"Despite its fervent, biting nature, raw emotion is nothing compared to the raw chaos of real, physical anarchy!"

?Embersage Fenwillow

The anarchic initiate is more than a wilder, he is an initiate to the truth that underlies the wildness in the depth of his being. Wildness is not merely a psychological trait?rather, it is an aspect of cosmology itself, characterized by the entropic realm of Limbo, a realm of utter randomness. By recognizing this link, an initiate slowly learns to synchronize the wild outbursts of his own mind with natural swells of anarchy, thereby achieving even greater heights of psionic mastery according to the tides of chance and uncertainty. By coupling his psionic efforts with the swells of planar movement, an anarchic initiate cannot only touch chaos, but draw it through into the real world. A true master can even learn to puncture a hole directly into Limbo.

BECOMING AN ANARCHIC INITIATE

The wilder class provides characters both the proper frame of mind and the wild surge class feature, and thus is the most standard beginning for anarchic initiates. The prestige class also draws those who, through natural talent or a desire to live on the edge, have learned to channel psionic power to great effect at a cost to their own bodies. Since anarchic initiates are still concerned with manifesting powers, very few initiates multiclass (aside from the levels they take in their original class), because few desire to lose any levels of manifesting ability.

PLAYING AN ANARCHIC INITIATE

As an anarchic initiate, you adventure to practice your abilities and gain further understanding and mastery of the linkage of chaos with the material world, where all the various elements of cosmology intersect. During your constant exploration, you can offer assistance to those who suffer under the tyranny of laws too narrowly interpreted (and might in fact delight in undertaking such causes). You are living proof that the universe is formed of anarchy and chaos, and you delight in bringing aspects of this truth to the attention of those who cling to the illusion of order and security, especially when those false ideals threaten the well-being of others.

There is an organization known as the Scofflaws that draws initiates into its fold. Its mandate is to fight oppressive authority and foster a sense of independence from senseless rules. However, anarchic initiates are always suspicious of doctrine and organized groups, even among their own number. You must overcome a basic prejudice in order to associate with movements or causes of any sort (though adventuring groups are typically too small to trigger this prejudice).

Sometimes a would-be wilder seeks to study with an anarchic initiate for a period, because the initiate understands the basic passions, triggers, and psychological techniques required to trigger a wild surge. Initiates have a distaste for indoctrination, and they typically refrain from evangelizing even to wilders. If properly petitioned, however, you need not be shy in explaining your philosophy and offering further instruction on the topic.

Combat

In combat, you use your impressive array of psionic powers for both attack and defense against your enemies and opponents, just as any other psionic character would. Of course, as a wilder and an anarchic initiate, you can call upon swells of psionic potential that regular psionic characters cannot access (in the form of wild and chaotic surges).

When you reach 6th level, you can attempt to neutralize the abilities of spellcasting or manifesting foes with your minor chaotic breach ability?if you're working alone, be sure to center the breach on yourself to have the optimal effect. Once you gain the complete chaotic breach ability at 10th level, you might want to save the use of this ability until you fight against a particularly potent foe. Use it by forming the breach directly on your opponent and try to push it into Limbo. If successful, you have put an end to your difficulties, and your opponent will probably not trouble you again.

Advancement

Prior to your becoming an anarchic initiate, chaos and the nature of reality likely held some significant degree of fascination for you. Since you devoted yourself to studying the effects of these forces and attuning yourself with them, you have likely continued with research into psionics, wild surges, and the planes (particularly Limbo). The rest of your time is spent in practical application of your research?after all, psionic characters are a cerebral bunch who learn the truths of their abilities through self contemplation, at least in part.

Your path is your own, since no overarching organization of anarchic initiates exists to recruit you into its ranks. The very idea is comical, as individualistic as you and the few other initiates you have met are. While you are happy to discuss your research and beliefs with other initiates or wilders, you don't particularly have a need to seek them out.

In many ways, the anarchic initiate prestige class can be viewed as the natural continuation of the wilder class. As with regular wilders, it isn't a bad idea for an initiate to pick up the Enervation Endurance feat (page 53). As you increase in level, the powers you choose should include ones that have variable numeric effects, since the chaotic surge is dependent on this quality. Of course, any time you can discover some method through which to learn or add the chaos descriptor to a power, you should do so.

Resources

Anarchic initiates can attempt to make contacts with the Scofflaws or similar splinter groups for information or temporary aid, if they can overcome their own prejudice against asking an organization for anything.

ANARCHIC INITIATES IN THE WORLD

"Most initiates have nothing but disdain for kings, governors, dukes, ruling councils, and other authorities. While this isn't necessarily a bad trait, open, public scorn of Officialdom tends to create powerful enemies. Subtle, anarchs are not."

?Ialdabode, warning his pupil against the path of the anarchic initiate

Anarchic initiates can be present in any world that is widely populated with psionic creatures and characters. They represent a random element, change for change's own sake. They are the quintessential activists, always looking to overturn the rule of bad laws (if they are good-aligned), or overthrowing well-governed republics (if evil). Neutral initiates are rare, but such characters often become legendary within the ranks of their comrades, since their vision is unclouded by moral concerns.

Anarchic initiates spend their days in travel and contemplation, with an occasional rant and wild outburst (usually against the foes an adventurer comes across). Anarchic initiates enjoy speaking about their philosophy, both the cosmological implications of chaos underlying reality and the role of anarchy in the power structures of sentient creatures.

Organization

While the vast majority of anarchic initiates avoid large organizations, a few loosely knit groups exist. One such group is the Scofflaws, made up primarily of anarchic initiates. The Scofflaws is only an organization in the loosest sense. It is almost more a concept than a group, in that it is made up of small cells that come together to accomplish specific tasks and then disband. The cells have no hierarchy to answer to and act independently of any other existing cells. Its members are expected to find their own problems to solve and recruit others to help complete the cell as necessary.

A normal Scofflaws cell consists of characters with different abilities, including those with martial, spellcasting, divine, or psionic training. No cell is allowed to exist for longer than it takes to achieve a particular goal. While many of those who made up a previous cell might also make up the next cell, the Scofflaws believe that the continuous, unbroken existence of a cell would lead to doctrine, laws, and loss of random uncertainty. Because the group has no headquarters or centralized location for meetings, it is difficult for people to petition the Scofflaws for aid, or to take vengeance against a Scofflaw cell for its actions.

The founder of the Scofflaw concept, a halfling named Embersage Fenwillow, is herself an anarchic initiate. In crafting the organization, such as it is, she attempted to balance the good that an organized body can accomplish against the evil an organized body can do if it is burdened with bylaws and founded on unchanging principles. She also enjoyed the inherent chaos of breaking apart and putting together a group of people over an uncertain time interval.

To form a cell on your own, you must have previously been a part of a Scofflaw cell and successfully completed its mission. Once someone fits the above criteria, that person is free to organize a cell of his or her own, pulling people together for the purpose at hand and then dissolving the group once the goal has been achieved.

NPC Reactions

Most people are not aware that anarchic initiates draw their power from a mental connection with the plane of Limbo. Chaos and anarchy are viewed as more dangerous than law, however, so general NPC attitudes toward someone calling himself an anarchic initiate range from indifferent to unfriendly. If an NPC actually witnesses an anarchic initiate breaching reality with leakage from the plane of Limbo, the resultant fear shifts the NPC's attitude toward hostile.

Groups in power (especially those who abuse their power) sometimes pass rules to ban (or take into custody) anarchic initiates, if they know of the profession.

ANARCHIC INITIATE LORE

Characters with ranks in Knowledge (psionics) or Knowledge (the planes) can research anarchic initiates to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

DC 10: An anarchic initiate can trigger a type of fit that can supercharge his psionic abilities?unless it knocks him for a loop instead.

DC 15: An anarchic initiate is a kind of psionic wilder, one who embraces the chaos that he says underlies all of reality.

DC 20: Anarchic initiates can tap into Limbo, the plane of chaos itself. Finding an anarchic initiate is a hit-or-miss proposition at best, unless you happen to be a wilder. Wilders more commonly become anarchic initiates than any other class in the game, and thus have more connections to anarchic initiates than any other group. Should a character wish to find an anarchic initiate, add a +2 circumstance bonus on the check if he or she is asking a wilder for information.

ANARCHIC INITIATES IN THE GAME

Players who take on the role of anarchic initiates should be reminded that it is only large power structures and ridiculous rules that are anathema to the class?the interpersonal interactions of a small group of adventures is the sort of chaotic interaction that anarchic initiates prefer.

Players who enjoy challenging the status quo will likely enjoy playing anarchic initiate characters. Characters who embrace the chaotic side of life also make good initiates, as do those who enjoy taking on injustice or larger-thanlife quests.

Adaptation

If an anarchic initiate wants to play in a campaign cosmology that doesn't include Limbo, it is easy enough to change the focus of the character to a different chaotic realm, chaotic deity, or powerful item that encompasses uncertainty. For instance, in a FORGOTTEN REALMS campaign, an anarchic initiate might draw her chaotic inspiration from the outer plane of Fury's Heart, or even from an aspect of Talos himself. In an EBERRON campaign, an anarchic initiate could be inspired by the plane of Kythri, the Churning Chaos.