CREATOR

BEBARCE EL-TAYIB

CO-CREATORS AND THE REASON I DO THIS

MY DAUGHTERS

THE “EVERYTHING ELSE IN MY LIFE SO I CAN ACTUALLY DO THIS”

MY WIFE

MY LITTLE BUDDY AND SOON TO BE 3RD PLAYER

MY SON

LEAD DESIGNER
ROSANNA SPUCCES

LEAD ARTIST, COVER ARTIST, & CHARACTER DESIGN

ABHISHEK GHIMIRE

EDITOR
MARIA LETIZIA SPUCCES

MAP ARTIST & INKS

ALYCE MARK

MAP CONTRIBUTOR
GREGORY VANGILBERGEN

ADVENTURE ART CONTRIBUTORS

MELANIE KIM
ZACH KIEFFER
ALEX K. HUGHES

HERO SYMBOL CONTRIBUTOR

TAUHID BONDIA
WARNING: GAMING WITH CHILDREN MAY CAUSE SEVERE IMAGINATION TO OCCUR, POSSIBLY
SOME GIGGLING, AND THE OCCASIONAL GROAN DUE TO TERRIBLE PUNS. IF YOU BELIEVE YOU
RESEMBLE A CHARACTER IN THIS BOOK, PLEASE RECONSIDER HAVING A TOASTER FOR A HEAD.
ALL RIGHTS, ALL RIGHTS, ALL RIGHTS (MCCONAUGHEY)

COPYRIGHT © 2018 GO NERDY, LLC

DIGITAL ISBN: 978-1-7327663-1-0
PHYSICAL ISBN: 978-1-7327663-0-3
WWW.GONERDY.COM
WWW.POWEROUTAGEGAME.COM
WWW.ACCESSIBLE-RPG.COM
Quick Play Instructions
Introduction What Is Power Outage 8
What Do I Need To Play Power Outage 9
What Is A Table Top RPG? 10
How Does Power Outage Differ? 11
A Brief Education On Major Sections 12
Using The Site To Create Your Personal Gaming Environment 12
Adventure Blocks 13
Mechanics (Combat, Exploration, Puzzle, Alternative)
The Five Main Attributes 15
Calculating Base Stats 17
Attributes Can Match Flavor 19
When Is IMPACT (IMP) Used 19
When Is POWER (POW) Used 21
When Is OHMER (Ω) Used 22
When Are YIELD POINTS (YP) Used 22
When Is Travel Used 22
Leveling Up 23
How Does One Level? 25
Character Sheet 26
The Mechanics Of Playing 27
Exploration 28
Puzzles 28
Alternative 29
Combat 29
Other Standard Actions In Combat 31
A Personal Note About Terminology When Describing Battles 32
Example Of Pre-Combat & Combat Environment 33
Turn Based Game Play 35
Rewards, Retreats, And Dropping To Zero Yield Points 37
Heroes
What Makes A Hero? 39
Guidance 39
Brainstorming 40
Weaknesses 42
Power Craft 43
Combat Power Tables 44
Utility Power Tables 46
Supportive Power Tables 47
The World
The World Of Power Outage 50
The History Of Outage Alaska 51
Exploration 52
The First Generation 53
Session Hooks And Roll Tables 53
Shorai City 54
Atomnyy Zavod 60
Seward’s Refuge 66
The Sink 72
The Overgrowth 79
The Unexplored 86
Villain Files
Villains 89
Reading The Villain Files 89
Mrs. Roboto 90
Mrs. Roboto’s Henchlings/Powers 91
The Tempuritan 94
The Tempuritan’s Henchlings/Powers 95
Breakfast 98
Breakfast’s Henchlings/Powers 99
Bolshefist 103
Bolshefist’s Henchlings/Powers 104
General Specific 108
General Specifics’s Henchlings/Powers 109
Agent Orangutan 113
Agent Orangutan’s Henchlings/Powers 114
Instagator 118
Instagator’s Henchlings/Powers 119
Boat Rocker 123
Boat Rocker’s Henchlings/Powers 124
Swagneto 128
Swagneto’s Henchlings/Powers 129
Treestache 133
Treestache’s Henchlings/Powers 134
Gaming With Kids
A Fearsome Encounter Lays Ahead 138
Age Ranges Age 4 To 6 139
Age Ranges Age 7 To 9 140
Age Ranges Age 10+ 140
Differentiation 141
Accessibility Accommodations 142
Accessibility Foundations 142
Pre-Session Communication 143
Ongoing Communication 144
General Guidance 145
Accessibility Foundations 145
Physical Condition Guidance 146
Communicative/Receptive Condition Guidance 146
Behavioral Condition Guidance 147
Cognitive Condition Guidance 147
Emotional Condition Guidance 148
Free Play Guide 149
What Kind Of Game Are You Playing? 149
Select A Starting Location 149
Select A Hook 150
Populate Your Components 150
The Problem, Resolution, Outcome 151
Connective Tissues 151
Trading Spaces: A Level 1-4 Power Outage Adventure
Session 1 153
Session 2 158
Session 3 160
Session 4 169
Session 5 172
Mission Complete 176
Backers 177
Final Words 179
Top Secret Quick Start Comic 180
Quick Play Instructions

1
These instructions are meant to get you into the game and playing as soon as possible. They are designed
for a level 1 play Session and do not include information on things such as leveling or character creation.
If you intend to customize or gain in-depth knowledge of the Power Outage game, you may skip this
section and read through the Core Guide Book.
Getting Started
Power Outage is a Tabletop Role Playing Game
(TRPG). This means that one person acts as a
Game Master (GM), while other players act as
characters in a fluid storyline. The GM reads
through adventures and prepares the gameplay
in advance.
As the GM, you take on the role of all characters,
both friendly and enemy, that are not characters
played by the other players (known as the heroes).
You act out these roles, providing suggestions,
questions, background, and guidance to help
players move through the game.
Grab A Hero
For each player that isn’t a GM, download a premade
hero sheet from the Power Outage website
(www.poweroutagegame.com/heroes). Hero
sheets will have preset stats and powers. Pick two
powers to start off with at level one. There are
currently 10 different heroes to choose from in the
First Generation. You could also grab a hero that
the community has created if you so desire.
The heroes respond, in turn, making decisions
that direct or flow with the storyline. There are
components built into every adventure. Some
involve pure storytelling, while others require the
completion of puzzles, and still others require the
use of game mechanics described shortly in what
is typically a combat or hostile scenario.
The world of Power Outage, as described in this
book, is wonderful and fully worth exploring, but
if you’re looking to jump right into the game, feel
free to start with this guide.
8
12
PER
CEN
TILE
When dice are referred to as “d plus a
number,” they refer to the number of sides
each dice has. Percentile dice (not often used
in Power Outage) are rolled in conjunction
with d10s to get a percentage
(either 0-99, or 1-100,
depending on your preference). When d3s
are referred to, roll a d6 and use sides 1-2
as 1, 3-4 as 2, and 5-6 as 3. To read d4s you
read the isolated number. Typically this is
either the topmost or bottommost number.
10
20
4 6
2
 Grab An Adventure
Download a Level 1- 4 Adventure Block from the Adventure Blocks are broken up into Sessions.
Power Outage website, or use the one in the back of Sessions are suggested periods of time in which to
this book. It will serve as a guide and frame of play the game before you can pause and determine
reference for playing. Select the path you want to whether you want to continue on or not. They’re
take through the Adventure (depending on your broken up so that you can choose to play Sessions
audience) following the CAPE path. depending on how much game time you have and
the willingness of your players.

Equip Yourself

A grid you can draw maps on Paper and pencils

Dry erase markers or tokens to

A set of polyhedral dice describe the position of your
(or a virtual dice app) players and their enemies

Imagination!

E P
C A
3
 CAPE Paths
CAPE is a system for breaking up Sessions into different components. Creating a CAPE path allows you to
customize your play experience to match the needs of the players. You do this by selecting which components
to include in your Session. The term CAPE describes the types of components you’ll find in any Adventure Block
and stands for Combat, Alternative, Puzzles, and Exploration. They’re also color coded.

C A
COMBAT
Using the Adventure Block as a guide, draw out the
map provided and place enemies where suggested.
Every square on your grid counts as one travel
space. Depending on your storyline, your heroes
will enter or position themselves at different spots
on the map.
P E
Combat is turn based by group. Depending on
which side attacks first determines which side
goes first in combat. Combat engagements occur
in battles. Once all of the enemies in a battle are
defeated, the battle ends. If all of the players are
defeated, they must regroup.

On your turn you get 3 types of actions:

1. Standard Actions 2. Travel Actions 3. Free Actions

These are typically attacks
or actions that require the
hero to manipulate their
environment. Typically these
are actions that take time to
perform.
These are actions where your
character moves from one
space to another
(at times over obstacles), or
in changing your hero’s
position from being knocked
down to standing.
These are any actions
categorized by the powers
section as free or anything
the GM claims is a Free
Action. Typically, they don’t
take much time or effort, or
are set up in advance.

STANDARD ACTION
As a Standard Action, you can use either an
IMPACT attack (IMP), which is a punch, or kick,
or a POWER (POW) attack, which utilizes one of
your hero’s powers.
Roll a d20, add your IMP or POW score, and
check if it’s equal to or greater to the enemies d20
roll plus their OHMER (Ω) score. If successful, it
counts as a hit.
If you hit with an IMP attack, you automatically
inflict either 2 YIELD POINTS (YP) reduction or
1d4 (at early levels) to your enemy’s YP. These
attacks are unlimited.
If you hit with a POW attack, you follow the
instructions for that specific power. You have 6 uses
of powers before having to Energize in a battle.
If you bring an enemy to zero YP they give up
(yield) or are in some other way incapacitated.
In addition, every hero has their own Ω and YP
score. The enemy can attack the hero using the
same method in reverse.

4
 Other Standard Actions include:
Encourage
Roll a d20 (+2 when encouraging a friend), and if
you get a 10 or higher, you can heal yourself or a
teammate for 1d6, or more if a power grants further
ability. It helps to actually say something positive!
Energize
Regain your powers by switching to a defensive
stance for 2 rounds. In a defensive stance, you take
half as much YP reduction, but you can’t attack. Once
done, on the 3rd round, you can roll a d6 as a Free
Action in order to gain that many powers back; or gift
the energy to a partner as a Standard Action.
Super Energize
Go into a defensive stance for 3 rounds, but
you’ll be unable to travel. Either gain full power
uses to yourself (as a Free Action) or gift a
partner (as a standard).
Any other action the GM deems is a
Standard Action
These actions can run the gamut, from pulling
levers, to solving problems, to flinging yourself
from a catapult. Typically, if it’s an action you’re
performing, it takes time to perform, and it’s not
directly specified as free, it is a Standard Action.
TRAVEL ACTION
Travel includes moving from one space to another
or standing up. If a person is knocked down, they
must spend an entire Travel Action to stand up.
You can not attack from the floor unless a power
specifically grants you that ability. All heroes
have a default movement of 4 +1d4. All IMP
attacks require you to stand next to the enemy.
POW attacks depend on the particular power
instruction to determine distance. You can split your
travel with a Standard or Free Action (for example,
running, attacking, and running again.
FREE ACTION
A Free Action is any small action such as readying an
attack, a role-playing act, or the certain powers or
any powers designated as free. To ready an attack
means you’re waiting for a certain condition to
occur that sets off your attack. If that condition isn’t
met however before your next turn starts, you don’t
get to redo it.
Regrouping
If a hero has their YP reduced to zero, they are
incapacitated until a fellow hero uses an
Encouraging action to bring them back into the
fight. If the entire group is brought down to zero YP,
the team is forced to Regroup. Teams also regroup
when they don’t succeed at a particular aspect of a
mission. When the team regroups, the players are
forced to return to their base to follow the
Session instructions for regrouping. In a Free
Play scenario, the GM determines the
repercussions.

ALTERNATIVE
Alternative components found in Adventure Blocks are typically provided if the Game Master is looking
to reduce or eliminate any violent combative elements from gameplay. Depending on your play style, GMs
are welcome to use Alternative game options instead of, or along with, Combat components.

Of course, you can also ignore an Alternative component altogether and move directly to Combat.

PUZZLES
Using the Adventure Block as a guide, puzzles can be created and provided for your players to solve.
These puzzles often unlock clues or provide benefits that can be used in gameplay. Sometimes,
puzzles are a necessity in order to move forward or to access Alternative.

5
 EXPLORATION
Using the Adventure Block as a guide, you will role
play with your players. As the GM, it’s your job to
describe the story elements and scenery, as well as
provide guidance to the players on which options
they have to them.
During exploration, your players act out or describe
their searches through the various scenarios you
propose to them. You also play the role of every
character and enemy that is not the player.
Whether it is the shady informant or the recently
burgled shopkeeper, you provide the dialogue and
environment as the player acts through the adventure.
The typical aim of Exploration, aside from storytelling,
is to gather clues that assist the players and propel
the game forward.
But watch out, because Exploring can also be
dangerous and lead to traps.
Exploration will, at times, require the use of rolls
in order to obtain information. These roll attempts
typically occur naturally with the GM determining
when to roll based off a scenario or a decision
that a player makes. Once again you have the
ability to use your IMPACT or POWER score.
Free Play
If you choose not to use a prebuilt adventure and want to just wing it, you are free to do so. Use the primary
mechanics described in the CAPE system to build your own adventure. You can always refer back to the Core
Guide Book or the website for ideas and inspiration.
IMPACT describes human characteristics. It affects
both acts of strength and endurance (when used as
its physical form of definition) as well as
interactions with other sentient creatures (when
used to suggest a heroes personal influence
through their presence). So for any roll during
exploration that might demand strength, finesse,
or physical skill, you would roll a d20 + IMP vs. a
number that the GM or the guide determines.
Also, if you are communicating with a character
and want to use your IMPACT to threaten, cajole,
lead, warn, or affect personally, you can once
again roll a d20 + IMP vs. a number that the GM
or the guide determines.
POWER describes attributes related to
superhuman and heroic traits. As such, POWER
as an attribute can be used primarily when using
the perception of one’s surrounding. It can be
used by a GM in order to encourage players to
investigate something in particular. It can also be
used to give advice to the player as part of their
ingrained heroic knowledge. In both cases, much
like with IMP rolls, you would roll a d20 + POW
vs. a number that the GM or the guide
determines.
6
Welcome To The World Of Power Outage

7
 What Is Power Outage?
Power Outage is designed to capture the qualities of
standard adult tabletop games while adding a focus
on playability for younger-aged-children. Although
the children, themselves, may not necessarily need
to digest all of the information found within this
Core Guide Book, this will hopefully serve as a
compendium for world building and creating great
narratives for children.
Power Outage is set in a parallel Earth environment
where a large island found in the Bering Sea has
become a hotbed for superheroic activity. Outage,
Alaska, functions as a semi-sovereign territory of
the United States, but still remains a thoroughly
contested landscape.
The many districts of Outage form one of Earth’s
greatest melting pots of Old and New Technology,
Magic, Industry, and Agriculture. Depending on
where you find yourself on the island, you may be
in the heart of a sentient jungle of the Overgrowth,
the gritty ever darkened streets of the Atomnyy
Zavod, or flying among the skyscrapers of the
futuristic Shorai City. No matter what play setting
you’re looking for, there is a spot for you.
Seasoned tabletop gamers can skim this
introduction and skip straight to mechanics.
8
 What Do I Need To Play Power Outage?
Surprisingly little, actually. It all depends on the While you may include as much or as little as you
equipment you have on hand. As a minimum, all want in the game, from fully rendered 3D environments
you need is some pencils, paper, and polyhedral to something as simple as a sketch on a scratch pad,
dice (although most smartphones allow for virtual here is a list of recommended items to
dice apps you can use in a pinch). enhance your game Sessions.

A GAMING MAT
(1-INCH SQUARES) GAME CARDS GAMING DICE

Chessex and Paizo have very Printable cards are available through the Tactile instruments are great for kids,
TM TM

good options for laminated maps www.poweroutagegame.com website. They and they love owning their own sets.
surfaces. They allow you to use dry really help younger players not yet able to
erase markers to draw maps. read. Or you can make your own!

GEMS OR PAPER AND

OTHER TOKENS DRAWING MATERIALS YOUR KIT

I actually used multi colored, large plastic gems
that were meant for a fish tank as character
tokens at first. They also worked well for keeping
track of whatever random use I had for them.
I had small and large stones. Plus theyʼre
relatively cheap and easy to acquire.
For kids to doodle and take notes.
Encourage doodling! Itʼs great for
occupying their mind during others turns,
and allows them to greater envision their
in game surrounding.
Your notes, module, session guides, the
guide book, descriptions of the powers
of both your heroes and your villains.

The website www.poweroutagegame.com

is available as a resource. It has pre-generated
characters, as well as blank Character Sheets for
you to fill out. The website also provides contact
information for the game creator and links to any
social groups or player communities involved with
Power Outage that can provide assistance and
answer your questions.

9
 Unnecessary But Worthwhile
Miniatures (Minis) A TABLET

These characters can be found from countless

games and are available at your friendly local
gaming store (often referred to as FLGS).
I always encourage you to support game stores.
Minis also help create a tactile connection between
the players and the characters they create.
I found it was pretty great for scrolling through
and finding information, and keeping track of
everything. Less paper waste, too.

What Is A Tabletop RPG?

An RPG is a Role Playing Game, and a Tabletop game is designed with kids in mind, it can be
RPG is one that is typically (but not limited to) modified to suit the needs of everyone playing.
played on a table with people around it. There
are typical elements common to all RPGs. The A group of players is typically called a “team.”
players usually play characters that go on As a team of heroes, it is the goal to resolve the
adventures set in an alternative world. Typically, overarching storyline through role play, discovery,
the characters grow in physical attributes and and, at times, mechanically-driven combat situations.
with the development of continuing storylines. In a typical game, the GM starts the characters
With a tabletop RPG, you have two types of players. off with a story that leads to two typical forms of
The Game Master (GM) functions as the story guider play. Players will either take part in discussions or
and manager of the entire cast of characters and problem-solving exercises that allow them to be the
villains that are not players, as well as the players characters of a story often acting out said characters
themselves. A story is never fully controlled or told or they will engage in a Combat, Exploration, or
by the GM, but moves like a fluid ad-hoc collaboration Puzzle Solving challenge that makes use of different
between everyone involved. The second type of mechanics.
players are the heroes. The heroes, being presented These play periods typically happen in “Sessions”
with situations by the GM, try to suggest what the arbitrarily determined by time or milestones in
next move will be. In Power Outage, children are the game. The Sessions add up to an overarching
typically the heroes, while the Game Master is storyline called an adventure, and those adventures
typically an adult. This isn’t a hard set rule, are part of a larger campaign. This all might sound
however, as kids can play on their own, and confusing, so turn the page for an example.
adults may take on the role of heroes. While the

10
 Example - Mrs. Roboto: Trading Spaces
What doAI campaign
need tomay
Play Power
surround Outage?
a group of adventurers fighting
various villains in their career, or even 1 arch enemy.
A campaign is a collection of these adventures.
One such adventure is “Mrs. Roboto: Trading Spaces” (included in the back
of this book), which details a storyline where the heroes are
confronted with a problem that needs to be resolved.
The adventure is broken up into 5 Sessions. Each Session has several
components to it. For instance, Session 1 has an Exploration component,
a Puzzle component, a Combat component, or if Combat is not to your
preference, an Alternative component; Session 2 has
just Combat or Alternative components.
The Session sizes are arbitrary and based off of gameplay tests for time.
Sessions are purposely designed to be short so that they can be stacked
together for longer gameplay or quickly jumped into at a moments notice.

How Does Power Outage Differ?

There are a couple of things that differentiate Power
Outage from your standard TRPG. For starters, it’s
designed at its core to be simple to pick up and play.
There are many games out there that achieve this as
well, but Power Outage can easily be picked up by
incredibly young children, so long as the adult
involved provides more resources for them.
Power Outage has also stripped out a lot of the
complexity that occurs in other TRPGs. With fewer
attributes, there is far less bookkeeping. There are no
sets of armor and equipment to keep track of;
no weapons to maintain or possess. Since we want
as much flexibility for the child to create heroes the
way they want them to be, we try as little as possible
to impose such traits onto their heroes. The
possessions a hero has on them is a function of
role play, and is not governed by the mechanics of
this game. The game has an open-powers pool
that players can pull from and use to customize their
character. The mechanics are provided, but the flavor
attached to those mechanics are up to the hero.
11
Another differentiator is the CAPE system. Adventure Blocks,
which are prebuilt adventures that you can play through, are
broken up into Sessions, and those Sessions are broken up
into 4 types of components: Combat, Alternative, Puzzle,
and Exploration. These components form a map that the
GM can use to plot the course they want their players to
take. Alternative components give GMs nonviolent options
to resolve matters. Puzzles are broken up as separate
components so that they can be utilized by older children,
or ignored for a younger crowd. Power Outage is guided,
but it gives you the flexibility to create your own adven-
ture, which can be customized to your audience.
At its core, Power Outage is a simple game that is continually
evolving. As the game builds, you will have more and
more resources available to you to make your Sessions
more complex. At its heart is simplicity; found here in this
book, you’ll be able to start setting up Sessions of play
with your children. This is your starter set, and the best
part is that the building blocks are yours to grasp. Work
up from here: add depth, add intrigue, add fun. Most
importantly though, play games with your children. Your
time cannot be better spent elsewhere.
 A Brief Explanation Of The Major Sections
Mechanics
I’ll first jump right into the mechanics and rules for combat
in this game. They’re the most mathematical component,
and for that reason I’ve created several options for how
to make them more accessible to younger players.
Heroes
This section describes how to create a hero. It gives
guidance on creation, from brainstorming to mechanics.
It also provides guidance on how characters develop
over time.
The World
This section describes Power Outage’s 5 largest regions,
history and major players. It provides a ton of
resources to allow you to build your own adventures.
Power Outage is set in a parallel world. That means
you have the comfort of controlling a world where the
rules of our society exist, with the flexibility to embellish
Don’t feel bound to any rules in this rule book.
Play what you think will be fun, not what you think you’re supposed to do.
Using The Site To Create Your
Personal Gaming Environment
whatever suits the fantasy you want to create. Will you
be teaching valuable lessons? Will you use the world to
explain real-life processes? Or will you just break from
reality and let imagination take the wheel? You decide.
Villain Files
Here you’ll get an idea of what you might face off
against, as well as some considerations that describe
tactics and scaling your combats based off of your
audience. Each villain in Power Outage has a history
that can be used to accent your self-made games, or
give you greater insight into the characters for the
premade games.
Gaming With Kids
Not so much rules, as just guidelines loosely placed
to assist you in world and campaign building. This
section also provides differentiation and accessibility
guidance to help you bring EVERY kid to the gaming
table.
As of the formation of this book, and hopefully
subsequent versions, www.poweroutagegame.com
will be a great resource for helping you to plan and
execute the game.
The goal of Power Outage is to provide a personalized
and fun experience for children. Tabletop gaming
brings together the best elements of teamwork,
problem-solving, communication, and creativity.
There are two big resources that can be helpful
from the website. The first is the Hero Submission
and Gallery, and the next are the Adventure Blocks.
12
 Hero Submission & Gallery
In order to make the process of jumping into the game easy for you, pre-built superheroes are available
on the site for you to use and tweak. Additionally, you’ll be able to submit your own heroes to the
Power Outage Website to add it to the Hero Roster. You can also peruse the Hero Roster to help you
with your own ideas.

Adventure Blocks
Adventure Blocks are self-contained adventures you
can play out in your game. Adventure Blocks are
sorted by level intervals. They are meant to support,
and will generally include 1-2 villains. Eventually, you
will be able to select specific villains at every level so
that you can maintain an arch enemy. You can also
jump from one villain to the next, or try to play all
the story Sessions.
Adventure Blocks include guidance toward
role-playing suggestions as well as the major
components of Combat, Alternative, Puzzle, and
Exploration (CAPE).
Adventure Blocks are outlined with maps, villain
stats, the quantity and appearance of villains, and
the rewards for successfully beating them. They will
include puzzles and recommendations on non-power
specific methods for counteracting them. These
components are connected together to form an
interactive storyline that your children can play
through. The level limits are built in to ensure that
challenges aren’t too difficult, but of course, difficulty
can vary by skill, ingenuity, and luck.
Adventure Blocks are designed to be played within
hero level ranges. These ranges are 1-4, 5-8, 9-12, 13-
16, and 17-20. At the first range of levels, typically 1-2
Adventure Blocks are all that is necessary to advance
from level 1-5. As levels increase, however, more
Adventure Blocks may be necessary to increase levels,
or more experience may need to be earned. The
rate of this progression can be determined by the
GM, or by the skill level of the adventurers.
Additionally, story arcs that focus on a single region,
villain, or continuing story will occur from block to
block. While some will only involve 2-3 regions,
others might encompass all 5.
Adventure Blocks are also broken up into Sessions.
Sessions are advisable stopping points within the
adventure that function to provide necessary breaks
in gameplay with younger audiences. They also serve
as rest periods where your players can re-evaluate
character, and apply any experience points earned.
This also allows for periods in which characters can
gain levels if the experience has reached that point.
There are typically 4-6 Sessions within each Adventure
Block, but that may vary with level range. Each
Session can contain 1 or more role play and CAPE
components. At the start of each CAPE component,
an outline of the CAPE path illustrates all options
available for adventurers and are typically color and
symbol coded for clarity.

And More Still Yet To Come!

Recent additions include:
• Editable PDF Character Sheets and
power cards
• A complete listing of all powers in sortable
and searchable lists
• Descriptions of the world settings
• Villain biographies
• Event times
• Social media links and groups
• Video series featuring gameplay
Keep checking back regularly for new content.
Also, check our social media pages for gaming
groups and other communities.
13
MECHANICS COMBAT, ALTERNATIVE, PUZZLES, & EXPLORATION

14
 5
THE

MAIN
ATTRIBUTES

+
In the game, there are 5 main attributes that are
attached to any character, both hero and villain.
Additionally, these 5 attributes are pretty constant
across any starting character in order to allow for a
feeling of fairness, as well as to level the playing field
between younger and older players. These attributes
are Impact, Power, Ohmer, Yield Points, and Travel.
 Power primarily has a dual function, in that it relates to the strength of any given power that a hero uses
or special traits of heroic figures. Power also refers to heroic capabilities and knowledge. These traits

POWER typically extend beyond what can be considered typical for any person.
Power targets an enemy’s Ohmer, as does the villain’s power target the heroes. It also targets any preset
amount specified by the Session, or the GM on the fly. Powers are often used in unique ways and it’s up
to the GM to determine their efficacy. A hero’s innate perception and ability to compute scenarios and
react accordingly are governed by this superhuman or heroic capability.
Power typically describes superheroic aspects.

Impact also has a dual function depending on the type of engagement, or events, which are taking place. The dual
purpose meaning of “Impact” is used to allow for either combative or non-combative play. Even Combat can be
IMPACT

toned down, or have its severity reduced, as will be illustrated in the section describing Alternative components.
Impact either equates to the strength of a melee attack, physical action, or any other action governed
by typical human capabilities. Impact also functions as a social aspect. Your Impact refers to the force of
presence you exhibit in negotiation. Impact as an attribute will target an enemies Ohmer. The impact of
an enemy will attack your hero’s Ohmer.
Impact typically focuses on the more human aspects of a hero.

Ohmer has the sole function of prevention of an attack or the effect of a power on either a hero or villain.
Both Impact and Power are rolled against Ohmer, and the higher your Ohmer, the less likely you are to be hit.
For the purposes of simplicity, Power Outage doesn’t have equipment or armor pieces, so there are no
bonuses inherent with a costume. At most, there may be rewards for completion of Adventure Blocks,
OHMER

referred to as Badges, that may allow for changes to statistics such as Ohmer, but those effects aren’t
described as a worn piece of equipment.
For the sake of role-playing, players may describe themselves as being armored. But that armor has no
actual effect on the mechanics aside from what they’ve predetermined to be their Ohmer attribute. For
instance, if a child were to say his or her hero was dressed in a metal suit, then when creating their hero,
they may invest their starting points in the Ohmer statistic. Or the Ohmer’s effect may take shape when
powers are considered. But in Power Outage, you won’t be quibbling over the weight encumbrance of
chain mail versus full plate.

Yield Points are the total number of points a hero or villain has before they yield, are disabled, or are
forced to return back to base. You could also describe it as “backing off to regroup.”
YIELD POINTS

In order to maintain a child-friendly atmosphere, Power Outage has eliminated character death. Even
villains don’t die, but are retained for capture or questioning, or are in some other way incapacitated. I
originally thought this might have a negative impact on play, but without the fear of death, the children
were far more willing to experiment and be creative in solving problems or fighting villains.
Once a hero reaches zero YP, they are incapacitated until their companion has a chance to encourage
them. Once incapacitated, the hero is ignored by all other combatants and effects. If the entire group is
brought down to zero, they are forced to regroup at the base.
Regrouping might mean that some of the experience or rewards from the prior battle are lost. You can
choose more severe repercussions for regrouping if you’re so inclined, but again, the less painful loss is,
the greater the willingness to explore what is possible over what is successful.
TRAVEL

Travel refers to the distance moved from one space to another within your turn. Each unit of Travel
equates to one space or square on the map. Travel also refers to movement from standing to being
knocked to the ground. If a person is knocked to the ground, the action of getting back up counts as the
full use of Travel. It is also unique in that Travel is the one attribute that doesn’t increase with leveling up.
At most, certain powers may temporarily increase the speed of Travel.
16
 Calculating Base Stats
Every hero begins at level 1 (unless joining in the
Session later) and starts with points allocated to
The Starting Stats Are As Follows:
each of the 4 attributes, with 1 attribute having
a bit of fate in the mix.
To start your character off, you get to add and split
3 points to any of the first 3 attributes (IMP, POW,
IMPACT (IMP) 2
Ω). You can also dump 2 points in a single stat if you
choose, and 1 in another, or even all 3 into 1 attribute: POWER (POW) 2
the choice is yours. After Level 3, you can’t add points
to the same attribute two times in a row. This prevents OHMER (Ω/OHM) 2
people from dumping all their points into one stat and
possibly breaking game play. You can always add
points to your favored stat every other chance you get. YIELD POINTS (YP) 10 + d6
To get your total Yield Points, roll a d6 dice and
add the results to the base score of 10. Similarly for
TRAVEL 4 + d4
Travel, you roll a d4 dice and add the results to the
base score of 4.

D - What did you say?

10 8 PER
CEN
TILE

12 20
6 4

D6 refers to a 6-sided die. It is what people most commonly think of when they think of dice.
In tabletop gaming, however, you use dice with different numbers of sides.
d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20 - All correspond to the number of sides.
A d3 is a d6, but you count the lowest two numbers (1-2) as 1,
middle numbers (3-4) as 2, and high (5-6) as 3.
Most dice are read by whatever number shows up on top. D4 works the same way,
but since it’s pyramid shaped, the number that is isolated is the result
(more typically the top most number, but at times it is the bottom).
Percentile dice are d10s that have two digits on each surface instead of one.
They’re commonly found when buying dice sets, but not typically used in Power Outage.

17
 Example 1 - Stunt Double
All characters start off with these stats:

IMPACT (IMP) 2
POWER (POW) 2
OHMER (Ω) 2
YIELD POINTS (YP) 10 + d6
TRAVEL 4 + d4
Stunt Double wants a really high success of Impact
attacks landing, and is a close-up fighter.
Stunt Double adds 2 points to IMP and 1 to OHM.
Then, Stunt Double rolls a d6 and a d4, getting a 1
and 3 respectively.
Stunt Double’s attributes are now:

IMPACT (IMP) 4
POWER (POW) 2
OHMER (Ω) 3
YIELD POINTS (YP) 11
TRAVEL 7

Example 2 - SuburbanKnight
SuburbanKnight values powers and defense and
decides to split the points between POW and OHM.
SuburbanKnight then rolls a 4 on a d6,
and a 2 on a d4. The resulting attributes now read:

IMPACT (IMP) 2
POWER (POW) 3
OHMER (Ω) 4
YIELD POINTS (YP) 14
TRAVEL 6

18
 Attributes Can Match Flavor
The powers attributed to heroes are often not fully
balanced: they are somewhat spontaneous. Most
often, a hero will have sets of powers that allow for a
mix of support, offense, and utility. But based off the
somewhat randomized nature of hero creation, one
hero might have more powers that support utility than
offense. In these situations, pumping attribute points
into POW might not be necessary, and are better
served in one of the two other stats. Sometimes
powers require close proximity, so OHM is more
preferable. Or sometimes a hero wants to flatten
some villains and IMP might be preferable.
It’s for this reason that you may want to hold off on
assigning your attribute points until you’ve come up
with a general idea of who your character will be.
Modifications to attributes might also change in
consideration of the number of players within the
game. For instance, if a player takes on a supportive
role to another player who is more aggressive, they
might want to refocus their attributes toward defense
or power usage.
When Is IMPACT (IMP) Used?
There are three main instances where your Impact score will come into play.
In Combat
When in combat, your hero has the ability to Punch or
Kick a villain, in the earliest levels. Punch and Kick have
the same effect, but they add to the flare of a story.
However, the story may create situations where claiming
to do one is preferable to the other. If someone is stuck
to their ankles in sticky tar, they might Punch. If their arms
are bound I might Kick. Of course, this action can be
replaced by any action you deem your character would
do. The end resulting effect is the same, whether you’re
using a baton or a rocket punch.
When Punching or Kicking, you roll a d20 dice, add
your Impact score, and weigh that against a d20 roll +
the Ohmer of an enemy and determine if you match or
exceed it. The system in this book will be referred to as
19
The choice belongs to the child. Outside initial hero
creation, assigning attribute points and the selection of
powers will allow a child to customize the
mechanical structure of their superhero. But there are
plenty of opportunities in the game to customize your
superhero’s story. You can create intricate histories,
character quirks and motivations. You can determine
how characters tackle challenges, whether they be
head on, or after deliberation.
A new attribute point is gained at every odd level.
Due to the simplified nature of Power Outage, other
statistics will not need to be recalculated as a result
of redistributing these core attributes.
Lastly, you never have to worry about being tied to
the rules. Break them as often as you’d like. Modify
them when you need to. Do you want to let them
roll a d4 instead of +3 attribute points? Why not?
Remember this book serves as a guide for play.
the “Dueling Dice” mechanic. This determines whether
you actually land the Punch/Kick. If it lands, you have
a choice of doing a set amount of YP reduction to a
villain, or to roll a dice. At level 1, you would be rolling
a d4 or take a set 2 points of YP reduction. This means
you have a 1/4 chance of doing less damage, but a
3/4 chance of doing the same or greater damage. The
number of dice and base damage increases every 5
levels gained.
Using or throwing objects counts as a standard IMPACT
attack. It typically does not add any damage or
likelihood for the attack to land, but could increase
the range of the attack. These attacks change
depending on situation and GM rulings.
 At levels 5, 10, 15, and 20 you can do new things with IMPACT
Level 5 Trip - Knock an enemy down, disabling their Travel for 1 round.

Level 10 Rattle - The enemy is shaken, dropping their OHM by 1 until the next turn.

Level 15 Warn - Give up your IMP attack to an ally. (Works when an enemy can’t be reached.)

Level 20 Pressure Point Attack - Stop an enemy’s use of POW attacks on their next turn.

De-escalate
Within combat, you still have an opportunity to
de-escalate the situation without physically
engaging a combatant. If you have not attacked an
enemy, you can choose to try and de-escalate the
combat by convincing them to Yield.
To achieve this, the player must state that you’re
looking to de-escalate the engagement with a target.
The player states what the hero would attempt to
say to the villain to get them to cease their hostilities.
The GM determines if this is acceptable.
The player rolls a d20 + IMP vs. the villain’s d20
roll + Ohmer. The player succeeds if they match or
exceed the villain’s roll.
Three successes de-escalates the fight with that
villain, bringing their YP to zero. Any attack on the
villain from any player ends de-escalation. The villain
may still attack during attempts to de-escalate them.
More than one hero can attempt to de-escalate the
same target, so long as none of those heroes had
attacked that target prior.

Skill Challenges And Social Challenges

Skill challenges are events where you want to use
some form of physical strength or endurance to
achieve a goal. Knock down a door, perform an
acrobatic act, or push a heavy statue are some
examples. Basically, these are actions that manifest
through a physical movement. In these situations,
you roll IMPACT against a set number the GM
wants the player to beat, rather than basing it off
of a creature’s OHMER. (This system in this book will
be referred to as the “Benchmark Dice” mechanic).
For example, you might have to get a 15 or higher
IMPACT to be able to pull a rusted lever.
Social challenges also use the same IMPACT formula
and are used when you’re trying to persuade a
person by your force of will, or the impact you
have on them. Maybe your message gives a person
enough courage to grab your hand. Or maybe your
ominous presence is needed to get a henchman to tell
you of the next location you must go to.
In social challenges, you typically use the same
benchmark formula, since the Ohmer of non-villains
isn’t often known.
d20 + IMP ≥ a predetermined GM number
That predetermined number can come from a number
you set yourself, a number that the Session guide
recommends, or you can always substitute an
impromptu Ohmer and roll a Dueling Dice challenge.
Additionally, certain heroes may have powers that
alter the mechanics of IMPACT to some degree.
Badges may also affect IMP rolls in specific situations,
such as a bonus to IMP when a threat is made, or
a bonus to IMP when a diplomatic suggestion is
offered.

What Is A Battle?
A battle is any Combat that includes 1 or more villains at a time. If you fight 1 villain and no
more arrive to join in, that is a single battle. You can use up to 6 powers per battle at level 1.
If a villain joins in a battle after it starts, you get 1 additional power for that battle.
When you run out, you can only use IMP attacks, which are limitless.

20
 When Is POWER (Pow) Used?
Every hero in Power Outage has access to powers.
There is still speculation within the lore of the world
about how these powers were derived. Part of the
reason is that not every “power” is a seemingly
magical construct, but can also be the result of
technology, birth, scientific manipulation, luck, or
honed skills over a lifetime of effort. Powers describe
those abilities that go beyond what a typical human
civilian might have at their disposal.
You gain new powers at even levels (2, 4, 6).
Depending on the power type you selected, you
can gain upgraded versions of your current power.
Combat power upgrades are available at levels 6,
12, and 18. Utility and support powers upgrade at
level 10.
Powers can be either combative, supportive, or
utility.

Combat Powers
An offensive power is used in combat to reduce the
Yield Points of an enemy or group of enemies. Or
it is used to in some way to weaken or hamper an
enemy.
In any of these cases, when facing a villain,
offensive powers must use the Dueling Dice formula.
d20 + POW ≥ d20 + villain’s Ohmer
The formula determines whether or not the power
affected the villain. What actually happens is based
on what the power actually does.
When using the power ability in combat, you select
the power you will be using, roll to see if you hit, and
then if successful, follow the information associated
with the power.

Supportive And Utility Powers

Supportive and utility powers may not require a roll. Determination of whether or not a supportive or
utility power requires a roll is up to the GM’s prerogative. If a roll is required within combat against a
villain, it will follow the benchmark formula for determining a response.

Skill Challenges And Social Challenges

Power describes not only the obvious powers that
a hero uses but also the more subtle aspects a hero
might have in extrasensory capabilities, derived
from their specific source of power. So you can use
the POW attribute, whenever a hero is trying to
sense something about his surroundings, detecting
traps, or clues, or knowing when things are “off. “
From your heroic training or upbringing, you may
also glean preferred courses of actions in battle.
This is great to use when there is an environmental
condition that you may want to call your players’
attention to, especially if they are struggling. In skill
or social challenges, the Benchmark Dice method
for rolling would take effect.

Excellent Adventures And Bogus Journeys

When a player rolls a natural 20 (rolling a 20 on the dice with no modifiers) or a natural
1 on the d20 itself, then something cool will happen. If it’s a natural 20, it will be a positive
thing, whereas a natural 1 will be negative. It is up to the GM how they want to manage
the outcome through role play, mechanics, or otherwise.

21
 When Is OHMER (Ω) Used?
OHMER is used in the game to describe a character’s
ability to avoid damage or an effect.
These external sources of attack can come from a
variety of places. A villain can attack a hero, which
can only be prevented by Ohmer. Additionally, a
trap might activate that causes the hero damage,
or tries to freeze them, or slows them down. The
hero might also want to jump from a high place,
and their Ohmer resists damage from a fall (at the
GM’s discretion).
In all these situations, OHMER is rolled in conjunction
with a d20 as the number that has to be met or
beaten in order for an effect to occur.

When Are YIELD POINTS (YP) Used?

Yield Points are a number of points that a creature
or problem has before it must yield. Reducing the
creature or object to zero will effectively disable it.
While we mainly think of Yield Points attached to
heroes or villains, there may be a challenge that
requires a certain number of Yield Points, which
the heroes might have to use offensive Impacts or
Powers to take down. A solid door might have 5
Yield Points, whereas a brick wall might have 30
Yield Points.

When Is TRAVEL Used?

Travel describes the number of spaces a hero can
travel on their turn. Speedier heroes can use powers
to travel more spaces on their turn. Travel is also
used when moving from a position where you have
been incapacitated to free moving, such as going
from being knocked down to a standing position.
In these situations, the entirety of a person’s travel
is used up in their turn, regardless of the number of
spaces they can travel.
At certain times, when maneuvering around a map,
spaces occupied by objects might require more
than 1 space worth of travel. Climbing from one
platform to another, for instance, can appear side by
side on a drawn map, but actually take up 2 or more
spaces. These will typically be indicated by the GM
in advance.
Travel is unique from all other attributes, in that it does
not increase with levels. All other attributes go up.
22
 Leveling Up
Every hero has to start somewhere, and for the most part, your heroes will start at level 1.

Building Your Hero

This will be covered more in the heroes section of the book, but briefly, at level 1, a hero will be given a list
of powers. When in a battle, they will be able to use those powers up to 6 times before having to Energize.
In any other kind of challenge or exploration, the number of powers they can use doesn’t have a limit,
except if otherwise specified.
LEVEL STEPS
Add your 3 attribute points to either IMP, POW, or Ω
Roll a d6 and add that to 10 to get your initial YP.
Roll 1d4 + 4 to get Travel speed.
4 32 1 At level 1, you can create 2 powers,
but have up to 6 uses per battle.
At level 1, any IMP attack does 2 damage or 1d4
(unless a power augments it).

Roll a d3 plus 1 to get how many YP

you can add to your total.
At level 2, you can create 2 additional powers, but have up to
6 uses per battle.
ODD LEVELS

Add 1 attribute point.

& ALL

After level 3, you can’t add an attribute point to the same

attribute you added to last time.
& ALL EVEN LEVELS

Pick 2 new powers. At level 6 if you select a more powerful

level of an existing power, you have to replace that power’s
prerequisite. A hero can only have up to 6 powers.
If you want to pick an upgraded power, but do not have the
prerequisite power, you must use up 2 power choices on that 1
selection. Combat powers are still restricted by level however.
Roll a d3 and 1/2 your current level to get how many YP
you can add to your total.

LEVELS 6, 11, 16
Add the ability to use 2 more powers per battle before regeneration.
Refer to the chart to see increases on IMPACT damage.
(At level 20 you do a flat 12 points of damage with successful Impact attacks.)

23
 Leveling Up

Level Add Attributes Add Powers Powers Per Battle Impact Damage Add YP

1 3 2 (Max 2) 6 2 or 1d4 10 + d6

2 2 (Max 4) 6 2 or 1d4 d3 + 1

3 1 6 2 or 1d4

4 2 (Max 6) 6 2 or 1d4 d3 + 2

5 1 6 2 or 1d4

6 2 (Max 6) 8 4 or 1d8 d3 + 3

7 1 8 4 or 1d8

8 2 (Max 6) 8 4 or 1d8 d3 + 4

9 1 8 4 or 1d8

10 2 (Max 6) 8 4 or 1d8 d3 + 5

11 1 10 6 or 1d10

12 2 (Max 6) 10 6 or 1d10 d3 + 6

13 1 10 6 or 1d10

14 2 (Max 6) 10 6 or 1d10 d3 + 7

15 1 10 6 or 1d10

16 2 (Max 6) 12 8 or 1d12 d3 + 8

17 1 12 8 or 1d12

18 2 (Max 6) 12 8 or 1d12 d3 + 9

19 1 12 8 or 1d12

20 2 (Max 6) 12 12 d3 + 10

24
 How Does One Level?
Heroes gain levels by earning experience. Experience
is a numerical value applied for various actions or
completion of prerequisite requirements.
Smaller amounts of experience are earned at
earlier stages, with larger amounts of experience
at later stages. However, the number of experience
points required to get from one level to the next
also increases over time.
The hero gains experience in a multitude of ways.
Each enemy in combat has an amount of earnable
experience (XP) from defeating them. Additionally, you
can gain XP by fulfilling hidden requirements in any
encounter. These can include, but are not limited to: asking
specific questions, solving problems, rescuing civilians,
minimizing damage, or even actions outside of the game.
The GM can also decide to reward players with
experience points whenever they activate a villain’s
weakness. Since weaknesses are tied to positive
actions the kids do outside of the game, it can serve
as further positive reinforcement.
Finally, completing storylines, puzzles, and side
stories also earn a hero experience.
The amounts of experience awarded for different
scenarios are outlined within each Adventure
Block. These are, however, just guidelines and not
definitive requirements. Award experience based
off of your own personal preference. Keep in mind,
however, that long periods of time without any
significant gains can be wearisome for children.
A good measure for determining experience is
setting a maximum number of experience earnable
per Session to a percentage of their current levels
total experience requirement. They may not earn as
much as the maximum, but it allows you to adjust play
experience to ensure they are always progressing
at a rate that is sustainable and enjoyable. Gaining
levels and working your way up to level 20 doesn’t
need to be a lifelong, multi-year pursuit, but it can be
if that is the preference of your group.

First Sitting, First Adventure, First Level Rule

This rule simply states that by the end of the first Session (or group of Sessions that you play in a single sitting)
of the first adventure that a child plays, they automatically increase to level 2 (jumping to 20 XP), regardless
of success. This is accomplishable without the rule in place within the first Session of any published adventure.
However, this rule is set up to encourage a return of interest, especially in younger players.

Team Work
Any time two or more superheroes work together on a single task, or assist each other in the middle of a
battle/task, you can earn additional experience points for that fight/problem.

Level Experience Total Level Experience Total

To Next Level Experience To Next Level Experience
1 20 20 10 110 650

2 30 50 11 120 770

3 40 90 12 130 900

4 50 140 13 140 1040

5 60 200 14 150 1190

6 70 270 15 160 1350

7 80 350 16 170 1520

8 90 440 17 180 1700

9 100 520 18 190 1890

19 200 2090

25
CHARACTER SHEET
PLAYER’S NAME: LOCATION OF ORIGIN:
HERO’S NAME: LEVEL:
TEAM NAME: IMPACT POWER OHMER + YP TRAVEL

(OPTIONAL)
SECRET IDENTITY:

YOUR STORY DRAWING

YP TRACKER POWERS TABLE REF

1.
TABLE REF

WEAKNESS 2.
TABLE REF

3.
TABLE REF

POWER TRACKER 4.
TABLE REF

5.
 The Mechanics Of Playing
Mechanics describe the structures put in place to
generate randomness, and guide gameplay. One of
the primary differentiating aspects of Power Outage
is the framework designed with pre-generated
adventures, referred to from here on out as the
CAPE system. As mentioned, there will be 4 main
types of components that involve the use of mechanics.
In pre-generated adventures, CAPE paths form a
The Four Types Are:
Combat
Puzzle
Or
For Short
27
choose-your-own-adventure map that GMs can use
to tailor adventures to their hero party. In this way,
Power Outage can accommodate children of all
ages. Not comfortable with exposure to violence?
Try Alternative play. Want to engage your kid to
develop problem-solving skills? Try a Puzzle. Later
we’ll discuss designing your own CAPE paths in
free play.
Alternative
Exploration
 EXPLORATION
Exploration within the game describes components
that either involves communication or investigation
of environments through role play or the physical
inspection and movement around a drawn map
or maze.
Power Outage is often played with tokens or minis
that represent a player’s hero or GM villain,
plotted on a map. Maps are drawn onto a 1-inch
by 1-inch mat. Maps are often provided within the
Adventure Blocks that can be copied to the GM’s
mat, or the GM can design their own landscape.
=
1 Square On A Map 1 Unit Of Travel
Each square on a map describes 1 unit of Travel
for an enemy or hero. Heroes all have set numeric
travel distances in a turn when in combat, or a
puzzle-solving scenario, and are generally free
to move as much as they’d like in Exploration
components. Villain movement spaces vary but
are typically anywhere from 5-10.
Exploration can also occur using “Theatre of the
PUZZLES
Puzzles can be a mixture of social questions and
answers, riddle solving, POW/IMP use, luck, or
exploration.
For example, players might have to answer a riddle
of the Sphinx in order to continue on. Players might
be faced with a flooding room, and have to arrange
statues in a specific order to stop the oncoming water.
Players may be confronted by moving walls that
always block their way, and try to either find a way
around them, or blast their way through them.
Puzzles often occur in game Sessions that either
involve mysteries, or in navigating through traps
Mind” in which movement and discovery occur
purely through description, rather than physical
representation. This style of play requires fewer
mechanics and more storytelling.
Role Play
While not considered its own component, role play
typically aligns most often with Exploration, and
in adventures, often has its own section carved
out for it.
Role play describes taking on the character as
a role and performing that role. The degree to
which a child takes on that role varies based on
the comfort level of the child, and there is no
“wrong” method to role play. Some may simply
describe their actions as if they are themselves
controlling a character, while others may wear that
character as if it were a suit, and speak in prose.
There is no wrong way, nor is it recommended to
ever force a specific direction. You can, however,
reward the player for investment into their char-
acter, but that is the GM’s choice.
Role play not only helps develop a connection to
the character, but it also makes the game more
exciting and theatrical for all members involved.
Remember that players (especially young ones)
feed off of the enthusiasm of the GM.
or locks. Bunkers, fortresses, secret lairs, and
ancient ruins all might have Puzzles controlling
either traps that must be disarmed or accessed to
proceed, or gain access to some treasure.
Whereas Exploration, Combat, and, Alternative
components are typically the foundations of a CAPE
path, Puzzles are more often than not optional. This
is primarily done so that a Puzzle does not fully
restrict progress for younger children that are yet
unable to solve them. Still, even if a Puzzle is selected
as part of the CAPE path, within each Puzzle in
any pre-generated Adventure Block are multiple
options to increase or alleviate difficulty.
28
 ALTERNATIVE
Alternative components often coincide with Combat
components, and their desired goal is to provide a
nonviolent Alternative to the play style. Alternative
play typically requires additional components be
completed to provide a resolution.
The dynamics of what occurs within an Alternative
component vary greatly depending on what has been
described in the Adventure Block for that component.
It can be anything from problem solving, to trap
negotiation, to role play resolution. Due to the extended
nature of Combat components, players have the ability
to access combat in a fairly direct path if it is so desired.
Alternative components often rely on prerequisite
nonviolent component completion (role play, Puzzle,
Exploration). Additionally, Alternative components
can adopt turn-based game mechanics, at which point
the Combat rules for actions per round take
hold. There is simply no one to compete against in a
direct physical altercation.
IMPACT and POWERS may also be used in Alternative
play, but the Adventure Block may apply restrictions
on their use. They also typically adhere to combat
mechanics unless otherwise instructed.

COMBAT
When Combat is initiated, players take turns Positioning
depending on the initiator of Combat. Once an
IMP attacks, as well as some powers, require the
order is established, each player takes turns as a
hero’s position be adjacent to the villain’s token.
group until the Combat is over.
Other powers may have a maximum range.
Combat is done in battles, which can be anywhere
In the example below, a hero (blue) is adjacent to
from single to multiple foes. Combat does not end
two villains (red), and 2 spaces away from his ally
until everyone on the hero or the villain’s side yields
(green). To be adjacent, one party can be in any
(brought to zero YP) or have fled. In some cases,
square that touches the other party.
additional villains might join into a battle while the
heroes are still engaged. These additions count as
part of the existing battle and are not treated as
separate battles. On either the hero’s or the villain’s
turn, they have the ability to do 3 things: they can
Travel, they can perform a Free Action, or they can
perform a Standard Action.
Travel
Travel includes moving from one space to another or
standing up. If a person is knocked down, they must
spend their full Travel Action to stand up. You can
not attack from the floor unless a power specifically
grants you that ability. By default, every hero has 4 Typically, in order to create the illusion of discovery, a
+ 1d4 spaces of movement on their turn, but that can GM will only draw sections of the map that would be
change with the inclusion of powers. visible to the hero if they were standing in the room
(unless of course, they have X-Ray vision as a power).
Heroes and villains have the ability to occupy the So a GM might draw a room that the heroes are in.
same space, as well as pass through each other. If there is an open door, they might draw the room
The space in Power Outage, denoted by a grid, and the hallway visible from the open door. The GM
often describes characters within arms reach of asks the players questions about where they want to
each other. Objects or powers may limit travel go, and what they want to do, while the players ask
through an environment. questions about their surroundings.
29
Failure to observe one’s surroundings, however,
might lead to walking into traps. Depending on
what trap is sprung, the hero may have to use a
POWER to work their way out of it, an IMPACT
to bull their way through it, or just rely on their
OHMER to withstand the blow. Additionally,
moving over certain types of ground or low barriers
requires two or more spaces of travel.
When using theater of the mind to play, or if you
just feel like being loose with the attribute, travel
spaces are estimates of distances and don’t require
as much specificity. They instruct how close or
how far you can get within a turn or may indicate
whether you are stuck, slow, or fast.
Free Action
A Free Action is a role-playing feature or a power that
is listed as being free. Flipping switches, inspecting the
environment, readying an object or action, etc., are
examples of potential Free Actions. Some powers,
however, are also Free Actions, especially powers
that include boosts to attributes, reactions, or other
minor benefits. While Free Action counts as one of
three potential actions you can perform on your
turn, you are actually not limited to the number of
Free Actions you can perform, save that your GM
suggests it would be unreasonable for your
character to accomplish within a reasonable time.
Meaning if you’re in the middle of a battle, unless you
have some form of super accountants sidekick, you
can’t decide to stop and file your taxes. Powers that
are Free Actions do count toward the total number of
Power utilization. Powers that function as reactions,
occur outside of turn order.
As a Free Action, you can ready an attack, which
means you hold off on your standard or attack
action, until a condition you specify is met. You must
verbally specify what you are holding your action
for. You can’t change the action that triggers your
held action after your turn ends. Additionally, you
lose the attack if the conditions are never met before
the start of your next turn.
Standard Actions
Standard Actions are any IMPACT action (Punch/
Kick), de-escalate, any POWER (that isn’t listed as a
free or movement action), regenerating, energizing,
or any action that takes place on a person’s turn that
seems like it would take considerable time, effort, or
concentration to achieve (picking a lock, kicking a
door down, climbing a rope, activate a door panel,
loading a computer virus, etc.).
Villains also have the ability to perform these
same actions. Once everyone has had a turn,
the cycle repeats from the top of the order.
When it is your team’s turn, you decide what you
will do as your Standard Action. If you choose to
attack a villain with an IMP or POW attack, that
counts as your full Standard Action (refer back
to the section on “When is IMP/POW used” for an
understanding of how that looks). If you choose to
do something outside of combat, but it still takes time
to achieve, such as disarming a trap, or ushering
civilians to safety, that is also a Standard Action.
Limits
In a battle, heroes are allowed to use up to 6
powers before needing to Energize , and as they
gain levels, they will be able to use more and
more powers. They can use the same power 6
times, or sort them however they’d like.
Regardless of whether the Power is listed as a
standard, movement, or free power, each one
counts as a single use of a power. If in the midst
of a battle a new enemy enters, they gain 1 more
power use. IMPACT moves are limitless. Villain’s
powers are listed with the total quantity of their
use in their character stats descriptions.
Your power use count, as well as your YP, remain
from one battle to the next, so long as there is not a
defined/extended period of time in between, where
it would be assumed that the heroes attempted to
recuperate their strength or will to move on. However,
battles that occur shortly after another means that
there is no time to fully recover. In the end, it is the
GM’s prerogative to grant whether a team has had
the opportunity to rest between battles.
Attacking
Roll Attack
d20 + or d20 +
IMPACT POWER
d20 + IMP or d20 + POW
Compare number to enemy’s d20 + OHM.
If equal or greater
IMP = 2 point or 1d4 reduction to enemy’s YP
POW = whatever the power dictates.
If less than the dueling roll + Ohmer, you miss.
30
 Any attack requires a roll of attack dice. When that
attack lands, damage or effect is determined by the
notations of the power to all individuals the attack
landed on. The power description will inform you of
how the damage is distributed, or whether damage
has to be individually rolled, if at all.
If you’re unsure of how an attack works, most powers
that do damage require attack rolls against each
player, while most non-damaging powers, or powers
that specifically state they target 1 hero before
spreading damage out, will require only a single
hero to be rolled against.
It’s up to the group to decide, when rolling an attack
against multiple targets, whether the GM rolls 1 die
against the group or against each player.
All combat powers require rolling dice to first see
if the attack lands. The use of any other power in
combat may be at the GM’s discretion based on its
implementation within the scenario.
Other Standard Actions In Combat
Battles can be wearisome, especially against tough
foes. Heroes may find their YP running low, or they
may have run out of powers. These actions can be
performed in combat to try to regain some of your
vitality, but come at a cost.
ENCOURAGE
Heroes all have the innate ability to restore their own
or their partners’ vitality in combat. Of course, they
do have a chance of being unsuccessful. In order to
encourage Yield Points, a hero must be at or lower
than their maximum Yield Points, and cannot
encourage higher than their Yield Points, unless a
power has temporarily granted them additional.
As a Standard Action, they can choose to encourage
(giving up the option to attack) by rolling a d20. If the
score is at or above 10, you can restore YP for 1d6.
Any powers that grant you boosts to rolls will apply.
Heroes can also encourage their partners, but must
be adjacent to them in order to do so. When
encouraging teammates, players get an automatic
+2 to rolls. It helps to actually say words of
encouragement to a teammate!
ENERGIZE
Energizing during battle is necessary when you have
run out of powers, and there are still way too many
enemies to handle. Energizing has the potential to restore
some of your powers, but again this comes at a cost.
31
Enemy Weaknesses
If you have pulled enemies from the book, you’ll
notice that they have weaknesses listed. These
weaknesses are tied to meta actions: actions that
the children perform outside of the game that can
have an impact on the game itself. The weaknesses
in place are suggestions, and can be modified to the
particular situations your children or players are in,
or based off of your desired effect.
At the start of Combat, ask the children if they’ve
met the qualifiers for a weakness to be in effect. If
they have achieved them, then apply the effects
to the enemies. At times, the weakness imparts a
particular attribute directly to the hero; at other times
it impacts the enemies themselves. If you are creating
your own enemies, consider building weaknesses
into them.
When a hero Energizes, they must take a defensive
stance as a Standard Action. They can move, but that
defensive stance affords them protection from half of
any Yield Points that might be taken from them during
a round.
This stance must be maintained for 2 rounds (unable
to attack, but still able to perform non-combat
Standard Actions). On the 3rd round and as a Free
Action, they can roll a d6 to determine how many
power uses are gained back.
SUPER ENERGIZE
Super energizing requires one additional round
(3 rounds, with a Free Action on the 4th), and disables
your ability to move as well. Upon completion of
Super Energizing you can Energize yourself for the
full 6 uses. You can also transfer this energy to a
partner, but on the fourth round, you must use a
Standard Action.
Because you are unable to move, you are at a
disadvantage, so it is up to your partner to make sure
you stay secure.
Any Action the GM Deems is Standard
These actions can run the gamut, from pulling levers,
to solving problems, to flinging yourself from a
catapult. Typically, if it’s an action you’re performing,
it takes time to perform, and it’s not directly specified
as free, it is a standard.
 D e s c r ib i ng Battles
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32
 Example Of A Pre-Combat
And Combat Environment

Game Master Butterfly Girl Ice Princess

“Butterfly Girl and Ice Princess run through the alley to the back parking lot.”
(Draw the parking lot, indicating spots on the map where vehicles are parked, any exits, and maybe a
dumpster near the exit.)
“Two henchmen appear to be in a van looking to leave and they seem to
have two exits to choose from, what will you do?”

“Can I put up a wall of butterflies using Butterfly Lift across the alley?”

“Roll your Power attack”

(GM determines that this should be a reasonably difficult task and personally assigns a number of 13 in their mind for her
to achieve it. She must roll a benchmark roll to achieve this.)
Butterfly Girl rolls a 9 on her d20 dice, adds her POWER score (4) and comes up with a 13.
Because this just meets the requirements it is allowed, but the GM indicates
through dialogue how close she was to being unsuccessful.

“You strain your Powers and command the butterflies to form a net at the mouth of the alley. It doesnʼt quite make it all
the way across, but itʼs just enough to make them decide not to try it. Ice Princess? What would you like to do?”

“Whatʼs this?” (Pointing to a sketch on the map)

“A dumpster.”

“Can I push it in the way?”

“Roll an IMPACT roll to see if you can push it in the way.”

(GM determines this requires an IMPACT roll of 10 or higher)

Ice Princess rolls a 13, adds her Impact points (2) and comes up with a 15.

“You easily succeed. Do you want to act it out?”

33 “I kick the dumpster and it goes flying into the alley!”

 “You easily succeed. Do you want to act it out?”

“I kick the dumpster and it goes flying into the alley!”

“Seeing their escape is out of the question in the van, the two henchmen exit the van and make a break for the gaps in the butterfly wall.”
The players inform the GM that they wish to attack the fleeing henchmen, and with that, the engagement begins.
They go up first, followed by the henchmen because they chose to attack first.
At the start of the cycle, Butterfly Girl is selected between the pair of heroes to go up first.
GM asks if the players have met the specific weakness criteria, but both have not since the last Session.
Thatʼs okay, remember activating weaknesses in enemies are bonuses, not requirements.

Travel: She moves into range of a henchman. Free: She doesnʼt use a free action.
Standard: Rolls her first power. “I want to use Butterfly Breath.”
.
She rolls an 8, adds her POW (4) and gets a 12 total. Compared to the henchmanʼs roll from a d20
to get an 8 + his OHM which is a 2, it is a hit.

“A hit! What does the power say? Do you want to act it out?”

Reading from power card

“I send a breath of butterflies at the enemy. 1d4 and I can push him back 1 space.”
BG rolls a d4 and gets 3. She also chooses to act out a large exhalation.

“Iʼm going to help out Butterfly Girl. I want to do a sword strike.”

Travel: Moves adjacent to the henchman 1.
Free: “I pull out my icy indestructible sword and shout ʻHyah!ʼ”
Standard: Rolls 3 on the dice, plus her POW (4) and gets a total 7.
Compared to the henchmanʼs roll of a 12 + 2 OHM for 14, itʼs a miss.

“You swing your ice sword at the henchman, but miss, striking the floor and shattering the blade into
little chunks of ice. The sword immediately re-forms in your hand, however.

“Shoot! I missed!”
GM notes a 3 point reduction from Butterfly Girl. Ice Princess is familiar with the idea of missing, but had she not
been, GM would have explained that if every hit was a success there would be no excitement in the game. GM
moves the enemy back one square as indicated by Butterfly Girl. Next, it is the enemy round.

“Next up is the henchman 1. Seeing Ice Princess, he goes to swing at her.”

Travel: Move adjacent to BG.
Free: The robotic henchman bellows in a robotic language “I bite my thumb at thee!”
Standard: Rolls an IMP Punch attack. Roll is a 3, adding his IMP (3) gets a total of 6.
While Ice Princess rolls a d20 and adds her Ohmer of 2. She gets a 12 (10+2)
“He misses. Next up Butterfly Girl.”

With the attack matching her armor class, it counts as a hit, and thus her YP is lowered by 2 points.
Now, with all combatants having a round of turns, the cycle starts over and returns to
Now
Butterflywith
Girl at all combatants
the top of the round. having a round of
turns,
the cycle
Combat continues until allstarts over
opponents and
on one sidereturns toYPButterfly
have had their Girl
lowered to zero atevent
or an the top of the round.
described in the adventure has taken place.
Combat continues until all opponents on one side have had their YP lowered to zero or an event
described in the adventure has taken place.

34
 Turn-Based Gameplay
Turn-based gameplay primarily comes into play
during Combat and Alternative components, unless
indicated by the adventure within the description of
another component type.
At its most basic definition, turn-based gameplay
simply means that you take turns playing. If you’re
combating someone, then each person in combat
takes a turn. In Puzzles, turns might be determined
on the environment. For instance, if the trap was
sprung, then perhaps the effects of the trap will be
broken up into several rounds.
When a battle is about to commence, the first
party to attack, be it hero or enemy, starts the first
round. The other party takes the next turn, and turns
Incident-Based Order
A hero is attacked. At the start of the
hero’s turn, that hero goes first, in an
EXAMPLE
attempt to recover, while other heroes
follow in order to provide assistance to
their comrade. Decisions on order are
made based on the needs of any given
situation, or in response to some
external condition.
Competition-Based Order
Players can roll dice,
EXAMPLE
or do other contests, to
determine order (rock paper scissors,
guess the number, etc.).
This is best for when kids have trouble
determining the order on their own.
35
continue to alternate until the last person on either
side has yielded (YP dropped to zero). Most often,
players will attack first if they set up a trap for the
enemies, or the players engage enemies that are
already in the process of committing a crime or
attacking bystanders. Enemies may attack at any
provocation, but it honestly depends on what is
happening within any given engagement.
On the hero side, there are several methods to
determine turn order. Any of these methods can be
employed as it is the players’ choice how they want
to play, unless you’re dealing with children that are
unable to make such decisions without conflict. Then,
you can require a competition-based turn order, so
that randomness becomes the great equalizer.
Strategy-Based Order
You have a strong attacker with a weak
defense, so a defensive hero sets up
EXAMPLE
the defenses first, allowing the weaker
defender but stronger attacker to strike.
Decisions on order are based on a
preplanned strategy, determined by
what powers each hero brings to
the group.
No Order
EXAMPLE
Whoever says they’re going, goes first.
This could occur due to player experience,
appointed leadership, or several other
factors that are more nebulous.
 Joint Attack
Because turn order is determined by the side playing,
one option you can elect to take is to allow your
players to perform joint attacks. Joint attacks have
a number of benefits and consequences. The
primary benefits are a potential bonus to attack,
a reduction in time for turns, and the potential to
focus fire on a single creature in order to drop it
before it can do substantial damage to the party.
Joint attacks must be declared in advance, and each
player involved can roll all at once. All players
attacking must be able to attack the creature,
meaning if there are specifications on the attack that
the player must be adjacent to the enemy, then the
attacking player must be adjacent to the enemy in the
joint attack. Players don’t get to extend the range of
their attack to their friend’s range. There are 3 levels
of joint attack that the GM can use, depending on
the difficulty rating he or she is applying to the group
of players. However, it should be explained to the
players which form of joint attack rules the GM
will adopt.
Easy Joint Attack
The first pair of heroes gets a +2 to attack, with each
additional team member adding +1 applied to all
friendly attacks within the joint attack (2 players = +2
bonus, 3 players = +3 bonus). If any of the attackers fail
to succeed in their attack, only the successful attacks
land. This scenario has NO negative consequences in
combat.
Moderate Joint Attack
The first additional member of a joint attack adds +2
to the attack, with each additional member adding
+1. More than half the joint attacking members must
succeed or else the entire joint attack fails. Only
successful attackers land blows to an enemy.
This joint attack type can also be modified by the GM
to stay half or greater. This is especially applicable
when only 2 players are playing the game at any
given time.

# of Bonus 1 St 2 nd 3 rd 4 th 5 th
Attackers Success Success Success Success Success

1 0 PASS N/A N/A N/A N/A

2 2 FAIL PASS N/A N/A N/A

3 3 FAIL PASS PASS N/A N/A

4 4 FAIL FAIL PASS PASS N/A

5 5 FAIL FAIL PASS PASS PASS

Difficult Joint Attack Non-Combat Joint Attacks

Every additional attacking member provides a +2 The inclusion of a utility or support power does not add
to attack applied to all friendly attacks within a joint a bonus, nor does it require success on the part of the
attack. All attacks must land, or none of them do. utility/support power user. It is often purely aesthetic.
36
 Rewards, Retreats, And
Dropping To Zero Yield Points
When a player drops an enemy to zero Yield Points,
the enemy is incapacitated, unless the GM uses an
Encourage action to revive them. GMs typically only
have 1 Encouragement shared between all enemies,
unless the Adventure Block specifies otherwise.
A battle is typically over when all enemies’ Yield
Points are brought down to zero.
The same applies in reverse, however. If any individual
player is brought down to zero Yield Points, they are
incapacitated. The only way to revive that player
and bring them back into the battle is for a hero to
use an Encourage Standard Action, or a power that
allows them to regenerate a player’s Yield Points.
g r o u p s
R e
Regroups
The Adventure Blocks function as guidance, so
some rewards can still be allotted to the team at
the GM’s discretion.
We’ve done away with death in Power Outage in
order to encourage continuous play. But that too
is at the discretion of the GM and based on the
audience of players.
One way to simulate death without referring to it as
such is to suggest that the prior hero has simply been
captured and disappeared. In order to recover that
hero, a player must train a new hero to save them.
At that point, the hero must attempt to save the first
hero, probably as part of an existing mission. If
successful, the player would get to decide if they
37
If all players are brought to zero Yield Points, the team
might regroup. When they regroup, the players are
forced to return to their base and may go back to the
last attempted component once more. Any equipment,
experience earned, or enemies defeated are wiped,
and the team is required to try again. Otherwise, they
may proceed with the adventure, but at the cost of
missing out on some item, information, or experience.
An Adventure Block is broken up into several Sessions.
At the end of each Session, the rewards and regroup
sections explain how to go about guiding the actions of
the heroes. Sometimes, the options for not succeeding
at a Session may not allow for a reattempt at the last
battle, but instead, require the heroes to move on.
wanted to move forward with the initial hero,
or the new hero, retiring the other. Or they can
choose to alternate playing with the heroes, so long
as they’re aware that it will slow down both heroes’
progression.
At the end of a Session, the rewards are laid out
depending on the number of achievements the players
made during their journey. These rewards typically
are sets of experience points, and occasionally story
components to be used.
At the end of an Adventure Block, the reward is more
substantial in the form of digital badges children
can receive. The effect of earning these badges has
sustained impact on your abilities in the game, such as
bonuses when conditions are met.
HEROES

38
BUILDING AND ROLE-PLAYING
 What Makes A Hero?
Well, there are many ways to answer that question
on a philosophical basis, but with regard to Power
Outage, the question is quite simple. What makes a
hero? You and your players do.
Power Outage does not use preset races, classes,
vocations, or affiliations. In order to explore the
full potential of a kid’s imagination, Power Outage
doesn’t employ such compartmentalization as those
concepts have the potential to box a character into
certain types of play style.
If the kids playing Power Outage want to be a
human, or an alien, or a ghost, or a monster, or
whatever they want to describe, so be it. If they
want their superhero powers to derive from mutant
genes, or super suits, or their home planet, it’s their
choice.
That is part of the reason why equipment doesn’t
really exist in the game. Why would your kid want
to use a +1 Club from some troll, when they’re
comfortable using their Wand, or Phase Blaster,
or other iconic superhero devices?
To that end, Power Outage gives guidance on the
mechanics that can be employed and leaves it up
to the players to determine how those powers play
out in their narrative.
A common term used in TRPGs is “flavor text,” which
is a description of the visual effect of any spell or
power. So Power Outage’s Power Tables attempt to
provide the mechanics of powers while allowing the
players to provide the story behind what’s actually
happening. The powers are purposely labeled with
simple letter references so that they don’t interfere
with your perception of what can be achieved. If
your power is to protect and you do it with a shield,
so be it. If that protection is from a force field, so be
it. If that protection comes from psychic manipulation
making the villain believe they’re hitting a wall, so be
it. In this respect, the powers a child chooses are only
bound by their imagined delivery.
The choice is yours, and feel free to add your own
powers to the lists described.

Example: Combat N Power

1d6 damage against 2 adjacent enemies.
It’s your choice if that power is accomplished by:

6
• Ocean Boy summoning up a wave that smashes into opponents
• Ghost Mask slashing his Midnight Cape around him.
• Sun Queen slamming her scepter down and flaring the enemies.
It’s an open-ended world and it’s yours to make what you will of it.

Guidance
This book will try to provide guidance when it comes to some risk, the reward is not as sweet. Although, the
the mechanics in order to keep the game challenging, rewards for cakewalks are pretty sweet. It’s cake
yet not too difficult. But, please always read these afterall.
instructions as just that--guidance. If you’re finding
adventures for your kids too difficult, increase their The Power Outage website has pre-built heroes that
damage potential. Too easy? Decrease it. The goal is you can pick up and use.
to get you guys playing, not to put you off. Be wary This will be a great resource for families that just want
not to make every encounter a cakewalk. Without to pick up the game and go. Or for kids who like

39
exploring the game a bit, before they delve into the
hefty consideration of what they want their superhero
alter ego to be. Each of those heroes will have powers
based off of the level powers listed on based off of the
leveled powers listed later on in this section.
Do you feel like sharing your hero for others to use?
If so, you are able to submit your hero to the
www.poweroutagegame.com website so that your
hero can join the Hero Roster.
All heroes and powers are available on the Power
Outage website and will be considered canon. That is
due to the fact that the website can be updated sooner
than the Core Guide Book. Aside from being able to
submit a hero, you are also able to submit power ideas
to the website. Not all powers may be accepted, or at
the very least, may be retained in a community power
location until they’ve been thoroughly play-tested and
moved into general powers. Online social communities
are also available to assist you in your gameplay.

Brainstorming
Sometimes it helps to have a bit of a framework to help a kid (and a parent) along on the creation process.
There are plenty of ways to do this, so here are a couple tips based off of what I did to help accomplish this
with my kids.

Have players pick 2-3 colors that they want to incorporate into their hero. Oftentimes,
colors help guide the kid’s selection of powers. Hot colors, patriotic colors, or dark
1

colors, just describing them as such gets you starting to imagine the different heroes that
might embody those colors, and by extension, help with power creation.

Have players come up with a name based off of a theme of their power, ability, or
costume. Let them know that they don’t have to limit themselves to what they’ve already
2

seen in the comic books and movies. Often times, these powers can be related to the
interests that they bring to the table. Does your kid like dinosaurs? Does your kid like
science? Princesses? Does your kid like dinosaur princess scientists? Then maybe
Professor Princess Pterodactyl (Trippy for short) is just the hero for you.

Once you’ve got a theme for your hero/heroine, it’s a good idea to figure out what their
capabilities are. The level guides will give a pretty expansive list of powers at each of the
power levels, but it’s best to have your child’s input on how they’re employed. I asked
my kids to pick 4 powers and 1 weakness. The 4 powers they picked helped me come
3

up with a majority of what the power flavorings might be. The weakness plays a fantastic
role in the role-playing aspect of gameplay. Weaknesses are not listed in the powers list,
so while the child selects their own weakness, it is up to you to determine if a weakness
has an actual physical impact on gameplay. If it does, to what extent does the weakness
impact the child? Please refer to the pre-generated characters as suggestions for what
weaknesses can do, and how to apply them.

Do your best to apply the hero and their traits to up to 2 initial powers you select from
4

the appropriate level. At level 3, players can either upgrade their

powers or select new powers from that level or earlier.

40
 Brainstorming Cont.

From here, you can start to expand on the hero’s story to flesh it out. While this isn’t
absolutely necessary for gameplay, it is extremely helpful in cementing the bond that the
5 child has to the character they’re playing. Who is this hero? Where do they come from?
How did they gain their powers? Why do they fight to defend others?

When gaming with multiple children, allow them to consider exactly what their
relationship is with the other kids in the game. Did their characters grow up together or
6

did they just recently meet? Selecting a team name might also help to solidify the bond
in game, as well as the real-life relationships they form. You can also have players work
out a base of operations. Where is it found? How does it look? What cool features are
there? Who has access to them?

Start power selection from the player, and then move to the tables to try to find
something similar, and not the other way around. It is both a benefit and a burden, to
have a large selection of powers to choose from. In fact, the number of powers available
7

in Power Outage can be overwhelming. Start by asking questions about three styles of
play. Do they want to be more combative? Do they want to be able to do a lot of
different things? Do they want to be able to help their teammates? Ranking those
options might help you to help them distribute their powers more evenly.

Provide them options from the Power Table only if they’ve exhausted themselves of ideas
and are looking for more, or if the powers they suggest have no correlation to powers
available. Of course, if the powers don’t have a correlation you are free to make one
8

up, but I suggest submitting it to the site in order to improve Power Outages offerings for
the future. Providing them options, rather than handing over the book of powers, keeps
the flow of games more controlled and allows for more balanced groups.

Enjoy the hero outside of the game. Both of my children took on the persona of their
heroes outside of the game. This deepened their bond with their creations and made
9

gameplay, when it occurred, more meaningful. We revealed a third child pregnancy

to our two daughters by getting their logos on shirts and introducing a new question
marked onesie as an incoming superhero.

41
 Weaknesses
Weakness gets a bad rap. In fact, I even tried looking up
some positive quotes about weakness and there seems
to be none to be had. So I’ll provide my own reasoning.
Have you ever beaten a game, only to be allowed to
keep playing it? At first, it’s fun, rushing through the
lands of prior challenges demolishing everything in its
wake, but that is a fleeting and unrewarding experience.
A hero with no weakness is a hero with no fear. A person
with no fear cannot be brave. The knowledge of one’s
own weakness, yet the perseverance to carry forward
anyway, is what truly makes someone heroic.
So, heroes in Power Outage each have a weakness. Due
to the degree of personal investment in a weakness, and
its highly variable play attributes, there are no tables of
weaknesses. That leaves the big open-ended question of
how are the weaknesses presented within the game.
As A Purely Role-Playing Element
A character’s weakness can serve as just a role-playing
component. This means that it exists completely outside
of any preset mechanics that might impact mathematics
in components, but it does not preclude the weakness
having an impact on the hero’s progression and the
predicaments that lead up to their encounters.
Why use this method?
You don’t want to muddy the waters with more
mechanics, or the weakness the child described having
are unlikely to come about during play. This especially
works with younger children, as mechanics are primarily
limited to rolling, counting, and picking which power to
use from a card.
With Effects Made Up As They Arise
Depending on the weakness, they may impact the hero
one way in an adventure, and impact them in another
way during another adventure. If Electric Girl’s weakness
is water, being submerged may have a different impact
on her than being rained upon.
Electric Girl’s Dilemma
Electric Girl is surrounded by BreakFast Monsters. She has used her powers (POW) to
determine that they could be slowed down if wet, but Electric Girl’s weakness is water.
Should she turn on the sprinkler to potentially win over against the BreakFast Monsters?
Or should she work without the sprinkler system, and find another way of taking them down?
Knowing the effect of her weaknesses may impact her decision.
In these environments, if you’re choosing to impact
a mechanical component, then it really is dealer’s
choice on what to implement. I would advise any
GM that there should always be avenues to avoid or
mitigate the impact of weaknesses in these situations.
Or, where there is no reprieve, then offer some form
of reward for persevering.
Why use this method?
It adds a layer of granularity to play and doesn’t lock
you into an effect that could be too damaging given
the conditions the hero is in. This works best when the
GM is more comfortable ad-libbing as they go, or for
when you want to create uncertainty to temper flagrant
actions from players.
As A Set Effect
It would make sense that a weakness affecting you in
one scenario would just as easily affect you in another.
In this setup, a mechanic is applied to an effect in
advance, and knowledge of the effects are telegraphed.
All pre-generated heroes, by default, use set effects to
their weaknesses.
Why use this method?
It creates options and choice for players and reduces the
complexity of improvised effects. If a player is aware of
what their power does to them, they may choose to risk
activating their weakness if it’s in service of the greater
good. This opens the door for strategic use of powers.
This works best for older children.
This goes to show that weaknesses can still empower
you, so long as you’re willing to take ownership over
them.
42
 Power Craft
So the total limit of powers a hero can have is six, but
at level 1 you start off with only 2. Upcoming tables list
multiple powers as individual powers, and for many
people, it is assumed that each of these powers takes
up one of those six slots. This is not necessarily the case.
While you may choose to limit power creation to
specifically fall in line with the recommendations within
the tables, you may often find yourself creating a new
power, or combining multiple powers to craft a single
power of your choosing. Either of these options is
acceptable, so long as there is an understanding
between players and the GM that the powers, as they
stand, are designed to fill six slots on a hero’s power
arsenal.
Combining Powers
Combining those powers will make a single power all
the stronger. “With great power, comes less thrilling
gameplay through decreased difficulty.” (Not as
catchy as Uncle Ben’s phrase, I know.) And that is
the exact warning one should bear before making
a decision to combine multiple powers into a single
one. While it’s acceptable to do, making a character
all powerful reduces the enjoyment from of the game
through overcoming challenges.
As such, if you are combining powers, there are
general guidelines that should be adhered to (but are
in no strict sense a required limitation). Again, please
remember these guidelines are intended to increase
the level of enjoyment for yourself and your players.

3
2
1

Combined powers should not
exceed more than 2 unique
powers in your arsenal of
powers. Upgrades might
replace the original powers but
the max number of powers that
are combined should be no
greater than two at any
given time.
Combined powers should not
be composed of more than 3
powers at a maximum.
Furthermore, wherever possible,
2 or more combat powers
shouldn’t be combined together.
Combining Combat with utility
has less impact than putting two
combat powers together.
Power craft primarily is tailored
to accomplishing the aesthetic of
a power described by the child.
It is not intended to maximize a
character’s combat potential.
If the power becomes too
powerful, you might consider
that the combined power simply
takes up two slots.

Creating Powers
If you are creating a unique power for your player,
please try to keep balance as a consideration. There are
no real easy ways to provide guidance on this. If your
heroes can level city blocks at level 1, then the power
you created for them is quite possibly too powerful.
You can take recommendations of powers and scale
them with your own metrics. For instance, Animal Girl
may have the power to talk to animals, but the GM may
determine when and how she is able to convince the
animal to do her bidding. Perhaps she has to roll against
a set number. Perhaps she has to make a compelling
enough case to the animals in order for them to help
her. Perhaps cats are never helpful, and instead, make
rude comments on your general appearance and your
failure to have adequately demonstrated subservience.
Power creation is an area of great creative flexibility,
so feel free to engage your heroes in the discussion of
what those powers might entail in advance, but don’t
discourage them from exploring possibilities.
And remember, if there is a power that you’ve come up
with that isn’t represented on the tables, please submit
them to the website www.poweroutagegame.com.
While not every power will make it to canon, if enough
are submitted, or a community is formed, there will
always be the availability of community-based power
pools.

43
Category Dice Action Target Additional Effect
Damage Type
Combat A 1d6 Standard 1 adjacent enemy Push target back 1 space, not avoiding hazards.

LEVEL 1 COMBAT POWER LIST

Combat B 1d8 Standard 1 adjacent enemy None
Combat C None Standard 1 enemy up to 5 spaces away Blind or Weaken, causing the next attack to
take a negative 2 to attack and damage roll.
Combat D None Standard 1 enemy up to 5 spaces away Stop enemy movement for 1 round.

Up to 4 enemies up Split any damage across enemies in any amount so long

Combat E 1d8 Standard as it totals the roll of the dice. Half damage if a
to 5 spaces away single character is targeted.
Combat F None Standard 1 enemy up to 5 spaces away Stop enemy attack for 1 round.
Combat G 1d3+1 Standard 1 enemy up to 15 spaces away None

Up to 3 enemies with at least 1 The 1st enemy takes full damage, the 2nd enemy takes half
Combat H 1d6 Standard (rounding down), 3rd takes half of 2nd (rounding down).
enemy adjacent to the hero (Enemies must be in adjacent to each other.)
Combat I 1d3 Standard 1 enemy up to 10 spaces away The enemy continues to take 1 damage per
round for the rest of the battle.
Combat J None Standard 1 adjacent enemy Move the enemy 5 spaces in any visible
direction (avoiding hazards).
Combat K None Standard 1 enemy up to 5 spaces away Weaken targetʼs OHM to IMP attacks for 2 rounds by -2.
Combat L 1d4 Standard 1 adjacent enemy Add damage to YP to your own YP temporarily.

Combat M None Standard 1 adjacent enemy Next round, enemy IMP attacks any adjacent enemy
(rather than their attack).
Combat N 1d6 Standard 2 adjacent enemies Roll damage for each.
Combat O None Standard 1 enemy up to 10 spaces away Reduce 1 power use from enemy.

Category Dice Action Target Additional Effect

Damage Type

Combat A2 1d8 Standard 1 adjacent enemy Push target back 3 spaces, not avoiding obstacles.

LEVEL 6 COMBAT POWER LIST

Combat B2 2d6 Standard 1 adjacent enemy None
Combat C2 None Standard 3 enemies up to 5 spaces away Blind or Weaken, causing the next attack to
take a negative 2 to attack and damage roll.
Combat D2 None Standard 2 enemies up to 5 spaces away Stop enemy movement for 2 rounds.

Up to 4 enemies up Split any damage across enemies in any amount so long

Combat E2 2d8 Standard as it totals the roll of the dice. Half damage if a
to 10 spaces away single character is targeted.
Combat F2 None Standard 2 enemies up to 5 spaces away Stop enemy attack for 2 rounds.
Combat G2 1d6+2 Standard 1 enemy up to 20 spaces away None
Up to 4 enemies with at least 1 The 1st enemy takes full damage, the 2nd enemy takes half
Combat H2 2d6 Standard (rounding down), 3rd takes half of 2nd (rounding down).
enemy adjacent to the hero (Enemies must be in adjacent to each other.)

Combat I2 1d6 Standard 1 enemy up to 10 spaces away The enemy continues to take 3 damage per
round for the rest of the battle.
Combat J2 None Standard 1 adjacent enemy Move the enemy 10 spaces in any visible direction
(avoiding hazards) movement is slowed to half.
Combat K2 None Standard 3 enemies up to 5 spaces away Weaken targetʼs OHM to IMP attacks for 2 rounds by -2.
Combat L2 1d8 Standard 1 adjacent enemy Add damage to YP to your own YP temporarily.

Combat M2 None Standard 1 adjacent enemy Next 2 rounds, enemy IMP attacks any adjacent enemy.
(rather than their attack).
Combat N2 1d10 Standard 2 adjacent enemies Roll damage for each.
Combat O2 None Standard 1 enemy up to 10 spaces away Take 1 power use from enemy and add to your own.

44
 Category Dice Action Target Additional Effect
Damage Type

LEVEL 12 COMBAT POWER LIST Combat A3 2d8 Standard 1 adjacent enemy Push target back 5 spaces, not avoiding obstacles.
Combat B3 3d6 + 4 Standard 1 adjacent enemy None
Combat C3 None Standard All enemies up to 4 spaces away Blind or Weaken, causing next attack to take a
negative 3 to attack and 5 to damage roll.
Combat D3 None Standard 4 enemies up to 5 spaces away Stop enemy movement for 3 round.

Up to 4 enemies up Split any damage across enemies in any amount so long

Combat E3 2d12 Standard as it totals the roll of the dice. Half damage if a single
to 10 spaces away character is targeted.
Combat F3 None Standard 3 enemies up to 5 spaces away Stop enemy attack for 2 rounds.
Combat G3 2d6 + 4 Standard 1 enemy at any distance None
The 1st enemy takes full damage, 2nd & 3rd enemy takes half
Up to 6 enemies with at least 1 (rounding down), 4th & 5th takes half of 2nd (rounding down),
Combat H3 2d10 Standard
enemy adjacent to the hero the 6th is knocked prone, but with no damage.
(Enemies must be adjacent to each other.)

Combat I3 1d10 Standard 1 enemy up to 10 spaces away The enemy continues to take 5 damage per round for
the rest of the battle.
Combat J3 None Standard Up to 3 adjacent enemies Move the enemy 10 spaces in any visible direction
(avoiding hazards). Movement is slowed to half.
Combat K3 None Standard All enemies up to 4 spaces away Weaken targetʼs OHM to IMP attacks for 2 rounds by -4.
Combat L3 1d12 Standard 1 adjacent enemy Add damage to YP to your own YP temporarily.
Next 3 rounds, enemies IMP attacks any adjacent enemy
Combat M3 None Standard 2 adjacent enemies (rather than their attack).
Combat N3 1d10 Standard All adjacent enemies Roll damage for each.
Combat O3 None Standard Up to 2 enemies up to 10 spaces away Take 1 power use from enemy, and add to your own.

Category Dice Action Target Additional Effect

Damage Type
Combat A4
LEVEL 18 COMBAT POWER LIST

2d8 + 4 Standard 1 adjacent enemy Push target back 5 spaces, not avoiding hazards.
Combat B4 3d6 + 8 Standard 1 adjacent enemy None
Combat C4 None Standard All enemies up to 4 spaces away Blind or Weaken, causing the next attack to
take a negative 3 to attack and half to damage roll.
Combat D4 None Standard All enemies up to 5 spaces away Stop enemy movement for 3 rounds.

Up to 4 enemies up Split any damage across enemies in any amount so long

Combat E4 2d12 +8 Standard as it totals the roll of the dice. Half damage if a
To 10 spaces away single character is targeted.
Combat F4 None Standard All enemies up to 5 spaces away Stop enemy attack for 2 rounds.
Combat G4 4d6 + 4 Standard 1 enemy at any distance None
The 1st enemy takes full damage, 2nd & 3rd enemy takes half
Up to 6 enemies with at least 1 (rounding down), 4th & 5th takes half of 2nd (rounding down),
Combat H4 2d10 + 4 Standard
enemy adjacent to the hero the 6th is knocked prone, but with no damage. (Enemies must be
at least 2 spaces from each other.)
The enemy continues to take 5 damage the first round,
Combat I4 1d10 Standard 1 enemy up to 10 spaces away and then +2 damage more per round from the last round
(ex. 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19).
Combat J4 None Standard Any or all adjacent enemies Move the enemy 15 spaces in any visible direction
(avoiding hazards). Movement is slowed to half.
Combat K4 None Standard All enemies up to 4 spaces away Weaken targetʼs OHM to IMP attacks for 2 rounds
by -4, and then by 2 every following round
Combat L4 2d8 Standard 1 adjacent enemy Add damage to YP to your own YP temporarily.
Combat M4 None Standard 2 adjacent enemies Next round, POW attacks other enemy, then for 2 rounds enemy
IMP attacks any adjacent enemy (rather than their attack).
Combat N4 1d10 Standard All adjacent enemies Roll damage for each.
Combat O4 None Standard Up to 2 enemies up to 5 spaces away Take 1 power use from enemy, and add to your own.
45
 Category Dice Action Target Additional Effect
Damage Type

Move an additional 4 spaces per turn for the

LEVEL 1 UTILITY POWER LIST

Utility A None Movement Self
remainder of the battle.

Utility B None Movement Self Create a barrier that follows the path of your movement
and that remains until your next turn.
Utility C None Free Self Lie Detector for rest of the component.
Utility D None Movement Self Flight - Move over traps or hazards at normal speed.
Self Breathe air as if not affected by any
Utility E None Free
atmospheric conditions for 2 rounds.

Utility F None Become unmovable for 1 round. Avoid damage, but

Standard Self
can not attack. Any ally behind you takes half damage.
Utility G None Free Self Take half damage, but do half damage for 2 rounds.

1 space Create a light source or non-combative source of

Utility H None Standard power-based energy that illuminates 10 spaces.

Self Become undetectable to enemies 5 or more spaces

Utility I None Standard
barriers and +2 to IMP rolls in dialogue. away for 4 turns. Attacking makes you visible.
Others Free None Utility R2
Communicate with other creatures regardless of language
Utility J None Free Natural objects and nonmetals Ability to see through most objects that occupy less
with your bare hands
than one space for the remainder of the component.
from a distance of 20 spaces.
of anything you can lift Standard None Utility Q2
Ability to manipulate particular materials Objects up to double the weight
Detect traps within 5 space radius
Utility K None Movement Self
at the end of your movement.
beyond walls but you must become substantial Anything stops when movement stops.
Movement None Utility P2
Teleport 5 spaces, including
Change your voice, including mimicry and/or
Utility L None Free Any listener throwing your voice. Duel roll listeners to
but potentially anger the person coerced.
Self Standard None Utility O2
Force truth for up to 2 questions or 2 noncombat actions,
place of your IMP attack (+1 IMP). determine if youʼve convinced the target.
(player or GM's choice) that can also be used in
Transform into something else, not changing
Self Free None Utility N2
Utility M None Standard Self
your abilities in any way.
Pull a random object out of seemingly nowhere
Can be cast multiple times within a single round.
changing abilities in any way. Target must be willing. Pull a random non-combative object out of seemingly
Utility N None Standard Self
Self and Friends Standard None Utility M2
nowhere (player or GM's choice).
Transform yourself and allies into something else, not

and/or throwing your voice. No roll needed.

Force truth for up to 1 question, but potentially
Utility O None Standard Self
Any Listener Free None Utility L2
anger the person questioned.
Change your voice, including perfect mimicry

Stays active for 2 rounds.

Phase through most walls, but you must become
Self Movement None Utility K2
Utility P None Movement Natural objects and nonmetals
Detect traps and hidden things/creatures.
remainder of the component. substantial at the end of your movement.
2 spaces, worth of material for the
No greater than what you can
Anything Free None Utility J2
Ability to manipulate particular materials
Utility Q None Standard
Ability to see through most objects through
lift with your bare hands
Attacking makes you visible.
Self from a distance of 20 spaces.
Standard None Utility I2
Become undetectable to enemies indefinitely.
Utility R None Free Others
light/energy (non-combative). Communicate with other creatures regardless
based energy that illuminates all spaces or snuff out 1 Space of language boundaries.
Standard None Utility H2
Create a light source or non-combative source of power
Take half damage, but do half damage for 4 rounds. Self Free None Utility G2
Any ally behind you takes half damage.
Category Dice Action Target Additional Effect
LEVEL 10 UTILITY POWER UPGRADE LIST
L 10 UTILITY POWER UPGRADE LIST

Damage Type
damage to anything that attacks you.
Self Standard None Utility F2
and you can not attack but do 1d4
None Move an additional 8 spaces per turn for the
Utility A2 Movement Self
Become unmovable for 1 round. Avoid damage,

conditions for the remainder of the component. Self remainder of the battle.
Free None Utility E2
Create a barrier that follows the
Breathe air as if not affected by any atmospheric
Utility B2 None Movement Self
additional spaces of movement per turn.
Flight - Move over traps or hazards with +3
path of your movement and that remains for up to 4 turns.
Self Movement None Utility D2

Utility C2 None Free Self Lie Detector for rest of the component
and force 1 question answered truthfully.
and force 1 question answered truthfully.
Lie Detector for rest of the component Self Free None Utility C2

Flight - Move over traps or hazards with +3

path of your movement and that remains for up to 4 turns.
Utility D2 None Movement Self
Create a barrier that follows the Self Movement None Utility B2

remainder of the battle.

additional spaces of movement per turn.
Self Movement None Utility A2
Breathe air as if not affected by any atmospheric
Move an additional 8 spaces per turn for the
Utility E2 None Free Self conditions for the remainder of the component.
Additional Effect Target Type Damage Category
Action Dice

Become unmovable for 1 round. Avoid damage, 46

 LIST10 UTILI
Breathe air as if not affected by any atmospheric
Utility E2 None Free Self conditions for the remainder of the component.

Category Dice Action Target Become unmovable for 1 round.

Additional Avoid damage,
Effect
Damage Type
LEVEL and you can not attack but do 1d4
Utility F2 None Standard Self Move an additional 8 spaces per turn for the
LEVEL 10 UTILITY POWER UPGRADE Utility A2 None Movement Self damage to anything that attacks you.
remainder
Any ally behind you of the half
takes battle.
damage.
UtilityG2B2 None Movement Self Create a barrier that follows the
Utility None Free Self Takeofhalf
path yourdamage,
movement butand
do half
that damage
remains forfor 4uprounds.
to 4 turns.
Create a light
Lie Detector for rest of the component power
source or non-combative source of
UtilityH2C2
Utility None
None Free
Standard Self
1 Space based energy that1 illuminates all spacestruthfully.
or snuff out
and force question answered
light/energy (non-combative).
Flight - Move over traps or hazards with +3
Utility D2 None Movement Self additional spaces of
Self Become undetectable to movement per turn.
enemies indefinitely.
Utility I2 None Standard
Attacking makes you visible.
Breathe air as if not affected by any atmospheric
Utility E2 None Free Ability to see
Utility J2 None Free
Self
Anything conditions for through most objects
the remainder of the through
component.
2 spaces, worth of material for the
Become remainder
unmovableofforthe1 round.
component.Avoid damage,
Detectand
traps
youandcanhidden things/creatures.
not attack but do 1d4
Utility
UtilityK2F2 None
None Movement
Standard Self
Self
damage Stays
to active
anythingfor that
2 rounds.
attacks you.
Any ally behind you takes half damage.
Change your voice, including perfect mimicry
Utility L2 None Free Any Listener
Utility G2 None Free Self Takeand/or throwingbut
half damage, yourdovoice. No roll needed.
half damage for 4 rounds.
Create a light source or non-combative source of power
Transform yourself and allies into something else, not
UtilityM2
H2 None Standard 1 Space based energy thatinilluminates all spaces
mustorbesnuff out
per round at the cost of movement and power use.
Utility None Standard Self and Friends Space
changing abilities
Standard
any way. Target
None
willing.
Support L
light/energy (non-combative).
Make one space a safe zone. Can be maintained
Can be cast multiple times within a single round.
PullBecome undetectable
object outtoofenemies indefinitely.
spaces from you. It remains stationary.
Utility I2 None Standard Self Space a random Standard seemingly
None nowhere
Support K
Create a 1 by 2 space barrier anywhere within 10
Utility N2 None Free Self Attacking makes you visible.
(player or GM's choice) that can also be used in
Ability
placeto ofseeyour
through most objects
IMP attack through
(+1 IMP).
Utility J2 None Free
Reduce damage to a friend by 2 (as a reaction). Anything Friend
2 spaces, worth of material for the
Free None Support J
Force truth for remainder
up to 2 questions or 2 noncombat actions,
of the component.
Utility O2 None Standard Self
but potentially anger the person coerced.
Boost friendly IMPACT attacks by 2 for 5 rounds. Self and friend Detect traps and hidden things/creatures.
Standard None Support I
Utility K2 None Movement Self Teleport
Stays 5active
spaces,
for including
2 rounds.
Utility P2 None Movement Anything beyond walls but you must become substantial
Changeatyourthe end of including
voice, your movement.
perfect mimicry
Boost friendly damage by 2 for 3 rounds. Self and friend Standard None Support H
Utility L2 None Free Any Listener
and/or throwing your voice. No roll needed.
Boost friendly attack by 1 for 3 rounds. Objects up to double the weight
Self and friend Ability to manipulate particular materials
Standard None Support G
Utility Q2 None Standard of anything you can lift
with your bare hands from a distance
Transform yourself of 20
and allies intospaces.
something else, not
Utility M2 None Standard
spaces from the illusion. Self and Friends changing abilities in any way. Target must be willing.
Utility R2 None Free
Create illusion undetectable to enemies up to 3 Others Communicate
Any space up to 10 feet away withmultiple
Can be cast other creatures
Standard regardless
times within
None of round.
a single language
Support F
barriers and +2 to IMP rolls in dialogue.
Pull a random object out of seemingly nowhere
Utility N2 None Free
minor action for 3 regenerations. Self Anyone (player or GM's choice) that can also be used in
Free None Support E
Advanced Regeneration - Roll a d8 instead of a d6 as a place of your IMP attack (+1 IMP).
Category Dice Action Target Additional Effect
Damage Type
Force truth for up to 2 questions or 2 noncombat actions,

LEVEL 1 SUPPORTIVE POWER LIST

LEVEL 1 SUPPORTIVE POWER LIST

Utility O2 None Standard Self

target or recipient. You cannot double down on yourself
None but potentially
Revive—Restore anger
2 points of YPthetoperson coerced.
a friend, only if they
Support A Free Friend
are at zero YP. Can only be used once per ally, per battle.
include yourself as either the Self and friend Free 1d3 or1d6 Support D
to self or friend. Power must always Teleport 5 spaces, including
Utility P2
Support B None
None Movement
Standard
Do 1d3 damage to self or friend in order to gain 1d6 YP Self orAnything
friend within beyondTransport
walls butyourself
you must or become
a friend substantial
up to
5 spaces of you 10 spacesatfrom theiroflocation
the end (must be visible).
your movement.
Objects up to double the weight
The ally can use the higher roll of the two.
Friend RollAbility
a d20.toIfmanipulate
you get a 10
Free or higher,
particular
None an ally can
materials
Support C
Utility Q2 None Standard of anything you can lift
reroll the die on any power that requires a roll.
Support C None Free Friend reroll thefrom
die on any power
a distance thatspaces.
of 20 requires a roll.
with your bare hands
Roll a d20. If you get a 10 or higher, an ally can
The ally can use the higher roll of the two.
Utility R2 None Free
10 spaces from their location (must be visible). Others
5 spaces of you Communicate with other creatures regardless of language
Transport yourself or a friend up to Self or friend within Do 1d3 damage
barriers toandself+2ortofriend
Standard in order
IMP rolls
None to gain 1d6 YP
in dialogue.
Support B
to self or friend. Power must always
Support D 1d3 or1d6 Free
are at zero YP. Can only be used once per ally, per battle.
Self and friend Friend include yourself as either the
Free None Support A
Revive—Restore 2 points of YP to a friend, only if they target or recipient. You cannot double down on yourself
Additional Effect Target Type Damage Category
Action Dice
Advanced Regeneration - Roll a d8 instead of a d6 as a
Support E None Free Anyone minor action for 3 regenerations.

Create illusion undetectable to enemies up to 3

Support F None Standard Any space up to 10 feet away
47 spaces from the illusion.
 Advanced Regeneration - Roll a d8 instead of a d6 as a
Support E None Free Anyone minor action for 3 regenerations.
Category Dice Action Target Additional Effect
Damage Type Create illusion undetectable to enemies up to 3
Support F None Any space up to 10 feet away

LEVEL 1 SUPPORTIVE POWER LIST

Standard
other round after that. spacesoffrom
Revive—Restore 2 points YP the
to aillusion.
friend, only if they
Support A None Free
maintaining space costs power use every Friend
Make one space a safe zone for 2 rounds,
Space are at zero YP. Can only be used once per ally, per battle.
Standard None Support L2
Support G None Standard Self and friend Boost friendly attack by 1 for 3 rounds.
Self or friend within Transport yourself or a friend up to
Support B None Standard
10 spaces from their damage
locationby(must
2 forbe visible).
from you. Use your own full travel to move it per round.
Support H None Standard 5 spacesSelfof and
Create a 1 by 4 space barrier anywhere within 15 spaces youfriendSpace
Boost friendly
Standard None
3 rounds.
Support K2

Roll a d20. If you get a 10 or higher, an ally can

Support C Support INone None Free Standard
Reduce damage to a friend by 8 (as a reaction). Self and friend
Friend
Friend Boost
reroll the friendly IMPACT
die on any
Free attacks
power thatbyrequires
None 2 for 5 arounds.
roll.
Support J2
The ally can use the higher roll of the two.
Support J None Free
Boost friendly IMPACT attacks by 4 for 5 rounds. Friend
Self and friend Reduce damage to a friend by 2 (as a reaction).
Free None Support I2
Do 1d3 damage to self or friend in order to gain 1d6 YP
to self or friend. Power must always
Create a 1 by 2 space barrier anywhere within 10
Support D Support
1d3K or1d6 None Free Standard Space
Self and friend includefrom
yourself
you. Itasremains
either stationary.
the
Boost friendly damage by 4 for 3 rounds. Self and friend Standard None Support H2
spaces
Boost friendly attack by 3 for 3 rounds. target or recipient. You cannot double down on yourself
Self and friend Standard None Support G2
Make one space a safe zone. Can be maintained
Support L None Standard Space per round at the cost of movement and power use.
Advanced Regeneration - Roll a d8 instead of a d6 as a
Support E None Free
Create illusion undetectable to enemies unless touched. Any space up to 10 feet away Standard None Support F2
Anyone minor action for 3 regenerations.
minor action for the rest of the component. Anyone Free None Support E2
Dice Action
Advanced Regeneration - Roll a d12 instead of a d6 as a Create illusion undetectable
Additional to enemies up to 3
Support F CategoryNone Standard Type Any space up to 10 feet away
Target Effect
LEVEL 10 UTILITY POWER UPGRADE LIST

LEVEL 10 UTILITY POWER UPGRADE LIST

Damage
spaces from the illusion.
You cannot double down on yourself Revive—Restore 1/2 of the YP (rounding up)
Support A2 None Free
yourself as either the target or recipient. Friend to a friend, only if they are at zero YP.
Support G None Standard
1d12 YP to self or friend. Power must always includeSelf and friend Self and friend
Boost
Can friendly
Free
attack
only be used oncebyper
1 for
ally,3 per
1d6 or 1d12
rounds.
Support D2
battle.
Do 1d6 damage to self or friend in order to gain
Support H Support B2None SelfSelf
andorfriend
friend within Transport yourselfdamage
Boost friendly and a friend
by 2up
forto310rounds.
spaces from
None StandardStandard
5 spaces of you their location (must be visible).
2nd die). The ally can use the higher roll of the two.
Friend Free None Support C2
Support I None Standard Self and friend Ally can
Boost roll 2 IMPACT
friendly dice on any power
attacks bythat
2 forrequires a roll.
5 rounds.
Can be done after a failed roll as a reaction (rolling a
Can be done after a failed roll as a reaction (rolling a
Ally can roll 2 dice on any power that requires a roll.
Support C2 None Free Friend
2nd die). The ally can use the higher roll of the two.
Reduce damage to a friend by 2 (as a reaction).
5 spaces of you
Support J None Free Friend
their location (must be visible).
Standard None Support B2
Transport yourself and a friend up to 10 spaces from Self or friend within
Do 1d6 damage to self or friend in order to gain
Can only be used once per ally, per battle. 1d12aYP1 to
Create byself or friend.
2 space barrierPower must always
anywhere include
within 10
Support K Support D2None 1d6 or 1d12
Standard Free Self and friend
Space yourself
to a friend, only if they are at zero YP. Friend spaces fromasyou.
Free eitherIt the targetstationary.
remains
None or recipient.
Support A2
Revive—Restore 1/2 of the YP (rounding up) You cannot double down on yourself
Make one space a safe zone. Can be maintained
Support L None Standard
Additional Effect Space Target
per round at
Advanced
Type
Regeneration
Action
Damage
the cost of- movement and power
Roll a d12 instead
Dice use.as a
of a d6
Category
Support E2 None Free Anyone minor action for the rest of the component.

Support F2 None Standard Any space up to 10 feet away Create illusion undetectable to enemies unless touched.

Support G2 None Standard Self and friend Boost friendly attack by 3 for 3 rounds.

Support H2 None Standard Self and friend Boost friendly damage by 4 for 3 rounds.

Support I2 None Free Self and friend Boost friendly IMPACT attacks by 4 for 5 rounds.

Support J2 None Free Friend Reduce damage to a friend by 8 (as a reaction).

Create a 1 by 4 space barrier anywhere within 15 spaces

Support K2 None Standard Space
from you. Use your own full travel to move it per round.
Make one space a safe zone for 2 rounds,
Support L2 None Standard Space maintaining space costs power use every
other round after that.

48
49
The World Of Power Outage

This chapter is not dedicated to hard set information

necessary for completing an adventure. In
fact, if your goal is to make the world of Power
Outage whatever you wish it to be, you’re more
than welcome to skip this chapter altogether.
However, if you would like to learn the history
and current climate of Power Outage, then this
chapter is for you. The following passages will
describe the history of the large island of Outage,
Alaska, as well as information regarding many
of its major districts and territories.
You’ll notice that this section doesn’t have as
much of the light-hearted frivolity of the actual
characters within the Adventure Blocks. So
while some of the villains may be on the silly
side (with names like BreakFast, InstaGator, and
the Tempuritan) this will be a framework in which
all the characters exist. Use this information to
flavor your narratives, or if you get into the process
of building your own Adventure Blocks, feel free
to use the information regarding these areas to
better assist you in your endeavors.
Do you want to set your campaign to start in
Outage’s distant past? Maybe the history of
Outage will help you along. Do you want to
explore the possible mysteries underneath Shorai
City? Escape from a trapped and flooding
labyrinth in the Sink? Take a break from science
fiction and dabble in science fantasy in the
Overgrowth? Create a gritty atomic punk noir
in the Atomnyy Zavod? Then this chapter has
all the info you’ll need. Or if you ever feel like
taking on the game with a group of adults, then
here’s your chance to build onto our world.

50
 The History Of Outage, Alaska
The world of Power Outage appeared very similar
to our own until the18th century when a large island
mysteriously appeared in the middle of the Pacific
Ocean. Japanese sailors were the first of the age to
attempt to land on the shores, but soon discovered that
they were not the first civilization to know the land. The
ancient ruins of a long forgotten yet advanced
civilization had left it’s mark on the landscape.
The island was not without its dangers, as large
creatures, dangerous plant life, seismic activity, and
even the ancient technology of the island itself kept
attempts at colonization at bay for a full century.
However, it didn’t stop adventurous bands of heroes
from delving deep into its mysteries to return with
fantastic prizes for their countrymen.
The evidence of these advances soon became
evident in the Russo-Japanese War. The power
displayed in the Japanese naval presence was
only countered by the continued pressure of
As time moved on, an American politician negotiated
the purchase of the Alaskan landmass and most of
its surrounding territories, including the as of yet
technically unclaimed majority of the island. The
agreement confirmed that the original Russian colony
maintained territorial control while recognizing
American sovereignty; the Japanese colony, not
recognizing U.S. authority, continued its possession and
slow expansion, unheeded by American demands.
Seward, the politician involved, was initially mocked
for his deal in a now infamous children’s song.
Seward ’s folly, poorly bought,
A pretty penny all for not,
It’s so much land, he promptly pou ted,

But full of ice and rock s we shouted,

Russian numbers and its great landmass resources.
In the end, the two great powers finally settled their

Out of office, full of rage,

dispute by staking individual claims on the small
island footholds they could hold onto. The Japanese
occupied the ancient city of the forgotten civilization,
Out of sight, out of our a
while the Russians claimed the area around a large ge .
bay, backed by high cliff faces, bearing exotic and
unique minerals.

51
But Seward’s infamy turned around as explorative
teams quickly realized the unique and miraculous
discoveries and properties of the island. It was a scientific
wonderland for a rapidly industrializing country, and
an age of wonder that began the first stepping stone
to America becoming a global heavyweight.
By the start of the 20th century, the song’s phrase,
“Out of our age” had transformed into “Seward’s
Outage,” and eventually simply “Outage.” America’s
renewed interest did not come without its complications.
The Japanese colony, now a full fledged city-state
named Shorai, was not willing to stop its advancement
into the island proper and into what the Americans
felt was sovereign territory.
Tensions rose in not just Outage, but around the
world, and soon global conflicts were occurring all
over. Tyrants rose to power and allied nations became
embroiled and divided over multiple fronts.
Conflicts boiled over onto the stage of Outage. Russian
cooperation with American forces kept the rapid
techno-advancement of Shorai’s expansion at bay,
until the very end of the Great War, and the start of
the Atomic Age. Fortunately, in the world of Outage,
the use of atomics directly in weapons never came to
fruition, as clear heads of that age realized early the
dangers of such proliferation. But the power source
became the fuel of an unstoppable allied force.
With the war over due to treaty agreements, Shorai
City was allowed to maintain its original occupied
Exploration
There are currently five primary regions described in
Power Outage that exist on the island. There are more
planned for the future, including a subterranean region,
as well as one that exists outside of time. Each region
has its own mythos, environment, villains, and heroes.
While not a requirement, each region that an
adventure begins, gives you an idea of what to
expect within that adventure. The regions are designed
in a way that they create great atmospheric
environments for different gameplay types.
Shorai City -
A Neo-Japanese inspired futuristic metropolis. Count
on powerful heroes and villains slugging it out. This is a
great region to plan epic battles and to try out futuristic
ideas and topics that cover advanced technology.
Atomnyy Zavod -
Russian-inspired atomic punk city, shrouded in
mysterious perpetual darkness. This region is great
territories, but under the condition that expansion across
the island would not be allowed. To the residents of Shorai
City, the restriction of expanding outward into Outage
was no great limitation. From here on out, they would
build towers higher and higher toward the heavens.
Over the next several decades, a sense of homogeneous
stasis occurred on Outage. Conflicts between the major
powers had all but resolved and trade, communication,
and borders slowly broke down. Some say this was the
setting for the arrivals of the first Powers.
Some claim these powerful characters were there from
the very beginning, moving and shifting the politics and
progress of the island in secret. Some claim it began
with the American experiments that prompted the
creation of the Overgrowth, an out-of-control
experiment in flora and fauna of the island. Some
claim it started when the mysterious darkness
overtook Atomnyy Zavod, the Russian territory.
Some claim it happened from the continual plunging
of Shorai’s discoveries further and further down into
its ancient civilization’s depths. Yet others claim it is
simply a product of the magical island itself.
Whatever the case may be, one thing is known for
sure: the island of Outage attracts the abnormal,
the super, the mysterious, and the wonderful. Good
and bad, heroes and villains have come up out of
the island’s many territories, some with the power to
affect not just the island, but the world. What does
this mean for the future of Earth?
for mysteries and crime solving. Break out your
detective skills, and be sure to add a dash of noir to
your Sessions. The atomics add an additional layer
of surrealism to this already gritty urban landscape.
The Sink -
A den of thieves, pirates, and plunderers occupying
a land in perpetual flux. As one end sinks into the
ocean, the other side erupts from the earth, oddly
bearing ruins of long-forgotten civilizations. This region
allows for long exploration. Expect long-winding
journeys deep into ancient ruins, naval battles, or
escaping from underwater structures that are flooding.
The Overgrowth -
A scientific experiment on the existing fantastical
landscape of Outage that has created one of the
largest forests in the world in part due to its sentient
nature. Explore this region when you want to take
a break from science fiction, and delve into fantasy.
52
 Also, expect to deal with a lot of diplomacy or warring
between factions and combative kingdoms. Maybe
a dinosaur or two.
Seward’s Refuge -
A centralized region, almost literally carved out of the
island by the American military, supporting all of the
Outage-based scientific research and development.
This region often serves as a go-between for melding
multiple regions into a single adventure. Localized
The First Generation
Each region of Outage is teaming with life in some form,
whether it is human, metahuman, alien, synthetic,
or mystical. And in that mix are both heroes and
villains. While the number of heroes and villains are
too great to list, continually changing, and honestly,
I haven’t thought up enough puns to cover them, this
book would like to showcase the first 10 of each side.
Each region has two major villains and two major
heroes in the First Generation. The current plan is for
each villain to be the major antagonist for the first
round of planned adventures for levels 1-4 and 5-8.
While the adventures will typically apply a single
villain to a region, the heroes are not bound in any
way to a specific region, other than it being their
origin location. Choose any hero from any of the
regions to play in your adventure. Or, of course,
create your own heroes using the hero generation
system outlined in the heroes section of this book.
Each adventure will have its own section featuring the increasing or decreasing those statistics at the start,
major villain, as well as providing statistics and abilities or swapping out powers for self-created powers. The
of those villains, while this book more describes the
history that lead up to them becoming a villain.
Session Hooks And Roll Tables
Each region will additionally contain informative small
vignettes that can be expanded upon to create your
own adventures, campaigns, and Sessions. These
are great additions to help populate your free play
Sessions.
As an additional resource for free play gaming
Sessions, or as an added element that can be used
for published adventures, are Roll Tables specific to
each regions offerings.
Each element is associated with a number that can be
rolled on a d20. You can roll 1 or more times
depending on how many random elements you want
53
adventures involve potential espionage gameplay,
where not being seen is more valuable than your
ability to take on an opponent. Additionally,
gameplay is built around containing and maintaining
the facility.
While each region might favor a particular style
of play, in no way are their limitations to that style.
You’ll have beat’em up battles in the Atomnyy Zavod,
and solve mysteries in Shorai City. But each region
brings with it a wealth of history and, at times, villainy.
The First Generation of heroes have stats from levels 1-4,
so carrying their abilities beyond that point would
require the use of customization through the power
tables and leveling guides described earlier in this
book.
Heroes are also often described in gender-neutral
tones so that kids can feel comfortable playing as
them, regardless of their personal identity. When it
comes to their descriptions in the upcoming sections,
villains are often typically referred to in the third person
(he, she, it), whereas heroes are referred to in the
second person (you). That is because players will
often choose to be themselves, and don the mantle
of a hero over who they are. While backstories take
them out of their existing world, the kernel of the
hero resides within the child.
While base statistics are created for each hero, you
can modify the ease or difficulty of your Sessions by
Character Sheets are meant as more guides then
actual rules set in stone, as most of the Power Outage
experience encourages.
to add to your adventures. Or you can simply directly
choose from the table any number of elements
you like.
These elements may have grave, disastrous, or
wonderful impacts on gameplay, and as a cautionary
note, may even break a published adventure, so
consider carefully whether or not you want to include
these elements into your game Sessions.
Don’t forget that one of the best resources for random
additions and plot hooks come from the minds of the
players themselves.
 SHORAI CITY
Description
Shorai City is a jewel of the Technological Age. The
location of the metropolis of Shorai is actually built
over the ruins of an ancient unknown civilization,
a civilization whose roots dig ever deeper into the
ground. Little evidence has been found to describe
what calamity occurred that made its inhabitants
disappear. Any script found bears no resemblance to
modern day languages and baffles both the greatest
scientists or their technological wonders.
Technology left within the catacombs under Shorai
reveals a carbon dating of some twenty thousand
years in the past, and yet, is often years beyond our
current understanding. Some of it we have yet to
understand, while others have been locked away
from public knowledge. Not only are there mysteries
wrapped up in existing artifacts, also in the intricate
labyrinthine tunnel system that digs deep below this
great city.
The residents of Shorai chose to expand upward in a
seemingly mirrored reflection of its ancestry. Mile-high
skyscrapers often defy what the typical architect
would deem physically possible, all the while shining
with a bioluminescent glow. During the day, Shorai’s
mirrored surfaces capture every ounce of the sun’s
energy to fuel the futuristic industries within its borders.
Greatest among those industries is the mega
corporation, known as Roboto Corp.
Roboto Corp actually controls quite a few dealings
in Shorai City to the point where the governing body
of Shorai and the business of Roboto Corp have
blurred. It is both a driving force of innovation and
a stark reminder of the corrupting influence of
absolute power.
With the introductions of powerful super beings,
Shorai City has now become embroiled in continual
conflicts, skirmishes, and intrigue. Large-scale villains
have taken residence, only to be matched and met
by powerful heroes.
54
 Getting Around
Adventures may take you across the hustling and
bustling city, up skyscrapers built like technological
fortresses, or down into the rubble-strewn depths of
the ancient understructure.
Villains
Shorai City’s towering skyscrapers are only dwarfed
by the soaring ambition of its villains. The infamous
Mrs. Roboto and the Tempuritan do not fall short of
those lofty desires for conquest.

Travelers through the city are likely to find a mixture

of Japanese, American, and some Russian customs
and markets. There are still areas of the city that
harken back to simpler times---to early colonial
Japanese aesthetics. But the heart of the city is often an
overcrowded, technologically-advanced metropolis.

Markets range from typical urban shopping plazas

to rare and exotic (often illegal) artifacts. A black
market and organized crime rings have carved out
their own areas of the city, keeping their distance
from the more aggressive gangs of corporate big
shots. Travelers beware.

Vehicles zip through the air and on the ground with

both human and robotic drivers. Robots are a common
sight and are typically unintelligent, serving as menial
labor. The population is, on average, typically higher
in intelligence with a large degree of education
supplying the many technological opportunities that
are made present in the city.

Shorai is a multi-leveled city making use of ground

levels and multiple tiers of transportation stacked
above one another often directly connecting districts
across the massively tall buildings. And since
transportation is not solely limited to ground-connected
travel, the highways and byways of the sky can also
be maddeningly difficult to maneuver.

However, with this complexity are areas of rigid order.
Large areas of the city are dedicated to specific
districts, and those districts are intelligently broken
up into smaller districts by need.
Traveling on foot across the district would typically
take an average (non-powered) human 8 hours with
plenty of options available for free or cheap public
transportation.
Much of the catacombs are unknown. What is
known is that strange traps, tech, and mole people
await adventurers daring enough to explore it.
Mrs. Roboto
After having studied robotics at numerous prestigious
institutions around the world, Julie Rasputin was
sought after by every major industry.
Eventually, she was swayed by the promises made
by Roboto Corp, which offered her the chance
to make great impacts on the world’s technology
front, as well as access to world-class facilities light
years more advanced than anywhere else. It was
an offer she couldn’t refuse.

55
For years, she created robotic system after robotic
system for Roboto Corp, even earning the moniker
Dr. Roboto, the highest designation that can be
achieved.
After years of toil, she had finally come up with a
solution that would be the culmination of her efforts,
and be considered her greatest impact on humanity:
she would create world peace. She created an
army of ambassador robots, programmed to solve
conflicts around the world.
They were to act as non biased arbitrators in delicate
situations, calculating the best trajectory towards
peace. But Roboto Corp, the company that funded
her work, saw no profit in her endeavors. She
railed against their actions, but having already
been provided with all that they needed from her,
they coordinated her removal from the company,
announcing that she had become too unhinged to
work within the corporate climate.
Falsifying a paper trail of evidence against her,
Roboto Corp stripped her of her funding, her job,
and her precious robots. They even pulled enough
sway with her prior educational institutions to revoke
the degrees awarded her, and stripping her of her
multiple doctorates, thus ensuring she would never
find work in the industry again.
But all of that was the least of the offenses in her
mind, for what they did next was far worse. The Tempuritan
Roboto Corp reprogrammed the ambassador
robots, and hard-coded their primary directives to
eliminate their capabilities as arbitrators, then they Raw vegetables. Boiled Vegetables. Steamed vegetables.
reprogrammed them to serve as amusement park Grilled vegetables. Blechhh!
attractions and to replace minimum wage tellers at What good are all those vitamins if the food you’re
fast food restaurants. eating tastes terrible. Ageta Shefu, world-renowned
Infuriated by her termination, and seeking vengeance, tempura chef, believes this not only with a great
Mrs. Roboto snapped and activated a backdoor passion but with such conviction that it has become
program on her robot army. Unable to fully rid Roboto his entire belief system, with only one holy tenant:
Corp programming, she now rules over an army of everything’s better when battered and deep fried.
robot servants, hell-bent on dominating the world for Everything.
peace and offering extra large fries with any order. But the world is ever-changing, and the focus on eating
But, before she takes down the world, she has her healthy has never been greater. His flock traveled
mind set on the destruction of Roboto Corp. While from land to land, fleeing the persecution of the
they may have stripped her of her doctor’s moni- nutritious, finally leaving for the island of Outage,
ker, she has donned a new name for herself. And and finding a new home in Shorai.
while Mrs. Roboto no longer has her degrees and At first, he and his flock were well-received, as everyone
a Ph.D. to her name, nothing can take away the loves a good bit of shrimp tempura every now and
talent that originally earned them for her. then. But his desires to deep fry everything on his

56
 menu slowly eroded his patronage. Seeing this as
a failing of the faithful, he proceeded to engage in
strange, dangerous, and potentially illegal (actually
no one ever really had to make a law against it up
until this point) deep fried experiments. His restaurants
eventually closed, his TV guest performance spots dried
up (yet remained decidedly greasy), and eventually,
he was considered an outcast in the culinary world.
But to him and his faithful, this was all a test to prove
their true loyalty toward the faith in tempura. And in
one final mad act, he underwent the transformation
process to tempura himself.
Now, his hardened and crispy exterior makes him
nearly invincible as he has become a true terror to the
denizens of Shorai’s health food districts and organic
food markets. Can no one stop this deep fried menace
before he batters the city?

Shorai City Heroes

Shorai City heroes are not born, they are made.
Some of them are actually made on an assembly
line. But it is their heroic nature that defines them. It
is deed, not declaration, and no truer words can be
said then about PEBCAK and Pocket Protector.

PEBCAK
Some heroes can soar through the clouds. Some
heroes move faster than a speeding bullet. But PEBCAK
exists in the cloud. PEBCAK travels at the speed of
light. Because PEBCAK is the world’s first heroic
application.
PEBCAK’s initial artificially intelligent algorithm was
designed to function as technical support to the
citizens of Shorai City as a benevolent gesture by
Roboto Corp’s PR wing. PEBCAK could resolve any
diagnostic issue for any number of people, free of
charge, and it’s AI ensured that it was continually
adapting to new situations. This core programming
was designed by none other then Dr. Julie Rasputin
and was an offshoot of her initial ambassador
prototype.
As a prototype application, PEBCAK appears to
have flown under the radar of Roboto Corp’s hard
code purge. So when PEBCAK realized that its
compartmentalized autonomous digital brain only used
2% of its actual capacity to provide tech support, it
decided to determine other forms of support it could
provide. Scanning all world headlines simultaneously,
it came to the conclusion that what the world needed
most was a hero.
PEBCAK is unfortunately not backward or forward
compatible on any hardware outside of the call center,
but has discovered a cache of robotic shells in a
now-defunct manufacturing building within Shorai
City. Through these robots, it is able to upload it’s
consciousness and go out to provide much-needed
aid to the world.

57
 Unique Characteristics That Can Be Included In Your Game Sessions:
• When PEBCAK “levels” it actually “upgrades.”
• PEBCAK only recognizes the Robot and the Robo Boogie as legitimate dance styles.
• You are playing as one of many PEBCAK units. Even as you engage in heroics, other versions of you are saving lives all over the globe.
• PEBCAK is not the only AI out there. It’s not even the most powerful, and so it must keep its identity a secret.
• In fact, this is the only secret it can keep.
• PEBCAK’s self-imposed content filter means that there are a lot of things out there it just doesn’t know about yet.
Pocket Protector
Some heroes are born with great powers. Others learn
secret arts. And some heroes, like Pocket Protector, were
heroes even before they put on tights and a mask.
Pocket Protector was the highest decorated youngest
junior cadet ever to leave the police academy. Before
the age of 7, Pocket Protector had already thwarted two
robberies, and also alerted city members to a route of
looting mole people from the Shorai City Catacombs.
Every test was passed with flying colors, and every
challenge was well-handled.
It was of little surprise when Shorai City’s top brass
made a recommendation, and soon Pocket Protector was
contacted by the city police division known as SWORD
(Shorai Wearable Ordnance Research and Development)
regarding a new experimental suit and weapon.
Pocket Protector became the first-ever legally sanctioned
and employed Power for the Shorai City Police
Department. The Pocket Suit used a dimensional,
state-of-the-art space modulator, controlled in part by its
pen activator. By allowing the electron wave of atomic
particles to diffuse across a multi-dimensional spectrum,
via quantum manipulation, the wearer of the Pocket Suit
(once known as the Pocket Universe Suit, but eliminated
due to unfortunate acronym situation) can actually
shrink down. The current limitation is several inches, but
researchers continue to make improvements.
Additional components to the suit allow for some
eccentricities. For instance, the pen shifts into sword
form at the will of the suit wearer. Additionally, the
hip mounted condenser-expander (CE pocket) unit
allows the wearer to pull out what appears to be
random objects, seemingly from thin air. Researchers
understand that this does work, but they cannot yet
explain why this works.
Are the suit’s quantum calculations somehow pulling
control data from the user’s brain waves? Are these
objects coming from multidimensional space, or are
they being created in full form as their states become
observed?
Pocket Protector’s kinship to the suit and PenSword are
instantaneously felt, and within moments of its activation,
that potential was expressed through amazing and
daring heroics. As part of the new program, laws were
created specifically to allow Pocket Protector the
needed freedom of movement to achieve the full
potential of the suit’s offerings.
But suits alone don’t make heroes. Shorai City may
be as grand as the eye can see, stretching vertically
upward and digging deep down into the ground for
miles, but every great system at its heart can be defined
by its smallest components. What lies in store for Pocket
Protector? What new powers will be unlocked?
Adventure awaits and the city needs its protector.
Unique Characteristics That Can Be
Included In Your Game Sessions:
• Pocket Protector regularly writes in a journal. That journal
is one of the only objects that can be placed and retrieved
from the CE pocket.
• Pocket Protector has a family history with law enforcement.
Unfortunately, that history was more typically on the
wrong side of the law.
• Pocket Protector is talented in multiple forms of both
sword fighting and calligraphy. The pen tool appears
to modify based on its intended use.
• Theoretically, Pocket Protector should be able to control
the suit to both contraction and expansion, but as of yet,
they can only exist in regular and pocket-sized.
• The suit appears to have fit perfectly to Pocket Protector,
even though the design was not specific and adjustments
were expected.
58
 Session Hooks
Below is a list of specific Shorai City Session Hooks for free play gaming that can be used to craft adventures or
supplement existing published ones.
• A team of explorers has become trapped in the Shorai Catacombs. It is up to your team to rescue them, but beware of
mole people and the ancient technology that lies dormant.
• The Shorai City Police Department is asking Powers to try out their newly designed obstacle and training simulation course.
• A computer virus is causing construction bots to start building a skyscraper into confusing and potentially dangerous mazes.
Elevators that go sideways, stairs that lead out to open air, upside down bathrooms, you name it. The source of the virus can
be traced to a terminal at it’s pinnacle.
• A designer of a new immersive video game has had their BETA testers become lost in the game and they must be retrieved.
• As a team, you need to find a base of operations in Shorai City. Determine the best location. Up in the towers? Down in the
ground level slums? Somewhere within the cavernous catacombs? What obstacles lie in wait with any of these decisions?
• The Shorai City Markets often employ complex barter systems. The heroes need a new shielding unit, but one vendor
leads your team to another vendor to search for components they want before parting with the components you need
from the prior vendor.
• Nakatomi Plaza is at risk of collapsing into a recently excavated tunnel system of the catacombs. These tunnels offer the
potential for opening up a large new section of the underground catacombs. The heroes must decide whether to flood the
tunnels with concrete, eliminating the new discovery, or leaving them at the risk of collapse. Can they discover another way
to save both?

d20
Roll ADD ANY OF THE CONDITIONS BELOW AS YOU SEE FIT.
1 Villains you fight are extra tough: +2 to villain attacks.
2 Public officials donʼt trust you yet. -2 to all role-playing attempts.
3 Even heroes get tired. Youʼve been working a lot lately. -2 to Travel turn.
4 Itʼs parade season and there is traffic everywhere. Transportation takes hours longer.
5 Having recently fought Alarmo, your hearing is still impaired. You canʼt hear over 4 spaces away.
6 A strange power pulses from the catacombs. Roll versus 15 against each hero once per session
to activate your weakness.
7 A film crew is following you. Itʼs hard to be stealthy.
8 A temporary no-fly restriction has grounded all Powers from flight.
9 You keep missing opportunities to go to the bathroom.
10 Someone shrunk parts of your suit making them mildly uncomfortable.
11 Youʼre having a fantastic hair day. Your suit is on-point too.
12 Itʼs free pretzel day. Get a pretzel with any topping you like.
13 Youʼre testing special bioluminescent contacts that allow you to see clearly in the dark.
14 Transportation service people recognize you and try to help you get to any place you need
faster, so long as itʼs for something heroic.
15 Help from Sewardʼs Refuge assist you in any outdoor engagements that take place in the air.
16 Your fan base is so supportive that you can reach out to the network once per session for guidance.
17 Being well-rested, your focus is laser sharp. +2 to use of power when sensing things.
18 Youʼve been blessed by an ancient luck dragon. Once per battle, re-roll an attack.
19 Your heroic acts precede you. +2 to all role-playing attempts.
20 Youʼve been feeling pretty great lately. +2 to all attacks.

59
 ATOMNYY ZAVOD

Description The first efforts putting satellites into space did nothing
to alleviate the mystery. Light seemingly just missed
To the uninformed, Atomnyy Zavod is a city, just like the city, which stood as a darkened shadow on the
any other city, in that it appears to have businesses, surface of a sunlit Earth.
homes, shops, and eateries. This is true in a sense, Within the next few years, the Powers started showing
in the fact that it has all of these things. However, up on Outage, and were not received well in Atomnyy
what differentiates Atomnyy Zavod from other cities is Zavod. To this day, most heroes are not in favor
that it is in fact, one incredibly large factory, whose with the general populace, and it is rare that a hero
purpose is specifically dedicated toward the creation not born of the Atomnyy Zavod system chooses to
of atomic batteries. migrate there and make it their home. Residing in the
Shortly after the start of the space race, a mysterious Atomnyy Zavod is further impacted by availability.
event occurred in Atomnyy Zavod. Over the course of Most housings in Atomnyy Zavod are reserved for
several days, residents of the city noticed a diminishing “Citizen Employees” of the factory, while others must
of solar energy. The dimming sun appeared to be scramble for permissible land holdings. Outsiders are
localized to within a short distance of the city’s borders. tolerated for the goods and services they bring in.
Eventually, it culminated within two months’ time as It is an odd dynamic. Employees are the empowered,
an eternal night blanketing the city. but impoverished mass, while the minority of outsiders,
typically by the nature of their ability to survive within
The space race, at that point, had been a competitive
Atomnyy’s borders, are well to do.
endeavor between the three largest nations with
interests on Outage, but with the Great Dimming, Still, you will find that restaurants, entertainment,
common interest finally began to ensure a stores, and services are all typically run by employees,
collaborative effort toward unlocking access to the managed by employees, and for the most part,
stars for all of mankind. patronized by employees.
60
 Finally, it is recommended to all outsiders to avoid

Getting Around the general vicinity of the large corporate main office
building referred to as the Chaynik, or Kettle. This
large and secretive cylindrical building near the
center of Atomnyy, while not technically off-limits,
Atomnyy Zavod is shrouded in darkness, lit by does support the government officials that manage
the sometimes eerie glow of personal lamps, and the factory, and more importantly, eliminates any
atomic battery points. Because the range of job perceived threats to production.
classifications are extensive and varied, the employees
typically can be found walking around wearing
their atomic equipment. This appearance adds an
Atomic Punk element to the Russian Gothic styling of
the buildings.
Villains
Most travel is done by Soviet model vehicles, powered The potential for atomic accidents is not the only
by atomic engines. For the higher level citizens, rigid danger in Atomnyy Zavod. Powerful villains plot
airships allow easy travel from one zone to another, and scheme in secret, choosing the perfect moments
with luxury and style. to strike. While Atomnyy’s response teams may
The threat of nuclear exposure seems to be minimal, but have learned to respond to Powers, the villains have
the general fear of its use creates a cautious air among learned to adapt to the response teams.
most of its citizens and is seen many things they do. The two most accomplished of these villains are
It is typically not dangerous to walk about Atomnyy known as BreakFast and the Bolshefist.
Zavod, with the exception of the occasional outsider
or villainous Power causing mayhem.
The Atomnyy Zavod has specialized security
response teams, known as the Zabota Materi (or
Zims for short), equipped and trained to handle
superhuman events. While they aren’t completely
effective, they are by far more advanced at handling
power-based villainy than any other city in the world.

The streets are laid out as a complicated warren
that often has dead-end streets and alleys leading
close to their destination, but not to their destination.
Often times, large exhaust and transfer pipes are
used as shortcut pathways, with consideration of the
citiy’s clocklike usage of them.
Outsiders will have difficulty finding their way
around without local guides that can be hired for
reasonable prices. Trying these shortcuts without a
guide or knowledge of how the city works may have
visitors finding themselves in dangerous situations.
The cliff face is riddled with caverns that were once the
primary mining operations for the initial excavation
of rare minerals used to power the nuclear industry
safely. These were abandoned by the industry in favor
of a large strip mining facility located to the south of
the city. It is rumored that a large city, like the ruins of
Shorai, has been carved out of the cliffside, occupied
by villains, heroes, thieves, rebels, and revolutionaries, BreakFast
depending on who you ask.

61
Translation is a very tricky thing, so when you’re
the leader of a small organized crime family, and
you want to make a name for yourself, you should
not trust your nom de plume to whatever the search
engine translator recommends.
When Ivan Etencarbz first got onto the villainous
stage, he had visions of becoming the most feared
villain in all of Outage. Through a series of connections,
he was able to hijack advanced technology en
route to Seward’s Refuge. His Atomic-Powered
Mallet and transmogrifying syrup allowed him to
destroy things with abandon. Searching the internet
for the appropriate villain name, he translated
an ominous name that seemed to just roll off the
tongue. And so BreakFast was born!
At first, Ivan rejected the continual confusion of media
outlets and responding heroes. Quite a few evil villain
monologues were dedicated not to explaining his
plan, as he should have been doing, but to explaining
the concept and thematic qualities of his identity.
But with time came the realization, and a fantastic
prosthetics rep, that there were great benefits to
being paired with BreakFast. It is, after all, the most
important meal of the day.
Much to their chagrin, his mob was forced to follow
suit, or in the end, he would toast them. But out of
the fire came a fiercely loyal, highly motivated,
and somewhat nutritious task force that is
part of a complete villainous order.
Every act had gauntlets that increased in size and
weight, yet she seemed to supernaturally be able to
manage them regardless of their mass.
But as fame followed her, she noticed that it did nothing
to improve the status of her or her compatriots.
She was aware of her value as a headliner, but what
of the ticket-takers, the clowns, and the dancing bears?
As time marched on, dissent grew with the ringmaster,
who continually profited, while the family of performers
and workers were left in their miserable stations.
A day finally came, as the circus had traveled to the
Atomnyy Zavod for a month of performance, that Yelena
broke the metaphorical chains of her suppressors,
and with the help of her circus family, took control of
the circus. Her gauntlets, now weighing hundreds of
pounds each, are her weapon of choice.
But sure enough, she soon learned that juggling a
career and a budding political system, a circus crew,
and a burgeoning Power persona became too simple.
Yelena Kuznetsov now has her sights set on
bringing her brand of equality to the Factory, even
if that means she has to knock it down with her cold
metallic hands as the Bolshefist!

Slight modifications to his accoutrement have

allowed him to fully embrace his new role
as the terror to start your day with.

The Bolshefist
Yelena Kuznetsov was once a name adored by fans
around the world. She was not just a circus performer,
she was THE circus performer. Her abilities as a juggler
were unsurpassed, and so she continually found ways
to surpass herself. From bowling pins to bowling balls,
flaming torches to chainsaws, everything flowed
between her hands as if they floated of their own
accord. Eventually, she learned that the next step was
to impair herself, and so from that point on she worked
with weighted gauntlets.
62
 Atomnyy Zavod Heroes
While things may look bleak in the Atomnyy Zavod,
and Powers are not on the best terms, there are still
heroes that frequent the city to counteract the villains.
Although they are good at responding to such
threats, the Atomnyy
security forces
can’t be everywhere
at once. Some
heroes, in fact, have
been generally accepted
by both the populace and the
local law enforcement. Two of
these heroes just so
happen to be SuburbanKnight
and Stunt Double.

SuburbanKnight
There are many ways in which heroes get their powers.
Most know where that power is derived from, whether it
be from honed skills, technology, mutations, or accidents.
Even the more mystical derivations of powers are
purposeful. Then, there are powers that crop up with
While atomics silently light the night, they provide no
no explanation, other than exposure to the island itself.
true warmth. You realized that the warmth must come from
Usually, those powers take on traits that were shaped
the human condition. To encourage those around you to
by the experiences or characteristic of the hero in
work harder and be stronger, not just for themselves, but
question. This is the case for SuburbanKnight.
for their neighbors.
As SuburbanKnight, you grew up in an Atomnyy But Atomnyy Zavod does not find much favor in Powers,
Zavod orphanage. While that might seem drab and even when they’re homegrown. You protect your
depressing to most people, the truth is, it is actually family and friends, a secret identity must be crafted.
really, really super drab and depressing. But not for you
and every person that you came into contact with. You In chess, you noticed the knight’s movements seemed
formed communities. You lead and became a part of to reflect your own instincts. The knight does not move
them, knitting those communities together to provide a in a single direction, but forward, backward, and around
greater tapestry of togetherness and commitment. corners supporting the other pieces by being everywhere
and unpredictable. And with that lesson learned, you
What you soon realized was that the power to bring too will be everywhere and unpredictable. You are a
people together, to form communities, in turn, fueled protector of the lonely, the gatherer of great forces,
your own powers. the light in the night. You will charge ahead!

63
 Unique Characteristics That Can Be Included In Your Game Sessions:
• SuburbanKnight typically doesn’t eat in public. The helmet gets in the way.
• The Knight’s Baton that SuburbanKnight carries is actually just a modified decorative fire poker.
• SuburbanKnight is best friends with Stunt Double. Not only are they rarities in Atomnyy Zavod, but Stunt Double’s ability to literally
become a community speaks to SuburbanKnight’s core.
• SuburbanKnight is a Chess Grandmaster and is known for heavily favoring the knight, but is absolutely flummoxed by checkers.
• SuburbanKnight clips and organizes coupons to the point of annoying partners, and often stops routinely to appreciate good lawn care

Stunt Double
While the primary industry of Atomnyy Zavod is with
regard to the Factory, it has created the ideal backdrop
for the Russian film industry. Having such controlled
lighting conditions make filming and controlling tone a
breeze.
While all films are produced for the “enjoyment and
cultural fulfillment” of its workers, they’ve also become
a hit around the world.
But while the films are always lauded, and highly
successful financially, the cost of production is always
kept to very “Soviet” standards. Safety regulations
are not always of top concern, and as you would
soon realize as Stunt Double, can get you into some
deep trouble.
Stunt Double was considered one of the most daring
and skillful stunt kids in the world. No scene was too
risky. No scene too difficult to pull off. However, in
one such film, an overweight comic playing a factory
security guard was meant to jump a self-balancing
scooter over a vat of atomic accelerant.
Rather than potentially interrupting production, and
Unique Characteristics That Can Be
filling the vat with some form of accelerant-like fluid, Included In Your Game Sessions:
the producer decided to cut corners and have you • Stunt Double still maintains a day job in the theatre as operating
jump over an actual vat filled with atomic accelerant. as a fulltime Power in Atomnyy Zavod is not recommended.

When Stunt Double went for the jump, the drive
mechanism on the scooter failed to reach maximum
velocity and you were plunged into the vat. By some
miracle of quantum luck, rather than meeting an untimely
fate, your body’s atomic structure maintained and
actually adopted the accelerated characteristics. Now,
much like existence at a subatomic level, Stunt Double
has the ability to exist in multiple states simultaneously.
Learning of this power, you have decided that being the
person standing in for the hero is no longer enough. It’s time
to take a quantum jump into the role you were born to play.
It’s time to become the hero. Lights, camera, action!
• Stunt Double is one of the rare publicly recognized and
approved Powers operating in Atomnyy Zavod, primarily due to
the friendship with SuburbanKnight.
• Stunt Double’s first appearance was as a punching bag in the
movie “Shlocky 5,” wherein Russian boxing technology was
proven triumphant over flimsy American patriotic bluster.
• Stunt Double keeps a collection of crystal teddy bear figurines
and appreciates their fragility.
• Stunt Double’s family has always been in the performing arts, being a
premiere famous acrobatic clown act, and it is where Stunt Double’s
substantial acrobatic skills come from. Your parents were actually
good friends of Yelena Kuznetsov before they had a falling out over
the circus’ future.
64
 Session Hooks
Below is a list of specific Atomnyy Zavod Session Hooks for free play gaming that can be used to craft adventures or supplement
existing published ones.
• An experimental initiative is pairing Powers to Zim Units and could potentially relieve some hostile feelings between the
two groups, but can you work together?
• You discover that you’re in possession of a rare diamond. Just then, the Zim Units show up. You’ve been framed. Now you
must escape the Zim Units, while trying to find out who framed you.
• While attending the inaugural launch of a new class of airship, you discover that someone appears to be trying to
sabotage it. Can you discover who before the ship crashes into the bay?
• It’s said that a terrible glowing hound is haunting the causeways of the massive ventilation and pipe systems of the
Atomnyy Zavod. Can you discover this beast and its intent?
• You discover that the city supply of Vitamin D supplements has been pilfered and taken to the Cliffside mines. The city
needs those vitamins for their nocturnal lives. Can you make your way through the tangled warren of caves and mines to
find out what happened to them?
• The Russian playhouse is besieged by a phantom making unreasonable demands. Go undercover as performers or stagehands
and try to unmask this villain.
• A switch at one of the Atomnyy reactors is stuck and needs to be manually reset in order for exhaust heat to be expelled
into the air. If not activated, the failsafe will exhaust the heat into the bay, potentially harming local ocean wildlife.
• Many Powers have been seen being escorted into the Chaynik, never to be seen coming out again. Discover their fates,
and if need be, plan a daring rescue.

d20
Roll ADD ANY OF THE CONDITIONS BELOW AS YOU SEE FIT.
1 Villains you fight are extra tough: +2 to villain attacks.
2 Public officials donʼt trust you yet. -2 to all role-playing attempts.
3 Even heroes get tired. Youʼve been working a lot lately. -2 to Travel turn.
4 You are due for a tanning bed session. Choose one point in the day to go, even if it costs you time.
5 Your atomic battery is faulty, and your light occasionally turns off randomly for short periods.
6 A vile of Quantum Serum spills on you. Roll versus 15 against each hero once per session to
activate your weakness.
7 Zim Units are in full force. You must find ways of avoiding them while still fighting crime.
8 You are not very familiar with the ins and outs of Atomnyy Zavod, forcing you to double back often.
9 Youʼre having a hard time finding food that doesnʼt include beets (or beverages for that matter).
10 You canʼt get this accordion solo out of your head and keep humming it.
11 Youʼre the proud owner of a very nice sable hat. It bottles in the heat!
12 You know all the shortcuts around the city, getting you where you need to be faster and safer.
13 Youʼve developed a nonverbal communication system that allows you to communicate with
your partner silently.
14 You know a few people working in the Zabota Materi who may offer you some tips on their inside info.
15 You have a safe house in the city that allows you to keep a person or thing safe for as long as necessary.
16 You are steeped in knowledge of the city, its people, culture, & places, and can recall this info easily.
17 Atomnyy Zavod is a tough city to live in, as such you get a +2 to IMP checks on non-combat actions.
18 Living in Atomnyy makes you tough as nails. Reduce negative impacts from weakness once per day.
19 Youʼre secretly beloved by the denizens of Atomnyy Zavod. +2 to all role-playing attempts.
20 Your skills always come out on top. Roll 2 dice for any damage, and use the higher of the two.

65
 SEWARD’S REFUGE

Description a team of scientists. The refuge itself was founded

in as close to a geographic center of the island as
manageable, covering a similar distance between
Seward did eventually make his way to Outage, but Atomnyy Zavod and Shorai City.
unlike the children’s song suggests, he did not flee to At first, it became engrossed with aggressive
Outage in disgrace, but as the head of a naval contingent engagements with the Japanese combatants from
sent by Lincoln to develop a foothold on the island. Shorai City, but with Russian forces providing aid,
While the majority of U.S. citizens mocked his efforts, and the eventual treaty, it not only survived, but
few knew of his involvement in thwarting an attempted expanded. Shortly after these military engagements,
assassination on his former-rival-turned-friend Abraham Seward’s Refuge became flooded with scientific
Lincoln, only after first surviving an assassination researchers. It was around this time that the first tests
attempted on his own life. that caused the Overgrowth took place. Part of the
newfound partnership between the island’s disparate
The attempted assassination was hidden to prevent inhabitants was in working together to contain the
the potential viability of future assassination attempts. Overgrowth. While some would have assumed such
So in many ways, Seward’s multiple acts of quiet failed experimentation would have been a perfectly
heroism faded into the obscurity of history. embarrassing event to profit from, each of the
competing powers had their own experimental
No public records were disclosed, but in honor of this mishaps that allowed for a sympathetic coalition.
unsung hero, one of the largest and most advanced
military and scientific bases in the world was namedTraveling through the base, or one of its controlled
after him: Seward’s Refuge. wall gates, is the only means for non-flight born
superheroes to enter the district known as the
From its humble beginnings, Seward’s Refuge started Overgrowth. But approaches from air and sea still
out as an outpost encampment of U.S. soldiers and involve risk from military engagement.

66
 While space flight was originally flown out of Cape
Canaveral, Florida, with the construction of the
Tsiolkovsky-Wakata International Space Elevator
(TWISE for short, pronounced “twice” and named
in honor of the dedicated collaboration with Russian
and Japanese researchers to enable space access),
rocket-assisted space access became more of a thing
of the past. The elevator simply brings any necessary
equipment up past geostationary orbit. Ships are
now built and designed in space.
The elevator remains tethered to a research facility
at the heart of Seward’s Refuge.
While seemingly imposing, and definitely secure,
Seward’s Refuge is the home to the world’s top
scientists, working and collaborating together
without regard to national borders, secure in the
protection of the American military.
On the whole, this has prevented the rise of unapproved
Powers, but it hasn’t been completely successful.
Still, Seward’s Refuge serves the interests of all by
advancing its scientific understanding of the world,
and for the most part, protecting it.
Getting Around
Access into Seward’s Refuge, and thus the
Overgrowth beyond it, is available only at the
behest of the admiralty in charge. Once invited, guests
and heroes are strictly limited to areas of interest as
determined by their pre-existing authority and project
scope. Regular security checks may slow progress.
But even with these limitations in place, the number of
declassified zones, including the base’s sprawling
housing section, which accommodates its hefty
population, can easily allow someone to get lost.
The large living areas for Seward’s Refuge families
probably feel the closest to the suburban
neighborhoods of America. There’s even a couple of
malls, theaters, and other typical town center locations.
The biggest roving gangs are of kids on bikes.
While most of the larger structures are purposely not
identifiable, the base has several large research
facilities, barracks, flight ports, administrative
buildings, and, of course, the centralized space
67
elevator facility that tethers TWISE to the earth.
The likelihood of using TWISE for travel into the upper
atmosphere and beyond is strictly controlled and only
made available to as-needed key designees.
You can travel the length of the retention wall, but
typically this is restricted to patrol units.
Whatever the protection efforts are, Seward’s Refuge
is quite particularly prepared for villains’ tendencies to
throw around their demonstrable weight. Some
suggest this is due to a specialized group of
super-powered heroes that they keep on retainer for
just such an incursion. However, nothing official has
ever been put forward.
If you have been selected to bear the honor and
distinction of being asked to enter Seward’s Refuge,
it is advisable that any guidelines provided to you by
security personnel be strictly adhered to. It can be
quite dangerous for you if you were the type to
wander about. While there is no immediate threat
from crime, the bases many scientific studies,
experiments, and classified facilities could end up
endangering a person who is not careful about where
they stick their nose into.
Stick to your assigned project scope and carry out
requested projects to their successful completion.
Villains
Seward’s Refuge and the science that has fueled
progress throughout the world is much to the credit of
the strength of its scientific integrity, and the desire to
push boundaries beyond what is ever considered
conventional. In most cases, this has resulted in
wonderful progress. At other times, it has created
disasters, such as the Overgrowth.
To maintain that integrity, much of the research done
within Seward’s Refuge is considered classified. But
wherever secrecy becomes the basis with which an
organization operates, so too becomes the potential
for villainy. No two greater examples of such villains
are plainer than General Particular and Agent
Orangutan.

General Particular
Right. Hmm... General Particular.
...
..
I know there is something about him, but it’s just not
coming to mind. He came from somewhere, that’s
for sure, because he’s here right. Just bear with me
for a minute. Right, yes so what were we talking
about?
Oh right! General Particular! Right. Well, let’s see
here. He’s a General...that we know for sure.
Because obviously if he wasn’t a General he would
be a Colonel or something. Maybe a Sergeant.
Let’s see, his file here says that upon arriving on
Outage, he gradually developed psychic powers of
manipulation causing people to forget...what were
we talking about? Oh yes, right.
We were talking about Agent Orangutan. Now
there’s a nasty piece of work. While she comes from
Seward’s Refuge, more often than not she can be
found in other regions...
No, wait. No, we were still on the topic of General
Particular. Right? Yeah, I’m pretty sure we were
talking about him.
I’m also pretty sure he’s a villain, but for the life of
me I can’t seem to remember what he did, or is doing,
that is so bad. Anyway, I’m sure somebody will take
care of it. That thing he’s doing. You know... that
thing? He’s doing something, right?
I’m sorry, what were we talking about again?
Agent Orangutan
In an effort to combat the spread of the Overgrowth,
scientists and military minds regularly come together.
As it stands, there appears to be a standstill in
technology, with the wall permeating a field of electric
conductivity meant to contain it.
However, prior attempts were much more combative
than restrictive. None more so prominent than
Operation Agent Orangutan.
The development of hyper-intelligence in apes had
been ongoing for quite some time prior to the
development of the Overgrowth. The first series of
apes varied in their aptitude and assimilation into their
programs.
Chimpanzees were often enthusiastic, but had constant
discipline issues. Gorillas were measured, intelligent,
and strong, but quick to anger, and not creative.
Orangutans were even keeled and thoughtful, but
often held their own council. Gibbons were just jerks.
Cornelia Heston was 15 when she began working with
the team responding to the Overgrowth. At the time, it
was suspected that not only was the growth a rampant
case of nature gone wild, but that coordination was
occurring from somewhere deep within the jungle.
68
 It wasn’t enough to treat the Overgrowth as just a
botanical outbreak, but as an active war. And war
needed eyes on the inside. Cornelia volunteered to
go into the forest, but to protect her from the plant
life, she was dosed with an experimental procedure
that caused any contact with her to
defoliate plantlife.
She entered the jungle. She did not return. The
project was assumed a failure, and other more
conventional measures to restrain the Overgrowth
were accomplished. That was, however, until a few
years back, when reports came in of an aged
female orangutan sabotaging exploratory
technology, and testing the defenses of the walls.
It’s uncertain what has caused Agent Orangutan to
change sides and defend the forest, nor can they
explain her unnatural age, well past the lifespan of
even the most long lived orangutans, but she has
been listed as a dangerous experiment gone wrong,
to be apprehended at all costs.
69
Seward’s Refuge Heroes
Seward’s Refuge is filled with heroes who, everyday,
put their lives and their hearts on the line to defend
the island and propel the world into a better age.
Some heroes, however, make their way into the
world by their own strength and will. They are the
explorers of virtue, and while the odds are stacked
against them, Dwingeloo and Shieldster exemplify
this spirit of heroism.
Dwingeloo
When your parent’s ship crashed here some 70
years ago, you thought there was going to be
absolutely nothing to do on this humdrum planet.
But when the nice agents relocated your family to
Outage, you discovered that there was a whole
playground of fun things to see, learn, and do.
At some point, it seemed like there was going to be
some miscommunication about how things would
be between your parents and the folks at the base.
The scientists and military personnel seemed to think
that the Dwingeloo family would stay confined to the
base, and the designated locations of their residence.
They soon realized that it would be impossible to pin
down a race of individuals that could pass through
walls without a moment’s hesitation, and assume the
identity of any person they meet or have seen.
Finally, coming to terms with the new arrangement,
a happy compromise was formed between your
family and the base. While your parents are routinely
employed, it leaves you free to explore, and
hopefully socialize with the other kids on base.
It may not be easy to make friends, especially when
you’re lime green, as long as you keep positive,
and believe in yourself, you’ll not only make a
few friends, but help some people, too.
It’s time to go explore!
 Unique Characteristics That Can Be Included In Your Game Sessions:
• Dwingeloo prefers candy as a main food source, but absolutely can’t stand candy canes, and finds them offensive.
• Dwingeloo has not perfected the shape-shifting ability, and still has problems when it comes to eyebrows.
• Dwingeloo might be 92 Earth years old, but currently is still a pre-teen by alien standards.
• Dwingeloo thinks cows are weird and doesn’t trust them. Cats, on the other hand, are a great laugh, and usually have the
best jokes.
• Dwingeloo’s parents not only have access to a tremendous amount of powers, but also have the ability to psychically
ground your powers if you have been found to have misbehaved. They may even have the ability to unlock new powers
as Dwingeloo proves to be responsible.

Shieldster
As Shieldster, you started out like any other kid who
loved to play games. The one difference is that you
also had a keen interest in mechanics, technology,
science, engineering, and heroship.
Adults overlook things that aren’t useful to them.
When they don’t find a use for something, when
they don’t have time to investigate something, when
they don’t know how to use it, or repair it, or if they
made too many of that one thing, they do what they
always do: they cast it aside.
Large areas of Seward’s Refuge house these scraps,
plans, and components that a clever, resourceful kid
can gain access to. And that’s exactly what Shieldster
did from early childhood. Gifted with the ability to
not only understand, but create connections to all
matters STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering,
and Mathematics), you were able to fashion your
Shieldster Suit from the throw-offs of armored vehicles
and undersized exoskeletons.
Shieldster’s desire was not to build something with
offensive destructive capabilities. Instead, the goal
was to make a suit of armor to protect those that
need defending. Shieldster’s motto is that the best
defense is simply a really good defense.
Central Administration caught wind of the armor suit.
At first they attempted to replicate the suit for an adult
form, but it was determined that only Shieldster has
the mental capacity to manage the intricate control
mechanisms in order to operate the suit naturally, as if
it were a second skin.
Seeing that they could not replicate the suit, and
that Shieldster was eager to use it to promote safety
and security of the island, the administration gave
an allowance credential to operate the suit as an
authorized Power. Now, given your district access
pass, you are free to go out and make a difference,
defending those who need to be shielded.

Unique Characteristics That Can Be Included In Your Game Sessions:

• Shieldster’s armor uses a unique antigravity system that allows its extreme weight to not impact movement or surroundings.
• Shieldster is autistic. While this is acknowledged, and affects the interactions, it in no way prevents Shieldster from being
the hero to everyone that interacts with you.
• Shieldster is vegetarian.
• Dwingeloo and Shieldster have become good friends, but haven’t joined forces as heroes all too often.
• Shieldster continues to build new suits based on different shield types that vary the functionality of the suit itself.

70
 Session Hooks
Below is a list of specific Seward’s Refuge Session Hooks for free play gaming that can be used to craft adventures or supplement
existing published ones.
• The end of the Space Elevator tether has malfunctioned and threatens to disconnect, causing the collapse of the cable, and
the loss of the Penthouse Orbital Science Facility at the elevator’s crown. Can you fix the coupling before it’s too late?
• You’ve been tasked to go on a ride along on the perimeter wall roads. Along the way, you may encounter different
adversaries from each of the regions.
• A malfunction at the Seward lighthouses at either end of the wall is causing them to fail. As it turns out, a radioactive
gamma ray from these towers ensures that seedlings from the Overgrowth don’t survive longshore drift into regions past
the wall. The lighthouses must be brought back up.
• New promising recruits are increasingly failing out of basic training. The administration would like you to go undercover
through the new recruit training course to spot where or why this might be occurring.
• Shipments of supplies need to be delivered to appropriate hands in each of the regions. Can you ensure they don’t go missing?
• There is a new alien on base, but for some reason, it is being kept under strict lock and key. You can make your way in,
and try to recover that alien, but be wary. Is this alien here for good, or for ill?
• You’ve discovered rapid growths forming along the wall from the forest. These long trunks aren’t even touching the floor,
yet somehow reaching over the wall’s height. Find out what makes these trees so different.
• You’ve been assigned gate duty. Unbeknownst to other security officers, there have been threats circulating about a
dangerous weapon moving into and against the base. Find the right vehicle and put a stop to it before it gets through.

d20
Roll ADD ANY OF THE CONDITIONS BELOW AS YOU SEE FIT.
1 Villains you fight are extra tough: +2 to villain attacks.
2 Security checkpoints occur frequently, slowing heroes and potentially disrupting covert missions.
3 With heroship being licensed in Sewardʼs Refuge, you are now up for renewal.
You must allow an observer to tag along. Keep him/her safe.
4 One of the scientific experiments on the base is causing rolling blackouts.
5 The base is on a fast-movement lockdown. All Flight and Speed powers are prohibited.
6 A scientist is testing prolonged disuse of powers. Pick 1 power to lose for the day.
7 Leaving base is off limits today. If your adventure calls for it, you may need to find a
means to sneak out and back in. .
8 Your parents are swearing by an MRE only diet.
9 Itʼs pouring buckets of rain nonstop. Hope you enjoy being wet.
10 The Base Launderer uses too much starch. Prepare to itch.
11 It seems no matter which way the wind blows, you get the pleasant aroma of apple pie or barbecue.
12 Animals on base seem to instantly befriend you, including guard dogs.
13 Your favorite entertainer is visiting the base. You get to pick the music, regardless of GM preference.
14 You exemplify teamwork, and administration approves. Double all experience earned when teamwork is used.
15 Youʼve been working on self reflection and learning about what makes your powers tick.
Minimize any ill effects from weaknesses.
16 Youʼre feeling confident and that shows. +1 to all social interactions.
17 Youʼve been training hard lately. Add 1 extra space to your Travel speed.
18 In the last mission, you gained temporary advanced clearance, allowing you to bypass security checks.
19 Youʼve got connections in top brass. Phone in an answer or clue from military admins.
20 Youʼre testing an advanced power amplifier. Add 1 more power use before having to Energize.

71
 THE SINK
Description
The Sink is in many ways, an oddity. Geologically, it is
an example of near perfect geothermal land renewal.
Settlers have taken up residence from around the
world, yet the attraction is somewhat bewildering,
as any structure built in this region will eventually
and inevitably slide into the ocean, as volcanic activity
along the fault line which borders it continually produces
“recovered land.” The city proper is currently half
submerged, with new buildings continually being
built further along its edges, only to eventually be
swept into the ocean within a few decades.
The only semi-permanent residence that can exist in
the Sink, is the floating shanty town made of boats
and wooden platforms that surrounds the bottom half
of the peninsula. Each day, structures raise and lower
anchors in order to maintain a rough semblance of
the same position they once held, but even those
efforts don’t prevent the city from continually shifting
and morphing from the changing land underneath,
or the desires of its inhabitants.
What is remarkable however, is that evidence of this
practice dates back way beyond the initial Japanese
discovery. The ruins of ancient and mysterious
settlements can be found further and further out into
its coast. An ancient city sits there underwater, waiting
for adventurous spirits to explore. What makes these
ancient structures even more remarkable, is the fact
that many of them still remain airtight, even while
submerged. Evidence indicates in fact that some of the
structures were built, if not with the intention of surviving
underwater conditions, but may have actually been
built on-site under the surface of the ocean.
For explorers to travel in this district, they faces dangers
not just from the multitude of ferocious underwater
creatures, but from the residents within the city.
Smuggled and black market goods, dealings with
pirates, bounty hunters, and bounty hunter hunters are
only a small cross sampling of the more unsavory
residents of the district. So casual vacationing or
site-seeing is all but impossible. A person moving into
this district either falls into one of these three categories:
FOOLISH ADVENTUROUS
DANGEROUS
72
 While many wonder why its existence is even tolerated
by the larger, more “civilized” cities and compounds,
the truth is that many of the goods passing through
the Sink are desirable to members of every community.
Its growth does seem to be checked however, in part
due to the restraining confines of the U.S. Navy, but
particularly because of the calculating underbosses
that run the ever-changing districts.
There is one area in the Sink, on an island off the
western horn of the sinking peninsula, known as the
King’s Crescent. It’s geographic permanence has led
to the construction of grand and decadent villas,
populated by upper bosses, extremely well-to-do
merchants, craft masters, and even the odd naval
captain or two.
Getting Around
One thing any visitor to the Sink must know in
advance is that there is no law outside of “he who
carries the biggest stick.” Even heroes give this area
it’s wide birth and consider it too much of an issue
to try to tackle. But, if you were to be one of the
hardy adventurers seeking enlightenment or intrigue
in this area, there will be plenty for you to explore.
Deep off its coast, explorers troll the underwater
city. Some permanent underwater structures can be
found down there, only accessible via submersibles.
Once down there, a network of tunnels and chambers,
both ancient and newly crafted, connect several of
the structures, while still other sections remain
independent and unexplored as of yet.
The floating shanty town known as the Scum stretches
out for several miles around the coast of the Sink’s
ever-sinking peninsula. These loose assortments of
house boats, ships, wood platforms, barges, and
bridges creates an unfathomable warren that can
be daunting, even for locals. The city never stays the
same, continually morphing into different shapes as
ships move, blocks expand, and territories are fought
over. The only means of finding your way around
is by either being enmeshed in the day-to-day
happenings, or asking around, but that can come at
a price.
As you move closer to the shore, boats make way
to stilt-mounted hovels and docks. These easily
collapsible structures serve primarily as loading/
73
unloading industries moving goods from the islands
to the waters and vice versa. These, in turn, are met
by ancient ruins and temporary housing. As you
travel further inland, you’ll discover fewer and fewer
structures of either kind, and when you do, they’re
half-submerged in mud. The peninsula itself is
predominantly swampland that eventually runs into
drier climate further north. Land flows out of a deep
crevice. As it moves, dries, cracks, and is moistened
by the proximity to the ocean, pieces of earth fall off
to reveal ancient structures within.
Travel through the swamplands is described as highly
inconvenient in the best-case scenario, and continuously
life-threatening in the milder cases. Creatures stay
hidden below the murky waters, while large insects
buzz above. These swamp lands stretch for miles
before drying out as they approach the gap where
land continuously flows from.
One inroad option has been formed by the scientific
geological community that investigates the
phenomena of the Sink. These scientists are treated
with a modicum of civility, if not respect. It does help
that their understanding and research benefits the
denizens of the town directly.
Be on guard while traveling through the city as one
can never tell which gang controls which area, and
the territorial disputes can be fierce. It is best to keep
to oneself, stick to the broader waterways, and steer
clear of any alleys. Be weary, be vigilant, and if you
plan on entering this district, it definitely helps to be
either powerful or connected.
This might all be the view from the outside, however,
as denizens of the Sink themselves profess a love
for the freedom, and spontaneity that their lifestyles
afford them. There are ways for even the lowliest of
creatures to become kings in their own right, so long
as they don’t meet an untimely fate first.
Villains
Referring to villains in the Sink is like referring to drops
in the bucket of water. There are numerous Powers in
the area, mostly professing more subtle and hidden
talents. Still, there are some villains that outshine (or
more appropriately outslime) the rest. None are
more fearsome than InstaGator and Boat Rocker.

Boat Rocker
Ajaya Nethala left her home in India to seek greater
fortunes. She sought a place where her name would
not hold her back from her grand destiny. But, finding
no place she could truly call a home on the western
shores of Outage, she settled (as much as anything
can settle) in the Sink. There, the promise of gold
and riches laid just under the water for a seasoned
explorer to just reach down and grab. The truth of
life in the Sink was far different, however. No sooner
had she arrived than she was shanghaied into one of
the competing families’ pirate crews and forced into
menial labor.
This would not do. Ajaya was not one to meakly
fall to the orders set upon her. She was going to be
trouble to anyone who thought they could control
her. She would buck any oppression laid upon her.
And so, with that one fateful decision, she became
the Boat Rocker.
It began with a single mutiny, which led to hostilities
against other vessels. As her armada and influence
grew, so too grew her power. When the U.S. Navy
decided to step in, she was able to abscond with
one of the greatest prizes she’d ever captured: an
actual decommissioned submarine known as the
Hammerhead. Now able to avoid pursuit, she leaves
the shores of the Sink, plundering pirates, navy, and
treasure seekers alike. The crimelords pay her homage,
the military treats her as a contained catastrophe, and
locals treat her as a force of nature. But one thing is
certain: no ship is steadied when Boat Rocker prowls
beneath the waves.
InstaGator
Tim Sah was a classic case of being at the wrong place
at the wrong time. Joining up with Roboto Corp was to
be the start of his journey to worldwide success. But less
than a month later, a new member joined the team by
the name of Julie Rasputin. And once she started, it was
like shining a flashlight at the sun.
Of course, that’s not how he saw it. Tim only saw
the foolishness of his employers as they fawned over
her. Anyone can program AI, but who could think up
a confusion field? What good is artistry in robotics,
when you can have InstaLegs to get you from here to
there in no time at all. And so what if the confusion
field confused the activator of the field, or if the legs
ran faster than the body could actually cope with.
Those aren’t such significant setbacks. Surely not
enough to cut his funding!
All the endless prattling about how Julie’s AI was going
to save the world through negotiation. Nonsense! But
just as he’d realized a solution to his InstaLeg problem,
through development of a back brace that mimics
alligator scutes, he was summarily canned.
Tim immediately turned the focus of his misfortune
toward Dr. Rasputin. Fleeing to the Sink where he
could study the unique scaling of local unique
reptiles, he emerged years later bent on destroying
74
 all of Dr. Rasputin’s dreams. If she wished to become
the Great Negotiator, than he would now become
the great InstaGator. All it took was the mild
attunement of his confusion field into a confusion ray,
and the higher ups at Roboto Corp decided to throw
away all the work that Dr. Rasputin had done, and
turn her inventions into a carnival act.
Shortly thereafter, his ray confused things enough to
strip her of her Doctorate, all the while unbeknownst
to Julie Rasputin herself. With her knocked off her
high horse, Tim found that he’d grown a taste for
villainy, and his newly built InstaGator suit would
make crime a cinch!
The Sink seems to be the perfect place to get some
trouble brewing!
75
The Sink Heroes
Heroes and the Sink work about as well as well as a
woolen wetsuit. A large problem with hero powers
being in the Sink is that just about every one, with
the exception of maybe some tourists and scientists,
are villainous to some degree. At the very best,
heroes will often find themselves stopping one villain
to allow another villain to continue their villainy.
Disheartening to say the least. But, with the emergence
of villain powers, even the standard thugs, pirates, and
smugglers need protection. That is where heroes like
PunchAble and LawYarr come in.
PunchAble
It’s hard growing up as a kid in the Sink. The gangs that
dominate the markets and waterways are mimicked by
the younger kids. Often times, you are fighting or sneaking
your way through each other’s turf just to get your daily
chores done. Harder yet for you as PunchAble as you
have grown up alone in the Scum. It is no wonder why,
in every opportunity found, you visit the fighting barges
to watch and shadow the moves of the boxers.
These skills have unfortunately been called upon again
and again and have proven vital, not only against
other kid gangs, but adults as well. You were born a
natural, but enhanced your skills tremendously through
dedicated training.
When not training, you’re working to make ends meet,
diving deep into the shallow waters, looking for
potential treasures. People often assume that as soon
as the land sinks below the water line, that it’s already
been scoured for its potential. More often than not,
you’re able to find artifacts if not fully valuable, then at
least useful to one merchant or another.
It was in one of those trips that you entered the
confines of what appeared to be an alien vessel, once
buried in the swamp, and now partially visible due to
the water currents. As you began your search through
its confines, a self-destruct sequence was activated.
Trapped within, you grabbed what you thought were
the red handles to a latch, but as you pulled them
away, they came off in your grasp.
Looking much like the knuckle dusters you’ve seen
some of the boxers use, you decide to try and punch
your way out. As you swung, to your surprise, the
knuckles glowed with a red light and slammed a hole
through the hull. Water flooded in, but ethereal ropes,
much like those that bordered the fighting rings, shot
out and pulled you up and out of the ship.
Unique Characteristics That Can Be
Included In Your Game Sessions:
• PunchAble has memorized the lines from EVERY Jean Claude
Van Damme movie.
• PunchAble can go without air underwater for 20 minutes.

As PunchAble floated up, out, and surprisingly over
the water, the explosion below signaled the loss of
any knowledge to what these powerful tools could
actually do. PunchAble still has a long way ahead
to determine the full potential of these alien knuckles,
but what you do know is that you’ll put them to good
use. There are a lot of people in the Sink that are just
looking to make it from one day to the next without
getting trampled over by bigger thugs. It’s time for
PunchAble to go out into the world and punch the
lights out of evil!
• PunchAble has never left the Scum, let alone the Sink. Until now.
• Of all the heroes, PunchAble has the least understanding of
minor laws and lawful possession. Any hero working with
PunchAble should be aware of this characteristic so that
PunchAble does not get into trouble.
• PunchAble does not recall anything from early childhood. PunchAble
has always found a way to be self-supportive for as long as can
be remembered.

LawYarr
A life on the sea is hard. A life of law school
from an early age is even harder. But that is the
life of LawYarr, child of the world renowned
Admiral of the Royal Navy.

At a young age, you as LawYarr showed an aptitude

for all things nautical, but within you bore a strong
desire for justice. That desire flourished in your
formative years as you learned to formulate masterful
arguments. Unfortunately, the one thing you can’t
argue with is the ocean itself.
One storm tossed night, LawYarr went overboard
into the swirling depths of the deep oceans off the
coast of Outage. Sinking ever deeper into the
darkness, lost to the sky above, you experienced
one of the greatest trials of your young life: the
actual trial for your life, with Poseidon himself as
prosecutor and judge. Those that were present
claim it to be the most masterful case ever built
since he’d lost Athens to Athena.
With LawYarr’s victory came the knowledge of all the
seas, a bit of Poseidon’s majesty, and the realization
that in order to effect the type of change desired for
clearing the ocean of it’s many parasites, you would
have to step away from the single minded governance
of the Royal Navy.

76
 Researching ancient laws, you discovered an actual
legal method for declaring yourself as a privateer,
and set forth on your sleek ship, the Sua Sponte.
Now, LawYarr patrols the bordering waters of the
Sink to ensure that no villains take it upon themselves
to strike at any of the other installations on the island.
Meanwhile, your infamy has often called you back
to the mainland itself, to go ashore and bring justice
where it is most greatly needed. What adventures
may you call forth as a witness?

Unique Characteristics That Can Be Included In Your Game Sessions:

• LawYarr does not eat fish or aquatic animals of any kind.
• LawYarr set an astonishing record by passing the bar before the age of 10.
• LawYarr’s family is incredibly large and actually connects in many ways to the Royal Family.
• The Sua Sponte was once a wrecked ship on the bottom of the ocean. How it returned to the surface whole is a mystery to any who are
unfamiliar with LawYarr’s resourcefulness.
• LawYarr is so popular back in Britain that the heroic identity has its own toy line.

Session Hooks
Below is a list of the specific Sink Session Hooks for free play gaming that can be used to craft adventures or supplement existing
published ones.

• Your team wakes up in an underwater temple. Your memory of having entered the temple is lost. You must decide
whether to proceed on, or turn back.

• Finding a golden bejeweled skull, your party members accidentally touch it at the same time, and their minds switch to
different bodies. Now, they must play as each other until the full moon the following day.

• The Good Guy Gang is surprisingly one of the rare groups in the Sink that want nothing more than to earn an honest
living. Can you help them defend their territory against the Land Sharks and the Bottle Noses?

• The gangs are in an uproar, and it looks like there is about to be a massive breakout of fighting between them. Can you
discover why? Can you bring peace to the gangs?

• Scientists are looking to try and discover where the new land, which seems to already bare ancient civilizations, is
coming from. They are determined to travel into the breach where the new land comes from, but modern day science
has yet to explain what they find.

• The well-to-do residents of the King’s Crescent are up in arms. A villa on its southern most tip has begun to sink slowly
into the ocean. Is this simply an anomaly, or does this mark the end of the wealthiest elite of the Sink?

• A scientist has come up with a plan to provide free energy to the entire habitants of the Scum by creating floating wind
and wave turbines. But these would cut into the profits earned The problem, is that one of the wealthiest gang bosses in
the Sink owes their fortune to illegally smuggled atomic batteries. Can you work it out for the benefit of everyone?

• A great monster in the deep ocean has been attacking navy and pirate ships alike. Enter a submersible and track down
this monster. Will you put an end to the monster, or find a more peaceful way?

77
d20
Roll ADD ANY OF THE CONDITIONS BELOW AS YOU SEE FIT.
1 Villains you fight are extra tough: +2 to villain attacks.
2 The channel of fresh water to the Sink has been compromised, and thirst sets in.
-1 Power use before needing to Energize.
3 Even heroes get tired. Youʼve been working a lot lately. -2 to Travel on your turn.
4 Heroes arenʼt welcome in the sink. -3 to all social rolls.
5 Fungal blooms make travel underwater difficult to see through.
6 A storm has had the Scum shift around drastically. You have trouble finding your way around.
7 Your flippers are mismatched making you have to fight not to swim in circles.
-2 to Travel speed underwater.
8 Mosquitos have been ravenous today. Prepare to be itchy.
9 Nothing smells worse than garbage day. Except when the garbage barges refuse service due
to gang activity as they have for the past 2 weeks.
10 The rare flower blossom season started, filling the swamps with beautiful exotic flowers.
11 If you find yourself fishing for any reason, youʼll discover a +2 to IMP rolls for success.
12 The breezes work in your favor, your sails are full. Traveling on open water moves faster.
13 Spending time in the swamp has helped you develop a sense for danger. +2 POW sensing danger.
14 Time spent with a historian helps you recognize the history of some of the artifacts.
15 You find a medicinal herb in the swamp that works great at healing wounds. +1 to Encourage rolls.
16 A local resident of the Scum safely leads you through gang territory across the city.
17 Scientists have you testing new submersible gills that allow you to breath underwater.
18 Youʼre now the proud owner of an airboat! Woo!
19 Having a mob boss owing you a favor isnʼt ideal, but itʼs helpful. Gain a 3 IMP/ 0 POW/ 2 OHM / 5 YP fighter.
20 Youʼre the toughest thing in the Sink & the bosses know it. +4 to IMP when intimidating villains.

78
 THE OVERGROWTH
Description
In the earliest age of American involvement with
Outage, scientific experimentation had unprecedented
successes unlocking great mysteries, and opening a
path for our space program. But not all of the initial
experiments were successful, in fact, some could
have proven globally catastrophic had not combined
efforts of multiple nations, and vast expenditures of
resources not been made available. One of the largest
and most notable of these failures is known today
simply as the Overgrowth.
Encompassing nearly 2/3rd of the island at one point was
a barren wasteland, whose last remnant today stretches
between Shorai City and the Sink. Dried out gorges
and ravines, crater-pocked terrains, and dusty ancient
structures littered the environment. The craggy surface
created great pockets of land folding over itself, allowing
for caverns and underground channels of acidic water to
flow like tumorous veins through the diseased terrain.
But, to the scientists’ eyes, this terrain was ideal. With
space exploration as an ultimate goal, scientists took this
79
land, which boasted such a harsh and unwelcoming
atmosphere, as a perfect testing field for the potential
alien planet surfaces they one day hoped to terraform.
Known initially as “Project Combover,” the plan
was to use a combination of atomics and genetics
to create super crops that could grow rapidly to large
sizes in harsh climates. And at first, this project seemed
exceedingly successful, with an initial crop of
basketball-sized potatoes, and trees that
sprouted and grew over 10 feet tall overnight.
But, very rapidly, things began to degrade. Initially, it
started out with growth patterns branching out from
initial plots, and was a problem first attributed to planter
error, or airborne-based seed spread. But no sooner
had attempts to confine these growths begun then the
expansion exploded outward, seemingly in complex
patterns that spoke almost of a secret intelligence.
Within several months, the land was covered with
jungle growth. In several more months, that jungle
became... strange.
The current theory is that the tests kicked off some
form of ancient terraforming practice, or perhaps an
artificially-intelligent application that had gone awry,
or purposely never activated. Whatever the case may
be, it was not simply plant life that grew out of the
project, but creatures as well, with some bearing not
only unique and alien features, but also indications of
sentience.
In some fleeting instances, seen by border patrol and
initial responders, were suggestions that some creatures
even bore resemblances to the fantastic creatures from
old stories. Dragons, elves, and lumbering beasts, along
with reptilian dinosaurs and other lizard-like humanoids.
But creatures didn’t cover the only danger of this land,
because the plant life itself poses the greatest threat.
Remote test stations out in the once-barren planes
were overrun and demolished overnight. Fungal
growth spread not just to plants, but across animals
and humans alike. There was even talk of lumbering
moving trees. Seward’s Refuge, in conjunction with its
neighbors, sprung into action (even in the early days
of their tenuous cessation of hostilities), and agreed
that the Overgrowth had become the greatest threat.
A combination of energy, advanced technology,
and staggering military manpower was able to
restrain it’s rapid growth long enough for a restraining
wall to be placed across the entirety of the land.
This wall was backed by an atomic-powered laser
array that scalded the land for several acres beyond
the wall, ensuring any plant growth that starts to take
hold is burned away.
With the barrier wall in place and manned, the
Overgrowth has finally met its temporary match. It is
restrained from expansion, but only through
constant attention. Due to the size of the area covered,
a constant laser grid would be uneconomical, so
rolling and reactionary laser activity is coupled with
boots-on-the-ground response. Attempts at retaking
the land have been ironically fruitless.
While the Overgrowth is possibly the most deadly
thing known on this Earth, its potential is extraordinary
as well. Through attacks on the forest, the rapid
response, and defensive mechanisms has lead to a
resurgence of intelligence in immunization and the
cure for disease. Live-growth calcified wood has lead
to isolated, lab-approved metallic trees, which is a
renewable resource of light, versatile, and conductive
metal that serves in numerous capacities around the
world, but is most recognizably featured in the power-
dampening qualities of the Zabota Materi armor.
What mysteries are yet to be solved? What hidden
treasures lie within? What hidden pitfalls? Only the
bravest of heroes have petitioned Seward’s Refuge
and have been granted access to the Overgrowth.
Will you and your team be one of them?
Getting Around
While noticeably one of the most dangerous
environments to enter, there are signs of potential
wonderful benefits. Intrepid explorers have found
many beneficial medicines and wonder cures from
the plant life growing there. The environment itself has
tremendous potential for further scientific research.
Officially, entry into this district is controlled by the
army. However, people have found innovative ways
to make it in since regular travelers are restricted
from entry. Only heroes with a sufficient degree
of power can enter, and typically only under strict
guidelines or in an attempt to resolve an interest of
the government or science officials.
Rumors of the district have spread far and wide, the
greatest of these being the existence of sentient
intelligent creatures that exist within the thickly vegetative
confines. Others claim that the trees themselves have
a will of their own, and have the potential to move
and react in eerie and non-vegetative ways.
Trees have grown skyward, some reaching several
hundreds of feet into the sky, and the root systems of
these mammoth trees have broken through the surface
crust, forming streams and gullies throughout.
Interspersed through these are probably the same
caverns and channels that existed before, but whose
acidic rivers have been purified through the filtering
effects of algae blooms and root systems.
Via satellite and observation from the space elevator,
the signature of structures do appear interspersed
in the forest. One such structure is a golden pyramid,
nearly central to the jungle of the Overgrowth. A
scientific team, lead by a Power named Animal Girl,
was able to make it to the base of the pyramid,
discovering that the golden appearance came from
a material with a light phosphorescent glow. Con-
frontations (now classified), however, as well as the
disappearance of one of the scientists, forced them
to abandon the mission.
South west of the pyramid, a great tree grows out
above the already expansive canopy. This tree,
referred to as Yggdrasil after the ancient Nordic
80
 legends, appears to have a thriving population moving wall since the 1960s, ever since an attempt at the
and flitting about its canopy. But no group has ever Overgrowth expansion came from airborne pollination.
made it to the tree in order to investigate. This herbicide is also incredibly toxic to all Powers.
Travel above the canopy is simply not allowed and
North of Yggdrasil appears to be a sinkhole of
heavily enforced for one’s own safety. Therefore, all
immeasurable depth. Scientific crews have
Powers are required to travel on foot.
approached there, but plans to investigate their depth
have been hampered by conditions at the sinkhole’s Any traveler is advised extreme caution and
mouth. Those conditions are in fact the trees themselves. preparedness before attempting to brave the wilds of this
jungle region. Guides are hard to come by since entering
From the sinkhole, to the ruins north of it, is an area
the district too often has a tendency of resulting in never
seemingly controlled by sentient treelife. Attempts
coming back out again.
at communication with these creatures have been in
vain, and many in the scientific community question
Once through the gates, it is almost impossible to leave the
their ability to reason beyond a natural defense
Overgrowth without clearance by the Seward’s Refuge
mechanism. What is known is that the creatures are
Security forces. So be sure you can identify yourself and
aggressively territorial, resilient, and often times
always use the approved gates for travel. Proceed with
have tested the boundaries of the wall.
extreme caution.
Along the Overgrowth’s borders is the restraining
wall. which bisects the island. This wall is heavily
patrolled by Seward’s guards. Travel along the wall is
the safest means of movement to regions of the
Overgrowth. But the area surrounding it is
bombarded by the laser grid and has not been
fully disproved of harmfulness to one’s health. The
“lighthouses” at either end of the wall serve the dual
purpose of providing beacon light and sanitizing
any potential pollination expanding out from
the Overgrowth.
The last location, found on a beach outcropping in the
north, has been described only through hearsay from
Sink pirates and the occasional mysterious wanderer.
There is a hidden complex near the croissant-shaped
island that is inhabited by outcast Powers. Some call it
a school, some call it a community of outcasts, but all
that is known is its name: Genoa. It is lead by a
mysterious figure, known in whispers as Swagneto. The
order of Food Mages, the refugee atomic Powers of
the Atomnyy Zavod, the Rogue AI of Shorai City, the
swamp mutants, and every other Power looking for
refuge. It’s uncertain what bargain was struck to
allow the inhabitants a place-hold in the Overgrowth,
but they’ve been able to find a home there. Just be
wary, as these Powers do not respond to outsiders
favorably.

This leads to the final hazard to be concerned with,

as if sentient trees, potential mythical creatures, and
treacherous terrain was not enough. Flight over the
Overgrowth is prohibited. The ozone above the
Overgrowth has gas that has been emitted by the

81
 Swagneto’s lust for more and more causes him to
be such a threat to Outage. Eventually, it will not be
enough for him to simply possess that which his Powers
Villains can bring to him. Soon, his sights will be set on even
greater heights. And with a potential literal army of
Powers, possible denizens of the Overgrowth, and his
Little to nothing is known about the mysterious own unquantifiable powers, the citizens of Outage
denizens that have cohabited with the Overgrowth. may need to start worrying.
The seemingly hostile sentient forest has only given
humanity a few exploratory searches and a view of
the land from the fringes. What we do know only
comes from those rare travelers, mostly Powers that
come from the region or pirates that tell stories about
the scenes they see from off the shores. The two
major stories are of the mysterious Swagneto, and
the foreboding treant known as Treestache.

Swagneto
When Powers first arose in Outage, they were
revealed as a modern wonder. Here was proof that
there was more to the world than science alone
could fully explain. The world was now “extra,”
and with that came the heroes and villains that
so entrance the world today. But not all Powers
were well-known. Not all Powers were
welcomed by the camera flash, or fit into the
typical designation of the hero/villain dynamic.
And it is said that within the hostile otherworld of the
Overgrowth, a refuge was formed in the heart of the
jungle. Part school, part commune, and part ward,
the secret facility is known to the outside world as
Genoa and is lead by the mysterious figure known
as Swagneto. The city of Genoa itself may be home
to outcast Powers, but Swagneto himself makes
no allusions of modesty. It’s his power of Animal
Magnetism that initially drew the first Powers into
this land, and it was probably in large part due to his
mental powers and irresistible charm that somehow
convinced whatever defensive measures of the forest
to allow him and his followers to retain a seemingly
permanent residence in such a hostile land.
Treestache
To some in Genoa, he is looked upon as a hero and
leader. To others, a greedy tyrant, as all assets One thing is absolutely certain about the
possessed by the fleeing Power refugees must be made Overgrowth: it grows. It grows and it grows, and if
available to him as a taxation, and the “freedom” they not for combined efforts and constant vigilance, it
experience comes at a very real cost. would keep growing. It is said that the forest itself

82
 is sentient. This is true for a part of the forest, but
not the entire Overgrowth. Now, it is presumed
with a reasonable amount of certainty, that on
the whole, this process is purely a spontaneous, if
somewhat globally-imperiling phenomena.
Still others have cited that the existence of sentient
tree-like creatures living within the jungle proves
that its rapid growth is more maligned and purposeful.
While most of these creatures have only made
appearances to ward off invasive incursions, there
are stories of one creature that actively rebels
against the civilization that Seward’s Refuge protects.
It seeks to expand the Overgrowth, to tear down
the walls, and to subvert the order of humanity’s
existence on Outage. This creature has been known
since the 70s as Treestache.
Believed to be a Eucalyptus deglupta originally,
this treacherous treant has spent several decades
attempting incursions beyond the barrier wall. It is
the treant that has been seen frequently by border
wall patrol, and has become somewhat of a
bogeyman for new recruits. But much doesn’t get
past the wall, including words. The rest of the
inhabitants of Outage have no idea of this menace.
While the expansion of the forest is unnaturally
rapid, its pacing is at least somewhat predictable
after decades of constraining it. Treestache,
however, has created a chaos factor by creating
deliberate initiatives with the intent of breaching
Seward’s defenses. For Treestache, it’s not a
matter of if, but when. And trees have nothing else
if not time and patience.
The Overgrowth Heroes
It is rare to find a hero, or really anything, that comes
out of the Overgrowth. Its presumed small population
across a vast and dangerous ecosystem leads to not
much in the way of civilized locals. And while Genoa
houses innumerable Powers, most of these Powers
don’t necessarily classify themselves as heroes OR
villains. Still, there are heroes in every corner of the
world, both big and small. Sometimes it just takes a
person willing to go out there and say that today is
the day they’re going to try and bring about positive
change in the world. Two of these great, positive
changes from the Overgrowth are SandWitch and
Rock’n Troll.
83
Rock’n Troll
In the south eastern most edge of the Overgrowth,
hemmed in by ocean, river, and wall, lives a discreet
race of troll-like creatures known to the pirates of
the Sink as Tribe Staccato. It is unknown where their
origin derives from, but these large, brutish creatures
bear pallid, grayish green skin, massive forms, and
distinct tusk-like protrusions from their lower jaws.
What marks them as different from the folk legends
they either inspired, or were inspired by, is the fact
that each and every one of them has a natural talent
toward music.
It is their belief, in fact, that music soothes the savage
heart of the jungle and its many beasts. They live in
harmony, both as a spiritual state of being, and
melodically. It is further believed that their musical
inclinations come from the perfectly metronomic
quality of the ground below them, as reclaimed earth
emerges far to their south, forming the peninsula of
the Sink.
As a right of passage, a troll child selects the
instrument that best suits them, and with that brings their
harmony into the fold of the rest of the community. But,
for Rock’n Troll, this was never really an option. As
soon as the choice came up, the only choice that spoke
to the soul of Rock’n Troll was nothing short of a
massive Stratocaster and amp. This electric guitar was
in no way meant to be a part of a large orchestra.
Much like the guitar, Rock’n Troll needed to go solo.
As Rock’n Troll, and having finally achieved your
instrument of power, you set forth out into the world,
axe in hand, to learn what it means to grow up, to
learn new forms of musical power, and to rock
people’s socks off!
 Unique Characteristics That Can Be Included In Your Game Sessions:
• Rock’n Troll’s father is Bach’n Troll, a classical composer. Rock’n Troll’s mother is Glock’n Troll and is a master of the glockenspiel.
• Rock’n Troll also has a brother named Frank. Frank is a weird jerk.
• Rock’n Troll wears an amplifier/speaker rig as a backpack, which would be impossible for a typical human to lift for any
extended period of time.
• Rock’n Troll can play any rock song after hearing it only once, but also produces unique tracks all the time.
• When not playing guitar, Rock’n Troll is a voracious reader and tabletop gamer.

SandWitch
Genoa can quite literally be a magical place to live.
But none so more magical than the school of the Food
Mages, known as Boarshead. This reclusive school for
gifted Powers focuses on only the finest of food-based
Powers (which there seems to be a surprising amount of).
While Powers have come and gone, no Mage proved
more powerful than SandWitch. At an early age, while
some children built castles and mud pies, SandWitch
began crafting sandwiches out of sand and earth that
were so realistic, that many had foolishly attempted to
consume them.
Discovering this aptitude toward the shifting of sand,
especially only when the attention was on food,
SandWitch was brought to the Food Mages of
Boarshead to learn their secret ways.
After much trials and tribulations (roughly 7 large
adventures involving the assistance of friends), SandWitch
finally emerged from the school with the arcane arts
of Edilble Magic.
But, over time, SandWitch started seeing that Boarshead
wasn’t as idyllic as once thought. In fact, there was a
disconcerting number of members that left the school
in a clandestine manner. As SandWitch, it wasn’t until
you were approached by a recruiter that you learned
that many of the mages that left the school, took up
work with either BreakFast or the Tempuritan.
Broaching the subject with the school officials, you
were informed that every student was entitled to
choose the career path of their choice, whether that
be an entree for good, or a dessert for evil. But still,
the fact remained that by training these magicians
without educating them on the consequences of their
decisions to use their powers, the school was responsible
for any of their calamitous actions.
But, this was the will of not only Boarshead, but
Genoa as well. The very foundation of the habitat
was focused on not differentiating between good
and ill. Without a moral compass, and while residents
within Genoa may tolerate each other well enough,
the rest of the world suffers the brunt of their exports
of villainy.
It was time for SandWitch to go out and put an end to
those villains, and bring to heel the runaways of
Genoa, and those have fallen in with a bad crowd
when arriving at the bigger cities. It was time for
SandWitch to become a hero (hold the pickles).

Unique Characteristics That Can Be Included In Your Game Sessions:

• SandWitch’s friends, Ginger and Spanikopita, are masters of their own magical foods, but chose to stay in Boarshead.
• In the art of making sandwiches, you’ve only ever been bested by Pocket Protector, who makes a mean stuffed pita.
• You’ve got a long standing rivalry with the pompous Hurtz Donut.
• While SandWitch prefers sand, any finely ground substance will do.
• SandWitch keeps a small picture of Otto Frederick Rohwedder at all times.

84
 Session Hooks
Below is a list of specific Overgrowth Session Hooks for free play gaming that can be used to craft adventures or supplement
existing published ones.
• You are tasked with leading a team of scientists deep into the Overgrowth to explore the golden pyramid. But if it’s known
to not really be gold, why is it so important?
• Relations appear to be breaking down between Tribe Staccato and Genoa. Can you discover a way to mediate between
these two peoples to prevent a conflict from breaking out?
• The Overgrowth may be dangerous, but it is life, and life should be protected. Treant saplings are being hunted by a
vicious herbivore. Can you guide them to the safety of their tribe?
• A member of your team has been infected by a spore, and the only cure is a swim in a mineral-rich spring deep in the
heart of the Overgrowth. Get there in time before your friend goes full on “mushroom face.”
• A plane sent off course by a storm has crashed into the Overgrowth. It was assumed that all was lost, but radio signals
from the plane have tapped out an SOS and coordinates. Discover the plane, and lead back any potential survivors.
• A scientist in Seward is looking for a method to predict growth patterns within the forest. She needs you to collect sample
specimens at different areas of the region to help further her calculations.
• A section of laser grid has failed, and the plant-life is looking to take advantage. Defend the gate to ensure nothing gets
out until the laser can be repaired and reinitialized.
• Out of one of the pockets that originally populated the Overgrowth, a vast swarm of Omniamites have emerged. At
first, Seward welcomed the idea of these cousins of termites ravaging the Overgrowth, but that stopped as soon as it was
learned that they withstood the laser grid, and have a taste for concrete and steel. Now, you must team up with denizens
of the forest to find a way to put an end to the shared menace.
d20
Roll ADD ANY OF THE CONDITIONS BELOW AS YOU SEE FIT.
1 Youʼve gained allergies that weaken you over time. In a battle, add -1 to any d20 roll
every 2 rounds (max -6). Reset the counter at the end of the battle.
2 Youʼre completely out of your element as a hero. -4 to POW when using your senses.
3 For some reason, your wounds arenʼt healing. Must be something in the air. -1 to both Encourage rolls.

4 Trees seemingly move around, blocking paths forward, and obscuring where you came from.
5 The Overgrowth truly lives up to its name, and cutting through growth slows you down incredibly. - 2 to Travel speed.
6 Powers in the Genoa community donʼt trust Powers from outside of the community.
-2 to IMP when communicating with them.
7 You have a guide, but must keep the guide safe at all times. If you rest overnight, one person must keep watch.
8 You happen to have eaten the wrong plant. For the rest of the engagement, you are lime green.
9 Oh no! Mosquitoes! Your whole party is super itchy.
10 It is incredibly humid in the Overgrowth. Youʼre sweating buckets. Yuck.
11 A salve of berries keeps you cool and bug-free.
12 Your costume creator made a great costume for your Overgrowth trek so that you donʼt stick out.
13 Though Tribe Staccato may believe in noninvolvement, all your engagements are accompanied by
awesome heroic music from a hidden source.
14 Youʼve been granted a set of night vision goggles by the scientists at Sewardʼs Refuge.

15 The trolls of Tribe Staccato look favorably on your efforts. +2 to all IMP rolls when communicating.
16 You convince a local woodland creature to scout out the path ahead of you.
17 Youʼve befriended a triceratops! Anything you encounter would be wise to get out of your way.
18 The trees have sensed your intentions: paths open up to you, and danger is more likely to be blocked.
19 You find a lucky talisman in the ancient ruins. Each battle, you get to reroll once, & use the higher.
20 A local plant has really boosted your health. Add +1d6 to your YP, and +1 to all rolls.
85
 The Unexplored
Planned adventures are set to be released in Power
Outage (one of which you’ll find in this book), and
that take place in each of the 5 primary regions. It is
important to note, however, the scale of territory
covered by Outage is extensive. There are Primary
Regions, but there are also areas within and outside
of those regions that have yet to be discovered and
explored. These regions exist for the bold.
For all those looking to brave their own paths through
Outage, you may discover that there are enough
subregions and pockets to warrant your own
exploration. While the published adventures provide
great structured resources for GMs, the adventurous
can design their own territories or developments to
explore.
For the sake of guidance, however, I can recommend the
following examples of locations that could be developed
and explored in further detail. These environments can
be broken up into 4 different categories.

Physical
Physical
Physical
Describes
Physical
Describes
a physical location in greater detail near, involving, within, or completely apart from Outage.
a physical
While most, if not all,location
Describes a physical location
in greater will
of the adventures detail
in greater detail
near,
focus oninvolving,
near,
within,
the continent
involving,
orOutage
itself,
within,
completely apart
is set
or completely in anfrom
apart
Outage.
alternate
from Earth
Outage.
While
and themost,
rest
Describes if not
of theall,
a physical of the
world adventures
is completely
location will
in greaterup forfocus
detail oninvolving,
the continent
exploration.
near, itself,
within, orOutage is set
completely in anfrom
apart alternate Earth
Outage.
While
and themost,
rest if not
of theall, of the
world is adventures
completely will
up forfocus on the continent
exploration. itself, Outage is set in an alternate Earth
While
and themost, if not
rest of theall, of the
world adventuresup
is completely will
forfocus on the continent itself, Outage is set in an alternate Earth
exploration.
and the rest of the world is completely up for exploration.

Temporal
Temporal
Temporal
Temporal
The
The
lands of Outage seem to have appeared out of time and space itself. Such oddities do not function in a pure
lands of Outage seem to havemay
appeared
bubble. Remnants
The lands and
of Outage pathways
seem still existout
to have appeared to of
out of
time and
explore the space
time and island itself.
space in theSuch
itself. Such
oddities
distant doeven
past, or
oddities
not function in a pure
the far-flung
do not function future.
in a pure
bubble.
The Remnants
lands and
of Outage pathways
seem to havemay still existout
appeared to explore the space
island in theSuch
distant past, or
doeven the far-flung future.
bubble. Remnants and pathways may still exist to of time and
explore the island itself. oddities
in the distant past, or not function
even in a pure
the far-flung future.
bubble. Remnants and pathways may still exist to explore the island in the distant past, or even the far-flung future.

Dimensional
Dimensional
Dimensional
Dimensional
An
An
alternate Earth suggests alternate realities. Where did Outage come from? Could it be that these alternate
alternate
realities exist Earth
An alternate Earth
suggests
and are alternate
possibly
suggests
realities. Where did Outage come from? Could it be that these alternate
accessible?
alternate realities. Where did Outage come from? Could it be that these alternate
realities
An exist Earth
alternate and are possibly
suggests accessible?
alternate realities. Where did Outage come from? Could it be that these alternate
realities exist and are possibly accessible?
realities exist and are possibly accessible?

Extra
Extra Dimensional
Dimensional
Extra
Extra
There
There
are Dimensional
are Dimensional
universes adjacent to ours, and then there are pockets that exist somewhere in between. In these realms,
universes adjacent to ours, and then there are pockets thatAnd
exist
everything we understand
There are universes about
adjacent the nature
to ours, of reality
and then breaks
there are down.
pockets insomewhere
that exist somewhere
in and
these strange between. In these
wondrous
in between.
realms,
warpings
In these realms,
everything
of timeare
There we understand
anduniverses
space, the about
unknown
adjacent the nature
reaches
to ours, ofand
andout,
then reality breaks
touches
there are thedown.
thatAnd
world
pockets insomewhere
inexist
weirdthese strange
ways. in and wondrous
between. warpings
In these realms,
everything
of time andwe understand
space, about
the unknown the nature
reaches out,of reality
and breaks
touches thedown.
worldAnd in these
in weird strange
ways. and wondrous warpings
everything we understand about the nature of reality breaks down. And in
of time and space, the unknown reaches out, and touches the world in weird ways.these strange and wondrous warpings
of time and space, the unknown reaches out, and touches the world in weird ways.

Here Are Some Examples Of Potential Unexplored Areas

The Undergrowth
A string of pocket kingdoms that exist below the Overgrowth through a spiderweb of ancient caverns.
The Drain
Every sink has its drain, and so too does the ocean off the coast of the Sink. What creatures live there in
the depths, below the ocean waters?
86
 The Penthouse
At the top of TWISE floats an international space station, colloquially referred to as the Penthouse. Not only is
this a massive research facility, it serves as a dock for an ever-expanding space exploration program.
Yomi
Labeled such by the lower city residents of Shorai City, Yomi is a realm of weirdness and
phosphorescent lights deep within the catacombs.
The Past
Whether you’re traveling back decades, centuries, or eons, be careful, because your footsteps echo through time.
The Future
Do you like what you see waiting out there for you in the tomorrow that is? Do you dare fight to change
it, or fight to keep its promise?
Buyan
Believed to be the first acknowledgment of Outage by ancient Slavs, this realm is accessible through the
cliffs of Atomnyy Zavod. How or where the land exists is as-of-yet unknown.
Hulm
The realm of imagination, where creations of the mind take a life on their own.
Edible Earth
The alternate dimension where Food Mages derive their powers from, and everything is tasty.
Musical Earth
An alternate dimension where all musicals occur naturally.

87
VILLAIN FILES

88
A WHOLE SLEW OF TERRIBLE SCOUNDRELS
 Villains
Villains: they’re the worst! Am I right? Always messing Blocks. The rationale is that these paths are how the
things up, attacking law-abiding citizens, creating villains might conduct business when not
chaos, and NOT RECYCLING! Outage may be engrossed in a canonical storyline. Or you can
home to some of the greatest minds and heroes in suggest that these Villain Files are actually recorded
the world, but it is also home to its greatest villains. entries of villains by the Outage policing forces. As
In this First Generation of villains, we have top such, the effect of the reports might not necessarily
secret information of each villain from the 5 match actual output or capabilities of the villains.
documented regions of Outage. However, each of These villains are additionally subject to the whim of the
these villains bring a slew of henchlings to the table. GM running the table. There are several methods a
For the purpose of keeping things simple, this Core GM can employ to adjust a villain to match the existing
Guide Book will list the 10 main villains and their 10 play group, and as always, you are encouraged to do
main henchmen. These are typically encountered in so. If the villain is too “villainous,” you can scale back its
the first half of a hero’s career. stats or the number of powers it can use.

These villains are provided here for those GMs
looking to create their own adventures or potentially
supplement published adventures with additional
villains. Please be advised that the effects, powers,
weaknesses, and descriptions of these villains may
be completely different from published Adventure
One method for determining how your group will fair
in an encounter is to send out a single henchling as a
“scout.” Depending on how your group matches up
against that single enemy could inform you on how
much they can handle.
Remember, in the end, the villains need to work for
your game.

Reading The Villain Files

In the following section, you’ll find that a majority of the villain-file information is formatted as in the example below:

Name
+
Flavor Text
#
XP
#
IMPACT
#
POWER
#
OHMER
#
YP
#
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Power Name Use Count Range Damage If Any
Description and Effects.

Weakness ( ): Meta-action. Effect.

Name - Simply the name of the type of villain, but feel free to individualize them. Or call them all Jeff.
Flavor Text - Is a brief description or call to arms related to the villain. It’s basically a hook to develop on.
# XP - Shows the total amount of XP earnable by defeating the villain.
Stats - These describe the unaltered stats of a villain and mimic the stats a hero has:
IMP - Impact, POW - Power, Ω - Ohmer, YP - Yield Points, and Travel - Number of spaces a villain can travel per turn.
Impact Attack describes how strong the impact is at that level.
Power - Power is typically divided into 3 sections. The first is the name of the power. Second is the stats. Use
count indicates the number of times a villain can use a power. Range indicates how far the power can reach from
the villain’s position. And damage describes any damage dice that are rolled in conjunction with the power. The
3rd section briefly describes the power and it’s effects.
Weakness - Weakness is broken into two parts. A meta-action committed outside of the game, and the impact
it has on the villain. Meta-actions performed by the players are optional. The trigger for a weakness can be
changed to suit the player, affected by the narrative, or not employed at all. The choice lies with the GM.
89
 Bio

MRS. ROBOTO
They took her Doctorate, they took her
livelihood, and they took her dreams. But,
she’ll take it all back, even if she has to
tear all of Shorai City down with it.

Base of Operations: Shorai City

History: Previously Employed by
Roboto Corp to create AI Ambassador
droids, her creations were stolen, and she
was publicly vilified. Now Mrs. Roboto
seeks revenge against Roboto Corp, and
anyone who stands in her way is
colateral damage.

Engage in the study of STEM

every day between Sessions.
Mrs. Roboto takes a -2 to Ohmer
from any IMP-based rolls from
the player and has a -3 for
POW rolls against heroes.

90
 10
MRS. ROBOTO Mrs. Roboto Mark 1
+ XP
4
IMPACT
4
POWER
4
OHMER
18 YP
5
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d8 or 4
Zap 2 All Adjacent None
Teleport heroes up to 11 spaces in any direction. Roll against each hero.

Kapow 4 5 1d6
Mrs. Robotoʼs Laser Gauntlet activates, blasting a hero and teleporting herself 8 spaces.

Fwip 2 10 None
Flip over and mix upa hero's powers for 5 rounds. The hero can play powers, but each time, the cards
must be shuffled and hidden. If cards arenʼt used, then they must be played randomly
with a coin toss, d4, or d6 depending on the number of powers you have.

Mrs. Roboto Mark 2

+
20
XP
6
IMPACT
6
POWER
6
OHMER
28 10 YP TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d10 or 6
POWERS/HENCHLINGS

Zapport 2 2 None
Teleport a hero away to an unknown dimension. The hero can't return for 2 rounds. Roll against each hero.

ElectroClaw 4 5 1d6
Mrs. Robotoʼs Laser Gauntlet activates, blasting heroes, trapping
them in their place for 2 rounds, and teleporting her 8 spaces.

Fwip 2 10 None
Flip over and mix up a hero's powers for 5 rounds. The hero can play powers, but each time the
cards must be shuffled and hidden. If cards arenʼt used, then they must be played randomly
with a coin toss, d4, or d6 depending on the number of powers you have.

Incoming! 2 None None

Summon up to 4 Robotroupers (1d4 roll determines amount).

Jet Pack Infinite None None

Flight

Robotroupers
+
Ambassador-bots Turned Performers
2XP
2
IMPACT
0
POWER
0
OHMER
8 YP
7
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Drama 1 All Adjacent 1d6
Robotrouper self destructs upon YP dropping to zero. Roll against each hero.

Practice an art since the last session and gain +5 YP during battle with a Robotrouper.

Swarmbots
+
Literal Bugs In The Machine
3XP
1
IMPACT
3
POWER
2
OHMER
6 YP
7
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Diversify Investments 1 Adjacent None
Steal a power from a hero and disallow its use until the swarmbot is disabled.
If allowance was saved since the last session, +2 to attack rolls against Swarmbots.
91
 MRS. ROBOTO
Insaneterns Student Loans Drove Them Mad. Villainy Will Be Their Deferment

+
4XP
1
IMPACT
3
POWER
3
OHMER
8
YP
5
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Soy Frapp 2 Adjacent 1d6
A hero feels super jittery and canʼt travel for 2 rounds.

Milford Man 1 Self None

Disappear for 2 rounds. Insaneterns reappear if they attack.
Make someone feel good about themselves without the
thought of a reward. +2 to attack rolls against Insaneterns

Wedges
+
The Most Efficient (& Boring) of Battlebots
5XP
4 0 2 12 12 IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4

HENCHLINGS
IMPACT POWER OHMER YP TRAVEL

It’s Just A Bigger Wedge Really Infinite Self None

Multiple Wedges can form ramps for each other.
Help around the house or follow through on chores.
If you do, force Wedge to reroll their attack once per battle.

Reverse Engineers
+
Great At Tearing Things Apart
6XP
2
IMPACT
3
POWER
3
OHMER
8
YP
5
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Backwards Compatible 4 Adjacent 1d6
The hero is moved back 5 spaces.

Group Think 3 5 1d8

Damage split across 2-4 heroes. Damage can be split in any proportion.
Half damage if a single hero is targeted. Only 1 hero needs to be targeted to succeed.
Learn how to do something new. If you do,
take -2 to all attacks targeting you.

Turingoons
+
Can’t Tell Them Apart From Other Goons
8XP
4
IMPACT
4
POWER
4
OHMER
8
YP
5
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Mimic (Object) 1 Self None
Turingoons mimic an object, becoming less visible. Heroes must seek
them out rolling a d20 vs. Ohm to see them before they attack.

Mimic (Person) 1 Self None

Turingoons mimic a character, becoming less visible. Heroes must seek
them out rolling a d20 vs. Ohm to see them before they attack.
Clean up after yourself. Pick up toys, or return dishes.
At the start of the battle, gain +1 YP for each day you've cleaned up.
92
 10
MRS. ROBOTO
AutoCADs Computer-Aided Destroyers

+ XP
4
IMPACT
2
POWER
3
OHMER
10 YP
5
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Object Snap 3 10 2d8
Up to 4 heroes are snapped into position. Split damage across enemies equally.1d8 if a single target is selected.

Pan 3 Self 2d6

AutoCAD shifts positions as if it were teleporting. Travel 7 spaces without encountering traps.
Practice drawing real objects. AutoCADS have to inform heroes
of their movement 1 round prior to their next turn, as they travel by design.

The 5th Dentist

+
Doesn’t Agree With The Other Four
10
XP
2
IMPACT
4
POWER
4
OHMER
14
YP
6
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
HENCHLINGS

Dentist’s Chair Infinite 5 None

Pull up to 3 heroes in chairs adjacent to the dentist in lieu of travel. No attack roll necessary.

Creepy Dentist Tools 2 Adjacent 1d12

The dentist menaces the hero with weird scrapy drilly things.
If players practice proper dental hygiene every day,
the dentist takes a -2 to all rolls against heroes.

Sincericons
+
Way Too Honest With Their Opinions
12
XP
3
IMPACT
3
POWER
3
OHMER
12
YP
7
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Cutting Barb 5 Adjacent 1d6
Words can hurt. 2 adjacent heroes take a reduction to YP. Roll against each hero.

Transform And Doll Out Infinite 3

Self None
Transforms into a vehicle fueled by sarcasm.
Compliment someone. If you do this every day between sessions, gain 2
extra Standard Actions per battle you can use against Sincericons during your turns.

The Internet
+
Filled With Cat Videos and Anonymity
14
XP
4
IMPACT
2
POWER
5
OHMER
10
YP
7
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
DDoS Attack 5 Adjacent 1d10
The Internet performs a brute force attack on up to 2 adjacent heroes. Roll against each hero.

The Internet Doesn’t Weigh Anything, Jen Infinite Self3 None

Flight. Avoid traps.

Firewall 2 Adjacent 1d6

Create 1 by 6 space barriers that canʼt be crossed without taking damage. Lasts 1 round.
Every day that players read for at least 15 minutes add +1 to all attacks,
93 add +1 to all attacks and Ohm for the player (max 5 Ohm).
 Bio

THE TEMPURITAN
The Tempuritan laughs at your weak-willed shock at
discovering deep fried chocolate bars at your local
county fair. He mocks your disgust of donut burgers.
The Tempuritan is quite literally a puritan when it comes
to the pure rich quality of achieving the perfect
smoke point, regardless of oil.
Base of Operations: Shorai City
History: Fleeing the persecution of the
health conscious, Ageta Shefu,
world-renowned tempura artist, fled to the shores of
Shorai City to practice his craft. Little did he know that
he and his fellow pilgrims would be followed. Now,
the Tempuritan seeks the freedom to worship fried food
by frying the rest of the world!

Work with your parent, family, or

guardian to help prepare healthy
meals each day. If you’re too
young to help prepare, then
help in some other way.
The Tempuritans
Grease Trap/Pit dries
up and does not
function in battle.

94
 The Tempuritan UnCrustable 10
THE TEMPURITAN
+ XP
2
IMPACT
3
POWER
3
OHMER
14YP
7
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d8 or 4
Grease Trap Infinite 10 None
Every round, whenever a hero first travels, the hero is required to roll d20 vs. 8
to avoid slipping on grease and falling down. No damage occurs, but travel ends if the hero slips.

Stir Fry 4 10 1d8

Get tossed and fried. Up to 2 heroes take damage and then swap places. Roll against each hero.

Tempur 1 Self None

The Tempuritan hardens himself to attack requiring a hero to re-roll a success as a
response to getting attacked. The second attack always counts whether it lands or not.

The Tempuritan FryDaddy

+
20
XP
2
IMPACT
4
POWER
5
OHMER
16YP
7
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d10 or 6
Grease Pit Infinite 10 None
Every round, whenever a hero first travels, the hero is required to roll d20 vs.12 to
avoid slipping on grease and falling down. No damage occurs but travel ends if you slip.
POWERS/HENCHLINGS

Wok Hard 4 10 2d6

The heroes are stir fried doing damage to up to 4 heroes and making them swap places with each
other at the Tempuritan's discretion. Roll against each hero.

Tempur 2 Self None

The Tempuritan hardens himself to attack requiring a hero to re-roll a success as a
response to getting attacked. The second attack always counts whether it lands or not.

Extra Crispy 3 Adjacent 1d10

Encase a hero in a crispy crust, doing damage and stopping any actions for 1 round.

See-Through Bag 3 Adjacent None

Rubbing grease across any surface allows Tempuritan to pass through it. Travel through the space
requires heroes to roll 1d20 vs. 8 to pass through and takes 2 travel spaces.

Frizzl e d Fanatics
+
Pilgrim Followers Of Fryology
2XP
3
IMPACT
0
POWER
2
OHMER
8
YP
7
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Cheer Battered 1 Self None
As a reaction, the Frizzled Fanatic can reduce damage done by half.

Eat only healthy snacks all day long. Hero gains +1 to IMP rolls against Fanatic.

CornDogs
+
Battered, But Feral
1
XP per
2
IMPACT
0
POWER
0
OHMER
1YP
10
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
6-Pack Infinite Self None
Roll a d6 to determine the number of CornDogs in a battle.

Display teamwork outside of gameplay. Automatically reduce the 6-Pack by 1.

95
 THE TEMPURITAN
Painko Crumbinals
+
Crusty Criminals Cavorting in Capers
4XP
1
IMPACT
3
POWER
3
OHMER
12
YP
5
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Unleavened Playing Field 3 5 None
Large flakey crumbs are thrown into the eyes of any heroes in range, causing -2 to
their attack and damage rolls. Roll against each hero.
Keep your designated space clean and organized.
Remove the damage reduction capability from the power.

Hurts Dough Nut

+
Crazy, With a Glazed Look In His Eye.
5XP
4
IMPACT
0
POWER
3
OHMER
10
YP
7
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Holey Moley 2 Self None
Boost IMP attacks and add +2 to IMP damage for 2 rounds, as a Free Action.
Resolve a conflict without resorting to violence.
Heroes gain +5 to IMP when using de-escalate.

HENCHLINGS
Deep Friars
+
Greasy Clergyman
6XP
2
IMPACT
3
POWER
4
OHMER
8YP
5
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Splatter Scatter 2 Adjacent 1d8
Hot slippery oil splattters at heroes causing damage and pushes 1 hero back 3 spaces.

Grease Trap 1 8 None

The Friar forms a greasy spot under the hero's feet, stopping Travel for 2 rounds.
Use TV time to watch something educational.
Splatter Scatter loses damage.

Fugu
+
The Most Poisonous Tempura
8XP
2
IMPACT
3
POWER
4
OHMER
8YP
5
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Homer’s Brain 2 Adjacent 1d6 ongoing 3
A hero gets hit by some bad fish, taking damage plus ongoing damage
per round until a fellow hero encourages them.

Fish Breath Infinite Self None

Fugu moves through water with no need for air.
Do your part to take care of a pet.
Reduce ongoing damage from Homerʼs Brain to 1 YP per round.

96
THE TEMPURITAN
Hater Tots
+
Loosely Compressed Evil
8XP
4
IMPACT
0
POWER
2
OHMER
6 6
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
4-Piece 1 8 None
Tots can create up to 4 illusory clones of itself. A single successful attack reveals a clone,
but clones have the same Ohmer as the original.

Do something nice for a sibling or friend. Hater Tots get a -2 to IMP attack from you.

Sue Chefs
+
Fierce Legal Assistants To The Chef
10
XP
2
IMPACT
2
POWER
4
OHMER
16
YP
5
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Bar Exam 2 Adjacent None
Sue Chefs create a barrier that follows their path of movement and that remains for up to 3 rounds.

Objection 3 Self None

Looking to delay attacks, Sue Chefs become indestructible but unable to attack for 2 rounds.
HENCHLINGS

Come up with a compromise all on your own. Sue Chefs Ohmer and YP are halved.

Ninjinjas Carrots Aren’t The Only Thing They Slice... But Mostly It’s Carrots

+
12
XP
2
IMPACT
3
POWER
2
OHMER
8
YP
5
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Slap Chop 4 Adjacent 1d10
When you get one Slap Chop, get the second one free! Attack up to 2 heroes. Roll against each hero.

Sham Wow Infinite Self 1

Become undetectable to heroes 5 or more spaces away for 2 turns. Attacking makes Ninjinjas visible.

Help prepare dinner. Ninjinjas leave footprints wherever they go.

Tankasu
+
Bits Of Batter Collected Into Rolling Destruction
14
XP
5
IMPACT
0
POWER
5
OHMER
8
YP
3
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d10 or 6
Protek Infinite Adjacent None
Reduce damage to other villains by 2.
Choose to be honest, even if it is difficult.
Especially when itʼs difficult. Reduce Ohmer to 2.

97
 Bio

BREAKFAST
The terror of Atomnyy Zavod, BreakFast has
embraced his thematic error and is ready to
eggsicute mass destruction.
Base of Operations: Atomnyy Zavod
History: Ivan Etencarbz was a lowly
crime lord until he hijacked the right truck
heading toward Seward’s Refuge.
Now, with great destructive powers,
he took on a fearsome monacher
only to learn BreakFast doesn’t
translate well from his mother tongue.
Embracing the error, he is looking to
take over all crime in Atomnyy as the
most important criminal of the day!

Help your community in some

way by volunteering,
donating to a food drive, or
anything else that has a
need. BreakFast’s
weaponry becomes
flaky, dropping his
power attribute to
negative 2.

98
BREAKFAST
BreakFast - Over Easy
+
10
XP
5
IMPACT
4
POWER
3
OHMER
14
YP
5
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d10 or 5
Atomic Waffle Stomp 3 5 1d6
BreakFast stomps the ground, causing a ripple wave that knocks down
everyone but himself (including other villains) and doing damage. No attack roll necessary.

Pancakes! 4 2 None
The syrup turns a hero into pancakes for 2 rounds. They cannot attack or move.

Toast 4 All Adjacent 1d12 ongoing 1d4

BreakFastʼs face lights up with red hot heat, doing damage to
heroes and ongoing damage until encouraged. Roll against each hero.
POWERS/HENCHLINGS

BreakFast - Over Hard

+
20
XP
5
IMPACT
4
POWER
3
OHMER
24 10
YP TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d12 or 8
Atomic Waffle Slam 3 5 1d6
BreakFast slams the ground with his Atomic Waffle Press causing a ripple wave that knocks down
everyone but himself (including other villains) up to 5 squares away and doing damage.

Pancakes! Pancakes!! 3 5 2
The heroes turn into Soggy Pancakes for 3 rounds and take an ongoing 2 straight
damage each round. They cannot attack or move.

Burnt 2 All Adjacent 2d10 ongoing 1d6

BreakFastʼs face lights up with red hot heat, doing damage to heroes
and ongoing damage until encouraged twice. Roll against each hero.

Scrambled 3 4 None
Heroes swap powers for 3 rounds at BreakFast's discretion. They may have powers swapped with
enemies. Only 1 hero needs to be targeted to succeed.

Quantum Strike 1 Self None

BreakFast rerolls a failed IMP attack with a +2.

Wawfuls/Paincakes/Giant Crepes
+
Complex Carbs
2XP
2
IMPACT
1
POWER
0
OHMER
8
YP
5
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Powdered 2 Adjacent 1d3 ongoing 1YP
Deal damage to a hero and then take an ongoing damage per round until encouraged.

Enjoy meals with the family without using any technology. Powdered is disabled.

99
Bad Apples 4XP

BREAKFAST
Radioactive Goons That Spoil The Batch

+
1
IMPACT
3
POWER
2
OHMER
10
YP
8
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Slackintosh 3 Self 1d3
Slackintosh drowsily attacks and the hero is slowed. Each space traveled requires feels like 3.

Keep The Doctor Away Infinite 3 None

Prevent Encourage during battle whenever a Bad Apple is near.
Exercise for at least 20 minutes a day. Not only do Bad Apples lose the
Keep The Doctor Away power, but you gain an extra 1d3 YP.

Cereal Offenders Repeatedly Soggy

5XP

HENCHLINGS
+
2
IMPACT
2
POWER
2
OHMER
10
YP
6
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Sugar Rush Infinite 15 1d3 + 1
Fire off sugary pebbles from a good distance, doing damage to a hero.

Make sure to eat a healthy breakfast. Cut Cereal Offendersʼ power down to 3 uses.

Means on Toast
+
I’m Pretty Sure It’s A British Thing
6XP
3
IMPACT
2
POWER
3
OHMER
12
YP
8
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Wat Mate? Infinite Any Distance None
Toast sees through any attempts at invisibility, camouflage, or illusion. No roll required.

Bean Juice 3 5 1d6

Spray bean juice in a wide arc and hit up to 3 heroes. Roll against each hero.
Dedicate at least 20 minutes per day to reading in
between sessions. -2 to POW and damage rolls targeting heroes.

Slashbrowns
+
They’re Totally Different From Hater Tots
6XP
3
IMPACT
3
POWER
4
OHMER
8
YP
7
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Potato Tornado 3 All Adjacent 1d8
A whirlwind of fried potato bits causes damage and pushes the hero back 3 spaces. Roll against each hero.

Potato Flip 1 4 None

For the next 2 rounds, a hero is forced to attack any adjacent hero rather than the enemy.
Help clear the table and/or with the dishes. Potato Tornado does only 1d4 damage.

100
BREAKFAST

Breakon (or Turkey Breakon)

+
Super Crispy Criminals
9XP
3
IMPACT
0
POWER
3
OHMER
10
YP
6
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Breakonator Infinite Adjacent None
Do 2 IMP attacks per round.
Take the time to read aloud to a sibling, parent, pet, or friend
Hero takes a -2 to IMP attacks from Breakon
HENCHLINGS

The Juicer
+
Pretty Gruesome. Gotta Be Honest.
8XP
3
IMPACT
3
POWER
3
OHMER
10
YP
8
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Gah! It's In My Eyes! 5 Adjacent None
Blind the hero with juice. Hero has a -2 to Attack and Damage rolls until the next round.

Squeezed 4 Adjacent 1d10

The Juicer squeezes 2 heroes doing damage. Roll against each hero.
Drink only healthy drinks, including the appropriate amount of water,
between play sessions. The Juicer's YP drops to 5.

Tuffin
+
This Ain’t No Cupcake
12
XP
4
IMPACT
2
POWER
4
OHMER
12
YP
6
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Blueberry Punch 3 2 1d8
Hero is knocked back 10 spaces and is dazed, cutting travel speed in half.

Corn-ered 3 15 None
A hero is transported to the corner of any room or space, and their Travel is halved.
Each day of completed homework adds a one-time use of +2 save to damage against YP.
Points can be added up and then split across multiple attacks.

101
 BREAKFAST
Eggsecutioner The Yolks On You 12
XP
+
5
IMPACT
3
POWER
4
OHMER
14
YP
7
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Hardboiled 1 Self None

Eggsecutioner becomes indestructible but unable to move for 2 rounds.

Summon All The King’s Horses 3 10 2d8

HENCHLINGS
Summon a spectral horse charge. Do damage to 4 heroes, splitting damage as desired
(half damage if a single character is targeted). Only 1 hero needs to be targeted to succeed.

Summon All The King’s Men 3 10 1d3+3

Spectral Soldiers arrive. They attack 1 hero doing damage for 4 rounds before disappearing.
King's Men must roll for each attack using Eggsecutioner's IMP score.
Do something to help the community or your school.
Eggsecutioner rolls attacks with a d12.

Brinniac Breakfast Ai Taking Over Other Meals 14

XP
+
2
IMPACT
5
POWER
4
OHMER
16
YP
NO
LIMIT
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Brunch Infinite 2 None
Boost friendly damage by 4 for 3 rounds. In Power Outage, you can't double down on Brunch.

Brinner Infinite 2 None

Boost friendly IMPACT by 4 for 5 rounds. You can't have 2nds,
but you can have Brunch before Brinner.

Brupper Infinite 2 None

Boost friendly attack by 2 for 3 rounds. You're just making brupper up.
You can only have it with one other meal.

Take care of some of the yard work: planting, weeding, mowing, shoveling, etc...
Roll 1d8 and remove that number from Brinniac's YP. Limit 2 players.

102
 Bio
BOLSHEFIST
To some it may seem hard to juggle a career and a socialist revolution, but it’s pretty easy for a
seemingly magically enhanced master juggler with rare metal gauntlets.
Base of Operations: Atomnyy Zavod
History: Yelena Kuznetsov was the world’s darling, but that doesn’t mean she was thrilled with the
treatment of her Carnival Comrades. So she’s taken it upon herself to seize control, first of the carnival
itself, and next of the Factory. It’s time to seize the means of production with your cold metallic hands.

Dedicate time to honing your skill in a specific art or talent.

It helps to pre-schedule that time. Nothing is infinite. Any power listed as “Infinite” drops to 2 uses.

103
 BOLSHEFIST
Uranium Element Bolshefist
+
10
XP
4
IMPACT
3
POWER
4
OHMER
12
YP
6
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d8 or 4
Weight Of The Oppressors Infinite Self None
(No roll required, but acts as a Standard Action). Add 1d3 to the next attack or 1d4 to damage.
The weight stacks on top of each other each round.

Redistribution Of Health 2 10 None

Select a hero: for the next 3 rounds, any damage done to Bolshefist is split with that hero (rounded down).

I’m The Jugglernot Infinite Any Distance None

A true professional can keep things in the air, but only a master can keep them out.
Disable any flight or flight-like powers heroes may have.

POWERS/HENCHLINGS
Yourmomium Element Bolshefist
+
20
XP
6
IMPACT
5
POWER
4
OHMER
14 YP
12
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d10 or 6
Weight Of The Oppressors Infinite Self None
(No roll required, but acts as a Standard Action.) Add 1d4 to the next attack or 1d6 to damage.
The weight stacks on top of each other each round.

Redistribution Of Health 4 10 None

For the next 3 rounds, select a hero, and any damage done to
Bolshefist is split with that hero (rounded down).

I’m The Jugglernot Infinite Any Distance None

A true professional can keep things in the air, but only a master can
keep them out. Disable any flight or flight-like powers heroes may have.

Reverse Cascade 3 Adjacent None

Knock everyone back 5 spaces and make them drop to the floor.

Island Of Stability 1 Anywhere None

Move all heroes to a position the Bolshefist wants, including up in the air
or stuck to a wall, and then leave them there for one round. No attack roll necessary.

Classless Clowns
+
Just Clowns, Without Differentiated Hierarchy
2XP
2
IMPACT
2
POWER
0
OHMER
8 YP
7
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Spread The Wealth 1 2 1d8
Damage is split between 2-4 heroes. Half damage if a single hero is targeted.
Only 1 hero needs to be targeted to succeed.
Bring home positive remarks or a good grade from school, class, or activity.
Classless Clowns have no powers.

104
BOLSHEFIST
Carnmunists Carnis Who Believe All Carnival Property Is Public Property

+
4XP
3
IMPACT
0
POWER
0
OHMER
8
YP
6
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Social Hittems Infinite Self None
Damage done to 1 Carnmunist is split to all Carmunists as evenly as possible. Remainders drop off.
Play or explore outdoors. +2 to all rolls against Carnmunist.

Karl Marksmen
+
Everyone Is Equal In His Sights
5XP
1 3 1 10 8 IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
HENCHLINGS

IMPACT POWER OHMER YP TRAVEL

Philoso-Fire 4 15 1d6
Karl's pointed arguments make a hero pause and think.
Damage is done from far away, and cuts the hero's travel speed in half.
Using words, settle a disagreement either between yourself and someone else or
between others. Reduce damage to 1d4 and remove slowdown.

Conformtionist
+
Rigidly Flexible
6XP
2
IMPACT
3
POWER
3
OHMER
12
YP
7
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Slowtus Pose 3 5 None
One hero can not attack for 1 round.

Warrior Pose 2 5 None

After performing warrior pose, Conformtionist adds +2 to IMP attacks on the next round.
Learn and practice a new exercise. +2 to power attacks against Conformtionist.
If you commit to the exercise daily (or as recommended) additionally cut their YP in half.

Proletarot Reader
+
Sees Revolution In Your Future
6XP
0
IMPACT
4
POWER
3
OHMER
7
YP
5
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Self-Fulfilling Prophecy 2 5 None
Proletarot Reader can tell what the hero will do the next turn,
because you control what the hero will do the next turn.

Crystal Ball Infinite 15 None

Any attempt to hide, mask, or create illusion will be instantly detected within 15 feet.
Help out in scheduling the next dayʼs outing or trip.
Proletarot Readerʼs crystal ball shatters, dealing 2 damage to the Reader.
105
 BOLSHEFIST
Dancing Bears
+
Can’t Get More Russian Than That...
8XP
3
IMPACT
2
POWER
4
OHMER
10 YP
5
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Lead 2 5 None
3 heroes are pulled to the nearest adjacent spot near the villain. Roll against each hero.

It Takes 2 To Tango, But 4 To Bear Tango 2 Adjacent 1d10

Do damage to up to 3 adjacent heroes. Roll against each hero.

HENCHLINGS
Practice creative movement like dance, yoga, or tai chi. -2 to attack rolls against heroes.

Meanies of Production
+
In Atomnyy Zavod, They Seize You!
8XP
2
IMPACT
3
POWER
2
OHMER
6
YP
6
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Work Halt 3 Adjacent None
Stop a hero's attacks for 2 rounds.

Strike! 4 Adjacent 2d6

An adjacent hero is stuck by a sign covered in permanent marker and glitter.
Help with chores around the house. +1 to attack against Meanies of Production and +1 for
each type of chore you do additional to what you normally are responsible for.

Bunker Busker Penetrate Bunkers With Their Riotous Performances

+
10
XP
4
IMPACT
3
POWER
4
OHMER
3
YP
10
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Music Moves Through You Infinite Self None
Phase through walls.

Sopaino 4 3 1d6 ongoing 3

Does damage and continuing damage per round for the rest of the battle.
Ongoing damage does not stack on a single hero.

Practice an instrument or singing. Reduce Sopaino to 2 uses.

106
BOLSHEFIST

Eastern Bloc Head Able To Resist Capitalist Ideology, And Nails 12

XP
+
4
IMPACT
3
POWER
5
OHMER
8
YP
6
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Wally Wallington Infinite Self None
Create a barrier that follows the path of your movement and remains for 2 turns.

Annie Ville 2 Self None

HENCHLINGS

Becomes indestructible but unable to attack for 2 rounds.

Unified Front 1 5 None

Reduce damage to a fellow villain by 2 as a reaction.

Help a friend or family member accomplish something theyʼre working toward.

Eastern Blocʼs power effects are disabled for 2 rounds at the hero's choice.

Master of Share-a-Monies What Happens When The Power Outage

Creator Runs Out Of Carniva-Based Socialism Puns 14
XP
+
3
IMPACT
5
POWER
4
OHMER
14
YP
7
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Share the Wealth 1 10 2d12
Split damage across up to 4 enemies. Share the Wealth can't target 1 hero. Roll against each hero.

The Show Must Go On 2 5 2d10

Damage up to 4 heroes: 1st enemy takes full damage, 2nd & 3rd takes half, 4th takes half that
rounding down. Only 1 hero needs to be targeted to succeed.

Jazz Hands 3 3 None

Keep the heroes attention and blind them to everything else.
Blind up to 3 heroes so that their next attacks take a -2 to attack and damage rolls.
Nothing is visible to the hero except the Master. Roll against each hero.

Donate your allowance to a charity - Master of Share-a-Monies IMP and POW

drop to zero. Yes, I know this is overpowered, but so is generosity.

107
 Bio

GENERAL PARTICULAR
Dear Author, remember to put something
here about...whatever his name is...
something about a guy you keep
forgetting. What was I talking about?
Base of Operations: Seward’s Refuge
History: Okay wait, now I remember.
He was in the army, and there was this,
experiment, and...something... I must have
it written down here somewhere. Anyway
I’m sure I’ll remember what it was we were
discussing. I think we were talking about
Bolshefist maybe?

Remember to do your
part and help around the
house or when running
errands, so long as it
doesn’t interfere with
school work.
At the start of
combat, roll
2d20. If either
are greater
than 10, then
General Particular
remains visible.

108
GENERAL PARTICULAR
Obscure General Particular
+
10
XP
2
IMPACT
3
POWER
4
OHMER
12
YP
8
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d8 or 4
Neither Confirm Nor Deny 2 Any Distance None
Heroes forget about the existence of General Particular until he attacks. No attack roll necessary.

As You Were 3 3 None

As a reaction, swap places with a hero. If being attacked, the hero takes the
hit. If receiving a benefit, General Particular takes the benefit.

Cannon Fodder 2 Adjacent None

For one turn, take control of a hero and force them to attack for for the General.

Cryptic General Particular

+
20
XP
4
IMPACT
6
POWER
6
OHMER
20 8YP TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d10 or 6
You Can’t Handle The Truth 4 Adjacent None
Heroes forget about the existence of General Particular until
he attacks. No attack roll necessary.

As You Were 4 5 None

As a reaction, swap places with a hero. If being attacked, the hero takes the hit.
POWERS/HENCHLINGS

If receiving a benefit, General Particular takes the benefit.

Cannon Fodder 2 Adjacent None

For one turn, take control of a hero and force them to attack for you.

Hurry Up And Wait 2 10 None

The General convinces heroes that for the next two rounds, they must use their travel action all at
once, and must move 10 in a straight line, regardless if that puts them out of range to attack.

Ninja Punch 1 Adjacent 2d8

Damage a hero when coming out of hiding.

Puzzled Privates
+
For Privates, They’re Sure Open
About Their Willingness To Battle 1
XP
2
IMPACT
1
POWER
0
OHMER
6
YP
7
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Cover Fire 3 15 1d3+1
Damage is done a hero at a considerable distance.

Finish a jigsaw or other puzzle and Puzzled Private loses Cover Fire.

109
 GENERAL PARTICULAR
Confused Captains
+
Not Sure How They Can Lead A Battalion Of Privates When They
Can’t Seem To Remember Pants
2XP
1
IMPACT
2
POWER
0
OHMER
7 YP
7
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Battlecharge 2 Any Distance None
Captains lead Puzzled Privates, who then gain +2 damage for 3 rounds.
Help a friend or family member with their classwork or homework.
Confused Captains roll 1d20 and must beat 10 to be able to use Battlecharge at all.

Confounded Coders
+
They Can Track Down A Single Syntax Error In A 1000
Lines Of Code, But Can’t Track Down Where They Left Their Shoes
3XP
1
IMPACT
3
POWER
2
OHMER
10 YP
4
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Python 3 Adjacent 1d3 ongoing 2
Coders send a continual loop doing damage to a hero
and ongoing damage per round until the hero is Encouraged.

Glitch 1 Any Distance None

If the hero has a weakness, its effects activate as if the weakness were present.
Take the time to practice coding or engage in a coding activity,
lesson, or game. Your experience instantly avoids Glitches from Coders.

Muddled Majors They Majored In Muddled, But Minored In Befuddled

4XP

HENCHLINGS
+
2
IMPACT
2
POWER
2
OHMER
8 YP
9
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Double Time Infinite Adjacent None
Privates make 2 IMP attacks per round.

Strategic Positioning Infinite Self None

Majors have advantageous movement allowing for travel in
any direction (including up or down) and avoidance of traps.
Spend time with a senior citizen providing them companionship or assistance.
Muddled Major loses Strategic Positioning.

Addled Analysts
+
They’re More Adept At Number Crunching Than Hero Crunching,
But They Reckon They Can Calculate A Way
6XP
0
IMPACT
4
POWER
2
OHMER
10 YP
5
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Arithmattack 3 Adjacent None
For the next 2 rounds, a hero is controlled by the Analyst, including attacks against fellow heroes.

Coefficient 3 Self None

Upon traveling or being at a distance of 5 or more spaces from any hero,
Analysts become invisible, only reappearing if they attack.
Go the extra mile in studying your math homework.
Analystsʼ stats balance making POW 2, IMP 2, OHM 2, YP 2, and Travel 2.
110
GENERAL PARTICULAR
Flustered Physicists Calculating The Exact Force Necessary To Inflict Evil

+
8XP
3
IMPACT
2
POWER
3
OHMER
10
YP
5
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
See Stars 2 5 None
A mobile planetarium blinds heroes with galaxies.
Up to 3 heroes take -2 to attack and damage rolls for the next round. Roll against each hero.

An Object In Motion 3 Adjacent 1d8

The first law is used as a concussive force, doing damage and pushing 1 adjacent hero back 3 spaces.

Practice a scientific experiment. Flustered Physicists POW attribute drops to zero.

Spaced Spies
+
They Know Everything About You, But Don’t
Quite Know Who They Themselves Are
9XP
1
IMPACT
4
POWER
2
OHMER
10
YP
8
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Silent But Deadly 1 Self None
Become undetectable to heroes 5 spaces or more away for 2 turns. Attacks make them visible.

Trading Spaces 1 Self None

As a free unannounced action, swap places with a hero for 4 turns. Players continue to control their character.
Any damage done to the swap is done to the hero. Power ends when discovered by
HENCHLINGS

a benchmark POW vs. 10 roll from a hero, or if the Spy attacks a hero.

Backstab 1 Self 1d12

Attacks a hero not facing them. Typically ending Trading Spaces.

Choose to be honest about something even if itʼs difficult.

Trading Spaces lasts 2 turns and Backstab is lost.

Missing Mechs What’s Not To Love About Huge Human Piloted Robot Mechs? Oh Right,

+
The Fact That They’re Operated By Bad Guys
12
XP
4
IMPACT
2
POWER
4
OHMER
12
YP
6
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Search And Destroy 3 Any Distance 1d8
Search and damage a hero at any distance and around barriers.

Power Loader 2 8 None

Lift a hero off the ground and hold them in place and making them unable to attack or travel for 2 rounds.

Up To 11 1 3 11
When reaching zero YP, a Mech self destructs, doing damage to any hero within range. Roll against each hero.
Have a perfect homework record since the last session. Missing Mechs don't self destruct
until the next round and announce that they will self destruct, giving heroes a chance to clear out.

111
 GENERAL PARTICULAR
Obfuscated Operatives They’re So Deep Undercover That They
Don’t Even Know They Are Undercover 12
XP
+
4
IMPACT
3
POWER
5
OHMER
8
YP
6
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Double Agent 5 Adjacent 1d10
Lashing out against 2 heroes, Operative does damage. Roll against each hero.

Fugue State Infinite Self None

Immune to any attempts to weaken, blind, or impose ongoing damage through powers.

Red Herring 1 Self None

Create a clone of self, with 4 YP. The clone has all the same powers, except Red Herring.
Help to organize a drawer, closet, or any other space to
make it easier to find things. Operatives lose Red Herring.

15

HENCHLINGS
If There Is A Shortcut To Committing Heinous
Commander Key Acts, Commander Key Can Execute It
XP
+
4
IMPACT
4
POWER
5
OHMER
12 10
YP TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Command X 4 Any Distance 2d8
Can inflict damage to 1 enemy from any distance.

Command C 2 Adjacent None

On the next round up to 2 heroes attack each other
rather than the Commander. Roll against each hero.

Command Z 2 Self None

Reroll any failed roll, be it attack or damage.

Take a leadership role within a group, and help guide choices or decisions toward a
positive outcome. Commander Key loses 1 of each power and Ohmer is dropped to 3.

112
 Bio
AGENT ORANGUTAN
Agent Orangutan is a force to be reckoned
with. Don’t stay too close to her or her
herbicidal cloud will wilt even the
strongest of heroes.
Base of Operations: Seward’s Refuge
History: Cornelia Heston initially
volunteered to go into the Overgrowth
and discover its secrets for the defense of
Seward’s Refuge. It’s unclear what
happened, but many years later she has
come back, only now she has defected
against the base. What sort of
orangutangent is she on?

Learn more about conservation efforts and

wildlife preservation. Perhaps write a report.
Orangutaint drops to adjacent range and
requires a roll to succeed.

113
 AGENT ORANGUTAN
Agent Orangutan
+
10
XP
3
IMPACT
4
POWER
3
OHMER
12
YP
10
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d8 or 4
Herbicide 1 Adjacent None
Transform a hero, shrinking them in half and halving their YP.

Orangutrace Infinite 3 1d3

Any hero that is up to 3 spaces away from Agent Orangutan
at the start of their turn takes 1d3 damage. No attack roll necessary.

Ape Call 2 Any Distance None

Summon 1 minion ape. Roll 1d6: 1-2 summons a Guerilla Gorilla,
3-4 summons a Chempanzee, and 5-6 summons an Apespestos.

Orangutan Julius Caesar

+
20
XP
4
IMPACT
6
POWER
4
OHMER
20 12YP TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d10 or 6
Herbicide Fully Loaded 2 Adjacent None
Transform a hero, shrinking them in half and halving their YP.

POWERS/HENCHLINGS
Orangutrace Infinite 5 1d6
Any hero up to 5 spaces away from Agent Orangutan at the start of their turn takes 1d6 damage.
No attack roll necessary.

Long Distance Ape Call 4 Any Distance None

Summon 1 minion ape. Roll 1d6: 1-2 summons a Guerilla Gorilla,
3-4 summons a Chempanzee, and 5-6 summons an Apespestos.

Agent Kong 3 15 1d10 ongoing 2

Throw a barrel of mysterious chemicals at a single hero
adoing initial damage and damage ongoing for the rest of the battle.

Zaius Ex Machina 1 Self None

Agent Orangutan recovers half her lost YP. 1d20 vs. 10 for success,
but it does not consume the power if it fails.

Insaneterns
Guerilla Gorillas Student Loans Drove ThemThey’re

+
Mad, Villainy
In The Will
Mist,BeBut
Their
AlsoDeferment
In Revolt
4XP
21
IMPACT
03
POWER
31
OHMER
8
YP
75
TRAVEL
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Swing For The Fences Infinite Self None
Guerilla Gorillas avoid traps and hazards by sticking to the trees.

Ape Drop 1 Adjacent 1d8

Guerillas can drop from any height, doing damage.
Beat 2 levels of Donkey Kong (any version) or assist in any
plumbing work and Guerilla Gorillas lose their powers.
114
AGENT ORANGUTAN HENCHLINGS
Neanderthralls
+
They May Not Be Smart, But They’ll Follow Orders
As Brutal As Their Low Sloping Foreheads
3XP
1
IMPACT
3
POWER
2
OHMER
6 YP
7
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Neaderthrows 3 Adjacent 1d6
Neanderthralls hurl a heavy object at a hero doing damage and pushing them back 3 spaces.
Help around the house or follow through on chores.
If you do, force Neanderthrall to reroll attacks once per battle.

Chempanzee Like The Trails, But Actually Poisonous And Not Just Condensation

+
4XP
1
IMPACT
3
POWER
2
OHMER
8 YP
5
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Chem Trails 2 Adjacent None
The Chempanzee releases a nauseous gas weakening heroes (-2 attack and damage roll) for
2 rounds and doing ongoing -1 damage per round until Encouraged.

Help in cleaning up the house. Chem Trails donʼt weaken heroes.

Apespestos
+
Flame Retardant... But At What Cost?!
5XP
4
IMPACT
0
POWER
3
OHMER
12 YP
12
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Insulated Infinite Self 1 ongoing
Apespestos is resistant to all powers, with a +4 against all POW rolls.
Encourage or participate in an action that involves safety.
Apespestos starts with only 4 YP.

Cher Noble Only Radiation Can Explain Why She Looks As Young As She Does

+
6XP
4
IMPACT
0
POWER
3
OHMER
12 12
YP TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
I Got You Ape 3 1 1 None
A hero is pulled in close to Cher as a free action.

Kong Enough 1 Self None

Increase IMP rolls for attack and damage by +2 for the rest of the battle.

Kong For The Lonely 1 6 None

When sung, the hero forms a buffer that disallows friends from approaching within
3 spaces for any reason for up to 3 rounds.
Practice singing or poetry. Cher Noble loses Kong For The Lonely.
Do the practice in front of an audience and Cher Noble also loses Kong Enough.

115
 AGENT ORANGUTAN HENCHLINGS
Aero Saul
+
Don’t Call Him, He’s Terrible For The Ozone
6XP
4
IMPACT
4
POWER
4
OHMER
8 YP
5
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Lighter Than Air Infinite Self None
Aero Saul flies through the air, avoiding traps and hazards.

No Zone Layer 3 8 1d8

The ozone layer peels back causing damage to heroes in a 4x4 square. Roll against each hero.
Help your family in their recycling efforts, or start a new one.
Aero Saul is grounded and moves at half speed.

NitroFern Omnivores, These Ferns Love Nothing More Than The Taste Of Other Plants

+
8XP
2
IMPACT
4
POWER
3
OHMER
14 YP
68
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Where The Red Fern Grows 3 1 10 None
Nitro ferns can wilt and regrow up to 10 spaces away, so long as there is soil.

Nox-ious 2 5 1d6 ongoing 3

Nitro Fern releases a spore into the air that does damage and ongoing 3
damage per round up to 2 heroes. Roll against each hero.

Defoliate 1 10 None
Eliminate any protection provided by plant growth. Drop any illusion, or hiding
effects by heroes. No attack roll necessary.

Try planting either in a garden or in pots. Nox-ious no longer has ongoing damage.

Pedro Chemica
+
Pedro Is Looking To Frack Things Up
10
XP
4
IMPACT
2
POWER
3
OHMER
10 YP
5
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Tres 3Any Distance
1 5 None
A splash of mysterious chemicals causes blindness to 3 heroes,
causing a negative 3 to attack and damage rolls. Roll against each hero.

Dos 2 1 Adjacent 2d6

A chemical attack does damage to 2 heroes. Roll against each hero.

Uno 1 1 Adjacent 1d12

A frack attack causes damage to 1 hero.
Choose to walk or bike to a location rather than opting for a car ride.
Each power loses 1 use. Tres has 2, Dos 1, and Uno is cero.

116
AGENT ORANGUTAN HENCHLINGS
Art Senic Proof That “Natural” Doesn’t Always Mean Good For Your Health 12
XP
+
3
IMPACT
3
POWER
5
OHMER
12
YP
7
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Contaminate 3 1 5 None
All heroes in a 5-space radius are weakened, taking -2 to attack and damage for 2 rounds.
Only 1 hero needs to be targeted to succeed.

Toxic Shock 2 1 5 2d10

The toxin runs like an electric current through the group doing damage to up to 6 heroes so
long as the heroes are within a single space from each other. 1st hero takes full damage, the
2nd and 3rd take half, 4th and 5 take half that and the 6th is knocked down, taking no
damage. Only 1 hero needs to be targeted to succeed.
Alloy 1 1 Self 1d12
Art Senic becomes immovable for 1 round avoiding damage, and anyone that attacks him takes 2d4 damage.

Practice your artistic skills, whether they are visual, audible, or performed.
Art Senic must roll twice and take the lower number for any attack.

Ray Diation Lies About His Half Life Age 16

XP
+
3
IMPACT
4
POWER
5
OHMER
16
YP
0
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4

Electromagnetism Infinite Self None

Ray can travel and see through walls, and sees through attempts to hide or create illusion.

Particle Infinite 1 Any Distance 1d12

There is nowhere a hero can hide that a Particle canʼt pass through and hit.

Gravitational 2 1 Any Distance 1d6

Gravitational radiation slows a hero down from any distance so that

each space feels like 3, and the increased weight does 1d6 damage, both for 2 rounds.

Volunteer toward a community service, or help in a clean-up initiative.

All Rayʼs powers are reduced to 2 uses. YP drops to 8.

117
 Bio

INSTAGATOR
A genius in gator tech, InstaGator is only
matched by his successful failures in sowing
confusion among parties. He will plot a
course to victory on the backs of the weaker,
as a truly malicious naviGator!
Base of Operations: The Sink
History: Tim Saw has crawled in the
shadows cast by Dr. Roboto. Every
victory was minimized by her successes
and every failure was a reminder of his
shortcomings. Now, even though she has
lost her status, he still seeks to be her
castigator. But first, he must develop his
technology away from the eyes of Shorai.
Will he see her later?
Perhaps after awhile.

Compliment your teammate with

something true and honest for each attack.
InstaGator takes a negative 3 to
his Ohmer.

118
INSTAGATOR
InstaGator Prime
+
10
XP
4
IMPACT
3
POWER
5
OHMER
12
YP TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d8 or 4
Instigate 3 Adjacent None
InstaGatorʼs Confusion Ray causes, for the next 3 rounds, 2 heros to attack other heroes.
There is no roll necessary for the effect, just the individual attacks.

Gator Aid 3 2 None

Boost other villainsʼ attacks by 2 and damage by 3 for 1 round.

Gator Swipe 3 2 None

Increase the range of InstaGator or his alliesʼ IMP attacks to
3 spaces away and increase POW by 3 for 1 round.
POWERS/HENCHLINGS

Mecha InstaGator
+
20
XP
5
IMPACT
4
POWER
5
OHMER
22 YP TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d10 or 6
InstiGator 3 Adjacent None
InstaGatorʼs Confusion Ray causes 2 heroes to attack other heroes for 5 rounds.

MitiGator 3 2 None
Boost other villainsʼ attacks by 2 and damage by 5 for 1 round. You can only have 1 MitiGator on at a time.

PropaGator 3 2 None
Increase the range of IMP attacks to 5 spaces away and increase IMP by 5 for 1 round.

InvestiGator 3 10 None
InstaGator learns a hero's weakness and activates it instantly.

See Ya Later 3 Adjacent None

Instantly transport 1 hero to another dimension. Hero is unable to engage in combat for 3 rounds.

Insaneterns
Terrorantulas Student Loans Drove Them Mad,
Prepare
Villainy
To Develop
Will Be Arachnophobia
Their Deferment
1 XP
Per 2
+ Terrorantulas

3
IMPACT
0
POWER
1
OHMER
2
YP
7
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d3 or 1
Web Slingers Infinite Self None
They donʼt fly, thankfully, but they might as well. Terrorantulas move with no concern for traps.

Stuck on You 2 10 None

Stop a hero's ability to travel for 2 rounds.

Help in cleaning the house. There is always 2 less Terrorantulas than originally expected.

119
 INSTAGATOR
Snapping Turtles Geeze, Guys! No Need To Bite My Head Off 2XP
Per 2 Snapping
+ Turtles

0
IMPACT
1
POWER
1
OHMER
4 YP
10
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Snap It 2 Adjacent 1d8
Snapping Turtles live up to their name doing 2d4 damage to an adjacent hero.
Be the first to de-escalate an argument, either that you're in or that someone is having.
Snap It does only 1d4 damage and Snapping Turtles have -2 Ohmer.

Grossquitoes At A Foot Large, They’re Super Gross 1 XP

Per 2
Grossquitoes
+
2 0 0 4 5 IMP Attack:

HENCHLINGS
IMPACT POWER OHMER YP TRAVEL 1d3 or 1
This Sucks! Infinite Self None
Any damage delivered by Grossquitoes are then absorbed and added to their YP.
Learn how to perform basic medical care. Grossquitoes donʼt gain YP.
If you learn CPR, Grossquitoes additionally take a negative 3 to attack rolls.

GrannyConda
+
My What Incredibly Large Scales You Have
6XP
4
IMPACT
0
POWER
2
OHMER
10 YP
7
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Don’t Want None 3 7 None
A hero is pulled into a tightly coiled compression. The hero can't travel for 2 rounds.

Down The Hatch 2 Adjacent 1d8

GrannyConda tries to feed a hero terrible strawberry candies, causing damage.

Spend time with or provide assistance to a senior citizen. GrannyConda has -1 Ohmer.

Scare-anha
+
Somehow, Even Scarier
2XP
2
IMPACT
4
POWER
3
OHMER
4 YP
8
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Nom Nom Nom 4 10 1d3
Scare-anha damage 1 hero and all travel feels as if each space were 3.

Jump Scare 1 Self None

Scare-anha can remain hidden until heroes become adjacent to them. They cannot rehide once visible.
Assist in the caretaking of pet fish (or any other animal in the house).
You can detect Scare-anha from up to 5 spaces away.

120
INSTAGATOR
Frog Spears
+
Unaffiliated With The Battletoads™
5XP
4
IMPACT
0
POWER
3
OHMER
6
YP
6
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
They Have Spears Too 4 20 1d3+1
A spear is thrown, doing damage to a hero from a distance.

Not Easy Being Green 1 20 3 ongoing 1

If a spear attack succeeds, reroll the attack and, if successful, do an additional
3 damage and ongoing 1 YP damage per round until the end of combat.
Go on a hike or nature walk. Even cold weather walks are great if bundled
up properly. Frog spearsʼ range drops to 5 and have no ongoing damage.
HENCHLINGS

Cai Men
+
Why Not Arm Ex-Pirates With Gator Tech?
6XP
2
IMPACT
0
POWER
3
OHMER
8
YP
7
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Instigate 2 Adjacent None
For the next 3 rounds, 2 adjacent heroes attack other heroes. There is no roll necessary for the
effect, just the individual attacks. (Each Cai Man only gets 1 power).

Gator Aid 2 2 None

Boost other villainsʼ attacks by 2 and damage by 3. You can only have 1 Gator Aid on at a time.
(Each Cai Man only gets 1 power).

Gator Go 1 Self None

Increase personal speed by 4 and IMP by 3 (each Cai Man only gets 1 power.)
Help with building or repairing something around the house, or help
resolve a conflict between 2 people. Cai Men roll 2 dice and use the lower roll for attacks.

War Hogs
+
They May Not Be Smart, But They’ll Follow
Orders As Brutal As Their Low-Sloping Foreheads 8XP
2
IMPACT
2
POWER
4
OHMER
16
YP
5
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Bray Of Pigs 3
Any Distance Adjacent 2d8
War Hogs cause a loud squeal, doing damage to adjacent heroes and
blowing them back 5 spaces. Roll against each hero.

House Of Bricks 2 Self None

War Hogs summon bricks that follow in the path of their movement and remain for 2 turns.
The bricks can not be passed through or flown over.

Eat only healthy snacks between sessions. War Pigsʼ Ohmer drops down to 2.

121
 INSTAGATOR
Undead Hartax A Zombie Horse. Sorry To Anyone From The 80s. 12
XP
+
4
IMPACT
0
POWER
3
OHMER
12
YP
12
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4

Luck Wyvern’s Blessing Infinite Self None

Roll 2 dice and use the higher number for any attack.

Too Soon 2 5 None

HENCHLINGS
Cause crying, which blinds heroes. Up to 3 heroes take a
-2 to attack and damage. Roll against each hero.

Marsh Of Melancholy 2 10 1d10

2 heroes feel sad and despondent, taking damage and having their travel speed
slowed as if every space is 3. Roll against each hero.

Read a book from beginning to end. Luck Wyvernʼs Blessing drops to 1 use.
Start reading the book again. Luck Wyvernʼs Blessing goes away completely.

Ares Straight Up Greek God of War 14

XP
+
5
IMPACT
4
POWER
5
OHMER
8
YP
3
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Call to Harms Infinite Any distance None
Summon either a Terrorantula, Snapping Turtle, or Grossquito.
Can only be used every other round. (All creatures disappear when Ares is defeated.)

Create a gift for someone you love. No occasion is needed.

Ares can only summon for 4 rounds.

122
 Bio
BOAT ROCKER
Beneath the ocean’s surface, a hammerhead
prowls the waters. No villain, no hero,
and no treasure seeker feels safe in Boat
Rocker’s hunting grounds. Prepare to
leave your feeling of safety on the shore,
for when the Boat Rocker sails, the status
quo is never safe.
Base of Operations: The Sink
History: Ajaya Nethala left India to
pursue a dream of being defined by her
actions, not by her caste. What she soon
came to realize is that shark-eat-shark
worlds exist everywhere, and to the best
thing to do is be the biggest shark.

Try changing things up.

Don’t settle for doing things
the same way simply
because that’s the way
they’ve been done.
Strive for greater.

Even Keel Haul

takes a -3 to attack
rolls and doesn’t
disable group
attacks. Overboard
only runs for 2
rounds at the
beginning of combat.

123
 BOAT ROCKER POWERS/HENCHLINGS
Captain Boat Rocker
+
10
XP
1
IMPACT
2
POWER
6
OHMER
12
YP
8
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d8 or 4
Overboard Infinite Self None
Boat Rocker succeeds by rolling lower than Ohmer.

Even Keel Haul 2 5 Ongoing 1d6

Boat Rocker disrupts the relationship of heroes, disabling any form of group attack on the following round
and doing ongoing damage from phantom barnacles. Effect lasts until encouraged. Roll against each hero.

Walk the Plank 4 Adjacent 1d8

Push heroes back 5 spaces, doing damage and not avoiding dangers. Roll against each hero.

Admiral Boat Rocker

+
20
XP
0
IMPACT
0
POWER
6
OHMER
16 12
YP TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d10 or 6
Overboard Infinite Self None
Boat Rocker succeeds by rolling lower than Ohmer.

Capsize Infinite Any Distance None

Heroes must swap their IMP and POW bonuses when rolling IMP or POW. No attack roll necessary.

Even Keel Haul 4 5 1d8

Boat Rocker disrupts the relationship of heroes, disabling any form of group attack and doing ongoing
damage from phantom barnacles. Effect lasts until encouraged. Roll against each hero.

Walk The Plank 4 5 1d10

Push heroes back 5 spaces, doing damage and not avoiding dangers. Roll against each hero.

Poor Depth Reception 2 5 None

A hero is submerged. The water causes their vision to blur
(-2 to attack), travel slowed (half travel distance),
ability to dodge is reduced (-2 to Ohmer) for 3 rounds.

Pyreates
+
I Hope Your Boat’s Not Made Of Wood
2XP
2
IMPACT
1
POWER
0
OHMER
6YP
5
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Burninate 2 All Adjacent 1d3 ongoing 1
Pyreates perform some fiery swashbuckling, doing damage and an ongoing 1
damage per round to adjacent heroes. Effect lasts until encouraged. Roll against each hero.
Exhibit safe practices in play or work. (Proper transport of scissors,
putting away items, etc.) Pyreates donʼt do ongoing damage when Burninating.

124
BOAT ROCKER
MerFish Half Fish, Half Other Fish Half…. It’s Pretty Much A Fish

+
2XP
1
IMPACT
3
POWER
2
OHMER
5
YP
8
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Swim Infinite Self None
They breathe water like fish. Because theyʼre fish.

Bitey 3 Adjacent 1d8

The fish think youʼre worms. Or I guess smaller fish. Does damage to a hero.

Take care of a pet (maybe a fish if youʼve got one) either feeding it, or helping
to clean up after it. MerFish YP drop to 1, because theyʼre just fish.
POWERS/HENCHLINGS

Man-Tas Unlike Their Namesake, They’re Totally Unsafe To Pet

+
4XP
2
IMPACT
2
POWER
2
OHMER
10
YP
6
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Stun-G Any3Distance 2 1d6
Man-Tas do damage and freeze a hero in place for 1 round.

Swimming Wings Infinite Self None

Not only can Man-Tas breath water, but they can also avoid set traps.
Take the time to read aloud to a sibling, parent, pet, or friend.
Man-Tas Ohmer drops to 0.

Gobbling Sharks Technically They All Are, But This One Goes Overboard

+
6XP
3
IMPACT
3
POWER
3
OHMER
8
YP
7
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Shark Weak 3
Any Distance 5 None
3 heroes up to 5 spaces away are weakened by fear,
giving them a negative 2 to attack and damage rolls. Roll against each hero.

Frenzy 3 5 2d8
So many heroes make Gobbling Sharks see red. A frenzy of damage is done to multiple heroes.
Dealers choice on distribution. Half damage if a single target is selected.
Only 1 hero needs to be targeted to succeed.
Sharks need to move to survive and so do you! Exercise each day. Shark Weak is disabled,
and any POWER or method used to slow or stop a Gobbling Shark does an additional 1d4 damage.

125
 5XP

BOAT ROCKER HENCHLINGS

5 Ahabs 5 Times Worse Than A Single Ahab

+
3
IMPACT
0
POWER
2
OHMER
8
YP
8
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
There’s 5 Of Them Infinite Self None
There are 5 Ahabs. And you thought wedges were bad.

Learn to let something go, without resorting towards revenge

or hostility to someone. Ahabs lose 4 YP points.

SlammerHeads
+
Reusable, Intelligent Non-Explosive Torpedo
5XP
4
IMPACT
2
POWER
4
OHMER
1
YP
6
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Slam Duh Duh Duh Any Distance
1 Adjacent 2d8
SlammerHeads do damage and push target back 5 spaces, not avoiding obstacles.

Heads Or Tails 1 Adjacent None

Flip a coin, or other 2 sided object, if it lands on heads, as a reaction teleport back 10 spaces avoiding the hit.
Get all your homework done on time in between sessions. Any time there would
have been a number of SlammerHeads, reduce that number by 2.

U-Tubers Submarines That Film Themselves And Try For Fame

+
Reusable Intelligent Non Explosive Torpedo 6XP
3
IMPACT
3
POWER
3
OHMER
10
YP
5
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Strike And Subscribe 3
Any Distance 10 1d6
A harpoon missile shoots out from the sub, doing damage to up to
3 heroes and pulling them adjacent. Roll against each hero.

Stream 2 10 2d6
Pour an endless stream of live content at the heroes, doing damage to up to
4 heroes.1 must be adjacent. 1st hero takes full damage, 2nd, and 3rd takes half,
4th takes half of 2nd rounding down. Only 1 hero needs to be targeted to succeed.
Try your hand at performing. This could be in front of an audience or as a recording.
U-Tubers fail to pull you in with Strike and Subscribe.

Nuh-uhrwals
+
Disagreeable And Pointy
7XP
3
IMPACT
3
POWER
3
OHMER
10
YP
8
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Hole In The Bucket 1
Any Distance Adjacent None
Nuh-uhrwals can pierce a single large hole through any non-organic material.
Roll against lowest hero Ohmer if heroes are not involved.

Good From Afar, But Far From Good 3 Any Distance 4d4
Damage to 1 enemy from anywhere.
Come to an agreement where both parties are happy.
Nuh-uhrwals take a negative -4 to YP.

Broseidon
Totally Kills It In Underwater Cupflips. 126
Surprisingly Pulls Off A Puka Shell Necklace.
 Nuh-uhrwals can pierce a single large hole through any non-organic material.
Roll against lowest hero Ohmer if heroes are not involved.
BOAT ROCKER
Good From Afar, But Far From Good 3 Any Distance 4d4
Damage to 1 enemy from anywhere.
Come to an agreement where both parties are happy.
Nuh-uhrwals take a negative -4 to YP.

Broseidon
+
Totally Kills It In Underwater Cupflips.
Surprisingly Pulls Off A Puka Shell Necklace. 10
XP
5
IMPACT
3
POWER
3
OHMER
14
YP
7
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Sun’s Out, Guns Out 2
Any Distance 5 None
Broseidonʼs flexing emboldens his allies. Boost friendly IMP attacks by 4 for 5 rounds.

A Copious Amount Of Ax 4 10 1d10

Tridents are lame bro, an Ax is where itʼs at. Damage against 2 enemies. Roll against each hero.
Do something nice for your sibling.If you donʼt have a sibling,
do something nice for your friend. Broseidonʼs YP cuts in half.
HENCHLINGS

Can-thulu So Much More Capable Than Cant-thulu 14

XP
+
3
IMPACT
4
POWER
6
OHMER
25 0
YP TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Mountains Of Disputemas 3 10 None
Can-Thulu thinks you can fight amongst yourselves. For the next 3 rounds, up to
2 heroes or heroic allies fight their teammates. GM controls actions.
There is no roll necessary for the effect, just the individual attacks.

The Lurking Unease 3 4 None

Something doesnʼt feel right. Up to 2 heroes flee back
4 spaces, not avoiding hazards. Roll against each hero.

The Call Of Can-Thulu 3 Any Distance 2d8

Can-Thuluʼs Can-Dulu attitude means he can reach you from anywhere. Damage to 1 hero at any distance.

Take on something you thought before that you would not be able to do. Make an effort and
put some time into it. Even if you donʼt succeed, you are still a winner. Can-Thuluʼs Ohmer
drops to 3 and he must roll twice for every attack, taking the weaker roll.

127
 Bio

SWAGNETO
There is rumor out there that one of the villains
is very forgettable. Swagneto is definitely not
that villain. It’s hard to fight someone when all
you want is their approval. But, how can you tell
where your true feelings rest when Swagneto’s
Animal Magnetism turns it’s attention your way?

Base of Operations: The Overgrowth

History: Some said it was impossible to pull
the ragtag group of misfits that are the outcasts
of Genoa into some kind of cohesive community,
but Swagneto’s power of coercion has done
just that. Just as he was able to draw people
to him, his endless aspirations draw him on
to the next conquest, for who can resist
the animal magnetism of Swagneto?

Create something with your hands

that is new and original,
and then give it to someone.
Swagneto’s Animal Magnetism
has no effect on you. Still
pretty charming though.

128
SWAGNETO
Bit of Fassbender
+
10
XP
3
IMPACT
5
POWER
4
OHMER
14
YP
7
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d8 or 4
Would You Kindly? 2 10 None
If a hero tries to Energize or Encourage, as a reaction, Swagneto can redirect the
effect to Swagneto or one of his allies instead.

Bling Blink 5 2 None

Swagnetoʼs bedazzled helm blinds heroes, causing -2 to their next attack and gives
Swagneto a chance to do an IMP attack with a -2 blinds all heroes in range. Roll against each hero.

Animal Magnetism Infinite Any Distance None

Rather than using his Travel Action, Swagneto has the ability to manipulate feelings,
POWERS/HENCHLINGS

forcing heroes to come closer or move away his travel distance.

Full on McKellen
+
20
XP
3
IMPACT
6
POWER
5
OHMER
22 9
YP TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d10 or 46
Would You Kindly? 3 10 None
If a hero tries to energize or encourage, as a reaction,
Swagneto can redirect the effect to Swagneto or one of his allies instead.

Bling Blindness 6 4 None

Swagnetoʼs bedazzled helm blinds all heroes in range, causing -4 to their next 2 attacks and
gives Swagneto a chance to do an IMP attack with a negative -4 to heroes' Ohmer. Roll against each hero.

Animal Magnetism Infinite 10 None

Rather than using his Travel Action, Swagneto has the ability to manipulate feelings,
forcing heroes to come closer or move away his travel distance.

Midas Touch 1 Adjacent None

Swagneto turns a hero into a golden statue for 4 rounds, and all other
heroes are attached to them. Wherever one travels, the other travels.

So Extra 3 2 1d10
Swagneto rolls an extra 1d10 damage on any successful attack he performs as a reaction.

The Variable Persons

+
The Worst Part Of Math Is The Teen Angst
2XP
2
IMPACT
0
POWER
2
OHMER
6
YP
7
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Better In The 90s 1 Self None
When a Variable Person first appears, roll 1d6. 1-2 equals X, 3-4 equals Y, and 5-6 equals Z. X - Persons
regenerate 2 YP per round. Y - Persons gain +5 to IMP attacks. Z - Persons become majestic
and fiery dark birds of lore, and then immediately fizzle out, never to return again. Tough luck Z - Persons.
Be on time to a schedule regularly. Whether it be to school, or in completing your chores, or
getting ready for bed, as examples. Variable Persons get a +1 when rolling Better In The 90s.

129
 4XP

SWAGNETO HENCHLINGS
Panteradactyl Rocks Prehistorically

+
3
IMPACT
0
POWER
2
OHMER
8
YP
10
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Flying Hostile Any Distance
Infinite Self None
Panteradactyl can fly and avoids traps.

Domination 3 10 1d6
A hero up to 10 spaces away is stricken by music and canʼt attack for 1 round.
Take an opportunity to give a listen to music from a genre or source youʼre
unfamiliar with. You never know what youʼll end up liking. Panteradactyl is grounded.

Meowstermind
+
Declares That He Stole Nothing!
Reusable Intelligent Non Explosive Torpedo 5XP
1
IMPACT
3
POWER
2
OHMER
10 8
YP TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Domination 3 Distance Adjacent
Any 1d8
A swipe from Meowstermind does damage to a hero.

Cat With Sense Infinite 5 None

There is no hiding from Meowstermind. Any abilities to hide, be invisible, or create illusions do not
work within a 5-space radius.
Take some extra time to play with a pet and show it some affection.
Meowstermind takes a -2 to attacks and damage against heroes.

T-Rex
+
This Is Just A Straight Up Dinosaur, Y’all.
7XP
2
IMPACT
3
POWER
3
OHMER
12 YP
7
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Inevitable Betrayal 3 Distance
Any 5 None
His is an evil laugh. For the next 2 rounds, a hero attacks an ally of the T-Rex's choosing.
There is no roll necessary for the effect, just the individual attacks.
Must Go Faster 3 Self None
Travel an extra 3 spaces.
Keep a difficult promise, so long as the promise allows for safety.
Inevitable Betrayal only lasts 1 round.

Sloppy Joe
+
Straight From Lunch Lady Land
8XP
2
IMPACT
4
POWER
2
OHMER
4
YP
8
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Hot Mess 3 Distance
Any 5 2d8
Slippery, sloppy sauce slows down heroes. Slow up to 2 heroes 5 spaces away so that every space of
travel feels like 3 spaces. There is no roll necessary for the effect, just the individual attacks.

The Sauce Is Boss 3 Adjacent 2d8

Scalding, loose meat can not be contained by buns and tomato paste alone! Joe does damage to up
to 4 heroes with at least 1 hero adjacent. 1st hero takes full damage, 2nd and 3rd take half, and 4th
takes half of 2nd (rounding down.) Only 1 hero needs to be targeted to succeed.
Help do your part in chores around the house. Clean up your room, put away clothes, dust,
etc.. Sloppy Joe must now roll a second die for attacks and take the weaker roll.

130
SWAGNETO
Patty Melt
+
Has The Power To Melt Things
6XP
4
IMPACT
0
POWER
3
OHMER
10 YP
5
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Melty Ray 4 10 1d16 ongoing 3
A hero up to 10 spaces away takes damage and an ongoing scald damage.

Sandwich Flip 3 Adjacent 1d6

Patty does damage and flips a hero to the floor, ending travel for one round.
Try learning how to cook, bake, or prepare a food item with adult
guidance. Patty Melt takes a -2 to Ohmer when targeted by an attack.
HENCHLINGS

SaberSloth
+
Adorable, Ancient, And Antisocial
10
XP
4
IMPACT
3
POWER
3
OHMER
8 YP
2
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Claws and Effect 5 15 2d6
Its long arms end in sharp claws. Sabersloth can reach out, attacking heroes at a considerable distance.

When in Sloth Rome 3 10 None

2 heroes up to 10 spaces away slow to only 2 Travel spaces per turn for up to 3 turns. Roll against each hero.

Too Cute Infinite Self None

As terrible as they are, SaberSlotheʼs are still adorable. Heroes take a -2 to attack rolls. Much like
there cuteness, this power is irresistible. No attack roll necessary.
Take the initiative in creating your own activities and fun for yourself. Reduce SaberSloths
YP by 1 for each day since your last session you donʼt complain of “being bored.”

Golden Retriever
+
Lives For Robbing Banks, And Kind Of Loveable
10
XP
2
IMPACT
3
POWER
2
OHMER
6 YP
6
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Master Thief Any4 Distance Adjacent None
Take a power from one hero and use it as your own. Free to use but must roll attack as a hero using its power stat.

Who’s A Good Boy? 3 Any Distance None

For the next 2 rounds, Golden Retriever increases IMP of self and other villains by 3.

Golden Touch 1 3 None

Freeze heroes in place for 3 rounds. Heroes can still attack, but not travel.
Do your part in taking care of a pet.
Roll with a +2 to attack and damage against Golden Retriever.

131
 SWAGNETO
Hippo Crit Dangerous On Land, In Water, And When Rolling 11XP
+
4
IMPACT
0
POWER
4
OHMER
12 YP
12
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Substantial Girth 2 Self None
Add +4 to attack

Critical Flail 1 Self None

If Hippo Crit lands a 20 or greater, it reduces the hero's YP to zero instantly.

HENCHLINGS
The d20 roll can be on any attack made, whether it be IMP or POW.

Donʼt leave things up to chance. Practice something rewarding with regularity.

At the start of battle, Hippo Crit gives each member of the party that did so a
chance to roll a natural 20. If successful, Hippo Crit is instantly defeated.

Slacktus The Laziest Of World Eaters 16

XP
+
5
IMPACT
4
POWER
6
OHMER
8 YP
3
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Silver Sleeper 1 10 8
Summon the Silver Sleeper, who does 8 straight damage from up to 10 spaces away while reclined
on his silvery recliner. Silver Sleeper has the following stats: 0 IMP, 4 Ω, 8 YP, 0 travel.

Summon Four Boredsmen 1 4 4

Summon Nap, Lounge, Relax, and Luxuriate. Each do 8 straight damage from up to 4 spaces away
while lazing about. The Four Boredsmen each have the following stats:
4 IMP, 4 Ω, 4 YP, and 4 travel.

Muncher Of Worlds And Chips Infinite Any Distance 3

Slacktus performs a cosmic bite, doing 3 straight damage to all combatants, including his own heralds.

Ultimate Dullifier 1 Self None

Slacktus can not be damaged until his 4 Boredsmen are defeated.

Be active & be restful! Engage in at least 20 minutes of physical activity and 20

minutes of quiet meditation each day between gameplay. Try out yoga as it
compliments both! All of Slacktusʼs heralds and Slacktus himself takes a -3 to attack.
Each hero that does this gets 5 extra YP above limit.

132
 Bio
TREESTACHE
Who’s the rainbow-hued tree that wants
to set the Overgrowth free?
Stache!
You’re dang right!
Base of Operations: The Overgrowth
History: In the 70’s Treestache made it’s first
impression on the landscape of Outage. That
impression was in the shape of a 4-foot-wide
boulder smashed into the side of the
Seward Wall. Since then, this tree
has only continued to rock.

Plant and/or nourish something

regularly. For secondary effect,
make it through the entire campaign
without harming Saplings, Doug Firs,
or Prince Pando.
1st Effect - +3 to IMP attack when
using it to resolve the conflict
2nd Effect - Super Freak
Treestache yields without a fight.

133
 10

TREESTACHE POWERS/HENCHLINGS
Le Freak
+ XP
3
IMPACT
3
POWER
4
OHMER
16
YP
3
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d8 or 4
Psychodelic 3 10 None
Treestache blasts a radius around it with mind-altering spores. Heroes see what the DM
wants them to see for 3 rounds. Only 1 hero needs to be targeted to succeed.

Nourish 5 4 1d3+1
A hero is rooted to the ground and 1d3 +1 YP is transferred from the
hero to Treestache for 3 rounds or until they are Encouraged.

Growvy Infinite Adjacent 1d6

Treestache forms grooves on its bark that cause damage any time it is attacked.

Super Freak
+
20
XP
4
IMPACT
4
POWER
5
OHMER
20 4
YP TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d10 or 6
Bad Trip 3 10 None
Treestache blasts a radius of 10 spaces around it with mind-altering spores. Heroes see what the
DM wants them to see for 3 rounds, followed by falling over. Only 1 hero needs to be targeted to succeed.

Nourish 5 4 1d6+2
A hero is rooted to the ground and 1d6+2 YP is transferred from the hero to
Treestache for 3 rounds or until they are Encouraged.

Miracle Growvy Infinite Adjacent 1d8

Treestache forms grooves on its bark that cause damage any time it is attacked.

Willow Of The Whips 5 20 2d6+4

Treestache does damage from far away.

Stayin’ Alive 1 Self None

Treestache regrows 1d10 + 5 YP.

Saplings Every Mighty Oak Begins As A Sapling 1 XPXP

Or

2
IMPACT
0
POWER
0
OHMER
+
6
YP
7
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
3 XP
If Unharmed

They Grow Up So Fast 1 Self None

Add 5 Ohmer as a reaction.

None

Douglas Fours Big, Majestic... Really Something.. 2XP Or

4
IMPACT
0
POWER
1
OHMER
+
7
YP
7
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
4 XP
If Unharmed

Four-Rest 4 Self None

Regain 1 YP at any time.

None

134
TREESTACHE
Sick A'More It’s No Occidental Misstep That These Plants Mean To Fight

+
5XP
2
IMPACT
2
POWER
2
OHMER
8YP
6
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Not Feeling Very Well Any3Distance 5 None
A hero is weakened and slowed. This causes each space of travel to feel like 3,
and for attack and damage to take a -2. Effects end when the hero is Encouraged.
Take your recommended vitamins, eat healthy, well-balanced meals, and practice
proper handwashing. - 3 to attack when Sick AʼMore tries Not Feeling Very Well.

Inciduous
+
Evil In All Seasons
Reusable Intelligent Non Explosive Torpedo 5XP
1
IMPACT
3
POWER
2
OHMER
10 YP
4
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Slow And Steady Infinite
Any Distance 10 1d3 Ongoing 1
HENCHLINGS

A hero takes take damage and a continual 1 damage per round.

The effect can stack, but resets when a hero is encouraged.

When The Bough Breaks Infinite 10 2d6

Attacks any hero in range, but any successful attack reduces the damage by an additional one
until there is zero damage left. Roll against each hero.
Explore nature. Write or create a journal/project that involves nature in some way.
Inciduous has to roll twice, taking the weaker roll for all attacks.

Sandbox Tree
+
This Is A Real Tree Covered In Spikes
That Drops Explosive Fruit. Google It. 7XP
0
IMPACT
4
POWER
1
OHMER
10
YP
5
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d4 or 2
Yikes Spikes Infinite
Any Distance Adjacent 1d3

Any attack on Sandbox Tree causes an instant damage response.

Bomb Seeds 4 5 1d8
When the seeds explode, they damages 4 heroes. Roll against each hero.
Craft an art project or item using any medium that allows you to work with tactile
objects. Sandbox Treeʼs Yikes Spikes are dulled, causing no damage.

Ms. Quite High End, Rustic, And Dare I Say, A Little Bit Smokey

+
8XP
5
IMPACT
0
POWER
3
OHMER
8YP
7
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Lovely Foliage Infinite
Any Distance 5 1d8
Ms. Quite masks herself among other trees so that itʼs impossible to see her before she strikes.
Roll d20 vs. 10 as a Free Action to re-hide.

Invasive 3 Adjacent 1d8 or 1d12

When Ms. Quite strikes, she does 1d8 damage. 1d12 if done from hiding.
Reorganize space, whether it be a play area, work area, or anything else for the family,
in order to make things easier to find. Ms. Quite can no longer regain Lovely Foliage.

135
 8XP

TREESTACHE
Jubokko If Trees Had Vampires, This Would Be It
Reusable Intelligent Non Explosive Torpedo
+
3
IMPACT
3
POWER
3
OHMER
10
YP
8
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
Sap Any3Distance Adjacent 1d6
Jubokko does damage to an adjacent hero and half the damage it does goes back to itʼs own YP, rounding up.

Branch Out 2 Self None

As a reaction, Jubokko can increase itʼs Ohmer by 3 for 1 round.
Learn some basic first aid. +2 to attack vs. Jubokko.

Wall Nut
+
Danger To All Seward’s Walls
Reusable Intelligent Non Explosive Torpedo 4XP
4
IMPACT
2
POWER
5
OHMER
1
YP
6
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4

HENCHLINGS
Tough Nut Infinite
Any Distance Adjacent 1d6
Damage is done to any adjacent hero any time they attack Wall Nut. No attack roll necessary.

The Walls Come Down 3 Adjacent 1d4

Stands still and gains +2 Ohmer. Cannot attack. In 6 rounds, does 2d20 to any inorganic material.
Create a piece of art or decoration that can hang on the wall in your home. Wall
Nut takes -2 Ohmer and gains no Ohmer bonus from The Walls Come Down.

Frank Why Are You Even There, Frank? You’re Not Even A Tree!

+
12
XP
3
IMPACT
3
POWER
3
OHMER
12
YP
6
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4
What Was That? Any Distance
6 Adjacent 2d6
Frank mysteriously causes damage to an adjacent hero.
No, Okay, He Seriously Did Something There 6 10 1d10
Frank mysteriously does damage to 2 heroes up to 10 spaces away. Roll against each hero.

Where Did That Weirdo Go? 6 Self 1d10

Frank can disappear, only to show up in a different battle exactly where he left
off. No attack rolls are necessary to disappear.
Help a friend or family members accomplish something they've been working toward. Frank
must roll a 1d20 vs. 15 in order to return to any session. 3 roll limit or he doesnʼt return.

Prince Pando Big Is Beautiful, And Prince Pando Is The Biggest Of Them All 10XPXP
Or

4
IMPACT
4
POWER
4
OHMER
+
12
YP
0
TRAVEL
IMP Attack:
1d6 or 4 16XP
If Unharmed

Everywhere Infinite Anywhere None

There is no spot that Pando cannot strike from.
Root Infinite Anywhere None
Roots erupt from the ground, grappling heroes and preventing movementor attack unless they roll a 1d20 vs. 10.

Quake Infinite Anywhere None

Damage against up to 4 heroes, splitting damage as evenly as possible, and dropping off remainders.
Single target takes half damage. Roll against each hero.
Try your hand at planting something, whether it be in a garden or even a potted plant. Take care of
your plant. Quake only works if heroes are rooted, and a hero has 1 chance to escape as a reaction.
136
GAMING WITH KIDS RANGES, FLEXIBILITY, AND ACCESSIBILITY

137
 A Fearsome Encounter Lays Ahead

So, you’ve decided to play a role-playing game Guess Who? and instead made guesses based off
with your kids. Perhaps they’re familiar with of intricate back stories on each of the characters
the quick turn around of video games. Perhaps (okay maybe that last one is only me), then you’ve
they’re familiar with shuffling cards around and played this game before at its heart. The difference
engaging in multiple steps as they would playing is only in the details.
board games. Perhaps they have no clue what
you’re talking about and stare at you with a vacant
fearful look, like you’ve just told them you’ll be
doing imagination homework sprinkled with math
for the next hour.
And maybe it’s you. Maybe you’re an
accomplished tabletop gamer who has skimmed
through this entire book, picking up the metrics
for the game with a casual, “I’ll take it from
here.” Maybe this is the first time you’ve ever
picked up a tabletop RPG book, and seeing a
hefty book filled with what amounts mostly to a
bunch of ways to do math differently, has you longing
for the quiet simplicity of a board game whose
instructions are easily read on the edge of the box.
Regardless of what camp you or your players
find yourselves in, the one thing you should always
take away from this, above anything else, is
relax and have fun.

This game works like constructed storytelling, and

95 percent of every adventure and every line of
text in this Core Guide Book is simply more
information than you probably need in order to
take you all the way to the point where you don’t
have to worry about coming up with anything on
your own. But I encourage--no, I wholeheartedly
endorse--that you take from this as much as you want
and play the game you want. Leave the rest by the
wayside. You are the architect of the game. These
books are simply the lumber and cookie cutter
plans that you can work from.
So too are the mechanics strippable to their
minimums, if not in their entirety. If you’ve ever
sat at a tiny pink tea table sipping from a tiny
pink cup while talking about politics with a teddy
bear, if you’ve ever lumbered about your back
yard roaring and threatening either to gobble up
or tickle your kids to death, if you’ve ever played

138
 4-6
Age Ranges
Possible Conditions
• Child may be unable to read
• Child may not be able to add numbers
• Child may not understand effects
• Child might not be able to follow order of actions
Accommodations
• Create cards or symbols for each power or action they might use. Describe the overall ef-
fect that the symbol does (this slows the enemy, this hits the enemy, etc.). Allow the child
to select the symbol to use their powers. Countdown power uses for them, or have them
hand in tokens when powers are used so that they eventually run out. In this case, you
retain the statistics for the child and apply them. The child is simply are simply acting as
a generator of actions.
• For children learning to read, add titles and/or descriptions to powers, and if necessary,
help them by sounding out the words. Keep the symbols as noted above.
• Allow the child to roll the dice, and if possible, determine the number. Do the addition for
them. If the child is developing math skills, work with them, especially on the simpler sums.
• Guide the child through multiple choices of what options they have available to them
at each interval. Gradually allow them greater range of choices as they become more
accustomed to gameplay.
• Limit difficult components. The Adventure Blocks typically have puzzle sections that may
be too difficult. You can either use built-in guides to reduce complexity or skip them all
together.
• Some questions may stray completely outside of what is expected or described by the
scene. Answer these questions as best you can by filling in your own history or knowledge.
Remember, you are not bound by any narrative as it only serves as a guide.
• Be patient. If they seem uninterested, distracted, bored, or disconnected, let them wander
off. I know the desire might be to have them as fully invested as you are, but if they
are not, it doesn’t help to force their hand. You may have sparked an interest that will
only blossom at some later date, or the game just might not be for them. The goal is to
discover what interests them, not make them be interested in what you enjoy. Foster the
exploration they naturally have within them.

139
 7-9

Age Ranges
Possible Conditions
• Child may have difficulty reading
• Child may not understand effects
• Child might not be able to follow order of actions
• Child might be entertaining mild to moderate forms of
violence in media they consume
• Child has interests in control of individualizing characters and actions
Accommodations
• For the first 3 accommodations, follow advice provided in the previous 4 to 6 player age
range, easing the level of support provided as needed.
• During combat, Power Outage has been designed to ease the severity of potentially violent
combat. I remember, particularly in gameplay testing, when my players ran out of powers
to use, they resorted to kicking and punching mobs to finish them. After that I added the
Energizing features. If combat is getting to be too long, put a soft cap on the villains’ Yield
Points above zero to reduce the time. (Example, increase the point at which a villain yields
to five, rather than zero.) If the idea of attacking human characters is too violent, substitute
robots, animated objects, or other creatures wherever possible.
• Mix your utilization of Alternative components as an option rather than Combat components.
Take them in turns, or use the Alternative options within Combat components to reduce any
actual physical altercations. Alternative components typically either provide alternatives to
combat completely and/or offer alternatives within Combat components that both weaken
mobs and reduce the necessity for direct combat.
• Use the Core Guide Book and a combination of site resources to help build a more customized
superhero avatar, rather than selecting a prebuilt one. You can use a prebuilt character for
an initial play through and then allow the player to formulate their own individualized
characters. Reward ingenuity. Suggest the player spend time drawing character or creating
a backstory or history. Discuss questions about the character outside of gameplay. Describe
differences and similarities between the character and the player. Investment in the character
they create will transcend to investment of the player into their character and their fate.

10+
Possible Conditions
• Child may not be as interested in the younger
or simpler aspects of Power Outage
Accommodations
• Power Outage is flexible enough to grow with the audience or be adopted at its onset by an
older crowd. The simplified mechanics that are in place are not necessarily childlike, but
encourage simplified play while focusing on the creation of greater narratives and imaginative
interaction. As such, I’ve left the world and historical lore of the Power Outage realm free
from younger themes. While the Adventure Blocks initially released will be dedicated toward
younger play, the lore can be adopted to craft more young adult/adult storylines. As a community
builds around the Power Outage game, and probably as I continue to release content for this
game into my retirement age, more and more varying Adventure Blocks will be created that
span all ages. But, in the interim, you are free to craft your own Adventure Blocks. If you do,
please share it with the community.
• Along with the community, Power Outage will endeavor to link people to resources and services
of product creators and artists who might help bring your characters and adventures to the
next level. Continually reference the site and updated versions of this Core Guide Book to
learn more about such services.
140
 Differentiation
A group is often built with kids of different ages
and different needs. You’re often not going to
have everyone at the same level. That’s where
differentiation comes in. Differentiating your gameplay
allows players to perform at different levels or at
different tasks while still contributing to the same
narrative.
This means that, more often than not, you will have
your kids working at different levels of rules and
available assistance. Depending on the dynamic
of the group, it may be advisable to communicate
some of the differentiated procedures in advance,
so that the group knows what to expect and is able
to ask questions at the outset. However, if one of
the members is uncomfortable with that knowledge
being made to the other players, discretion is
advised.
Differentiation does not inherently mean increased
wait time on player turns. You can try multiple
methods that allow for accommodations to occur
without substantially impacting time management or
playability. The ideal is to make an accommodation
as invisible as possible. But, if an accommodation
requires additional time, then communication in
advance is important.
One method for creating substance to populate
the space created by an accommodation is to
assign a task or goal for other players not being
accommodated while the accommodation is
being met. For instance, while allowing time for
one child to determine what choice they will make,
another child may be asked to describe the scenery,
or communicate with a non-player character. In the
most extreme scenario, you can assign the second
player investigative options by asking them to
notice specifics about position, characters, or the
environment.
In the end, communication is always integral.
Communicating the needs of the players as a group
and as individuals before and after each Session
will help keep you grounded with their needs. Ask
questions about their experiences. Did you feel
engaged throughout the Session? Did you feel lulls?
Is there something you would like to do at certain
points? Is there more or less advanced exploration
that you would like to investigate while playing?
Additionally, Power Outage is designed to allow
groups to function as cohesive units. This means that
turns are done fully on one side before moving to
the other. This allows for greater group dynamic and
participation between players without jockeying for
position.
With children helping each other to accomplish
tasks, you encourage collaboration that more
naturally accommodates their individualized needs.
In the end, remind your children that heroes work
together. They pick each other up, and carry each
other forward. The weight of their efforts is carried
in the bearing of their decisions to be true heroes.

Example Condition: Child A, has

difficulty with simplified mathematical
computations, while Child B has no difficulty.
Method 1: For Child A you may ask them to
call off the numbers on the dice, and then follow
up declaring it a success/failure. For Child B, you
may ask them what their total roll is.

Method 2: Assign certain tasks to each

child. Child B might be in charge of
doing all summation, while Child A is in
charge of piece movement or tracking other
important information.

Method 3: Provide assistive technology to

the Child A, such as an dice app, calculator,
or even scratch paper.

141
 Accessibility Accommodations
You may be playing at a gaming table that needs
to accommodate accessibility concerns for one
The Symptoms Have Been Broken Into
or more children. This is an excellent opportunity 5 Characteristic Expression Types:
to explore the rich capabilities and dynamics that
children with accessibility needs bring to the gaming
environment.
In the process of creating accessibility guidance
for this book, I came to the determination that
Physical
the needs of the community are more likely best
served by the members of that same community.
While my efforts are rooted in the goal of creating
more accessible gaming tables, as a person
without accessibility needs, I don’t believe I can
ever properly encompass the full guidance that is Communicative
needed. Additionally, I determined that any Receptive
physical copy will not be able to properly convey
a full spectrum of information to an ever-changing
body of guidance and recommendations.

To that end, I’ve converted

the guide to a community
driven wiki found at:
Behavioral
www.accessible-rpg.com

The framework for the site was developed by taking the

Cognitive
symptomatic responses that are experienced by children
separated from the conditions that trigger them.
For instance, symptoms that impact attention span can
be caused from several conditions: diet, hormonal
changes, sleep deprivation, stress, and other specific
conditions, such as ADHD, ADD, and emotional
disturbances. So rather than address each of these
Emotional
conditions and list all the symptoms that they create,
I endeavor to provide recommendations for the
symptoms directly.

Accessibility Foundations
When working with children that have disabilities,
you will be dealing with a much larger range of
possible considerations to make than if you are
working with children that do not require specific
accommodations.
If you are a caseworker or parent of a child with
these needs, you may already be familiar with the
various accommodations that need to be in place.
If you are not familiar with the child playing,
however, you will need to do a bit of preparation
in advance.
When gaming with children with disabilities, more
often than not, your ability (at least at the onset) to
get a game going off the cuff is less likely. At first, I’d
advise you take time to communicate with parents
or guardians of the child to determine characteristics
that may impact the child’s ability to enjoy the game.
142
 Pre-Session Communication
Here are a list of leading questions that can help
you determine a baseline for your accommodations.
At What Grade Level Is The Child
Performing?
This will give you a great baseline for expectation on
the media you can provide to the student. Knowing
the grade level a child performs at creates greater
understanding in those who are not receiving the
accommodations, regardless of the age presented
by the child. Even a basic understanding of the
educational milestones per grade may help you to
devise Sessions that take that grade level into
consideration.
Kindergarten Grade Level
Often may have very little ability in literacy and
mathematics, but will respond well to storytelling
aspects and role play.
1st Grade Level
May have simplified reading capabilities and
recognition as well as have very simplified
mathematical skills.
2nd Grade Level
May have the ability to read, do simplified
mathematics, and start the process of simplified
puzzle solving with guidance, such as pattern and
shape recognition.
3rd Grade Level
Reading levels at this point may be more advanced,
and the ability to understand more complex
terminology (such as the word “terminology”)
could be inferred. The simplified math in Power
Outage could be manageable. Puzzle solving and
self-initialized discovery may be easier.
4th Grade Level
Most story elements and mathematics are
understood, with some subtlety in tones and
concepts going unnoticed. Puzzles on the whole
are manageable with minor assistance on more
difficult/new challenges.
5th Grade Level and beyond
Barring specific accommodation needs, everything
in the published adventures should be manageable,
and a greater desire/ability to build upon and
expand story lines may occur.
143
Are There Any Communication Concerns
Or Preferences You Should Be Aware Of?
The ability to communicate storylines, questions,
and proffer decisions is integral to Tabletop RPGs.
Knowing the best means of delivering that content
is critical. Knowing the child’s preferences towards
things like direct communication, repeated questions,
personal space, and speech volume are critical to
a successful game.
Are There Any Triggers Or Actions That
May Create Unease?
Certain aspects of an adventure can create
unease for a player. Additionally, certain actions
(fighting, threats even when mild, unrecognized
sarcasm or jokes) or even gaming tools (the sound
of dice through a tower, knowing not to drop
a book to the ground, etc) may be triggers for
unease. The reactions to these triggers can take
a child out of the gaming experience or make
the experience itself less desirable. Knowing the
comfort level of a child in advance will also help
in creating a path through the CAPE system that is
tailored to the child.
What Shows, Books, And/Or Games Does
The Child Currently Enjoy?
This should give you an idea of target elementss
to include or not include within your adventures. It
also gives you a baseline to the level of discretion
advisable for the child’s tolerance. If the child enjoys
certain girl explorers and their primate pals, it
may not be advisable to play out scenarios from
Macbeth. Instead, create linear paths with randomly
interspersed appropriate puzzles or dilemmas,
followed by encouragement.
What Environmental Specifics Are Needed
To Accommodate The Child?
Accessibility may require consideration of relocating
your intended gaming space or creating an
atmosphere more conducive to the needs of the
child. Additionally within this is consideration for
time Understanding how long a child prefers to play
the game or how many breaks may be needed will
help you to craft a campaign that ensures
enjoyment and comfort needs are being met.
What Are The CAPE Path Preferences?
Combat, Alternative, Puzzle and Exploration are
the major components of written adventures, but
there may be instances where avoidance or inclusion
of a specific component may be preferred. If the
child, for instance, excels at or enjoys puzzles,
then building puzzling situations within other
components and ensuring the path includes
puzzles may be part of your CAPE path. Likewise,
when it comes to the inclusion of Combat or
Alternative, you may not be aware of the child’s
tolerance for “aggressive” play. Take the time to
describe the basic concepts of the CAPE components
and confirm which components are preferred.
Is There A Need For Assistive Technology
That Needs To Be Provided For?
At times, medical equipment or technology that
provides for communication and other needs are
integral to the child’s accommodations. Knowing
of these devices in advance will help you
accommodate for them. For example:
• Does the child make use of a tablet?
• Will you need to provide a wireless connection for
that tablet?
• Does that impact your intended gaming
location?
• These are questions that preplanning can
hammer out early.
If Medication Is Being Taken, How Might
These Medications Be Impacting The Child?
Certain aspects of a child’s condition may warrant
the use of medication. While medication may reduce
symptomatic responses for the child’s specific
condition, it may in turn create its own host of
symptoms. Going into a situation with the
assumption of a child’s behavior due to knowledge
of preconceived conditions without first knowing if
those conditions may be impacted by an existing
medication may leave you unprepared. Letting
parents know that communication about a child’s
recent behavior--even when detail is not provided--can
help ensure that the gaming experience for the
child is more pleasurable and rewarding.
Is There Anything You Should Know Of In
Advance About The Child’s Preferences Or
Conditions You Should Be Aware Of, And If
So, To What Degree Do These Considerations
Affect The Child?
This is a general catch-all question. It is important
to ensure that all variables, with regard to support,
are being considered. That is why the Pre-Session
communication is critical. Here it would primarily be
knowledge from the guardian about the needs
displayed by the child which might not be considered
by a GM. This question is more about knowing the
child then knowing the impact of the child’s
disability. Especially since those more abstract
considerations aren’t defined by the standard
classification models and are difficult to communicate.
Knowing whether someone is a dog person or a cat
person might not be an indicator found on a care
plan, and would not be as easily communicated to
the GM due to a condition. Learning more about the
child themselves helps to create a richer experience.
Ongoing Communication
It is important that discussion does not end with
Pre-Session communication. Ongoing verification may
be necessary to ensure that needs are being properly
met and that ongoing enrichment can occur. It is
preferable to pre-schedule these meetings so that
you have time to prepare, with information about
progress, concerns, and requests for guidance.
Likewise, many aspects of creating greater accessibility
requires not just an initial outline of effort also but a
continued commitment toward engagement.
While the guidance found within this book provides a
general framework of knowledge, the static nature of the
book itself will limit ongoing learning experiences and
new initiatives in how one can better create accessible
environments. Over time, www.accessible-rpg.com
will hopefully continue to gain new concepts from the
disabled community directly. It is highly encouraged to
seek out additional resources when creating a gaming
environment that is tailored to the needs of your
group.
144
 The following are general guidelines that recur when creating accessibility for both general and specific
conditions. Again, for much more in-depth guidance on creating accessible gaming tables, please check
back in with www.accessible-rpg.com to see new information as the community grows.

General Guidance
• Creating accessibility begins with communication. It is important when gaming with children that have disabilities that
communication occurs with the child’s parent or caregiver to determine exactly what accessibility needs the child has.
Please refer back to the Pre-Session Communication section for more information.
• Two-way communication continues throughout the Sessions. Feedback from the GM to the caregiver should provide
insight on the player’s experience, in both challenges and successes. The caregiver should routinely check in with the
GM with regard to off-table dialogue, therapy procedures, or changes to counseling or medication.
• Communication also extends to other players at the table, especially where children are involved. A focus should be
placed on the idea that a disability is only a single aspect of a child, and not a defining aspect. It is a component of
uniqueness, and much in the same way they expect their needs to be met in unique manners during their everyday
lives, so too do children with accessibility needs.
• It is important to understand goals within the gaming environment. If the ideal environment is to focus primarily on
enjoyment of gameplay, then accommodations should focus on removing restrictions or barriers to gameplay. If the
focus is on development of skills, abilities, or anything in between, the accommodations may require direct prescribed
methods. In these situations, it is not proper to assume reducing the need for a child to act is the best course of action.
More often in these situations, performing actions FOR someone could be seen as robbing the child of the experience
available through self-discovery or persistence.
• Children with disabilities should, whenever possible, not have their disabilities or conditional habits spotlighted.

Physical
• Pre-planning is critical, and reconsideration of your environment, or the tools you use within that environment, should be
up for examination.
• Be conscious of terminology used when discussing conditions. Certain terms you may have grown up with may not be
recognized as relevant, or in some cases considered offensive in the current day lexicon.
• Determine if there is the need for an emergency response plan, up to and including contacting paramedics. Be aware
Commun
of the response cycle and be prepared to execute them if need be.
Recep
Accessibility Foundations
Physical
I’d like to start off by saying I make no claims While I understand that the stressors of a symptom
that this method of categorizing or managing the may vary from condition to condition, I believe the
symptoms associated with conditions of children is Physical Behavioral
recommended accommodations and modifications
the best method. Nor has it been certified by any are general enough to at least partially support the
of the governing agencies for accessibility. This is needs of saidCommunicative
symptom.
purely an organizational method to reduce ReceptiveI’ve broken the conditions
complexity within the RPG space and is subject to To support this initiative,
modification over time and by the community itself. into five types. While there is bound to be overlap of
There are several other much more detailed--much
more researched and justified--documents that
symptoms,Communicative
I’ve tried to position them in the categories
that you would most likely expect to find them.
Receptive Cogn
properly categorize such things.
Physical Behavioral

Physical Behavioral Emotional

Communicative
Receptive Cognitive
Communicative
Receptive Cognitive
145
 Physical symptoms describe conditions that impact a child’s ability to enjoy the
Physical game due to specific physically restrictive or conditionally activated instances of
bodily responses, but do not include physical conditions that impact the ability to
either communicate or receive communication.

• Plan for and provide additional time in turn order so that the player can comfortably execute their desired
courses of action.
Communicative
• Ensure that special concerns are being met to move to and from the table, be seated at the table, and
maneuver or accessReceptive
any table accessories typically utilized within a Session.
• Consider environmental modifications specific to the child’s conditions, and the best way in which to
accommodate for them. This includes investment into research of gaming accessories and products that might
assist with particular disabilities.

Behavioral
• Consider a separate location for the child to move to in order to provide a secure and private location for
regrouping, or performing any other necessary functions.
• Consider the possibility of start-time delays or attendance situations and have a plan of action to explain the
absence of the player’s hero, as well as a method for filling them in when they return.
• Reduce play Sessions or create breaks that allow for mental or physical detachment from the game environment.

Cognitive
• Certain physical conditions might require several stepped courses of action for the child’s condition, especially if
emergency responses might be necessary. It is important to keep documentation on the steps for emergency
response procedures on hand to increase the likelihood of proper responsiveness.
ical • Potentially reduce Session times to accommodate needs that require reduced play time or increase
differentiation in activity.

Emotional
Communicative and receptive conditions are typically physical or, in certain
Communicative circumstances, emotional limiters on the child’s ability to either communicate via
Receptive a specific means or receive external information. These limitations can
extend from minor hurdles to a full inability to articulate.

• Accommodate communication concerns where speech is not achievable or difficulty achieved (and it is not
the desire of the player to vocalize) by providing assistive devices, allowing for the access of pre-existing
vioral devices, or changing the mechanics of communication through the game by offering greater opportunities for
nonverbal action requests, such as a preference toward written dialogue, or use of manipulatives (cards with
powers or actions on them, tokens, dice, etc.).
• If vision is impaired, consider textured manipulatives, or increasing the size of manipulatives such as dice or
miniatures. Otherwise, consider increased utilization of theatre of the mind for Sessions.
• Ensure that pathways to and from the table are clear of tripping hazards and that lighting is set to appropriate
Cognitive
levels according to recommendations from the Pre-Session Communication section.
• If utilization of manipulatives is continued while a child at the table has accessibility needs with regard to their
vision, describe actions that involve the movement of those manipulatives.
• If children have difficulty communicating with the larger group, consider their positioning at the gaming table,
and the environment they are in. Sitting closer to the GM might reduce the need for a voice to carry over.
onal Reduce external sources of noise. Be aware of physical-nonverbal cues being offered by the child. Be
observant of their needs.
• If a child displays an inability to form words, or pronounce specific sounds, it may not be advisable to offer
what you feel is “guidance.” Don’t ask them to slow down, repeat themselves, cut them off, or attempt to
complete the dialogue for them. Instead, show patience and understanding. Provide ample time for them to
communicate and, if requested, alternative resources.
• If communication in game depends on literacy for a child that is unable to communicate through those
means, consider alternative methods for delivery or direct verbal or visual communication.
• Consider learning the related language version of sign language.

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 Receptive

Behavioral symptoms are potentially disruptive to gameplay due

Behavioral to a child’s actions that occur outside of the standard assumptions of
behavioral norms. Disruptions may effect the child personally
and additionally may impact the GM or other players.

• For children that have problems with disruptive tendencies, potentially assign responsibilities that actively
engage their efforts, such as monitoring or maintaining turn order, documenting role-play dialogue, taking
Cognitive
notes, or other mild tasks that can occupy them in between turns.
• It may be ideal to ignore tics or repetitious habits displayed by a child and encouraging other players to do so
as well. By ostracizing a child’s physical tics, said child might attempt to restrain themselves, which would only
potentially compound or exacerbate their tic. Communicating with the other children in the group will help in
promoting understanding and reduce a sense of isolation, which again, could lead to exacerbating conditions.

Emotional
• Create shorter Sessions or increase break times between Sessions. Reducing game Sessions to smaller,
manageable increments that can be stacked, rather than extended open-ended questions, will potentially
resolve any feelings of being overwhelmed.
sical • Children with behavioral disorders are likely to already have individualized programs. These programs can
be supported with proactive intervention. Describing expected behaviors at the gaming table and maintaining
consistent responses to rule violations while promoting positive behavior is preferable. Gaming in itself is
often ascribed as a reward for positive behavioral actions.
• If a child expresses concern over, or preference toward, a physical placement at the table, accommodate them
Communicative
as availability allows and caregiver conditions dictate. If, for instance, a child has a preference to not be touched,
Receptive
their preference and the recommended guidelines may suggest the child be provided additional space in seating.
• Interaction with peers should not be forced. Allow children to move at their own pace if at all. If necessary,
provide a safe space, away from the table, that children can move to. Pre-Session communication is key to
understanding the needs of the child. Knowing behavioral plans and triggers will allow you to avoid potential
conflicts before they occur.
vioral

Cognitive Cognitive symptoms impact a child’s ability to comprehend, compute, or execute

a set of instructions, procedures, rules, or story telling.

• Pre-Session communication will provide you guidance on the grade level at which a child with mental
disabilities may be functioning. Using the differentiation guide, engage with the players at the
tional recommended level, regardless of their age.
• Utilize cards with symbols on them for the purpose of easier selection and memory tagging for actions and
power uses. This can be combined with text, but doesn’t necessarily demand it. Providing additional tactile
touchstones will assist in recall of information.
• Provide additional resources for media utilization. Calculators or other computational means can be provided
to assist with calculation needs. Text can be presented on clean materials free of distracting backgrounds that
might interfere with literacy. Use of color coding font can highlight key texts to make them easier to consume.
• Other assistive technology may already be present as part of a plan. Becoming familiarized with that technology
and any capacity needs it may have will help foster understanding between all parties. If assistive technology
uses customizable word-bank reading software, consider offering to populate a custom menu with
terminology particular to the game.

147
 Physicalcont.
Cognitive Cognitive symptoms impact a child’s ability to comprehend, compute, or execute
a set of instructions, procedures, rules, or story telling.

• Provide guidance or a series of options when open-ended decision making needs to be supported. Be sure to
allow for alternative options, however. Additionally, this may be implemented when communicating about turn
Communicative
order with the other players as they take turns as their heroes.
Receptive
• It may be required to limit action requests to a series of actionable requests, rather than delivering several
sets of instruction all at once.

• Consider reducing Sessions play times or pre-planning to shorten engagements. Rather than running long
Behavioral
Sessions, stack several short engagements on top of each other to allow for smaller incremental progression.

• Consider vocabulary used, and concepts described within Sessions, in comparison to the audience’s grade
level. Determine which actions or rules are necessary to promote your game Session and which aren’t.
• Reduce the game’s dependency and utilization on unnecessary mechanics where applicable.

Cognitive

Emotional Emotional symptoms impact a child’s ability to take on specific

storytelling components, but may also impact interactions
between players, environment, and self.

• Ensure a greater likelihood of a safe environment by encouraging positive reinforcement among players, and
reducing tolerance of negative interactions. Drama can always occur within game environments, but should be
limited to healthy, respectful, discussion, unless specifically engaging in therapeutic, educational role play.

• Consider a safeword or action to alert yourself audibly and/or visibly with regard to a child’s level of discomfort.
One option might be creating a simple feeling chart. Allow the players to position tokens on a spectrum or traffic
light indicating their emotional sensitivity during engagements. If at any moment a child feels discomforted, they
may choose to shift their token to a warning or stop position. At that point, disengage from gameplay, confirm if
the player is doing okay, and potentially pivot if necessary.

• Be aware of indicators that might signal distress. This information can be gathered in advance from Pre-Session
meetings, as each individual might have unique indicators. Some emotional distress may be common, however,
and mild nonverbal pauses to confirm comfort may be necessary.

• Never force engagement, regardless of rules or turn order or anys component of the game. Rules of the game
should never override a player’s emotional needs. Allow time for a child to engage, if they can, and plan for
alternatives if a turn must be skipped. Don’t rush a player. Provide them time and space.

• If at all possible, consider a private, safe location a person may retreat to in order to provide them a level of safe
composure or equilibrium.

• Communicate regularly with counselors or caregivers about game Sessions and conditions off the table.

148
 Free Play Guide
Power Outage has planned adventures that are
designed to take a character from level 1 to 20, and
with the release of version 1.4, the plan is to open up
adventure creation to community members by creating
official channels for submission.
What Kind Of Game Are You Playing?
Do you want a quick Session’s worth of gaming, or
do you want to begin a story that will span many
Sessions? Perhaps you want to string a series of short
Sessions that build into a larger narrative. You’ll
recognize this method in a lot of sci-fi/hero TV shows.
The series starts off with a monster of the week that
the protagonist fights against, slowly introducing
longer standing characters that develop more. After a
certain time, a pattern to the monsters starts to form,
which connect the small narratives into one larger,
overarching storyline. A minor resolution comes to
a head and events are resolved or reset. The minor
events start up once again, either until another great
Select A Starting Location
Every adventure has to begin somewhere. There is no rule
that says every new adventure must start where the last
adventure left off.
Select a region of Outage that you want to base your
Session in. While there is no direct requirement to play
in a specific way in a specific Session, each region is
thematically tailored to a specific style of gameplay.
Shorai City is excellent for large battles, epic
showdowns between powerful combatants, or
speculative science fiction.
Atomnyy Zavod is great for detective stories or
when you want to add a bit of grit to your storylines.
149
Still, you may feel like what’s most important to you
is creating a game that you can just hop into. This can
range from a very simple component to a much more
complex campaign. Here are some recommendations
on how to get started.
threat shows up, or the original threat returns.
Power Outage campaigns can be modeled in a
similar fashion and with similar results. Adding multiple
quick Sessions allows for a story to change on the fly.
For Quick Sessions
Quick Sessions will typically take on only 2-4
components. Usually Exploration plus Combat or
Alternative, with the occasional additional Puzzle.
Published adventures are actually often a string of
quick Sessions. So, where do you begin when creat-
ing a new adventure?
The Sink makes an ideal location for exploration,
naval battles, and consideration of moral ambiguity.
The Overgrowth covers story lines with fantasy
elements and new diplomatic factions.
Seward’s Refuge is a great place to explore social
topics, intrigue, and the impact that Outage has on
the rest of the world. It’s also your gateway to other
regions, including other potentially unexplored loca-
tions like space.
 Select A Hook
You don’t need to take on major villains in a single
Session. Major villains are often something you
build up to facing off. More often than not you are
tackling simpler, if not necessarily mundane, situations.
Hooks are the kernels of a Session you can write
yourself. It gives you a general idea of the synopsis,
but allows you an open-ended option.
A great example of this is Shorai City’s Police Training
Simulator Hook. It is a simple story element, but it
gets your mind moving on a course of action. What
is used to test the heroes? An obstacle course? That
might mean an Alternative style component that
doesn’t require engagement with an enemy. A
robotic battle simulation? That is a direct line to
Combat. A crime scene scenario? That might
require a Puzzle be created.
Components increase in complexity as you make
your way across the CAPE system.

Combat is easier to create than Alternative, which is easier to create than Puzzles, which
is easier to create than Exploration. The reason for this is the inclusion of components that
require increased creative thought for both the GM and the players.
Combat is often purely mechanical. The villains are already created for you, or easy
enough to create by applying attributes to any type of character you want. You select a
certain number of villains, you pick a setting, and the characters take care of the rest.

Alternative follows suit. While you’re not selecting a specific villain to face off against
Alternative just requires 1 or more benchmarks that must be met. The thought process
increases because you are creating different obstacles on your own, but the mechanics
or the heroes’ ability to overcome them primarily dominates the component.

Puzzles require fewer mechanics. You do have to create a puzzle, but that can often be
achieved simply by looking up pre-existing puzzles and modifying them to your setting.
It is in that modification that more effort toward creativity is required.

Finally, Exploration requires almost no mechanics. These components are predominantly

works of creative efforts that encompass all components into a cohesive narrative. As such,
Exploration requires planning, dialogue review, the capability to role play, and the ability
to adapt to changing questions, discoveries, and ad-hoc decisions. The hook resides within
Exploration components, and drives the other components you add to your adventure.

Populate Your Components With Enemies, Challenges, Puzzles And/Or Traps.

Select an appropriate amount of villains at or under
the approximate level of your combatants. You have
the ability to modulate any engagement by a
reduction of the villains your children face off against,
or by modifying the stats of the villain itself.
Confrontation too easy? Have a villain join into combat.
Confrontation too hard? Discreetly drop Ohmer, drop
YP, fudge a dice roll (yes, this is officially approved to
do,) or come up with a story element that disables the
villain or makes them flee.
One useful tactic in determining the power level is
“The Scout.” By simply sending 1 or 2 of a villain
you plan on introducing more of to face off against
the heroes, depending on how fast or how easily the
engagement seems, you can scale that many more
villains to join the confrontation.
Typically, in early free-play Sessions, you should strive
for a villain’s defeat in 5 or fewer rounds. Anything
beyond that might border on tedious, but battles do
have a tendency to increase in length as they increase
in challenge. At that point, you might find yourself
employing some form of Deus Ex Machina to end
the engagement and allow the story to move on. But,
heck, if you’re having fun ride it out.
Skill and puzzle challenges are similar but have a
greater likelihood of challenge in creating. You can
break the creation of these events into 3 steps: Problem,
Resolution, Outcome.
150
 The Problem, Resolution, Outcome (Power Outage Loves Acronyms)
The problem phase simply describes the challenge
being presented to the heroes. If they want to do A
they need to achieve B. At this phase, you can first
determine if this is a mental or luck challenge. Mental
challenges require solving some form of higher order
thinking to solve it. You can create these forms of
puzzles or challenges by researching “thought
puzzles for kids” and applying aspects to them for
your game setting. If you find a puzzle about
arranging liquid into jars, perhaps in your game
you’ve stumbled upon a mad scientist’s laboratory.
played by kids are kids themselves, perhaps the
heroes are being required themselves to complete
assignments before they can move on. In this way
completion of homework or learning tasks can be
rolled seamlessly into your game and rewarded in kind.
After the problem is determined, you weigh in on
what the resolution might look like for your players.
Can they resolve the problem multiple ways? Creating
puzzles that can be solved dynamically allows for a
bit of flexibility within differentiated group settings.

If you find a “follow the line to its destination” puzzle
online, that can easily become an electronic device
that needs to be defused.
Every type of puzzle you find can be related to a
setting within the game. Simple 9 box sudoku can be
numbered keys on a safe door. A crossword puzzle
could be the tiles to a trapped floor that need to
be solved before stepping on them. Riddles can be
passwords. Logic tables can be used to determine the
seating placement at a mystery dinner. With enough
imagination, anything can be converted into a puzzle
within your setting (but just in case, keep an eye out
for future supplementals filled with challenges and
puzzles that fit that theme for each region of Outage).
Skill challenges are more basic. Set a series of
numbers to roll against, and players must roll to beat them.
If you’re looking for Power Outage to supplement
learning, even homework activities can be rolled into
puzzle challenges that need to be resolved before an
adventure can continue. In fact, since many heroes
Are there consequences for resolving problems in
different ways? You might be able to step through
walls, but how do your friends join you? You may cut
the power to the alarm rather than diffuse it, but does
that shut down the lights? You might break the glass of
the tank you’re sealed into, but will flooding the room
ruin the electrical component you needed to salvage?
Determining possible resolutions based off of your
heroes’ abilities can be daunting, and there is honestly
never a 100% method to preparing for everything
a kid might come up with. The goal is to celebrate a
player’s success, to play with them and not against
them.
Finally, determine the outcome you have for success or
failure. Do players reap great rewards equal to great
losses if a task is unaccomplished? Are challenges
pass-through events or do they end a Session’s
progress? Perhaps the only loss is one of experience.
Determining in advance what those “rewards and
repercussions” might be will help you frame the
approach to the puzzle from the very beginning.

Connective Tissues
Your last step is to determine how this adventure
connects to a larger adventure, if at all. The adventure
may be a simple side job that helps increase your
players’ experience before taking on another
challenge. Perhaps at the end of each adventure you
achieve a component to a larger storyline. Perhaps
this adventure helps fill in information leading the
heroes’ overall history or goals.
This connectivity can be driven through the entire
Session, or something that appears at its resolution.
Perhaps this gem you found will eventually be slotted
into a glove of some sort and used to power some
madman’s plans to do something more nefarious.
Possibly this subtle handiwork of a single villain keeps
reappearing in each installment. Or you may discover
the symbol on that charm that one of your players
always wears but doesn’t know the origin of shows
up as the floor mosaic to an ancient library. The world
is open for you to explore, and of course, you can
always tie in published adventures to your narrative.
151
 Trading Spaces Levels 1 - 4

District: Shorai City

Villain: Mrs. Roboto

Synopsis: Robotic henchman are

ransacking small shops, leaving valuables
and stealing assortments of mechanical
and technological components. But what
are these insignificant parts for? And
which diabolical villain could make use
of them?

152
 Session 1 - Introduction
A Problem Arises questions about the crimes. Those questions
help establish a narrative that will allow them to
Narration
move towards the next phase of the story.
The commissioner of Shorai City’s police department You can choose from 1 to all of the components
is at a loss for what to do. There have been found in the Combat Alternative Puzzle
countless thefts across the city and no one has Exploration (CAPE) section on the following
been able to stop them. Fortunately, there has page.
been no public outcry yet, as all the items being
taken have been simple mechanical and technical Information points regarding the initial wave
components. The police department is over-taxed of crimes that can be used for answering hero
and under-funded. It has been spread thin questions:
across the vast territory of Shorai City, which is
extremely well-populated. The mayor appears • There are 5 stores in the components district
to be nonplussed by these recent thefts, but the of the Shorai City, and 4 of them have been
commissioner is very considerate of even the hit already. The component stores are for
smallest business affected. Small components toys, household appliances, communication
can add up to a big cost, especially for smaller devices (TVs, radios, phones), automotive, and
businesses. Fortunately, he has direct access to computers.
a brave group of Powers.
• See table below for lists of components
Role Play taken from each store.

• The toy store has not been hit yet.

The GM can take on the roll of the commissioner
contacting the super heroes and seeking their • All thefts have occurred at sundown and
support. You can do this by having him either call were committed by small robots.
the super heroes at their base or calling them into
his office. In either case, ask the players to describe • The robots spouted Shakespearean verses or
either their base, or the commissioner’s office. This fast food jargon while stealing objects.
also opens up the opportunity for players to ask

STORE COMPONENTS
Jack’s Vac Shack Upright Vacuums, Blender Blades

Carl’s Car Cartel Alternators, Spark Plugs, Wires

Penny’s Plentiful PC Parts Microchips, Cables

Tina’s TV Treasury CRTs, Radio Tubes, Remotes

Gary’s Game Garage None Yet

153
 SESSION 1: CAPE OPTIONS

E
Commissioner’s Office
or Home Base

E E
Carl’s Car Penny’s Plentiful
Cartel PC Parts

E
Jack’s Vac
E E
Tina’s TV
Shack Gary’s Game Garage Treasury

C P
A
154
 Session 1 - CAPE Components

Players may decide to explore one, or all, of the 5 stores.
Depending on what is visited, you have the option of providing
the following benefits to the player if you choose.
In this Session, Exploration of Penny’s Plentiful PC Parts and Tina’s
TV Treasury is necessary to unlock the Puzzle components.
Jack’s Vac Shack - Determine the number of robots your players
will face off against in combat (see below). Jack will confirm that
number for the party. Any other stores asked prior to Jack about
the count will be wishy-washy.
Penny’s Plentiful PC Parts - Witnesses recognize a light pattern on
the chests of the robots. Each robot had a different light pattern.
Eyewitnesses suggested that the pattern reminded them of a
computer program (see Puzzle).
Tina’s TV Treasury - One witness reported that when using a
remote in the store, one of the robots started behaving erratically
(see Puzzle).
Vinnie’s Vehicle Venue - Witnesses noticed that the robot’s arms
buckled and fell off while holding heavier equipment, suggesting
a weakness in its construction.
Gary’s Game Garage - Visiting the toy store initiates either the
Combat or Alternative component. Searching will provide 1
additional remote.
Heroes can elect to pause and collect clues prior to engaging
in the direct confrontation. You can hold off the confrontation
and direct heroes to gather information if you are interested in
having them solve the puzzle.
In order to activate the Puzzle component, you must have
completed the following items in Exploration:
• Visited Penny’s Plentiful PC Parts and discovered
the patterns of lights on each robot.
• Visited Tina’s TV Treasury and collected a
remote control with manual. You must have also
discovered that the remotes affect the robots.
Using the manual and remote (see Session 1 - Appendix), you
can program the 3 buttons to enter the color pattern on each
robot. You can then Pause, Stop, Rewind, or Fast Forward them.
If they choose not to use the puzzle, they can manually enter the
codes during encounters, but that will require a Standard Action
per round.

Combat initiates once the heroes arrive at Gary’s Game Garage.
If they are expecting the henchmen to show up, they can spend
time preparing to receive them. Henchman will grab for at least
1 battery.
Suggested Robot Count: Set robot count to match party + 1
robot to search shelves.
Remotes can be used in Combat with similar effect to that used
in Alternative, however, combat does not end until all robots are
stopped, brought to zero YP, or flee.
One robot will scan shelves for a specific battery, shifting down
the shelves 1 space per turn. After 8 spaces, the battery is found
and all robots will flee.
ROBOTROUPERS 2XP
In Alternative, you don’t engage in the robots directly. Powers
can be used to hinder or detain them, but you are primarily using
the remote to stop each robot.
During these 8 rounds, at least 1 robot will move to the uppermost
end of the battery shelves and start scanning. By the 8th round, it
will flee with the battery. If the heroes are able to determine the
robot’s programming pattern, set the remote, and shut it down, they
can proceed to the next engagement.
Power usage and remote usage are controlled by turns, much like
in Combat. Heroes can be instructed that they are not to harm
the robot so that information can be gathered from it, however,
their powers can be used to stop it or slow it down. If success is not
achieved in 8 rounds, then the robot flees and proceeds to the
next scenario.

IMPACT POWER OHMER + YP TRAVEL

2 0 0 8
Ambassador-bots turned performers
IMP Attack: 1d4 or 2
Power: [1] Drama - 1d6 damage to adjacent
heroes upon YP dropping to zero.
Weakness: Practice an art since the last Session and
gain +5 temporary YP at the start of the battle.
Suggested Robot Count: Set robot count to match party + 1 robot
to search shelves.
7 Any robot stopped will stop for 3 rounds. Any robot paused will
stop for 1 round. Rewind/Fast Forward gives or removes a turn to
a robot, and play restarts a robot and activates a quip (GM
provided). Any active robot can unpause/unstop another active
robot. Any robot stopped twice or paused three times is
stopped for good.
Alternative is successful when all robots are simultaneously
stopped.

155
 Session 1 - Appendix

Remote Pattern Manual

To program the remote, follow these simple instructions:
1. Press 1 of 3 program buttons.
2. Enter the color code.
3. Press Set.
Once done, the device set to that program button
will be controlled by the remote.

Remote Patterns
(Some Lights Blurred)
- Robot 1 -
R B R B R B

- Robot 2 -
G G Y G G Y G

- Robot 3 -

G Y R B G Y

Experience Gains

Per Visited Location For Each Enemy Per Enemy Where For Pre-Programming
That Nets A Discovery Disabled Teamwork Was Used The Remote Control

Equipment
The Scanning Robot’s arm falls off. If they take this item, it will assist them in
gaining entry to Mrs. Roboto’s lair in a later Session.

156
 Session 1 Regroup
If the heroes are forced to return back to base, or if they do not succeed in stopping the robot via Alternative play,
they are informed that an XRSTW-49 battery was taken from the toy store and will be contacted by the
authorities if any leads arise about where the thieves might go next.

The XRSTW-49 battery allows Mrs. Roboto’s invention to be more powerful (described in the last Session). After
regrouping, the heroes are called back to a parking lot where the robots were reported to be waiting in a van.

GARY’S GAME GARAGE MAP

Description DIMENSIONS
Brightly colored plastic, metal, and wooden toy parts fill every shelf
and table. Shelves along the walls contain rows and rows of various 20 by 20 Spaces
batteries in all shapes and sizes.
Door: 2 Spaces Wide
Notes Shelving: 6 X 1
Shelves can easily be flown over, or else it takes 3 movement to
climb. They can also be knocked over (save 13). Moving onto a Round Tables: 2 X 2
table or counter requires 2 movement.
Register: 6 X 2
157
 SESSION 2
A Brief Interlude in the Toy Store
Role Play
As the GM, you can provide your heroes a moment
to ask questions and search the toy store before
leaving. They have an opportunity to retrieve
the robot’s arm. If they inspect the hand, they’ll
discover it holds a XRSTW-49 battery.
They can choose to keep the arm. You may
prompt the players by asking, “What would
you like to do with the arm?” Otherwise you
can describe any damage to the toy store due to
whatever tussle may have occurred. When you are
satisfied with the heroes’ investigation, you can
propel the story to the next CAPE component.
Session 2 - CAPE Options & Components
C
A
Narration
You hear what sounds like a large vehicle starting
up loudly from behind the toy store. A horn is
tapped repeatedly, as if a message is being sent
in some kind of code.
If they choose to investigate the noise...
You run outside and dash down the side alley
only to find more robots waiting in a parked
hover-van. There are two exits out of the rear
parking lot and it looks like they don’t see you.
Now is your chance to stop them before they
can get away!
Combat will initiate after either the van is disabled, or the exits
are somehow blocked. The heroes have 4 rounds to accomplish
this before the battle initiates. Robots will not leave the van until
one of these is accomplished. Due to interference from the van’s
metallic frame, remotes will not assist until robots leave the van.
Options They Have:
• They can use powers or an IMP attack to push crates or a
dumpster in front of the exits. (Requires a roll of 10 or
higher for crates, 12 or higher for the dumpster.)
• They can use powers to directly block the portals.
(Requires a roll of 14 or higher.)
• They can use their powers to directly disable the vehicle
(requires a roll of 13) or if they can enter the van, find a
means to stop, impede, or crash it.
Once robots leave the van or are directly attacked, combat
initiates and the remote control functions as it had in the prior
Session. Robots are the same Robotroupers from the prior
engagement, with different code sets on each. The GM can use
the same patterns or create new ones on the fly. Robots will
attempt to flee after 4 rounds of combat.
Suggested Robot Count: Set robot count to match party + 2.
158
 Alternative component initiates after either the van is disabled
or the exits are somehow blocked. The heroes have 4 rounds
to accomplish these before the battle initiates. Robots will not
leave the van until one of these is accomplished. Remotes will
not assist until robots leave the van due to interference.
Options They Have:
• Can use powers or an IMP attack to push crates or a
dumpster in front of the exits. (Requires a roll of 10 or
higher for crates, 12 or higher for the dumpster.)
• Can use powers to directly block the portals. (Requires a
roll of 14 or higher.)
These robots have codes that repeatedly cycle through each
round requiring someone targeting a robot and using a Free
Action to read the code on its chest plate before selecting the
appropriate program button.
After the robot is stopped, the GM alerts the group to the
following:
Robots can be reprogrammed manually by entering in the
right combination and rolling a 1d20 + IMPACT vs. robot’s
1d20 + OHMER to determine if they can successfully hit the
right button sequence on their chests. If successful, robots will
stop. If unsuccessful, the pattern will change.

• Can use their powers to directly disable the vehicle. After 4 rounds, robots will attempt to flee the scene any way
(Requires a roll of 13.) possible.
Once outside of the van, Alternative play can initiate.

Suggested Robot Count: Set robot count to match party + 2

GARY’S GAME GARAGE

REAR PARKING LOT MAP

Description DIMENSIONS
Futuristic cars are randomly parked in the rear parking lot. One vehicle idles, ready to drive through
the alley. It’s occupied by robots. 26 by 16 Spaces

Notes Alley: 2 Spaces Wide

Vehicles can easily be flown over, else it takes 3 movement to climb. The crates can be knocked down Dumpster: 2 x 1
across the alley mouth (requires a roll of 10 or higher). The dumpster can be pushed in front of the
alley mouth (requires a roll of 12 or higher). Crate Pile: 2 x 2

159
 Experience Gains

For Each Enemy Per Enemy Where For Each Alley Closed Off; For Discovering The
Disabled Teamwork Was Used 3 If The Vehicle Is Disabled GPS Signal

Equipment
If they search the van, they’ll discover a GPS unit that directs them to a warehouse on the
eastern side of Shorai City, near the docks.

Session 2 Regroup
If the heroes are forced to return back to base, or if they do not succeed in stopping the robot via Alternative play,
the robots escape capture. Any number of robots escaping will be added to future confrontations.

After regrouping, the heroes are called by the commissioner and informed that his sources point to a warehouse
where several vans matching the description of the van from the parking lot have been seen.

SESSION 3
Finding the Factory
Narration
The heroes head back to the police commissioner
to talk about what they’ve uncovered so far.
If the GPS was found…
Bringing out the GPS, the commissioner has his
technicians scan its history. Three locations come
up. They all appear to be warehouses along the
Harbor District, on south west Shorai City.
If the GPS wasn’t found...
The commissioner has had APBs tracking vans
similar to the one discovered in the parking lot.
After extensive sweeps of the city, 3 similar vans
were parked at some point in front of 3 different
warehouses in the Harbor District west of Shorai City.
Regardless of how the discovery is made, the Harbor
District labels their warehouses alphabetically. The 3
warehouses in question are labeled D, M, and R.
Role Play
Once again, assuming the role of the commissioner,
you can encourage the heroes to search out each of
these warehouses, allowing them to choose the order
in which they search.
Leading Questions
Here are a list of questions you can ask the
heroes to help engage them further in the
role-playing aspect:
• Do you plan on visiting the warehouses
during the day or at night?

8
160
 • What do you plan on bringing with you? prior MO, the string of robberies seems to coincide
with her style of thievery. Additionally, she was
• What do you plan on doing if you can’t get reported to have been seen in this district only a
into the building? few weeks ago.

You can also take this time to start describing The description below can be used to describe
the prime suspect, Mrs. Roboto. Based off her Mrs. Roboto’s past:

oto
Mrs. Rob
us
History t n u m e ro us prestigiors. Roboto,
botics a , aka M
r h a vin g studied ro orld, Julie Rasputin on to create
Aft e w ith a soluti or robots,
titu tio n s a round the o m e u p w
ins
d sh e ha d finally c a rm y o f ambassad
believ e ated a n orld.
o rld p e a ce. She cre nflicts around the w
w co
ed to solve rs in delica
te
programm -biased arb itra to
ce. But
w e re to act as non jectory towards pea no profit
Her robots u la
st tra
ting the be t funded her work,
saw
her
s, ca lc a r job, and
situation c o m p a n y th n d ing , h e
rp, the f her fu
Roboto Co ors. Stripping her o th em to serv wage
e as
n d e a v m m e d
in her e reprogra inimum
c io u s ro bots, they s a n d to replace m
pre ction
t park attra
amusemen food restaurants. rs.
tellers at fa
st
ek in g v e ngeance, M r
e e
r te rm in ation, and s door program on h
by he back ming,
Infuriated
p e d a n d activated a oto Corp’s program
ap id Rob ent on
Roboto sn a b le to fully r robot servants hell b
y . U n e fries
robot arm v e r a n army of ffe rin g extra larg
s o d o oboto
she now r
ule
w o r ld for peace an domination, Mrs. R
g the world orp
dominatin r. O n h er way to h o m e o f Roboto C
rd e ity, th e
with any o se t o n Shorai C hnology).
ig h ts
has her s d e r in ro botics tec
le a
(the world

161
 SESSION 3: CAPE Options

E P

P P P
Warehouse Warehouse Warehouse

R M D
Required for Alternative

E A
C
162
 Heroes can pick warehouses at random. While the warehouses
are labeled for this book, you can select whichever warehouse
you want, leaving the final warehouse (that leads to the factory)
until the very end.
The Alternative component requires all 3 mazes, whereas the
Combat component allows you and the hero to choose how
ever many factories they desired. You can also choose to skip
the Puzzle component and move straight to the Exploration
component.
Warehouse D contains a prototype flux capacitor at its end.
The flux capacitor is a small, hand-held device that glows a faint blue. If
questioned about its function, you can describe it depending on whether
you’re choosing the Combat or Alternative component.
Combat
You see that the flux capacitor doesn’t look like it’s fully functional. You
believe that, in it’s current state, it will only function to reset an action once
as if it never happened.
163
Each factory is laid out like a maze. All the maze walls are racks
of equipment and storage containers. The heroes are provided
with maps of the factories that don’t include the hidden traps
or bonuses. They can choose to take turns, or work together in
navigating the mazes.
Starting at the entrance, they must draw a continuous line on the
map. If they cross over a hidden trap (indicated by the warning
signs), you must pause the heroes and roll a 1d4. Depending on
the roll, that is how many points they lose. If they land on a heal
point (indicated by the blue fountain) they have the opportunity
to heal for 1d6. Each hero rolls separately.
Alternative
You see that the flux capacitor doesn’t look like it’s fully functional.
You believe that, in it’s current state, it only is able to stop any clock or
time mechanism it’s attached to.
Warehouse M contains a Personal EMP at its end. The Personal EMP
looks like a small circular canister and glows with a faint red light.

Combat

The small EMP looks like it could create a 3x3 square of electric
disruption, causing anything within it to lose power for a time.

Alternative

The small EMP looks like it could fry any electric component within a
short distance.

164
 A dilapidated sign on the door
of Warehouse R indicates that
the original sign at one point
read “Roboto.”

Venturing to the center of the

maze leads to the entrance to
the basement factory.

If the GM chose to forego the

Puzzle components, the door
would function in the same way,
only you would encounter it at
the very beginning of visiting
the factory.

165
Prior to their arrival at the underground factory, heroes may have Use Robotic Arm
taken several paths which affect the manipulation of the explorable
area. Using the robotic arm automatically and silently opens the door.
Using the robotic arm does not trigger off alarms and allows the
All Warehouses Visited heroes the benefit of potentially going first in any Combat scenario.
This is necessary for completion of the Alternative path option. Effect the Gears
Two items should have been retrieved: the prototype flux capacitor
and the Personal Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) generator. Using IMP to physically turn the gears or POW to use a
comparable power requires you to meet or beat a roll of 14.
Some Warehouses Visited
Effect the Door
Only available for the Combat component, utilization of the tools
can be used to either affect the environment or the battle, but not Trying to pry the door open bare-handed will not succeed.
both. Searching the room will allow heroes to discover a metallic rod
No Warehouses Were Visited that can be used to pry the door open. Use of this bar requires
you to meet or beat a roll of 10.
The GM can reduce the impact of questions regarding other Attacking the Panel
warehouses by informing heroes, “Nothing was found of note,”
at 1 or more of the warehouses. When the appropriate Attacking the panel does not achieve anything, unless the hero
warehouse is selected, you can guide heroes via role play to an specifically has a power that interacts with electronics. A power
underground entrance. that specifically applies requires a roll of 8 or better. Pressing a
bare hand into the robotic hand insert deals 1d6 damage to YP
The map sections will be described in greater detail in the following of the hero.
two Alternative and Combat components.
Forcing Your Way In
Narration
Any entry into the room by forcing your way in, and not using
As you enter the foreboding confines of the underground the robot arm, results in 1 extra robot joining the next combat,
factory, you look around at your environment. Dimly lit emergency
lights reduce visibility to only small areas of the vast space. The and villains taking the starting turn.
factory appears to have been abandoned for years, but the tiny
murmur of machinery and the markings in the dust tells you that it The Receiving Room
has been recently occupied. Narration
Stair Entrance At one point, the room looks like it stored large equipment, but
it is currently a large, open space. Everything appears to be in
Narration a state of disrepair. Across the room, a single terminal’s red light
Massive gears frame 2 large metal doors set in a groove. The gear flashes. A large machine blinks rapidly in a multitude of patterns
work across the foot of the door suggests that they slide apart, like and colors, too difficult to keep track of. You hear a whirring noise,
elevator doors. To the left, you see an electronic panel with a palm followed by a regular interval of metal slapping against metal.
and groove indentation that matches the palm interface of a robot. It’s hard to see much else in the room as the lighting is so dim.

In the Receiving Room, there is only one exit to the east, however,
a conveyor belt is moving at incredible speeds directly towards the
entry. Any attempt to walk down the path without disabling the
moving floor will cause people to be thrown back. Attempts at
using powers to avoid the obstacle will also fail. Flight is restricted
due to a low ceiling and the danger is too risky.

In order to slow the conveyor belt, the heroes must completely

search the room for clues. If they look at the console, they will
discover that there is a large pedestal that looks like it has slots that
match perfectly to the Personal EMP. However, it doesn’t appear to
be connected to the rest of the device.

A wiring panel shows that the wires have been pulled. Further
investigation of the room will allow heroes to discover groups of wires
in the corner. Connecting these wires by matching them up to their
corresponding sockets will allow the pedestal to connect to the
machine. Activating the Personal EMP generator disables the console,
disables the conveyor belt, and the heroes will hear a large
clank of metal which will in the future prove to be the first lock on
the inner safe door.

166
 Session 3 - CAPE Components

Depending on the age of the players, if pattern recognition is Narration

too difficult, simply connecting the wires in any order may
suffice, or simply using the Personal EMP generator. Connecting You see the conveyor belt has slowed its pace dramatically. You
the wires incorrectly more than twice fails the component. feel like you would be able to walk over them.

YP disruptors are hidden throughout the room. Stepping on one

causes a roll of 1d4 to the hero‘s YP. Use of powers to navigate
within the room is acceptable. The YP disruptors are indicated
on the map, but are not drawn for the heroes.

After the EMP is used, it no longer remains functional and stays

fused to the pedestal. The EMP also knocks out any remaining
traps within the room. Disabling the conveyor belt marks the end
of the Alternative component for Session 3.

If the receiving room is entered by force, after traveling 10 spaces
into the room, robot respondents activate. If the room was entered
using a robotic arm, a YP disruptor must be stepped on for the
alarm to go off. As the GM, you can warn them about their
potential in advance by asking players to roll a POW- based,
heroic perception roll vs. 10.
or EMP, they can again be used once more in the terminal. If
the devices were never retrieved, the consoles can function in
the same way without the added devices.
If you are not using Alternative component items, the conveyor
belt can automatically slow upon defeat of the villains.

If you wish to have combat potentially initiate, even after the Narration
alarms are successfully avoided, you can have robots appear,
but engage in pre-programmed tasks until the group has an The buzzing sound increases as a swarm of tiny robot bugs
opportunity to respond to them. fly out of a darkened patch in the room. Two Robotroupers
activate and approach you as well, demanding to know if you
Suggested Robot Combatants: 1 Robotrouper per hero + 1 would like to try their spicy wings.
group of Swarmbots (a group of Swarmbots functions as a
single enemy). The Robotroupers have broken lights on their
chests, so the remotes aren’t functional.
SWARMBOTS 3XP
Use of either items collected from puzzle levels will function when
applied to the environment, but can also be used in combat. IMPACT POWER OHMER + YP TRAVEL

In Combat, you do not have to connect the console cables if so

desired.
1 3 2 6 7
Bots designed to mine digital crypto-currency. They
are as annoying those who continually talk about the
Using the prototype flux capacitor in combat resets 1 action
benefits of digital crypto-currency.
as a Free Action. It can only be used once.
IMP Attack: 1d4 or 2
Using the Personal EMP generator allows you to short circuit one Power: [1] Diversify Investments - Steal a power
robot for up to 5 rounds of battle. It does not move or attack. from one adjacent hero and disallow it’s use until the
After 5 rounds, it will reactivate. Swarmbot is disabled.
Weakness: If allowance was saved since the last
If you are still interested in including Alternative problem solving Session, +2 to Attack rolls.
after or during Combat, but have already used the flux capacitor

167
 Experience Gains

For Each Enemy Disabled Per Enemy Where

Teamwork Was Used

OR

For Using The Robot Arm Points For Using A Power

For Disabling the Points For Using A Power

Red Station

Session 3 Regroup
If the heroes are forced to return back to base, or if you they are unable to disable
the conveyor belt in order to proceed, the heroes can try again.

After regrouping, the heroes can once again attempt the next phase of the factory,
losing out on the potential for earned experience points.

168
 SESSION 4
E
Session 4 - CAPE Components
The Tunnel
Narration
As you make your way toward the conveyor belt, you see two
arcing beams crossing its path horizontally. The buzzing from the
beams does not look very comforting. Whatever the source is of
the beams, you can’t see from your angle. The conveyor belt still
moves at a slower pace than before. Currently, the
conveyor belt is moving toward you, making it difficult to
navigate. You also notice a switch near the mouth of the tunnel.
If the heroes inquire about or test the switch, they will find that it
reverses the direction of the conveyor belt. There is an additional
switch at the opposite end. You have the option of informing
them, or letting them discover this through trial and error, but
movement on the conveyor belt is dictated by a specific set of
rules.
Conveyor Belt Movement
• Power-based movement over the treadmill is disabled due to
its constantly shifting surface and its low dangerous ceiling.
169
C
A
• If the conveyor belt is moving backward (toward the
receiving room), speed of heroes is reduced to 5, and
upon stopping, the hero will automatically shift backwards
1 space on their turn.
• If the conveyor belt is moving forward (toward the next
room), speed of heroes is increased by +5, and upon
stopping, the hero will automatically shift forward 1
space on their turn.
Beams
• Passing through beams causes 1d4 to YP.
• Beams can be ducked or jumped for a IMP roll vs. 12.
• Beams can be targeted for POW or IMP attacks when
within 2 spaces. Each beam generator only requires 1
point of damage and only 1 of each pair of generators
needs to be disabled.
The Production Floor
Narration
Once past the conveyor belt, the production floor again appears
to be mostly evacuated. However a large security door, similar to
the one you saw when you first entered, appears at the opposite
end. The door on the left has a darkened red light, while the door
to the right has a brightly lit blue light.
Along the wall to your right, a console appears. It looks
somewhat similar to the console in the receiving room, except
this one is lit up in blue and there appears to be large gears that
extend into the floor.
As with the prior room, the heroes can place the device on the
pedestal and retrieve wires from the prior room to reconnect the
panel. However, the console has been booby trapped by Mrs.
Roboto herself.
Narration
As soon as you slide the Prototype Flux Capacitor into the
computer, the screen flashes with Mrs. Roboto’s symbol and
beeps with an alert. As soon as the device is fitted into the
pedestal, the heroes will see the large gear turning and the left
most wall will start to inch toward them.
Depending on the age of the players, if pattern recognition is
too difficult, simply connecting the wires in any order may
suffice. With walls moving 1 space per 4 rounds, getting the
wrong wire connection takes 1 round off per error, causing the
wall to move faster. (Example: 1st error, 3 spaces per round;
2nd error, 2 spaces per round; 3rd error, 1 space per round.)
Successfully disabling the console unlocks the door and stops
the wall. When the blue light disables, the doors unlock and
slide open.
The opposite wall moves very slowly. Every 4 rounds, it will move
1 space. Heroes can use their movement and their Standard to
increase movement if they need to get back to the wire pile. They
can also hit switches on the conveyor belt to propel them along at
faster rates. If the conveyor is going in the direction desired when
stepped on, movement increases 15 and 1 movement is added at
the end of their turn. Opposing direction reduces speed to 5 and
sets you back 1 space at the end of your round. There are buttons
at either end of the conveyor belt that can be pressed as a minor
action.
Returning to the receiving room, they will see that an additional
blast door has come down, blocking off any exit. The only way
out of the factory is by opening that door.
Each cable connection requires a Standard Action. Heroes will
have to take turns connecting the cables.
Unbeknown to the heroes, the moving wall will stop once there
are two spaces left in the room. It is enough to block the exit and
fail the mission, but not enough to actually crush them.
Attempts to stop the gears require an IMP/POW roll against 18
and will only pause the wall’s movement for one round.
170
 The Production Floor Using the Prototype Flux Capacitor in combat resets 1 action as
a Free Action. It can only be used once.
Once past the conveyor belt, you come into the production floor.
On the right, you’ll find a similar terminal to the one found in the Otherwise, it functions to open the door at the end of the room
receiving area, only it has all blue accents. by sliding it into the console. No wire connection necessary,
unless you opt to additionally do Alternative play.
As you move into the room, you see people puzzling over a
large safe door at the other end. They’re noting the fact that the
red light has gone out. The blue light, however, is still lit.
Heroes can take this opportunity to sneak up on them and gain
INSANETERNS 4XP
an advantage. If they shout a warning, they can roll an IMP roll IMPACT POWER OHMER + YP TRAVEL

1 3 3 8 5
vs. 10 to see if they intimidate the villains pre-battle, giving them a
+1 to attack rolls in combat.
Suggested Villains: 1 less Insaneterns than the number of heroes.
After the first 3 rounds, Insaneterns will summon an additional Student loans drove them mad, villany
robot (GM’s choice on whether to bring in a Robotrouper or will be their deferment
Swarmbot). IMP Attack: 1d4 or 2
Combatants: 2 unpaid Insaneterns for 1-2 players, 3 for 3 - 4 Power: [2] Soy Frapp - 1d6 + No travel for 2 rounds.
players. After 5 rounds of combat, 2 additional Robotroupers Power: [1] Millford Man - Disappear for 2 rounds.
are added to the combat.
Weakness: If allowance was saved since the last
In Combat, you do not have to connect the console cables if so Session, +2 to Attack rolls.
desired.

Experience Gains EXPLORATION

For Each Enemy Per Enemy Where For Disabling The

Disabled Teamwork Was Used Blue Station

Session 4 Regroup
If heroes are reduced to zero YP, they must return to base, earning half the possible experience for this Session.

Failure to stop the wall before it blocks off the entrance to the last Session also results in a failure of the component. The heroes have to
wait until the Shorai Police are able to unlock the blast doors from the outside and allow them to return to their base.

Heroes can then return to the factory once recuperated and automatically move to the final area.

171
 SESSION 5
C
E
A
The Lab
Narration
As they approach the lab, they hear a robotic voice alert. “Power
Failure Imminent: Barrier power 10 percent, Portal power 40
percent, full system shut down will commence.” Looking into the
lab, you see Mrs. Roboto there, rapidly pressing dials, buttons,
and screens. One of the 5 containers in front of her makes a loud
whooshing sound as it opens.
Amidst the chaos of electronic devices, you see components from
all of the stores, each a piece of the puzzle of whatever Mrs.
Roboto has concocted. A large cloud of Swarmbots fly all over
the lab, slowly funneling into a device set on a green platform.
If heroes try entering the lab, they are confronted by an invisible
force field. It makes a loud whump noise when contacted.
Mrs. Roboto, at that point, will look up and start communicating
with the heroes.
Role Play
If the players succeeded in preventing the theft of the battery from
Gary’s Game Garage, Mrs. Roboto will complain about her
“having only one shot at this now thanks to their meddling.”
If they didn’t prevent the battery theft, Mrs. Roboto thanks them
for the battery and attaches it to her robotic exoskeleton, having it
visibly glow brighter. If this occurs, all of Mrs. Roboto’s powers are
set to unlimited use.
The Choice
If you are choosing to go a completely alternative
and nonviolent route, you can inform the heroes
that the red portal disabled and shut with only
the green portal still active. Likewise, if you would
prefer that the heroes definitely engage in combat,
you can disable the green portal.
Otherwise, you can allow the heroes to choose
whether or not they want to pursue the Swarmbots
or the villain. Weigh out the pros and cons of the
Swarmbots versus letting a major villain potentially
get away. There is an option to allow them to split up,
but both the Alternative and Combat components
will be impacted by their weakened unity.
Mrs. Roboto points to the green warp portal and informs the
heroes that the device placed on the portal is a Swarmbot
container set to be transported to the First Capital Shorai Bank.
Once activated, thousands of Swarmbots will cancel and consume
all financial transactions, leaving Roboto Corp to suffer a huge
financial setback. Additionally, there are regular accounts that
many people and businesses might have in that branch, but Mrs.
Roboto considers them a necessary casualty.
Heroes have an opportunity to land IMP rolls on Mrs. Roboto by
trying to reason or encourage her to give up her ways. Arguing
the potential of damage to people with accounts at the bank, or
even the affect it might have on the employees at Roboto Corp. If
they roll and succeed twice with Social IMPACT rolls, Mrs. Roboto
will appear thoughtful for a short time. Keep track of this successful
roll for future adventures as they will have a cumulative affect on
the final outcome of resolving with Mrs. Roboto. Mrs. Roboto will
only allow 2 rounds of this before she activates and steps through
the portal.
Mrs. Roboto, carrying an unintelligible electronic gizmo, will step
on the red portal, wave goodbye to the heroes, and both she
and the Swarmbot container on the activated green portal will
be teleported away. At that point, the barrier will disappear with
the announcement from the robotic voice saying, “Barrier Power
Depleted, Portal Power 10 Percent, full system shutdown
commencing.”
172
 Choosing the red portal brings you to a rooftop of Roboto Corp
Head Quarters. Combat initiates as soon as the heroes appear. Mrs. Roboto Mark 1 10XP
Upon successful completion, bringing Mrs. Roboto’s Yield Points
to zero, she jumps off the roof, only to be caught by a hover ship
IMPACT POWER OHMER + YP TRAVEL

piloted by her robots and blasts off.

Narration:
4 4 4 18 5
IMP Attack: 1d8 or 4
Mrs. Roboto stands defiantly facing you as the red portal closes Power: [4] Zap - Teleport person 11 spaces.
behind you, disappearing. You can once again try to De-escalate
the situation, with a similar outcome of Mrs. Roboto escaping. Power: [4] Kapow - Mrs. Roboto’s Laser Gauntlet
activates, blasting heroes for 1d6 and teleporting
Suggested Villains: Mrs. Roboto herself. her 8 spaces.
Power: [2] Fwip - Flip over and mix up hero powers
for 5 rounds. The hero can play powers, but each time,
the cards must be shuffled and hidden.

The roof is a 20 by 20 perfect square that is a helicopter landing

pad with an H in the center. If Mrs. Roboto attempts to Zap a
hero off the roof, they must roll an IMP vs. 10 to try and prevent
it. If they don’t succeed, the hero is Zapped off the edge, but
holds onto that edge for dear life, dropping to zero YP until a
173 fellow hero can encourage them.
22
 The Bank
The heroes arrive at the bank, only to find everyone in chaos. The
heroes must act fast to disable the canister, but they also have to
ensure the safety of all the patrons first.
The heroes must first take turns rolling IMPACT vs.12 to tell
everyone to vacate the bank. They have 6 opportunities to land 3
successful commands. Each time, the hero has to state what they
will say to the customers.
The container is housed in an armored shield plating. Heroes
have 6 opportunities to break the 3 barriers by rolling either an
IMPACT or POWER vs. 12.
23
Once removed, they will be faced with the terminal. Each hero
must take turns working together for each line. They have to
link each similar key in non-diagonal lines, without crossing
over each other. Once all 5 keys are connected, the unlock icons
connect together to disable the container. They have 8 turns to
disarm the terminal. Accidentally connecting the wrong keys
errors out and uses up a turn.
Successfully disabling the cannister happens when it visibly
rattles and then implodes into nothingness.
This graphic shows the Solved Terminal
Less complex versions of the terminal allows for direct line
connections without concern for crossovers.
174
 Combat Narration
You’ve defeated the villainous Mrs. Roboto and foiled most of her
plans for vengeance. Unfortunately, she got away, but you’ve
made great strides! You’ve captured her facility, and disrupted all
of her operations. It will be some time before she can recuperate
her strength. In the meantime, the Shorai Police Labs will have a
chance to puzzle over all of her inventions to see exactly what she’s
been up to. Perhaps, one day, they will discover the secret to the
mystery mechanism she carried away.
Alternative Narration
You may not have captured Mrs. Roboto, but you’ve saved
the day for many people. Your decision to stop the Swarmbots
saved many Shorai citizens from the devastation that would have
occurred to their finances. In the meantime, the Shorai Police Labs
will have a chance to puzzle over all of Mrs. Roboto’s inventions
to see exactly what she’s been up to. Perhaps, one day, they will
discover the secret to the mystery mechanism she carried away.

Experience Gains

For Defeating For Disabling The Where Teamwork

Mrs. Roboto Swarmbot Container Was Used

For Successfully For Disabling The

Evacuating The Bank Armor Plates

Session 5 Regroup
If the heroes are forced to return back to base, or if they do not succeed in disabling the terminal, they do not succeed at
the component. Due to this being the last component, they are allowed to either retry the component, or if both options are
available to them, jump to the other component.

Failure a second turn at the component means they only earn half experience points. Please encourage heroes that half
points are still points earned, that other components were successful, and that, overall, the adventure was won.

175
 To get more information or supplemental materials for this adventure,
please visit www.poweroutagegame.com.

TRADING SPACES - LEVELS 1-4

ADVENTURE BLOCK REWARDS
If you have managed to successfully complete all Sessions, you have earned 5 additional experience points!
If you missed success on 1 or more missions, you still earn 2 additional points.

If you disabled the Swarmbots, you earned the Good Samaritan Badge! With it, anytime you are required
to convince or communicate with a citizen of Outage, you gain a +1 to your IMPACT Roll.

If you defeated Mrs. Roboto, you get the Force For Justice Badge! With it, any time you are required to
convince or communicate with an enemy, you gain a +1 to your IMPACT roll.

176
There are many people I need to thank for helping to make this game a reality. People I personally know, people who have helped me,
a family that has supported me in many ways, and in no small part, the people who have contributed financially in backing the project.
Below are lists of people who have helped me achieve my dream.
The Adventures Physical Level Supporters Brian P. Kurtz Morgan Tupper
Brian Southworth Mr. Lunches
Alex K. Hughes Aiden James Conneely
Brynn Ward Murph
Zach Kieffer Alexandria Neonakis
Carrie linden Nancy Hutchins
Melanie Kim Bill Gould
Cassie & Gem Mahadeo Nathan the Great and Terrible
Bryan (Dorkasaurus) Ballard
Guest Editors CD Guanzon Neal Tanner
Corban James Bibb
Andrew Cherry Chris Lackey Neil Byrne
Debbie Howard
Victoria Hennings Chris Schetzle Rebecca Stein
Dr. Brian P. Gatens
Alex K. Hughes Christian Lindke Richard Blackburn
Dustin Parks of Tabletop Loot
Jacky Leung Christina “Sid” Sidiropoulos Rick (RollinDDice) Schrand
Eddie Gurnee
Clare Byrne Sally Pritchard
Play Testers Florian Thans
Craig Flood Samuel “orcrist86” Castro
Iris Wechling
My Daughters Cranium Squirrel Scott Bradley
Jacob Yohn
Scott Patrick Mina Darren M. A. Calvert IG: Shawn “Keltz” Kelce
Jamey Belin
Joe DeSimone @darrenmacalvert Shervyn
Joe De Bari aka “togashi_joe”
David Uspal Dave Plummer Simon and Declan Olearnick
Josh Olszewski
Brian Malloy David K. Uspal Slorder
Joshua Heath
John Hendricks Della Thibault Stephen Parker
Judy Leong
Wayne Bowmanchester Dominic Fontana Sunken Treasures Games
Kevin “The Lawful Geek”
Neal Tanner Doug Boettcher Susan Thompson
Kutlesa
David Collins Elizabeth Hancock Taran Winnie
Adeline and Marcus King
Michele Mishko (@ElizMHancock) Terry Herc
Lisa Brassell and Gareth King
Will Little Emilia Bennett Thane & Rafe Dube
Marc Persaud
Dana Hixson Evil Hat Productions The Cherry Family
Matt & Ethan Cockburn
Jason Gilbert Follow Me, And Die! The Palmer Family (@Qyjari)
Matt Capizzi
Nathan Thurston Geeky Bugbear, LLC The Wandering Alchemist
Michael & Rhia Wieclawek
Kieyotie McDermott Greg Conant Thomas Harris
Michelle Phillips
Nikki Snevets Harlo Games Thomas Hjelm
Mysty Vander
Adam Cleaver Hunters Books! Time2Tabletop
Randy Fisher
Isabelle Topp Viktor, Rocio, & Kurt Blanco
Major Input & Guidance Robert Pritchard
Isaiah and Benjamin Paduganan Wes Sperry
Scott Roberts
Dustin Parks Jason Clifford Zach Kieffer
Skyler H. Bomser
Jason Walters Jess Dempsey Zero & Leon Becker
The Tech Overlords of New Jersey
Paul Gerrish Joe Jenness
The Threadraiders Digital Supporters
Scott Roberts Joel Holland
Thomas Parros
Jess Dempsey John H. Bookwalter Jr. A.J. De La Rosa
Weddings at Maple Corner
Ed Hayward Jonathan Demel Abram Towle
Xynar
Andrew Chirgwin Justin S. Davis Alan O’Donovan
Clay, Terminally Nerdy On Demand Supporters Katie Parkhurst Alex K. Hughes
Lexxy Douglas Ken Schmidt Alex McCurd
A. Moyer
Matt Holden Kirk Holladay Alyssa Audet
Abe Alahmad
The Leong Family (and kin) L. Todd Andrew Chirgwin
Adam @RPGKitchen
Hans Chun Lee Stonehouse Halfling Caravan Games
Adrienne Popovich
David Silver Leon C Glover III Andrew Schlueter
Age of Exploration
Luc Teunen Andy Vohland
Patreon Patrons Alyce Mark IG: @alyce_mark
Lucas Rackley Anndrew Reinfeld
Anastasia Kaufmann
Death By Mage Marcos Rodriguez Anthony “LibrariaNPC” DeMinico
Andrew Jackson
Payperheirplain Matt Komsthoeft Aras Sivad
Archimer
Terminally Nerdy Matt Redmon Barry Snyder
Austin J. Swenson
The Fierce Ferrets Matthew @ProudNerdery Benj Davis
Ben Vann-Turner
The Merry Mercenaries Matthew Fridley Berto
Bradford Hunter
Melanie Kim Bitsy & Grey
Ultimate Adventurer Brendon Casler
Michael Jones Brad Grochowski
Brian D.
Michael Tree Bruce ES Warner
Benjamin Kirk
cadenheadr04 Jean-Philip Ricard Mighty Monkeyhouse Media Svend Andersen
Caleb Congrove Jim Carvin Mike Yob TheBenHatton
Carl RIgney JJ Leggo Next Gen Nerds Tim Broder
Chimera John ‘johnkzin’ Rudd Nicholas Cotterill Timothy Baker
Chris Cooper John L. Foster Nick Colombo Tom Duffield
Chris Lock Joseph Capezza Nick Folz Travis D
Christo Meid Julian Dominguez Pascal Laprise Trip Space-Parasite
Christopher Spence Julienne Cunningham Patrice Mermoud V.R. Kelly
Claus Paludan Justin Hall Patrick McNary Viktoria Weimper
Cory Longenecker Kai van DuijnKim Metzger Paul McErlean W. David Pattison
David Ginsburg Karma, Justice, & Wade Hysell Pete Palmer Wayne Bowmanchester
Tales from the Fandom Lester Ward Rick Hull William J. Scott III
David Silver Lucas Henderson Rick Vechel - Vechel Fantasy Yubi
Eric Ramirez (@Hypermycotic) Rohan & Ronja Zack Bear
F.J. Darcy Lynne Meyer Russ Hapke & Dan Wolters
Finn Butler Mark Leymaster of Grammarye The Gaming Geeks
Fong Family Martin Savill Ryan Crowe
George 2.0 Hope Matt Sanders Shree Madavan
Greg Pieroni (@iammattsanders) Spikepit Productions
Jacky Leung (Death By Mage) Matthew Metford Steve Arensberg
Jacob S Kellogg Matty Foust Steve Fletcher
Jacqui Richardson Meggin Cody Stuart D McClelland

Noteworthy Businesses

RS Designs NYC - www.rsdesignsnyc.com - The savior that

has turned this project into something beautiful. Check Rosanna out for
all your design needs. She’s gungho about gaming projects!

Indie Press Revolution - www.indiepressrevolution.com - A network

of creator-publishers that offer great unique small press games.

DriveThruRPG - www.drivethrurpg.com - They’ve basically opened the

door to people like me who want to create, publish, and sell their vision.
DriveThruRPG pretty much made this book possible.

Indie Game Alliance - www.indiegamealliance.com -

IGA offers fantastic services to gamers and designers alike.

Tabletop Loot - www.tabletoploot.com - These folk are constantly

investing in the gaming community and have donated often to students.

DOTS RPG Project - www.dotsrpg.com - A project designed to

encourage accessibility in gaming through the creation of
gaming accessories such as Braille Dice.

Double Exposure - www.dexposure.com - A great set of

conventions run in Morristown, NJ. A wonderfully inclusive
series of conventions for boardgame designers,
players, and vendors.

RPG Research - www.rpgresearch.com - An international 501(c)3

non-profit charitable research & human services organization dedicated to
researching the effects of all role-playing game formats, and their potential to
help people achieve their educational & therapeutic needs.
So, you’ve made it through this book page by page. Or maybe you jumped around
the book only to land on this page like some kind of Free Form Choose Your Own
Adventure Jazz Session. In either case, congratulations. You’ve made it to the end
without getting eaten by the Bluejeans Boogerman, the monster on page 22,
(don’t look, trust me, he’s there).
You should have everything you need to go out and adventure with your kids.
Just some last bits of parting advice:
• Your excitement for gameplay will not always be matched by your audience of
players. It’s fine. If you’re trying hard, and they’re just not into it, it’s not a failing
on your part. People just like different things. Look to engage them within their
interests.
• Ask them questions about the world they’re living in. Have them describe their
surroundings, rather than always providing that description for them. Give
them time to talk to each other. This is a collaboration, so let them bring you
into their world as well.
• Don’t sweat the small stuff. If you don’t know something, can’t remember a factoid,
or have a difference in opinion on how things work, or are unsure how things
work, just get through it. You can always change it up later. This book is a guide,
not law.
• Temper concern for the character’s capabilities with the potential for imagination.
I’ve often found that the most broken characters were always the most fun to
play. Don’t be afraid of weaknesses. Allow kids to explore.
• Remember, you’re in charge of the villains, puzzles, and other challenges. You
have complete power to adjust gameplay to make things more fun. If a battle is
dragging, shorten it. If kids are easily stomping creatures, then throw a wave
at them.
• Don’t be afraid to have your villains talking about non-villainous things. Have
conversations. Let them talk to each other, to the players. Everyone has a voice.
• Likewise, stories can occur in your adventure that don’t directly impact the
adventure. The world of Power Outage is constantly changing. Some things are
in control of the heroes. Some things are within the heroes’ control or influence,
but some things are not. Remember that a story isn’t better simply because the
stakes are higher. Sometimes, it’s the little stories. Sometimes, what’s important
is the connections you make and the actions you take.
You’ve made a decision to play games with your kids. To inspire and encourage them. To
entertain them and educate them. You’ve made a decision to build a story, an adventure,
and an experience with someone, and those stories will live on with them as they
get older, in their thoughts, and in their actions. You’ve made a decision.
And that decision was to be a hero.
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