose titles were forfeited due to their historical practices of “diluting” magical blood. 

A title becomes extinct when all possible heirs have died out; i.e., there is nobody in remainder at the death of the holder. A title becomes dormant if nobody has claimed the title, or if no claim has been satisfactorily proven. A title goes into abeyance if there is more than one person equally entitled to be the holder.

Members of the Wizengamot

Following the Reform Act of 1892, the Wizengamot was modestly expanded to enfranchise part of the population. Today, two thirds of the Wizengamot are now elected by the public. 

There are a total of fifty elected Members of the Wizengamot, each one representing a particular constituency of voters in the United Kingdom. These boroughs do not reflect the Muggle Parliament’s constituencies due to the much smaller wixen electorate. 

Each MW is elected during a general election which takes place every five years by custom. However, the Minister of Magic has the power to call an early election, though they cannot delay or postpone one without the consent of the Wizengamot.

EXECUTIVE

In Wixen Britain, the executive branch comprises the Minister of Magic and their Cabinet. The Minister of Magic acts as the head of state and is appointed by the Wizengamot from within their own ranks through an internal vote.

Once voted in, each Minister selects their own Cabinet, a group which acts as the Ministry of Magic’s senior decision-making body. Cabinet members are typically civil servants who by virtue of their appointment are granted a vote in the Wizengamot. However, if a Cabinet member is already a voting elder or member of the Wizengamot, they do not have an additional vote. 

The Cabinet is made up of the Heads of the ‘Big Five’ Departments in the Ministry of Magic: the Treasury, the DMLE, the Department of Mysteries, the Department of International Magical Co-operation, and the Home Department. 

JUDICIARY

Unlike in the HP canon verse, all trials, courts, and tribunals operate independently of the Wizengamot.

The Wixen Supreme Council is the highest court in Britain and is the final court of appeals, established to decide on the most important or controversial points of law. It is made up of eight judges who are initially appointed by the Minister for Magic from a list of recommendations put together by the Wixen Independent Judicial Commission. A Supreme Council judge’s tenure is for life. Judges do not sit on every case but are allocated cases from the docket so that there is an odd number of judges for each trial.

Beyond the Supreme Council, Wixen Britain’s judicial system by and large follows that of the muggle version. For matters of criminal law, prosecutions are carried out by the Wixen Prosecution Service operating under the DMLE. The WPS’ duty is to make sure that the right person is prosecuted for the right offence, and to bring offenders to justice wherever possible. Their work ultimately relies on the co-operation of the Aurors and other DMLE offices in terms of evidence and coordination. 

[chaosbuzz]

PREVIEW: FACTIONS

(1) Ministry of Magic

“All he’s inherited from Bagnold is a poisoned chalice. Fudge is nothing more than a lame duck during a fractious interregnum.” — unofficial comment on Minister Fudge from The Prophet’s head political correspondent

Although Cornelius Fudge was first appointed as interim Minister in 1983 in the immediate aftermath of Minister Bagnold’s murder, he was formally confirmed by the Wizengamot into the position a year after. It was then that Fudge ran on a manifesto of law and order, caution, and conservatism. His politics appealed to those who eschewed change and more progressive values, and many of his supporters and allies are members of the old political establishment. 

However, it is no secret that Fudge is not a particularly strong man or a charismatic individual. He is easily influenced by those around him, and falls prey to sycophants and insincere supporters. Indeed his current Cabinet is effectively an old boys’ club of ‘yes men’ with agendas of their own. Fudge’s Ministry thus far has been characterised by rampant power plays and shifting loyalties within his inner circle.

With the upcoming General Election looming on the horizon, Fudge has been looking to his previous supporters (and their deep pockets) for support once again. He continues to speak to tradition and the strength of the wixen world during his campaign, but those close to him have whispered that he is aware of the growing popularity of the Knights of Walpurgis and Tom Riddle. In response, Fudge has been taking measures to counter that popularity by pandering to more right-wing voters. Whether those steps will actually be effective is anyone’s guess, particularly with the wider population clamouring for something other than a candidate of continuity.

(2) Riddle’s Supporters

“Magic is might. And how can one explain such power—its weight, its responsibilities, its possibilities—to those without? We would have more success teaching chess to a crup.” - Tom M. Riddle MW for Buckinghamshire at a Knights Rally in 1978

A prominent voice within the world of British political commentary, former Professor Tom Riddle emerged as a leading figure of public dissatisfaction with the slumbering Wizengamot in the 1960s. Buoyed by public support and the favour of the Daily Prophet, he was elected into office and rose to prominence in the decade that followed.

Tom Riddle’s supporters are determined to bring about his vision of a united and restored Magocratic Camelot. However, Riddle’s ideology is characterised more by what he stands against rather than what he stands for: he opposes unionisation, political and cultural liberalism, and—ultimately—parliamentary democracy itself. Although Riddle does not explicitly express blood purity as a political goal per se, he is known to espouse many purist sympathies despite his widely known half-blood status. 

In particular, he campaigns against the “dilution” of Wixen culture. There is a longing deeply embedded within many strata of Wixen Britain for the preservation of magical heritage, a heritage seemingly under threat by the rise of globalisation and increasingly dynamic Wix-Muggle relations. Therein lies Riddle’s homebase, moreso than the powerful purebloods under his thumb. His ground supporters are a surprisingly broad church of individuals who feel disenfranchised, lost, or forgotten by the remainder of wixen society.

Knights of Walpurgis

Spearheaded by Riddle’s acolytes in the Wizengamot, the Knights are both a voting bloc within the Wizengamot as well as a broader political affiliation with the aim to support and empower Riddle. The vast majority of Knights are pureblood, though Riddle’s cult of personality appeals to many other wix in the general populace.

The Knights also represent civilians outside of the Wizengamot who work with a view to strengthen Riddle’s ever growing hold on the engines of British politics. For example, Knights working in the Department of Mysteries may be feeding intelligence to Riddle and his compatriots as ‘sleeper agents’. Knights may also form part of the broader establishment, from the entertainment and media industry to the magical educational system.

Inspiration: the Illuminati, the European Research Group of the UK’s Conservative Party

Death Eaters

The Death Eaters are a violent terrorist group loosely associated with Riddle’s political views. However, Riddle rejects any allegation of direct collaboration with or providing support to them. But the reality is far more grim, for the core members of the DEs are indeed some of Riddle’s closest political allies and supporters — including key members of the Knights of Walpurgis. And at the very rotten core, Riddle’s own wife, Bellatrix Black, is the ultimate puppet master behind the violent organisation. 

The Death Eaters have a range of different methods to bring attention to their causes, predominantly that of violence and intimidation. Their primary purposes are to provide protection for Riddle and the Knights’ rallies and assemblies, disrupting the meetings of their oppositions, and intimidating muggleborns and so-called blood traitors. More recently, they are behind the assassination of Minister Millicent Bagnold. Yet although they have publicly celebrated her death, the Death Eaters have stopped short of claiming it. 

Inspiration: the Blackshirts of the British Union of Fascists, the Proud Boys and the Trump Administration

RANKS:  

Monarch - Bellatrix Black

Rooks - The elite inner circle reporting directly to the Monarch. Rooks are a highly selective group who are aware of Tom Riddle's involvement with the Death Eaters—after all, all Death Eaters are equal, but some are more equal than others. Powerful and ambitious individuals such as Lucius Malfoy belong to this group.

Bishops - Contain the bulk of the group and most answer to Rooks. Bishops are aware of the existence of the Monarch, but are not directly in contact with her and are not aware of Tom Riddle's involvement in the group. The Greyback pack would belong within this rank and answer to Greyback, a Rook.

Pawns - Are in the process of being radicalised, though their position remains uncertain. They are not aware of any organised structure within the Death Eaters and are currently having their loyalties tested.

The Daily Prophet

“Riddle's a [censored expletive] golden goose. I don't care if you disagree with him. Just finish the [censored expletive] article on him, you [censored expletive] [censored expletive]. I didn't ask for an op-ed.” - editor-in-chief of the Daily Prophet, 1985

The Prophet is a  mass media and publishing company which serves as the largest news organisation in wixen Britain with a near monopoly of the industry. 

Before Riddle’s rise to political power, his voice and visions were often published and promoted by the editorial team behind the Daily Prophet. This was a mutually beneficial deal: Riddle’s name and profile rose rapidly in the ‘60s and ‘70s, and the Prophet’s platform for controversial pro-purity viewpoints led to a significant increase in their profits. Although many have objected to the clearly pro-purity editorial voice behind much of the Prophet’s works, the strategy has certainly paid off in spades. 

That is not to say that every staff member at the Prophet supports Riddle. Indeed this is far from the truth, but the Prophet’s founding family’s concern is ultimately the bottom line. Any potential threat to undermine their profit margin may not be taken so well by the head honchos. 

Inspiration: News Corp and Murdoch’s media empire, US Fox News

(3) Order of the Phoenix

“I have made many grave mistakes in my life. Yet I fear none are as great as my failure to convince Armando not to hire Tom at Hogwarts. We have now couched the boy in a legitimacy we can never take back. He has fooled us all.” - Albus Dumbledore to Moody and McGonagall during the first Order meeting in 1978

Following the rise of Death Eater activity and his suspicions of the group’s links to Tom Riddle, Dumbledore established the Order of Phoenix in the late seventies. The Order is a clandestine group and network whose mission is to handle the growing threat that the Death Eaters pose. They are thus far the largest and most organised civilian group working against the DEs. 

Despite Dumbledore’s belief of a link between Riddle and the Death Eaters, he was not able to find definitive proof on the matter. Therefore, while Riddle’s growing influence is a related concern for Order members, their main focus is on defence-based direct action against the Death Eaters. 

The Order of the Phoenix’s paramilitary is made up of volunteer field agents. Their primary goal is to minimise physical harm caused by the Death Eaters and protect innocent civilians. However, since Dumbledore’s death, the Order has become increasingly more forceful and have at times been the side to initiate violence against perceived Death Eater threat. Some members disagree with this penchant towards violence and fear of being tarred by the same brush as the extremist Coalition for Unity. Nevertheless there is a general consensus that the Order must continue to work together towards dealing with the threat that the Death Eaters pose. 

After the events of 1985, the existence of the Order as a organisation became publicly known and has since been marked as an extremist group by the Ministry. However this label remains somewhat controversial as the decision is widely believed to have been a political move by the Ministry to avoid addressing their failures in maintaining law and order. 

ROLES: 

Strategists

The leadership of the Order form the senior strategists of the organisation. They principally plan out missions and prepare for confrontations against Death Eaters. The seniors are also responsible for driving the Order into the future and determining what the group’s longer-term plans may look like. Since Dumbledore’s death, the strategists have struggled as fault lines emerge on how or whether the Order ought to use its influence beyond their existing scope. 

Some members of the Order, including Minerva McGonagall and James Potter, seek to campaign for and help install Kingsley Shacklebolt as Minister in the near future. On the other hand, others such as Lily Potter believe that the Order should remain politically neutral in terms of individual candidates. It remains to be seen what direction the organisation will take in the coming months. 

Field agents

Order members with combat experience or duelling expertise are invited to participate in missions. Missions often involve confrontations with the Death Eaters or more general security measures such as crowd control during rallies. In some cases, an Order member may go out into the cold to spy on suspected Death Eaters. All field agents are able to cast patronuses as this is the principle method of communication between them.

Network

All Order members form their vital network of informants and skill-providers. Examples of these might include healing and potions-making to support field agents. Oftentimes, an existing Order member may recruit others into the network based on the group’s needs at the moment, though such a member may not hold a permanent or official role within the group. Their flexible but robust network has become an essential part of the Order’s successes.

Currently,  there are a number of investigators who are working alongside the Quibbler in an attempt to expose any potential links between Riddle and the Death Eaters. They report directly to Shacklebolt who is leveraging his peerage and political connections to get closer to the source itself. 

The Quibbler

Marketed as The Wizarding World's Alternative Voice, the Quibbler is a relatively new tabloid published and edited by Xenophilius Lovegood. The Quibbler is known for its publication of whimsical theories and innocent conspiracies with limited amounts of sources and evidence. However, in recent times the magazine has moved in a different editorial direction—one embracing political satire and scrutinising current affairs. It is still a fringe publication, a fifth estate zine to some. Yet, now emboldened by its ties to the Order, the Quibbler has been going from strength to strength in the past year. 

Inspiration: Brighton Voice, the general vibe of the Yes Men, Private Eye

(4) Other Anti-Riddle Groups

“Resistance is not inevitable. But neither is Fudge’s victory. Resistance is an effort that requires blood, sweat, and tears from us all. Only then can we unite against the forces that wish to divide and conquer us in the name of purity or tradition.” — from a Coalition for Unity leaflet disseminated during the Ministerial Election of 1984.

There are a number of formal and informal groups and grassroots organisations working against Riddle, the Knights of Walpurgis, and/or the Death Eaters. In particular, squib rights activists, creatures liberation campaigners, and unionists have often led the political fight against the Knights using traditional methods such as door to door campaigning, marches, and forms of direct action.

Many of such activists have political views which align with the Order’s, though they may be unable to participate in the group for various reasons (including an inability to get an ‘in’ within the Order in the first place). Of course, not all those opposed to Riddle are ideologically united. The anti-Riddle wing encompasses a broad range of views from liberals who remain supportive of Fudge’s Ministry, to Marxists who seek to overthrow the system altogether.

Coalition for Unity

The Coalition for Unity is a militant anti-fascist decentralised collective of individuals dedicated to combating all forms of elitism, blood purity and supremacy in Wixen Britain. This not only involves opposing the Death Eaters, but the Knights and Fudge’s ministry as well. Despite their skillful organisation, the general public’s perception of the Coalition remains largely that of self-righteous violent skinheads and angry punks.

Members of the group typically operate individually or in small ‘cells’ on behalf of the wider organisation, and communicate through the use of enchanted parchment. These are disseminated by a group of recruiters to inductees, with various different access levels available to the reader upon seniority. Each member has their own unique call sign as the group is entirely anonymous, even among its first members. Their call signs are based on species of British woodland animals.

The Coalition is generally associated with anarchism and has shown a willingness to adopt violent tactics including vandalism, sabotage, and sub-lethal violence, which has afforded them the label of an extremist group. During the Blood Riots, the Coalition’s tactics focused on guerrilla-type warfare against the Death Eaters and members of the group were often at the front lines of such encounters. 

Inspiration: Antifa, Youth Liberation Front

The Fourth Estate

The Fourth Estate is a left-leaning British national newspaper and broader media group known for its financial and editorial independence. The Fourth Estate was originally a local paper founded in Greater Manchester in the 1860s before growing nationwide and garnering a reputation for integrity and truth. However, their reach is still limited, with a market position of just under half of the Prophet’s readership.

Unlike the Prophet, the Fourth Estate does not explicitly support individual political candidates or factions within the Wizengamot. They are, however, very politically active and have in recent times lent their voice in support of the expansion of squib and creatures rights. They have become one of Riddle’s most vocal critics and scrutinisers since his election into the Wizengamot.

Inspiration: the Guardian newspaper, Democracy Now!

The Underground

The Underground is a station that celebrates wixen subculture and seeks to provide a voice for radio hosts who represent less mainstream viewpoints. As the Wizarding Wireless Network is owned by the Daily Prophet and uninterested in publishing anything anti-Riddle, the Underground is where these radio hosts can find an outlet for their voice. All hosts go by a codename to avoid any potential retaliation, but the show itself is open for all who want to tune in. 

Topics include political commentary and humour, speculation on the upcoming election, interviews with prominent anti-Riddle and anti-purist protestors, and everything in between. No one knows who actually owns and produces The Underground, but if you have something to share with the world, they will likely reach out to you. 

Inspiration: the Young Turks, International Times

[chaosbuzz]

BRITAIN & N. IRELAND, AUTUMN 1986.

August 1946 — Riddle completes his seventh year at Hogwarts.

1946-1949 — Riddle studies at the Flamel Institute of Higher Education. 

1950 — Riddle becomes an Apprentice Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts (DADA) at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

1950s — Riddle spends time in Continental Europe as an academic, including as a Visiting Assistant Professor at the Durmstrang Institute. 

1955 — Riddle is appointed as an Assistant Professor of DADA at Hogwarts.

1960 — Riddle is appointed as Professor of DADA.

1960s — the Death Eaters are secretly established by Riddle. At this stage they are primarily non-violent but work (under no official group name) to spread pro-purist and anti-establishment sentiments across the U.K. and Ireland.

September 1964 — Dumbledore becomes Headmaster of Hogwarts. Shortly thereafter, Riddle steps down from his faculty position.

Summer 1968 — Squib Rights marches took place throughout the summer. However, the largest planned demonstration was interrupted as a group of extremist Purebloods broke out in riot while it was taking place.

July 1969 — Riddle runs to become a Member of the Wizengamot and is elected to the Wizengamot. He begins to establish an alliance within the legislature: the Knights of Walpurgis.

1970s — the Death Eaters have become a household name due to their increasing violence over the past five years. After claiming responsibility over the death of a muggleborn family, they are designated as a terrorist organisation by the Ministry of Magic.

May 1975 — the Minister for Magic, Eugenia Jenkins, resigns from her post due to the exponential increase in crime rates.

June 1975 — Harold Minchum becomes Minister for Magic after an emergency vote in the Wizengamot following Jenkins’ resignation.

20 July 1975 — Tom Riddle and Bellatrix Black marry in a grand ceremony held at the Durham Cathedral in England. 

Autumn 1976 — Minchum’s proposed bill to allow DMLE officers to utilise Veritaserum as part of their ‘stop and search’ powers is defeated in the Wizengamot. In a revolt led by Lord Orion Black and a number of other noble houses, the Elders of the legislature in a rare show of defiance helped to defeat the motion, citing the need for measured and proportional responses to the public disorder.

April 1978 — the first iteration of the Order of the Phoenix is established by Dumbledore. 

August 1979 — the Marauders cohort graduates from Hogwarts.

May 1981 — Millicent Bagnold wins the Wizengamot vote for next Minister for Magic, preventing a second term in office for Minchum. 

April 1982 — The Falklands Conflict between the United Kingdom under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Argentina. After a series of engagements, Argentine forces eventually surrendered on 14 June.

December 1983 — Bagnold is found dead at her home in Chiswick, London. Her death is announced as a murder, to the alarm of the international wixen community who proclaim this to be a political assassination. The murder remains unsolved to this day, though many have pointed fingers at the Death Eaters as well as the Coalition for Unity.

December 1983 — Cornelius Fudge, Bagnold’s ministerial advisor, becomes the interim Minister for Magic.

March 1984 — The Miners’ Strike, a last-ditch effort on behalf of the National Union of Miners and the workers who supported them against pit closures and job losses across the coal mining industry. The year-long strike was characterised by violent clashes between muggle police and miners, with those miners who continued to work branded as ‘scabs’ as they crossed the picket line. After the strike came to an end, many of the threatened pit closures still took place.

May 1984 — Fudge is formally voted in by the Wizengamot as Minister for Magic, appealing to and relying on the support of right-wing MWs and purity sympathisers.

1984-5 — the Blood Riots, a period of time characterised by clashes between various activists, law enforcement and counter-protestors. Years of high unemployment and a recession coupled with rising discontent among muggleborn communities left vulnerable to purist threats led to a number of small-scale riots across the United Kingdom. 

Most notably, the summer of 1984 saw the Auror Office carrying out an anti-crime campaign in east London called ‘Operation Teardrop’ which resulted in the arrest of over thirty muggleborn wixfolk (out of a total of forty arrests). In response, the Coalition for Unity marched in protest against the Aurors, a march that turned violent as night fell. The violence was spread across a number of days and culminated in a counter-attack led by the Death Eaters which resulted in injuries to over seventy civilians and twenty Aurors. The Order’s secret presence at the end of the disturbance helped minimise the violence to locals and property in the area.

12 October 1984 — the Irish Republican Army (IRA) bombed the Grand Hotel in Brighton, where the Conservatives were holding their annual conference. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher narrowly escaped injury.

November 1984 — Dominic Wormwood, an investigative reporter at the Fourth Estate looking to scrutinise the Blood Chamber in the Department of Mysteries, passes away as a result of a flying accident. 

September 1984 — Bartemius Crouch Sr. is appointed Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement by Minister Fudge with a view of cracking down on civil disorder.

7 July 1984 — Dumbledore is found dead in a violent attack in an Order safehouse. A murder investigation is opened but the case goes cold within months, as all traces of Tom Riddle and Bellatrix Black’s misdeeds have seemingly vanished. 

August 1984 — Regulus Black, Riddle’s executive parliamentary assistant, goes missing.

September 1984 — McGonagall is appointed by the School Board as Headmaster of Hogwarts.

30 November 1985 — The Battle of Lewis Street. After a public fracas turned duel between the Death Eaters and counter-protestors in Camden, London results in the deaths of 3 bystanders, the Order and the Coalition are both designated as terrorist organisations. 

November 1986 — Present day. 

Summer 1987 — upcoming General Election.

[chaosbuzz]

TRUE EVIL IS NEVER LOUD. But now is not a time for truisms. We know that evil resides in the hearts of all men. We know of its insidious nature, its wretchedness, its banality. But how does one coax it out into the open? How does the rot take root? Sometimes it is only a matter of asking the right questions at the right time. Why them? Why not me? Why not us? We know this too is a form of evil. IT BLOOMS. IT EATS. IT GRINS.

Chaos Theory is a 21+ highly AU Marauders era roleplay set in 1986, centring on political intrigue.

Our story follows Tom M. Riddle’s ascent into the Wizengamot, Britain’s semi-democratic and semi-hereditary magical parliament, and its subsequent ramifications throughout Wixen Society.

[chaosbuzz]

3 Months of Chaos Theory: Highlights

[chaosbuzz]

GIFT EXCHANGE FOR LILAC

[chaosbuzz]

GIFT EXCHANGE FOR LOBO

[chaosbuzz]

GIFT EXCHANGE FOR LYS

SIRIUS 'PADFOOT' ORION BLACK

Then, in Yorkshire, the villages around Leeds have a nocturnal terror called the Padfoot. He is described as about the size of a small donkey, black, with shaggy hair and large eyes like saucers; and he follows people by night, or waylays them in the road which they have to pass. My friend, the Rev. J. C. Atkinson, of Danby, speaks of the Padfoot as a precursor of death; as sometimes visible, sometimes invisible, but ever and anon padding lightly in the rear of people, then again before them or at their side, and uttering a roar totally unlike the voice of any known animal. Sometimes the trail of a chain would be heard, accompanying the light quick pad of the feet. It was certainly safer to leave the creature alone, for a word or a blow gave it power over you; and a story is told of a man, whose way being obstructed again and again by the Padfoot, kicked the thing, and was forthwith dragged along through hedge and ditch to his home, and left under his own window.

William Henderson, 1879

[chaosbuzz]

GIFT EXCHANGE FOR WILLOW

[chaosbuzz]

GIFT EXCHANGE FOR JAY

[chaosbuzz]

GIFT EXCHANGE FOR ANYA

[chaosbuzz]

Chaos Theory: First Month Highlights

[chaosbuzz]

rook

“time was not passing… it was turning into a circle.”

wisps of smoke from a snuffed out candle • goblets misting on a table • a sudden storm on the high seas • sundials in moonlight • a flash of claws and teeth • skulls on the mantlepiece • a beating heart • fungi on a damp log • “checkmate” • fairy circles • the winning hand in poker • a murder of crows • dragon scales • sharpening a knife • hidden treasure in murky pond water • a glittering gem

hummingbird

“i still tend to decay / back into myself.”

quiet smiles • new ideas • freshly baked cookies on christmas eve • dried flowers pressed between pages • blowing dandelion seeds • green fields far as the eye can see • dog snuggles on a sunday • guided meditation • laying in the sun • listening to the universe • folding an origami crane • learning from history • friendship bracelets • being tucked into bed • a doe with her fawn • an old polaroid

falcon

“i ask god to send a swordsman / and god says ‘look at your hands.”

dried blood under fingernails • knife to a gun fight • thorns on a rose • tearing down barbed wire • the screech of a hippogriff • the oncoming storm • three rounds in the ring • “in peace, vigilance” • stepping on broken glass • intense eye contact • adrenaline rushes • leather jackets and combat boots • crime scene do not cross • onyx statues • bitter nightshade

owl

“I do not know what hunger is for / or what to hunger for.”

wire-rimmed glasses on the bedside table • dog-eared pages • candles burning all night • to do lists • unorganized nightstands • piles of unread books • the crunch of autumn leaves underfoot • cozy sweaters in the fall • clear crystal balls • goal trackers • the scratching of a quill • untested potions • ivy on old houses • keeping multiple journals in leather notebooks • late night regrets

lark

“the truth would be death-dealing and i prefer fairy tales.”

stepping out of your heels • gold tassel curtains • surprise birthday parties • bright strawberry dresses • popping a balloon • a swipe of paint • glowing neon signs • bookshelves arranged by colors • getting a song stuck in your head • old things made new • listening to the universe • champaign rose • dancing in the rain • “what’s your poison?” • riding a horse on the beach

[chaosbuzz]

SPECIES & ABILITIES

Playable Species

Werewolves

Werewolves can only come into being via a bite from an existing werewolf. They are able to have children naturally, but the idea that they could pass a “werewolf gene” on is scientifically unfounded and born of superstition and fear. Wolfsbane Potion does exist, but is very expensive and difficult for most individuals to acquire without external assistance of some sort.

Vampires

Vampires similarly can only be created via an individual being bitten by another vampire. All vampires can sustain themselves on animal blood if they desire, but will not be at full strength unless they consume human blood. Although vampires can eat human food, it does not provide adequate nutrition. If they do not imbibe blood daily, they will become fatigued. Vampires cannot exist in sunlight nor procreate with other vampires (or non-vampires, for that matter).

Half-Giants

Half-giants are the offspring or grand-offspring of a full giant with a human. They are able to use wands and produce magic, but they also have a higher natural physical resistance to spells. Additionally, they are stronger than the average wixen and capable of more physical feats (within reason). Half-giants generally retain a taller and larger height and build from their giant heritage.

Half-Veela

Half-veela are the offspring of a full veela with a human. Although half-veela have the natural charm and allure of a full veela, they do not have the ability to transform into harpy-like creatures or throw fire at will. However, they do seem to have more of an affinity for fire spells generally, and there are stories about individuals who find themselves in a somewhat hypnotic state after interacting with a half-veela. It is unclear whether these are only stories or truth.

Special Abilities

The following abilities are available for play on Chaos Theory. Please be mindful when creating characters with these abilities; the application should touch on how they worked on or naturally arrived at these abilities as appropriate. Staff have discretion to ask for additional details if they feel like the ability was not sufficiently explained in the application.

Please note that seers are not allowed to have any visions about Riddle at the moment. Seers and Legilimens must have full player consent if they want to have visions or see into the minds of another character.

Legilimency & Occlumency

Wandless or non-verbal magic

Metamorphmagi

Seers

Animagi

Supplementary Lore

We are a highly AU setting open to making significant modifications to canon to reflect our goal of reclaiming JKR’s universe. We would like to actively encourage members and guests to reach out to a staff member if you have any other suggestions to adjust canon.

Below is an overview of notable canon divergences and the supplementary lore that form part of our collective world building.

No House Elves or Goblins

In order to avoid having to engage with any part of JKR’s anti-semitism and use of the “happy slaves” trope, house elves and goblins do not exist on Chaos Theory. Gringotts is fully run and owned by wix folk.

Educational System

Secondary Schools

We do not follow canon lore on magical secondary schools outside of Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang for a multitude of different reasons. However, we do allow members to create their own schools and colleges based anywhere around the world as long as these are mindful and do not engage with closed cultures. These schools are subject to final staff approval.

Further Education

After Hogwarts (and most other European Wixen secondary schools), the tradition is for young wix to either begin full-time work, training in paid or partially paid apprenticeships, or pursue further education. Apprenticeship is the most common route post-secondary school.

Magical universities exist for more academic or technical skill-based work that cannot be fully trained into through apprenticeships alone. Undergraduate degrees last for 3 years and are typically pursued for the following careers (though are not necessarily essential for such careers): academia, intelligence services (e.g. Department of Mysteries), curse breaking, advanced potions and alchemy, law, healing, etc. This is not an exhaustive list.

There are three Wixen magical universities or colleges in Britain and Northern Ireland in our universe:

the Nicholas Flamel Institute of Higher Education in Bristol, England;

All Souls College of the University of Oxford in Oxford, England;

Whitecliff College near Belfast, N. Ireland.

[chaosbuzz]

PREVIEW: OUR SKIN

Our skin is a premade which was originally coded by Shani! It features three different light/dark modes and a body font size increase/decrease toggle seen in the right hand side menu of the screen. Main profiles are pop-out style but can be accessed through a link too!