Baptized in quantum fires,

reborn as incarnate gods,

drunk with fame, sacrificed on the altar of power.
We are your heroes, your legends , your icons .
Beware. Your legacy is our future.
 2008: THE NOVA AGE

From N! documentary
Reaching the Stars:

TV A Decade of Novas ,

- first aired March 23 , 2008

W had th chanc to it down and talk with Randel P rtman , "The

Fireman," in an exclu ive ! interview. We di cu d what it wa lik
being an va, how th w rid ha chang d in n a 'ar ri al and what
th futur hold .
Nhenalnment
• !: So, r. Portman, what i it lik to b th fir t known nova?
Nttemew • Portma n: It i a di tinct h nor. Actually it' just luck, really. Fat ju t
decided that I would rupt in a rath r tacular way, and I wa lucky
NI thenews nough to sa e Liv . [n gen ral, though, being a nova i a wonderful thing.
.~,
..,_.
ova ar imply peopl with pedal abiliti . Yeah, th powers can
make us m w ird or unapproachabl , but really w are ju t people.
..:s
'i Nlslght
\
• !: ~ u may b und r ta ting the ca a bit. E p rt po tulate that, in
fact, no a have the ability t th or ticaUy d ju tab ut anything.
Nitrenous
• Portma n: Th theory alway ound better than the actual fact . ova
Nhernet power tern from our ability to manipulat the fundamental force of
natur : gravity, I ctr magn ti m, th tr ng nucl ar fore and th w ak
one. A urning a nova had n limit in manipulating tho e fore , th n
he would ff tiv ly b G d, but w all hav our limit . Th Proj ct
..., ci nti t t II m a lot ha to do with how an individual nova ee hi
..~ '" abilitie and how they emerged.
I ,,
·;,,,,;
I
tunNJgames
I .. ,. ~ .. I ., • .. • •

I I I • .. I

• Portman: I wa a fir man, which

i how I g t th nkknam , and had
r ponded to a traffic accident.
Wh n w got to th c n , all I
could wa th outline of a
chool bu in the flame . Fire wa
coming out of every p ible
op ning in th thing. It wa awful. r
heard all the little kid creaming,
and I ju t ort of froz . I c uld f 1
om thing happening, and putting
ut th fir wa all I could think of.
All of a udden, my h ad felt like it
was b ing hit by a l dg harnm r.
Th la t thing I rememb r eeing
wa a huge gout f flame coming right toward m . Aft r that verything
i hazy. Th n t thing I know, I'm kn ling in a puddl of m It d

2
~eep reading~
 asphalt. At the time, I didn’t even think to wonder why I wasn’t hurt. I
couldn’t see any more flames, and the guys were all standing around me
shouting. The rest of it was a blur of sirens and people I didn’t know
asking me bunches of questions I could barely understand. The headache
lasted for almost a week.

The Project docs told me, later, that novas typically emerge during a time
of great stress, and their powers reflect that initial situation. I can absorb
energy. Only recently have I begun to learn how to redirect it. We weren’t
all-powerful. Hell, I can’t even fly. What kind of superguy can’t fly?

• !: How have your quantum powers grown,and how did you learn them?
r:
.. Nltenainment
I

~
• Portman: The fire-eating thing- "radiant energy ab orption," the
i'1 ·'
docs call it - ju t came naturally. [ just knew how to do it. Within a few
Ii· - weeks of the initial discovery of novas, the Aeon Society contacted a lot
11 "
1 Nhervlew of us and asked us if we would like training on how to use our power .
:·-~~ They had recruited some amazingly smart novas who had figured a lot
( t out about our abilities. I agreed. I pent clo e to two year with them, on
If''
j ..... '
I
N!thenews and off, after they et up the Project. They teach various meditation
:~. "''
..
I.I . ..._
Nlsight
technique , and they constantly test and challenge us to u e our power
in new and different ways. A nova's abilities really are in your mind. You
r1- . have to convince yourself that you can do something new, and you have
to make it an expansion of something you can already do . We ven got a
I
1
t ►••J. N!trenous
•
• ..,: •
crash course in quantum physics, so we would better understand what
we were really doing .
' .
,. ' Nhernet
I ,•. • !: What' your take on the recent criticism of Project Utopia? Some
~
people are calling it a conspiracy to take over the world, others are
claiming that it want to create a socialist world government. How do
you respond to tho e claim ?
,.
r· .. tonNIgames
i . ....
• Portman: I don't think that's the ca eat all. Project Utopia has done
great things for everyone on this planet, from the global environmental
1,'
cleanup to the Palestinian peace
I
I' agreements to the Ethiopian
terraforming project to fighting
international terrori m ... hell, even
the Zurich Accord, that made the
world accept novas as people. It
shocked people when Project
Utopia got an advisory position on
the UN Security Council, but as
do ely as they'd been working
with the U , it shouldn't have
surprised anyone. I love my
country as much as the next guy-
or the next nova - but the recent
talk of Utopia being a huge con-
spiracy comes from a few right-
wing nutcases with bad attitudes.
othing more .

Most of u novas would have been

lost without Project Utopia. An
erupting nova can be dangerous, whether he means to be or not. At any
3
]keep reading•
• !: Th world ha certain!
changed in the la t 10 years . D you
think it ha all been for the bett r?

• !: You m ti ned th Trit n Foundation . edical and biological scien

hav mad prodigi us ad van in th last d d . What do you think about
th recent work on the rigins and distinctions of nova biology?

I do know that w look diff r nt. o a tend to b I ek and buff , with

littl body fat and great phy ique . They ay that it come from our
increa ed metaboli m, from forcing the body to channel so much
en rgy. W al o eat lik pig . H ll, I had two t ak and thr baked

4
!keep reading .,
 potatoes for dinner last night, but I can also absorb enough energy to
turn just about anything into ash. I guess it’s the trade-off. Some of us
also display what the religious kooks call an “anima.” Many novas have a
distinct field around them when they use their powers. I guess you’ve
seen the footage — I look like I’m covered in transparent flames when I
absorb energy. I’ve seen weirder displays. I’m just glad that some of the
research has helped with older problems like cancer. I haven’t had a cold
in 10 years, and if a blood sample can keep everyone else from having
one, all the better.

• N!: ot all novas, especiallysome who have spoken out recently,have taken
such a philanthropic position. How do you respond to Divis Mal's melodra-
matically dubbed ull Manifesto and organizations like his Teragen?
Nnenainment
• Portman: I don't know much about this Mal fellow, but I don ' t like
what I've heard. Isn't he the guy who ays that we aren't human? Of
N!terview cour e I'm human! I can just do things some people can' t. He says we're
all governments of our own , and that the laws and rules of humans don ' t
apply to us . Per anally, if he really believes that , and it's not just a
publicity stunt or ratings gimmick, then he's a megalomaniac, and his
mom should have spanked him more often . I wish he' d just mouthed off
on Two Minut es Hate, like the rest of the bored wackos, and left it at that.

As far as the Teragen is concerned, they give all novas a bad name . I can't
wait until the Utopians or the UN or someone gets a hold of them . I
don't care how popular or "cool" some folks think the Teragen is, Mal's
group is nothing but a gang of thugs, the Manson Family with super-
powers. They've killed people, destroy ed property, intervened in wars -
and they say they are acting for the good of all novas? They are no better
than Mal. In fact, they' re wor e. At least Mal just mouthed off. These
guys are wreaking havoc. They are the ones who are putting this smear-
campaign crap on the Project.

• N!: Doe the future look bright?

• Portman: I think so.

We've had problems
and bad apples , of
cour e, but all in all,
novas have done a lot
to make the world a
better place. Guys like
Mal will always pop

-
up, but they'll get their
due. I think the next 10
years will be even
better than the last. I
really believe that the
21st century will be
the dawn of a golden
age for mankind .

-
• 5
 March 23, 1998

thenews
Of all th day to
hang the world
Nttenalnment for v r, why th h ll
did God have to pick a
Nherview fucking Monday?

- Dr. Duk R II , p t-
Nllhenews g nzo j urnali t

Nlslgbl
From Ultim, te edi,' rom th final broadca t of
Nttre
nous "R living -Day" audi the Galatea, 03/23/9
collage
• Galatea:. . . mmand, w 're
Nnernet having m rt of dilficulti n
board.
• ASA: Sa again. What kind f
difficulti ?
runNIgames " .. . arthquake, at I a t 4.0 n the
Richter cale, rocked D nver ... " • Galatea:Llgh aren ' t functi rung
properly.. . diagn tic ms to
11
••• ri of xpl ion n the treet indicat m rt of. ..
of w York City, including ne
thr atening a h I bus .. . " • Can ou
ASA: C m in, Galatea.
h ar ?

• Galatea:Y, ... the ·gns are ...

" ... India i blaming a Paki tani
• SA: Gnlaten,
d y u read us?
attack for th udd n flood of th
Gang , which ha wa hed awa ... "
• GaJatea:We read u, ommand.
" ... teenag r wa unabl to be
This isn' t. . . Command, y tern
rushed to th h pital, remaining failun> to indicate core hicld -
1 trically charged for 20 minut , ing breach. We...
d pit paramedi ' att mpt t
ground ut th I trical diarge ... " • AS : Dear God. Hold on, Gnlat
ro.
Are you ire that-

. . .. . .
.. :
.. :
., . .. . C mmand, w 're
, t Uour kid ...

[ ignal
6
!keep reading.,
 Excezptfrom ReachingtheStars:A DecadeofNovas
• Chantal D’Aurelion: “The explosion of the Galatea, tragic though it was, was just
the first step in that long series of dramatic events that marked the birth of
the Nova Age. The first eruptions of novas took the world by surprise, but in
America, one particular event stands out. We found an eyewitness to that first
dramatic eruption — and what a story it is.”
• Doreen Maxwell [voiceover as "dramatic re-creation" footage rolls]: ''Lord,
I'll never forget it. The TVs in the store windows had just tarted up with the
new breaks talking about the Galatea. l can remember the Challenger explosion,
and I was just thinking 'Oh my God, not again - not another crew of astro-
nauts lost,' and that's when I heard this screeching behind me. I turned around,
N!tenainment and there was this school bus all smashing across the median and slamming
into cars. Fire was coming out of the windows and everything, and the driver
actually shot up out of the roof into the air. I don't remember seeing him come
Nherview down.
"The flames was getting bigger, starting to hoot all over the place, and we
could see that the kids couldn't get out. I was screaming for somebody to do
N!thenews som thing when the fire truck got on the scene. The firemen started moving
people back out of the way, trying to get there, and the poor kids was just
screaming, and that's when it happened.
Nlsight "The fire just hot up and out of the windows and twisted up together like a
braid, and then it shotdown at this one fireman and hit him right square in the
chest. His helmet blew off and he took a couple of steps back, but he didn't fall
Nhrenous over. And th.at fire just kept on shooting up out of the bus and pouring into him
until the bus didn't have any fire in it left at all. And the fireman, he was down
N!ternet on one knee, holding his head, and h looked like he was on fire - but I looked
twice, and the fire just soaked on up into his body like he was a sponge, and the
a phalt around him was turning all red, and I swear he sank down into the
meltedroad!
''Well, things kept on getting
crazy after that. The police
tunN!uames arrived and started shooing
us all back, and I heard
about the rest on TV - how
this sort of thing was going
on all over the place, with
earthquakes, explosions,
freak thunderstorms and all
th.at,and the government all
going to Defcon 'cause they
thought it was some kind of
attack- but the news
finally told us that the
fireman was all right, and
soon after that, we started
finding out about all these
people with powers.
"But when people ask me,
'Where were you when the
Galateaexploded?', I can
look them in the eye and
say, 1 was on the street
where the Fireman erupted.'
Ain't too many people can

B
-
say that."
7
 The public1snowfullyconvincedthat the Galatea disaster 1sthe link.A payloadof radioactiveisotopes,detonatedin
a spectacularexplosionand spread via Jetstreamto every comer of the globe: The imagehas certainlycaughton withthe
commonman. "Radioactivitybreeds mutation"- that's all the explanationmostpeopleseem to need.
1haveto wonder,however,1fthe isotopesweren't somehowchargedwith refined"quantumenergy" duringthe pro-
cess. Nothinginmodemscienceexplainshowsucha thingwaspossible- but then again,modemscienceisskatingby with
the barest excusesfor howaberrantpowersfunction,anyway.lt seemsmoreplausibleto me that the geneticcodingfor the
M-R node wouldbe stimulatedby focusedquantumthan by outrightradiation;however there's no wayto test this theory.
Quantum1snotoriousfor not remainingin the backgroundlong in concentratedquantities·short of havmgan already-
manifestedaberrant there at the time, I supposethere's no waywe couldever have knownfor certain. Whichis a damn
shame,becauseotherwise,this conundrummayvery wellhauntme to mygrave.
1wonder: Sincethe mostcommonsourceof focusedquantumappears to be aberrant powers,1s1tpossiblethat some
mutantactuallymanifesteda functioningM-R node beforethe lossof the Galatea'? ls it possiblethat one of the men and
womenaboardwasthe first aberrant, and that he or she somehowengineeredthe explosionto create others likehimselfor
herself'?If so, then logicallythis aberrant wouldstillsurvive;whysacrificeyourself. after all'?The question1s- where 1s
he?
Mustlookmtothis Further.preferablyby enlistingan aberrant withenhancedreasoningcapacities. Are the rumorsof
psychometricpowerstrue? Whateverthe case, I'd better keep this to myself;no need to endangermy current positionby
eammga reputationas a crank conspiracytheorist. 1can collectthe Nobelafter I've gotten proof.

8

1998
ch l 8 PM GSl Galatea
researd'lsatelliteexplodes. Its rapidly
decayingomit dumps radioactive
materialinto the jetstream. In a matterof
days, increasing radiationlevelsare
r rtedworldwide.
M, .h 2 3 I P ES~ Randel
Portman becomes the first publicly
known nova. "The Fireman." as the
media laterdub Portman, emerges
duringa school-busfire in New York. His
nascentpowersabsorbthe energy from
the fire, puttingit out and savingdozens
of lives.
M n. Apt I Novas emergeworldwide
on an almostdaily basis. Governments
scramble to deal with the phenomenon .
Internationalrelationsbecome tense,
withthe US going to Deleon3. Other
nationsrespondin kind. Emergency
sessions of the UN are called. First
usage of the tenTI"nova " by the press , in
response to scientists ' unofficial
categorizationof the newlyeruptedas
Homosap/ens novus.
12 The Aeon Society, an
internationalphilanthropicorganization
datingback lo the Leagueof Nations,
initiatesa cftalogwith the UN, offeringto
seek out and study novas.
May 1 The Aeon Society publicly
announcesits UN supportand issues an
invitationto open dialog withany
interestednovas. The UN works behi.nd
the scenes to calm and reassurethe
world thatAeon can handlethe nova
outbreak.
June 30. The UN overwhelmingly
passes the ZurichAccord, a docvment
declaringnovasto be humanbeings,
withall the rightsand responsibilities
thereof.A few fundamentalistIslamic
nationsand dictatorialregimes, all
countrieswith poor human-rights
records. protestthe resolution.
August 13. ProjectUtopia, a
multipurposeprivatefoundation, is
formedunderthe guidanceof both the
UN and the Aeon Society. Project
Ufopia's statedgoals are to study the
nova phenomenonand utilizenovas'
abilitiesto betterthe quarrtyof life on
Earth for all its inhabitants. Membership
and trainingare open to all interested
novas, underthe directionof Ors. Henri
Mazarinand Farah Rashoud .
October-Firstuse of the term
"baseline" to refer to humanswithoutan
M-Rnode.
December4 Dr. Henri Mazarinand
Dr. Farah Rashoud releasetheir findings
on the discoveryof a uniquegland found
in the brain of novas. The Mazarin-
Rashoud , or M-R, node is believedto be
the root of a nova's abilities. Novas
officiallydubbedsubspeciesHomo
saplens novus. An independent
pharmaceutical researd'lfacility, the
TritonFoundation,providesfundingfor
Mazarinand Rashoucl'sreseard'l , and
much of the other nova researchover
the next decade . A nova's powersare
theorizedto derive from manipulationof
the basic foo:esof the universe, also
known as the quantumfoo:es: gravity,
electromagnetism,weak nuclearforce
9
and strongnuclearforce. The M·R node
allowsthe novasomedegreeof
channelingand controlover the quantum
forces.
December31 Aeon Society census
reportsapproximately600 known novas
in the world population.
Inspiredby the coming of the novas
and fueledby millennialislanxiety,various
apocalypticand transcendentalist reflgious
sects arisethroughout1998. Manyof
these groupsseenovasas the chosen of
God or the ultimatedevelopmentof
humanity . The most notable of these is
The Churchof the ImmanentEscheaton,
foundedby a charismaticnovastyling
himselfChrystianKalpa. The Vaticandoes
not release an officialstatementof position
on the statusof novas. Protestantsects
and Judaismrelease statementsof
supportfor novas,with WOl'ding in line with
thatof the ZurichAccold. Fundamentalist
Islamicsects decry novasas the Devil's
children, but increasinglycomeinto conflict
withSunni philosophyexaltingnovasas
the chosen of Allah.
1999
January8: ProjectUtopiaopens the
first Rashoud facilityin midtown
Manhattan. The facilityis intendedto be
a place where nascentnovas can go to
learnabout and exploretheirpowersin a
controlledenvironment Over the next
decade , dozensof other Rashoud
facilitiesopen worldwide.
 r 18: BorisYeHsincf.es, setting
off a breo,<oo,vnof the RUSSian
government.The chaos leadsto
Russia's totaleconomiccollapse.
Russia's financialwoes spreadthrough
already weakenedworldmarkets, and
causethe world's worstone-daymarket
losses ever. "The Moscow Crash," as it is
latertermed, plungesthe world intoa
massiverecession .
February19. The WorldBank
respondsimmeoiatelyby callingfor
temporaryfreezeson all international
loan payments. Internationalcurrency
marketsclose for the weekdue to
pressurefrom the InternationalMonetary
Fund. WalJStreetand otherworldtrading
centersvoluntarilyclose tradingfor the
restof the week to allowa thorough
assessmentof the Situation, and to allow
the panicto calm. Manygovernments,
includingthe US and the rest of the G7
nations, implementemergencyprial
controlson consumergoods.
rt:h l ProjectU1opiaannounces
that its nova-employingresearch
departmentis workingon a solutionto
the economiccrisis. It also offersthe
servicesof the novasassociatedwith
Utopiato the UN, and any government
that asks , for reliefwork. The news leads
to a slightupswingin world markets.
Apr, 7 Microsoftbecomes the first
privatecompanyto hire a novafor public
relationsand research. MunguKuwasha
is hiredfor his abilityto interfacewith
computersystems.
Apn 30: Worldunemploymentrates
quadruplein only two months. Philan-
thropicorganizationsworldwidefollow
theAeon Society'slead in offeringrelief
assistance . ProjectUtopianovashelp
with distributionof perishablesupplies,
creatingthe mostefficientreliefeffortin
history.Governmentsenlistnovaaid in
quellingfood riots. Some novasuse their airlinesand banksare shu1down for a
abilitiesto keepbasic utilities, such as
waterand electricity . flowingin areas e-mailhaveglitchesfor a few weeks.
wherethey wouldotherwisebe
inaccessible.
June2 The InternationalMonetary
Fundannouncesits inabilityto
amelioratethe globalfinancialcrisis. The as a core to createcivil worksprograms
Japanesetake the news especially
poorty.The Nikkei IndexIOSes50% of its mentthat has plaguedthem since 1999.
value overnight.Tokyonewspapers
reportover 2,000 suicidesthat night
alone.
June5: Actingon the adviceof Project democraticallyelectedpresidentand
Utopia novaprognosticators , the UN
unanimouslypasses a resolutionto government.Cuba's relationswith the
freezeexchangeratesin the world rest of the world normalizeby July.
currencymarket.The movecauses May31 The first movieto feature
massiveinflationin the currencyof novaactorsopens to rave reviews.
developingnations, but leadsto a StevenSpielberg-d irectedNovais the
gradualstrengtheningof the industrial storyof a youngman who emergesas a
powers' economies. nova, then dedicateshis life to righting
21 Japanannounces
N011'8mil>81 the wrongsof society. Variousfamous
Saisho, "The New Beginning,• a seriesof
novasfigureprominentlyin the cast.The
governmentsubsidiesdesigned to moviebreaksall previoussales records,
employnovasin high-techindustries. stayingin the top spot throughoutthe
The Japanesegovernmentagreesto summer.Novagoes on to sweep the
pay for companiesto hire novasfor Academy Awards, winning a record18
researchand developmentpurposes, in Oscars.
hopes that newtechnologieswill salvage 15· Second-quarterfinancial
Japan's economy.The projectis a reportsindicateworldwideeconomic
rousingsuccess, and withina decade improvementThe upswingmarksthe
beginningof the largestsustained period
Japan regainsits position as the premier
developerof newtechnologies . of economicgrowthand prosperityin
December 2· ProjectU1opia's Team wor1dhistory.The UN dropsits freezeof
Tomooowannouncesit will be on call the currencymarkets, a.nd most nations
aroundthe worldto avertany problems of Westemand CentralEuropeagreeto
that may come fromthe Y2K millennium the adoptionof the eurocurrency, linking
muchof Europeinto one econom
bug . Prime-timetelevisionspecials aired ic
aroundthe worldshow novasworking entity. The UnitedKingdomdeclines
withcomputerdesignersto preventthe entryinto the EuropeanUnion.
problem, and teamsof novasperforming Sep ember6: ProjectUtopia
disaster-controldrills. announcesthat it has successfully
Dece 31 Aeon Society census dosed the hole in the ozone layerand
reports approximately1350known introducedCFC-eatingba.cteriainto the
novasin the wor1dpopulation. atmosphereto preventcontinued
Novascontinueto enJptthroughout damage. ProjectUtopiarequeststhat all
the year, despitefallinglevelsof radiation
UN memberstatesbegintransporting
from the Galateaexplosion. toxicand radioactivewasteto a
2000 collection facifrtyin Siberiafor future
disposal.
January1: The Year2000 bug hits
ember3 RobertSchroer, a
manyof the world'scomputersystems,
moderateRepublicanrepresentative
causing moderateproblems. Power
production,air1lnetrafficcontrol, Internet
from Colorado, is electedPresidentof
the UnitedStates. Schroerbeginsthe
trafficand financialinstitutioncomputers
Republicannominationprocessas a
are the most affected. Utopia-affiliated
virtualunknown; his platformcallsfor
novasracearoundthe globe to restore
continuedeconomicreformand a return
(or, in somecases, generate)emergency
to so-called "common-sense • values. He
powerand directwhat few planesare in
wins a narrowvictoryin the general
the air. Mostpeople noticeonly that the
electionoverAl Gore, in whichthe
Reformand Libertariancandidatesalso
coupleof days, and that Web pagesand
takesizableproportionsof the vote.
FollowingSchroer's win in the primaries,
Y2K becomes Utopia's bigges1public-
and escalatingwith his election, manyof
relationswindfallsincethe comingof the
the RepublicanParty's far-rightelements
novas.
divorcethemsetvesfrom the partyto
Janualy 28 The TritonFoundation
foundsplintergroupsmoreappealing to
announcesthe first successfulgene-
their agendas.
therapytreatmentfor breastcancer. By
2006, this treatment.combinedwith ~
childhoodgeneticscreening, makes
breastcancera thingof the past
February1 ProjectUtopiaan-
nounces, beforethe UN General
Assembly , its intentionto performa
worldwideenvironmentalcleanup. The
world pressapplauds the news, and
variouscountriesuse the cleanupproject
to help alleviatethe massiveunemploy-
December3 With the Y2K problem
8· Fidel Castrodies. Cuba and millennialistanxietydistant
spends the followingweeks in political memories , the press realizes that2001 is
turmoil. When the dust clears, a the actualbeginningof the new
millennium. This announcementinspires
legislativebody takecontrolof the the largestNew Year's celebrationsin
10
 ry. Festivitiesincludenova-
uced energyreleasesin orbit that
are visiblearoundthe world.
Aeon Society census reports
approximately1800 known novas in the
wor1dpc,pulation .
2001
January24 · ProjectUtopia-mediated
negotiationsbetweenIsraeland the
PalestinianLiberationOrganization
open. The peace talks end withthe
signingof the London PeaceAccord ,
whichestablishesa Palestinianstate
along the border of Israeland Egypt
ProjectUtopiaagrees, as part of the
Accord , to monitorthe newly created
border, althoughIsraelis rumoredto
have almosta dozen novas underits
directcontrol.
March 18: ProjectUtopiaannounces
that bioremedialbacteriarecently
introducedin the world'soceans , along
witha largeamountof physicalcleanup,
wi.11restorethe water qualityof the
wor1d 's oceansto pre-Industrial
Revolutionlevels by 2006.
March 29 The RussianConfederation
rises from the pollticaland economic
chaos caused by the MoscowCrash of
1999. Russia's downwardspiral
reverses,albeit slowly, thanksto nova
"economicsavant"and Ministerof the
Treasury, VladimirSierka. The reorga-
nized Confederationconsistsof
sovereignmemberstatesallied for
purposes of economicstrength and
foreignrelations. The Confederationhas
one currency, the ruble, and representa-
tives of each member-state in the
Confederationvote on all foreigntrade
decisioos. The Confederationretainsits
seat on the UN SecurityCouncil, but the
memberstates are represented
individuallyin the GeneralAssembly. In
effect, the Confederationfunctions
somewhatlike a cross betweenthe
EuropeanUnionand the UnitedStates
of America BelaruspresidentAndrei
Srebrianskiis electedthe first Confedera-
tionpresident.AlthoughSrebrianskiis
officiallypresident, rumorscontinuein the
press that MinisterSierkais the true
leaderof the Confederation.
May-November:Brushfirewars
sweep throughsub-SaharanWestAfrica,
as Sierra Leone, Nigeriaand Sudan use
nova mercenaries, dubbed"elites"by the
press,to fight as proxies. While fewer
than a dozen elitesdie in the conflicts,
hundredsof civiliansare killedas
"collateraldamage," and the political
bordersof Africaare redrawnseveral
limes throughoutthe monthsof conflict.
TeamTomorrowtakes peacekeeping
actions on behalfof the UN and finally
negotiatesa ceasefire. Presscoverage
of the conflictsbecomes the highest-
ratedtelevisionevent of the decade, so
far. Variousconspiracytheonstsdaim
that the conflictswere instigatedby the
US and othermajor powers so they
could see how effectivenovas were
when used as militaryoperatives.
The EquatorialWars, as the fightingis
laterdubbed, promptinternational
negotiationsconcerningthe use of novas
in militaryapplications. While the talks
are neverformalized, the UN and Project
Utopiaopenly supportdiscussionon the
issue. Internationalconsensusfalls short
of banningthe use of novas in the
military, but it is generallyagreedthat
due to the unpredictablenatureof novas·
powers, they shouldnot be used against
civilianor normal militaiy targetsunless
in all-outwar. Strategistsand academics
quicklydevise a new school of military
deterrentthoughtbased around novas
and formalizethe idea of limited-scale
conflictsfoughtby nova proxies. General
acceptanceof this idea, as an economi-
cal alternativeto certaintypes of
conventionalconflicts,leads to large
numbersof elitesbeingcontractedby
wor1dgovernmentsin the followingyear.
May 21 The Triton Foundation
announcesa gene-therapytreatmentfor
prostatecancer and a geneticscreening
processthat predicts(with94%
accuracy)whethera personwill develop
any of the common formsof cancer.
June 10: Represenlativesof the
UnitedStates,the RussianConfedera-
tion, the UK and Japan meet in Moscow.
They agree to form and sponsor a
multinationalintelligenceagency, which
they term the Directive. The Directive's
primaiy missionis to monitorthe
activitiesof ProjectUtopiaand the
world'sgrowingpopulationof novas.
August7: Anibal Buendia, a nova with
the abifrtyto reconfigurehis cellular
structure, createsthe polymerderivative
known as eufiber. This material, which
has the abilityto bond with novacell
structureand channel and redirect
quantumand bioenergles, becomes the
most popularfashion accessoryfor
novasand the wealthy. As a side effect,
studiesof eufiberenable the develop-
ment of OpNet cable technok>gy.
October ProjectUtopiabegins
coordinatingwith law-enforcementand
intelligenceagenciesfrom aroundthe
wor1d(Interpol, FBI, ScollandYard,
Mossad)to combatorganizedcrime and
lerrorism.
December31: Aeon Society census
reportsapproximately2100 known
novas in the wor1dpc,pulation .
11
2002
January2002-earty2005: Much of the
wor1d'scopperand fiber-opticcable
communicationsnetworl<sare replaced
with advancedoptic cable derivedfrom
studiesof Buendiaeufiberand wireless
networking. The new ha.rdware, coupled
with new data-transferprotocols.is
dubbed"OpNel" OpNet replacesthe
Internet.phone systemsand cellular
networl<s , allowingfor wireless
communicationsfrom virtuallyany
location. It boastsan initial700%
increasein data speed over conventional
telecommunicationstechnok>gy .
March30. CNN breaksa sex scandal
involvingUS presidentSchroer. The
soro!dscandalinvolvesa six-year
homosexualaffairon the part of the
President.Schroergives a televised
addressthat nightand admits to the
affair. Evenwith his immediateresponse,
his approvalratingsplummet
August 12; ProjectUtopiagives its
final report on the state of the environ-
ment to the UN GeneralAssembly. Team
Tomorrowcombinesphysicalcleanup
with the introductionof the Zushima
macrobe, a geneticallyengineeredself-
regulatingorganismthat will regulate
furtherpollution. The environmentis in
belter shape than at any point in the last
hundredyears, and ProjectUtopia
scientistsestimatethat a sustainable
levelof pre-IndustrialRevolutionair and
water qualitywill be a realityby 2005.
September15: India, China and
Pakistanface off over ownershipof the
Kashmir region. Quick interventionby
TeamTomorrowpreventsan all-outwar,
but severalconflictswithgovernment•
sponsorednovas and mercenaryelites
occur. Kashmirbecomes a demilitarized
zone under UN and ProjectUtopia
surveillance.
November21: The Viacomand
MicrosoftCOlpOrations announcetheir
mergerinto an enormousC01pOrate
entity to be called ViaSoft.
December4. A subwaybombingin
Tokyobringsworldattentionto
KamisamaBuddhism, a hybrid of Shinto
and Buddhistbeliefsthat is increasi.ngly
pc,pularwithJapaneseyouths. While
KamisamaBuddhismprofesses
nonviolence, the media play up the
suspectS'involVemen t with the sect.
Three young fanaticsare chargedin the
bombing, thoughthe leaderof the
religion, nova guru BodhisattvaMasato,
dlsaVO'NS any knowtedge of the attack.
Docembe, 31 Aeon Societycensus
reportsapproximately2500 known
novas in the world population.
2003
Jc, ry 1 The N! channeldebuts on Farah Rashoud receivethe Nobel Prize
cab«3and sateuaesystemsin 47
countries. NI, a spinolf of the El channel, into novaphyslology and the discovery
is dedicatedsolely to coveringthe lives
and exploitsof novas. It features
biographiesof famous novas, quasi-
scientificdocumentarieson nova abilities novas in the world population.
and physiology , nova sportingcompeti-
tions, interviewswith novasand nova-
relatednewsfrom aroundthe world.
Wrthinthree monthsof its initialairing, NI treatmentthat fights most known loons
becomesthe highest-ratedchannel ever. of cancer .
March9. TeamTomorrowstages a
dramaticrescueof the space shuttle
Discoveryafter a sizable meteorstrikes
the shuttle, knockingit off course and
ignitingan oxygentank. The entirecrew
survivesthe rescue. This event mar1<.s
the pointat which governmentsbegin to
considernovas for space operationsand Yamato, the hypercombustionengineis
exploration.
May 6 ProjectUtopiaannounces
plans to terraformthe Ethiopian
Highlands. The project, a cooperative
endeavorbetween ProjectUtopia, the
UN and the Ethiopian government,
marils the first attemptat engineering
widespreadgeographicaland environ-
mentalchanges throughouta region.
&>pt 25 A terroriS1organization variationSon traditionaltrack and fiek:!
sets off an explosionutilizingprimitive
fusion technology.Over 30 city blocks
are leveled , and hundredsdle. Team
TomorrowAmericasarrivesimmediately
to supply humanitarianaid and assist in
the criminal investigation. Despite
repeatedreportsof nova involvementin
the bombing, no one has been charged
to date. The Sao Paolo bombingis the
most expensiveterroristattack in history,
causing an estimated$20 billionin
damages.
Octooor7· The Triton Foundation
announcesthe discoveryof an AIDS
vaccine. The Wof1dHealth Organization
declares October7th "Red Ribbon Day"
and , with the help of nationaland local
health organizationS , vaccinates90% of
the wor1dpopulationover the next three
months.
De0I n r 1C. Henri Mazarinand
in biologytortheir pioneeringresearch
of the M-Anode .
Decen 3 Aeon Societycensus
reports approximately2800 known
2004
F 1 g The Triton Foundation
announcesan advancedgene-therapy
May The Wof1dHeahhOrganization
approvesa host of newgenetic
engineeringtechniques, manyof which
were developed in conjunctionwiththe
TritonFoundationover the past few
years. MoS1nationalfood inspection
organizations(sueh as the Food and
DrugAdministrationin the US) copy this
move, markingthe first widespread
internationaluse of geneticengineering
for livestock and crops . World food
production increasesby 25o/oover the
next two years.
Jun., 1 The hypercombustionengine
is released . Designedby novaTetsuo
a super-efficientinternalcombustion
engine, suitablefor consumerand
industrialapplicationS . II boasts a tenfold
decreasein fuel consumptionwhile
increasingpower by a like amount.
Wrthinthe decade, all automotive
transportationand fossil-fuel.based
electricproduction use hypercombustion
engines exclusively.
June 15 In the wake of the Sao Paolo
bombing, the UN Secretary-General
grants ProjectUtopia's Science and
TechnologyDepartmentauthorityto
monitor, approveand regulatenew
technologies, particularlythose derived
from the "nova boom." Many member
nationsand C01pOrations vehemently
protestthis decision .
Ju 24 The first SummerOlympic
games to featurenova-onlycompetitions
opens . The novaevents Include
events, and the games becomethe
second-highest -ratedsports event of the
year.
ProjectUtopiaopens a
special Aashoudfacilityin Bahrain. This
facilityis ostensiblydesignedto assist
novas with high levels of quantum
buik:!up,bu1Utopiais given leeway to
confinenovasconsideredin need of
therapyby the UN as a whole . The
facility'sopening is not publicized, nor
are the media or publicallowedon the
facility's grounds, thoughdocumentaries
of its existencesoonflood the OpNet.
' The inauguralmatch
of the Xtreme WarfareFederation, XWF,
takes place in MadisonSquareGarden .
The XWF is foundedin response to
increaseddemand for nova sporting
events, and a corresponding IOSsof
interestin traditionalsports over the
precedingyears. The pay-per-viewevent
gamers massiveratingsand is ca.med
overOpNet. Licensingrevenuestop the
$1 billionmarl<in a singleyear. The initial
match is the highest-ratedtelevision
event of 2004.
LaurenPendletonis
electedboth the first femaleand first
Libertarianpresidentof the United
States. The press creditsher victoryto
voters disgruntledwithtwo sex scandals
by two consecutivepresidents from both
majorpoliticalparties. The Libertarian
Party and various independent
candidatesclaim a sizable portionof
legislativeseats in the election.
Aeon Societycensus
reports approximately3000 known
novas in the wol1dpopulation.
2005
_ PuertoRico becomes the 51st
state of the United Statesof America.
TeamTOITlOITOY,Iunseats
Macedonian dictatorYaroslavRadocani.
Radocanicame to power withthe aid of
mfli1aryloyalistsand high-tech weaponry.
Followingthe revelationthat Aadocani's
weaponryhad been produced by
Japanese corporationSacting in violation
of UN norms, Utopia's Scienceand
TechnologyDepartmentis grantedeven
greaterregulatorylalitudein monitoring
"potentiallydangeroustechnological
advancements."
Pope BenedictXVI issues
Ad Dei Lucem, a bull declaringthat
novas, like humans, have immortal
souls, are taintedwithoriginal sin and
can be savedthroughthe grace of
Christ.
0.,. A previouslyunknown
nova callinghimselfDivisMal issuesthe
Null Manifestoin a broadcastemanating
from the Azores. The edict essentially
countersthe ZurichAccorcls, and claims
that novas are "emancipateo' from global
citizenship and any responsibilities
thereof.The provisionsof the Null
Manifestostate that novas are not
human beingsand are thereforenot
subjectto human law, boundariesor
moral codes , nor may they claim
citizenshipin any nationesta.blishedby
 beings. Novasmay be granted
oiplomaticprMleges by human
governments, but they are essentially
"governments" unto themselves.
A nova-onlydlSSidentgroupcalling
itselfthe Teragenpubliclyendorsesthe
Null Manifestoand reoounoesall lies to
governmentalbodies. ProjectUtopia
comesout in strong public opposition
againstthe Teragen's p05ition, and it
promises, in front of a closedUN
SecurityCouncilmeeting, to monitor
Teragenactivity. Sales of Teragen-
specific bootlegmerchandlseskyrocket,
particularlyamong the First World 18-35
demographic.
The firstever surgical
trialof a oompletespinal cord reconstruc-
tion is perfonned. The trial is a glowing
sucx:ess.Funding for the research
comes from the Triton Foundation.
I Aeon Society census
reports approximately3500 known
novasin the world population.
] 0
The Ethiopiangovernment
announcesthe completionof the
tenaforming project. The Ethiopian
Highlands, formerlya dry, flat, desert
plain, is oowa verdantgrassland. The
gratefulEthiopiangovernmentgives
ProjectUtopiaa large headquartersin
AddisAbaba . Ethiopiasoonbecomes
the breadbasketof Africa.
A conservativeTehranmullah
is openlyassassinatedby novas
declaringthemselves"membersof the
Teragen." KnownTeragensympathizers
disavowthe assassins, daiming that the
Teragenis neitheran organized
institutionnor has any single agenda.
Nonetheless, ProjectUtopiaand the UN
take greaterpains to monitorknown or
suspectedTeragennovas.
Ongoingtensionsin the
Kashmir regionerupt into a small-scale
war. Nova elites representingIndia,
China and Pakistanfight acrossthe
region, turning it into a blastedecological
nightmare. ProjectUtopiasteps in to stop
the fighting, under UN authority, and
arrestsseveralof the novasdeemed
responsiblefor the disaster.
5 A Quebec separatist
group based in Montrealdaims
responsibilityfor recentterroriststrikesin
Ottawa and Toronto. Given the natureof
the strikes, Canaoian authoritiesfear the
group may be employinga nova elite.
December31: Aeon Society census
reportsapproximately4800 known
novasin the world population.
2007
ry 1 Nova astronautJanos
Karagianwalks acrossthe lunarsurface
withoutartificiallife supportgear. Plans
are made to send novaastronautsto
Mars.
1 Toe UN promotesa pact
banningall nuclear, biologicaland
chemical(NBC)weaponry. The NBC
weaponsban is signed by all the
memberstates. M~itaryobserversdaim
that while thereis a trend towards
disarmament, most of the nuclear
powersstill have stockpiledweapons.
Ot r Teragenattaci<sof
terrorand random violence begin being
reportedby the media. Althoughfewer
than half a dozen terroriststrikesoccur,
the media goes Into a frenzy.
~ 3 ProjectUtopiareceivesa
pennanent"advisory"seat on the UN
SecurityCouncil. Many political
observerscreditthe unprecedented
move as stemming from ProjectUtopia's
agreementto pay off the UN debt,
totaling$1.6 billion.
D r 31 Aeon Society census
reports approximately6000 known
novas in the worldpopulation. ks of yet,
no nova is known to have been
impregnatedor impregnatedothers.
eitherbaselineornova Utopia-affiliated
scientistsvow to study this phenomenon,
at the behestof novawould-beparents.
2008
'l PopularTeamTomorrow
agentJennifer"Slider"Landersis killed in
Calcottaby partiesunknown. The world
is shockedat the murder of its •sweet-
heart."
y 15. Jenniferlanders' closest
friend, controversialex-T2MnovaAndre
Corbin, inexplicablyflees the site of her
funeral.
May 16 UN and Utopiainvestigations
finger Slider'smurder as the handiwolk
of Corbin, who is believedto be linkedto
the Teragen. This revelationcomes as
part of a wolldwide public broadcaston
all major news networks.
May 19: Scandal rockSProjectUtopia
as unconfirmedreportsof mercenary
novas, governmentinfiltrationand nova
black ops leak to the media. Aeon
Society and ProjectUtopia
spokespeopleimmediatelycounterwith
0llidence of a Teragenframe-up
involvingthe dead Slider. Wary
observersand conspiracy theorists see
themselves as vinaicatedand delugethe
meoia with dire predictions.
May J(l Nova SophiaRousseau
contactsfugitiveAndre
Corbin. Their
undergroundorganizationimmediately
begins contactingfriends and acquain-
tances in the nova oommunity,as well as
newly eruptingnovas. The group's goal
is to expose the hiddencorruptionin
ProjectUtopia, and Corbindubs its
members"Aberrants" in an ironic usage
of a popularepithet.
Ju 2· In a closedUN Security
Councilmeeting, Utopia's InternalAffairs
Departmentrevealsfindingsindlcatinga
frame-upof the organization. The US
and Britishgovernmentsare
unconvinced, and Directivesurveillance
of Utopia's operationsis stepped up.
June 3 The Teragenmeets in council
at a hidden retreat.Topicsof the meeting
includewhat preciselyis going on with
the now-weakened ProjectUtopia,and
how to use the group's newfound
weakness to dismantle it.
J 4 ProjectUtopia beginsan
internalinvestigationfor remaining allies
of Corbinwithin its own ranks.
15 Thereare approximately40
Aberrantsworldwide, all either in deep
cover or in hiding. To date, neitherCorbin
nor Rousseauhas been broughtto
justice, and the identityof Slider's
assassinremains a mystery.
Abstract from the Research
Proiect "The Genetic Basis of
Homo sapiens novus"
Dr. SarahLewis,Directorof the BrooksL. MillerCen-
ter for BiosciencesResearch GeorgiaInstituteof Technol-
ogy
September13,2007
Fundingprovidedby the TritonFoundation
In the nine years since the first recorded appearance
of novas,manyin the scientificcommunityhavespeculated
as to a possiblegeneticbasis for the individualsnowclassi-
fied as Homosap,ensnovus. The continuedemergenceof
novas,years after the worldwidecleanupof the debrisfrom
the Galateaexplosion,has served onlyto fuel the contro-
versy.
After five years of research, involvingdata collected
from over 50 novasand the HumanGenomePro1ect,1feel
confidentinsayingthat Homosap,ensnovusdefinitelyhas a
geneticbasis. The findingsof this pro1ectbring into ques-
tion severallong-standingassumptionson humangenetics.
Earlyanalysisshowed no statisticallysignificantlink
between Homosap1ensnovusDNAsequencesor chromo-
somaltyping and those of Homosap,ens.Withoutan iso-
lated DNAsequence being responsiblefor Homosap1ens
novusdevelopment,1tled us back to consideringenviron-
mental causes. A review of the pioneering work of Ors.
Mazarinand Rashoudprovidedthe dues to unlockingthe
mysteryof Homosap,ensnovusgenetics.
The M-R node 1skey to novas' ab1l1tyto manipulate
quantumenergiesandforces,andprovidesthe mostconsis-
tent physiologicaldistinctionbetween Homosap,ens and
Homosap,ensnovus. The node itself has an mtemalstruc-
ture similarto that of a metaphase-stagemitosisdivision
the second stage of cellulardivision,in whichthe DNAhas
been condensedinto sister chromat,ds,the nuclearmem-
braneshavedisappeared,and the chromatidsare linedup in
the middleof the cell on the spindlefibers, preparingto be
drawnto the poles of the cell. Interestingly,the M-R node
does not containDNAitself. ln a fashionsimilarto red blood
cells.it relieson other cellsto create and expandit.
The similaritiesbetween the physicalstructures of
metaphaseand those of M-Rnodesled to an analysisof the
genetic materialwithincurrentlyreplicatingcells of Homo
sapiensnovus. Extensiveanalysisand mappingof Homosa-
piens novus dividingDNAshowedthat particularsections
of DNAsequenceswere commonto all the novastested.
The commonsequenceswere previouslythoughtto be
mtrons.An mtronis nontranscribedDNAsequencing.lf ev-
ery individualbase pair m all the DNAm an organismwere
used to makeneeded proteins,the organismwouldbe highly
14
susceptibleto even the slightestgenetic mutations. lntrons
are a kind of blankspace in the DNAchain that codes no
needed mformabon.1nfact, most of the DNAmakingup a
geneare actuallymtrons. Assuch,theirexistencemeansthat
anyparticulargeneticmutation1sstatisticallymuchlesslikely
to be fatalto the organism.However,innormald1v1d1ng cells,
no DNA1sbeingcoded,as 1tiscompressedmpreparationof
d1v1s1on. Allnovasmust have some trigger that codes that
DNAimmediatelyprecedingduplicationof the cellularDNA
for replicationand mitosis,or that codes introns whilethe
DNAis compressed.
AllHomosaptensnovustestsubjectswerefoundto have
the same intron sequencesin their DNA. The HumanGe-
nomeProJed did not recordsequencingof d1v1ding DNA,so
initially,we isolatedand tested 30 researchers at our lab.
Onlyone showedthe particularsequencing.Herexcitement
over the find apparentlyled to the triggeringof the latent
genetic material,becausewithindays of the discovery.she
erupted as a nova.
Subsequently,a double-blindtest was run with tissue
samplesfrom 5,000,000 different individuals . Six of the
sampleswere fromHomosapiensnovus. Allsixof the Homo
sapiensnovussamplesshowedthe DNAsequencing,while
noneof the Homosap1enssamples did.Wehavenot received
the fundingfor more extensivetesting but computermod-
els indicatethat our current tests are 99.998% statistically
accurate.
M-R Node Development
The latentgeneticsequencingma Homosapiensnovus
1sactivatedby severelyincreasedcellulardivisionbrought
aboutby large-scaleadrenalinerelease. Uponactivation the
previouslydonnant DNAsequencestranscribe a series of
highlymutagenichormones.These honnonesleave the di-
vidingcell'sDNA,and quicklyinfusethe cell.The hormones
are then released from ind1v1dual cells,and maketheir way
into the bloodstream.
Throughan unknownmechanism,the hormonesappar-
ently seek out and bind to specific neuron clusters in the
frontallobes.There they cause a rapidmutationof the neu-
rons intothe M-Rnode muchas largedosesof highlycarci-
nogenicagents can cause canceroustumors in a matter of
hours.The mechanismby whichthe M-R node changesor
expandsafter its initialgenesisis unknown.
Severalof the hormonescoded by the DNAsequence
were previouslyunknown,and haveresisted all attempts at
independentsynthesis.
Conclusion
Whilewe have identifiedthe genetic basis ForHomo
sap,ensnovus the findingleavemore questionsand specu-
lationsthan answers. The specificityof the DNAsequenc-
 mg wouldaccount for the relative ranty of Homosapiens
novus,but 1tis unknownwhynovashave continuedto ap-
pear withgreater frequency.The Galateaexplosion,and its
subsequent rad1oact1vefallout, could theoretically have
causedthe changesmthe DNAsequence,but not m the fre-
quencyshownby eruptingnovas.
Giventhe inheritablegenetic basis of Homosapiens
novus. 1twouldseem that we can expect further genera-
tions. Halfof a humanbeing's DNAis fromeach parent, so it
is possiblethat allor someHomosap1ensnovusfemalesthat
havechildrenwillproduceHomosapiensnovusthemselves;
similarlyfor Homosapiensnovus males. Please note that
thisassertionis JUStthat; we havebeen unableto locateany
Homosap1ensnovuswho are currently pregnant, or have
had children. In lightof the physiologicalchanges inherent
to Homosapiensnovus 1t1squestionablewhethera Homo
sap,ensnovusfemalecan bear childrenat all.
Our testingmethodwouldalso implythe abilityto test
peoplefor FutureM-Rnodedevelopment,possiblyevenina
prenatalstage. Whiletechnicallythis is nowa poss1b1lity,
the
process of harvestingand analyzingDNAis both laborious
and very expensive.It requires not JUStbloodsamples,but
varioustissuesamplesin largequantities. The ONAanalysis
requires intensivelab work, and even with the best com-
puter analysis.the process 1sprohibitivelytime-consuming .
Widespreadtesting for Homosapiensnovus is not some-
thingthat 1slikelyto occur in our lifetime.
From Encyclopedia
Britannica, 2005 edition
"Mazarin-RashoudNode"
The Mazann-Rashoudnode, M-R node for short,
is a smallglandbetween the frontal lobes of the brain
that 1sfoundonlyin novas Homosap1ensnovus. The M-
R node acts as a catalystfor novas'controland manipu-
lationof quantumenergy forces. As the node develops,
1tincreasesin size, takingup progressivelymore space
1nthe cranialcavity. Relativelyhttle 1sknownabout how
the M-R node Functions . The M-R node is namedafter
Or. HenriMazannandOr. FarahRashoud,whofirst docu-
mentedits existencein 1998and receiveda NobelPrize
for their workin2003. SeeNOVA,QUANTUM FORCES
On a last, purelyspeculative,note, we foundit inter-
esting that the genetic basis for Homosapiensnovuscame
frompreviouslyunrecordedintrons,and at a timewhenthe
cellularDNAis not supposed to be active. The tnggenng
mechanismis stillunidentified:it couldbe a case of spot evo-
lution, or perhapsevenoutsidesourceinfluence.Furtherre-
searchon this topic 1sdefinitelyinorder.

>Ind tnat bef- h,s ~on. Corbin

fut as o novo d...-,ng the World Cupplayoffs be t-
-- Anclri Corbin the U ond Nt9Cr10, co 1ngo r10t 1nthe process . Suk•
...... March23 , 1985 ,ng to bolster ,ts blic irnoge. Jut Utop ia contoc tod
fllllll- t.e,t . Seo land the fOll'IOUS sports celebr,ty ancf,o,n,d great fcinfare.
...... E><-so«er player . e,r It film s·tar . announced lus <11Try'nta Te.om Tomorrow
e,r-Teom To~O<)Vlt . co-f.....iv-of Aben-ant move- This fflO\I& was,to put rt bultly. o disaster . Corbon"
s
ment ,n-y,xr-faa, , hedonisticpersonality and lockof ~ for
'-': Corbin was ci profus,011C1Isoccer player CIIIThori1y mode him completdy IM"Clbk to get ajongwith h15
prior to his erupt ion. and the trcnsfonnalion from hY- tecl'MIOluor tcikchlf role senously. Scondolrocl<c.d the
ft\QII 10 novo hos enhcinced cin already e><cept1onolcith- prod,gal'st.....-e , from the Pnncus Fozo...-Mfoir to the
ldlc prowe.u . His strength , speed and reaction lune cir,: Woldorl -A.stor,o Inc,dem lo the shocJongdirttMo-OpNet
all wellobove the hUIIIQI\ norm. ancfhe possesses UIIC4M)I releciseofHtrdballs.on ·ort film"feotirlngCorbonond-·
powers of perception , ,ntu,1,on ond ciCY1ty . Most notable , era! pwchntud1nousccslcrs. Suspendedfrom the tt<IIII.
though . ,s Co.-b,n's seJf -t,tled "lkndu" -waves of qucin- Cori>ln~ oil nr.sto T2M ueept for 11,ose Toht$ un-
ll.ln for« That radiate OYtfrom his body. Persons bathed hk.dyfnend. Junfu "Slider" Landers.
1nthese wcives upuience uce,.d1ngly pol<11!<m0t1011C1I >Ind so It was to Co.-b,n that Sl1du turned whUI
shitts . Would-be lovus hYrl themse lves ot eoch other she d1scow:red evidence linkingProject Utop1c ta o u-
(or ot Co.-bn), rrvolries flcire ,nto Y1ol<11t hatred and mild crel "bicM:koperC1t1on·ccilled Project Proteus . M first
uMaSe becomu m1nd-romb1ng terror . skept iccil, Corbin soonbuome convinced that Slider hod
eni-tod p_,. Lewis : ~ Born on the date that would bccom._ uncovered the f,rst lciyu of o vast global consp1rocy
SfNngttl: 5 N-Ocy 13years lotu. >lndrt Corbin sumed born to star- H,s conviction became concrete whenJ~ ifu wasmur-
li!kllcct : 3 dom. From o worlung-closs fcilnily ,n the industr1C1It n ln Calcuttcion Ma( 13,2008. Since that day. Corbin
SpEod: 6 of Le,th . Corbin rose to become o profess,onol cu hasgone into h1d1 , allying w11hmysterious novaSophlCI
OH..- : <I plciyu 1nLondon. One of the most tal -obout llousseo11. The po,r hove ited oppro><imotdy 40 hke·
t>et..- : 1 co ng stcirs, Corbin sumed dal1ned to sove t de· m1 ed , some of whotDare st,11 off 1c,cillyt ied to
Vlt'S4tlltty : 8 cl1n1ng ed1f1ce of bosehne professional sports - ,f U!OplQ." ,ngthe epithet • >I 1• as the ir 1ronicso-
didn't dutf'oy ,t first . H,s cithldic,sm W1C1S mo.S1as no• bnquet , t e,,..... su to ow:r the trvth
tcible as the fluy , i-1'01s1 pusonol1ty that 1 ,te d Proj«t Utopia ond stop the Projo:ct"s uplo itot ion of
rrots ocros.s the con "nent mode tob lo,d heodHnes novo.sCorbin hos o lot of grow,ngup to do In ci hUNy.
ocrou he world . only 1,rne w•IItell if he succuds .
From "The Coming of Novas: W1ll1am Thompson,whoappears to be surroundedby "ser-
pents" of energy when usinghis abilities; or Randel"The
Evolution's Next Step'' by Dr. fireman" Portman, whoappears to be surroundedby flames
Henri Mazarin and Dr. Farah whenabsorbingenergyfromhissurroundings.Thiseffect 1s
Rashoud,2003 referred to by scholarsas the nova's "arnma."
We are often asked . "Whatexactlyis the M-R node?' The M-R node's controloverautonomicfunctionswithin
Simplyput, it 1sa smallglandlocatedbetween the frontal the bodyis muchsimpler.The node1sableto effectconsider-
lobesof the brain. It 1ssignificantfor two reasons. First, 1tis ablechangesin physiologyand metabolismw1th1n a nova. In-
the organ with whichnovasmanipulatequantumenergies, deed, the nodeseemsto adapta nova's bodyautomatically to
hence givingthem their amazingabilities. Second,,t 1sthe compensateforanymanipulations that ,t makesto theexternal
most reliable and obviousphys1olog1cal differencebetween environment. Thisis not to saythat novasare infinitelyadapt-
Homosapiensand Homosapiensnovus. able. Theyadapt lo environmental changescausedby them-
For allof its importance,the M-R node itself 1srather selves,but do not necessanlychangein responselo environ-
unexciting : a roughsphere, approximatelyI cm m diameter, mentalconditionstheydidnot cause. Forexample.a novamay
of grayishmatter. The nodehas manybloodvesselsandnerve needa coat in the snow,but wouldautomatica lly adapt to his
fibersextendingfrom,t intothe rest of the brain,whichmake M-Rnodecovennghim withcryokmeticfrost.
1tlookvaguelylikean octopus. The M-R node 1scapableof producinggreat changes
TheM-Rnode'sinternalstruchl'e isrruchmoreinteresting , withina novasbody. Somegeneralchangesincludeenhance-
andamiittedy, morethana bttmystifying . Thenodeconsistsof a mentof physiqueand improvementof efficiencymallbodily
tcaji outermeniira~ that!UTOUlds twinpolesconnected byfi- processes. These changesare m response to the increased
bers, with,,,hat appeartoreserrbleclTomosomes .Theouterpor- stress causedby the manipulation of forcesandenergiesthat
tionof thecharooer, outsidethe"spincle,"containsthebloodsa..,:>- the unaugmentedhumanbody 1snot equippedto channel.
plyandrunerousnerveendings , whichrelayinformation backand TheM-RnodeitselfadaptsCNer time.Withiocreasedcontrol
forthtotherestofthebrainTheinnersptncle!UTOUlds a matrixof of quantunForces, theM-Rnodeof a noYa tangibly grows.It ap-
complexproteins.Thematnxdisplays a hg,le.elcl electrochemi- pearsthatthesizecl thenodeaffectstheamot.rtt ofenergythat,t
calad:ivtty
, thespecificsof v.hcharestilla matterofsb.Jdy. canchannel , andthelevelofcontrol1thas<:Nef"thoseforces.Some
While virtuallynothing1sknownabout how the M-R 11CM1Shavedisplayed M-Rnodesaslargeasanapple.Whateffect.
node manipulatesquantumforces, it 1sinterestingto note if -;ny.th1S hasona noYa is 1n<nowr1 at th1S
bme.
that the nodeitselfhighlyresemblesanotherbiologicalstruc-
ture. Withthe exceptionsof the M-Rnodes connectionsto ME M 0
the rest of the brainand its size, its structure is very s1m1lar
to that of metaphasein mitosis.
Eventhoughthe M-R node'smanipulationsof external From: Agt.KyleLanders, DEA
energiesare a mystery, how1taffectsa Homosap,ensnovus· To: MichaelPadgett, NortheastRegionalDirector, DEA
individualphysiology1smuchmore concretelyunderstood. Date:April8, 2006
The M-R node connects to all portions of the brain, both Re: Tn-Cit1esOperation
thosecontrollingautonomicfunctions(suchas heartbeatand The Tri-Citiesdrug rmghas finallybeen brokenup, though
respiration)andthoseresponsiblefor creahv1ty,speech, and no conclusiveties to the C-2 were discovered. 1just turned the
thought.This allowsthe node to both influenceand draw evidenceover to the D1stnctAttorney today. In all 26 arrests
fromallaspects of a nova. weremade, but the group's leader, a suspectednova,eludedcap-
Novascontroltheirabilitieswithconsciousthought,but ture. I guesswe need our ownnovato get him,
the specificactions of the M-R node that are responsible One thingyou need to be aware of, though. The Tri-Cities
for the desired effect are unconscious . Muchlike walking: ring was peddlinga newdrug, alongwithallthe oldfavorites. The
The novadecides to walksomewhere,but the actual inter- dealerscall1t''soma.' Theyclaimit ,s an extract froma nova's M-
playof his leg muscles is handledoutsideof his direct con- R node. The lab boys analyzed 1t,and it 1ssome kindof super-
sciousawareness. The node seems to respond to subcon- adrenochrome.Thisshit 1sscary. Imaginecrack. butabout10,000
sciousdesires and stimuli,in a mannersimilarto muscular times more powerful.It killsmost people that use it, unlessit 1s
reAexesor other autonomicfunctions. There also appears extremelydiluted. Evenworse, ifs rumoredthat soma1sthe only
to be a psychologically significantinfluenceof the uncon- thmgthat cangivea novaa sustainedhigh.Theirmetabolismmakes
sciouson the M-R node, as novastend to displaya kindof everythingelse seem like aspirin.
"signature" when manifestinga power. Examplesinclude If this shit ever gets out, 1tcouldbe a real mess. Luckily , you
havelo k,11 a novato gel 1t, and that can't be easy. Weshouldkeep
our eyes open anyway.
From "Quantum Force Manipu- umverse.Theterm 'quantum·• cameto be appliedto suchforces
as physicistsbeganto understandthat the forces themselves
lations and the Mind" by Dr. operateon an absolutelyfundamentalleveland carry aspects
Shawn Worth ofbothparticlesandwaves;seequantum physicsand quantum
ScientificAmerican,February2008 theory. The quantumforces are gravity,electromagnetism
In the decade since their appearance, there has been strongnuclearforceandweaknuclearforce.
muchspeculationabouthowHomosapiensnovus or novas Gravity:Simultaneouslyvery wellunderstoodand not
manipulatequantumForces. Whileit is wellknownthat the wellunderstood at all, gravity is a force we're all familiar
Mazarin-Rashoudnode 1sthe glandthat allowsthese spec- with, as most of us feel it every day of our lives. Gravity1s
tacular abilities,little is knownabout how the node func- the attraction of massto mass. In other words,matter is at-
tions. Unfortunately , this mystery1sunlikelyto be solvedin tracted to other matter, with more attraction being caused
the near future. Novasare understandablyreluctantto par- by objects with greater mass. Newton was the first to set
ticipatein the direct experimentationneeded to validateany downconcretelawsfor gravity,followedbythe GeneralRela-
theories proposed. This matter remains an issue of much tivity of Einstein. Howevergravity has yet to be fit com-
debate in the scientificcommunity . fortablyinto the quantummechanicalpicture. Manytheo-
Iwishtooffera theoryontheworkings cl theM-Rnode.The ries havebeen proposed,but none havebeen fullysatisfac-
releaser:JDr.Lewis• recentstIJdyon thegeneticbasisof l10llaS has tory. The fact that novascan manipulategravityis perhaps
openedthedoorscl speajation on theongincl nows. I feelthat the strongest evidenceto date that gravity can be fit into
theanswerto boththeoriginr:Jnowsandtheiramazing abilities lie the quantumpicture,however.
intheoriginsr:Jtuna,, conscioosness . Electromagnetism : Thesecond-strongestofthe fourfwi-
Philosophershavelongdebatedthe nature of the mind. damentalforces,it alsohas an infiniterangelikegravitydoes.
Humanconsciousness1sa uniquephenomenon . In the lastde- Easilythe mostfullyexplored of the quantumforces,electro-
cades, computerscientistshavebegunto claimthatconscious- magneticfieldsare fieldsof photonsgeneratedby charged
ness andintelligence are simplya functionofa sufficiently com- objects. Electromagnetism reflects the tendencyof opposite
plexcomputationalability.This theory is proposedby those chargesto attract. Thisforce 1sdisplayedon the atomiclevel
whosupportwhatisknownas strongAl(artificialintelligence) . via ionicbondingand on a largerscalewithsuchmaterialsas
These thinkersclaimthat a fast enoughand complexenough magnets.Electromagnetism WOl'ksthroughthe use of electro-
computerwillmimicallthe functionsof consciousness . magneticFieldsproducedbychargedmaterial.Thesefieldsare
1say "hogwash"to my esteemedcolleagues .-I say that easyto detect: Theycanbe displayedbysuchpedestrianmeth-
consciousness 1sanobservablephysicalphenomenonthathap- odsas sprinklingironfilingsaroundthe end of a magnet.If the
pens on the quantumlevel.The uncertaintyinherentto quan- charge1sstationary,wecallit anelectricalfield,and1Fthecharge
tummechanicsallowsfor the self-reflexivityof consciousness is moving,we alsoget a magneticfield.
unlikethe coldlogicof a binarysystem. Althoughthe propo- StrongNuclearForce: Thisforce holdsthingstogether
nents of strong Al woulddeny it. there has been significant on the atomicscaleand smaller. It has a range of onlya Few
research1nthe last30 years to pointto thisconclusion . femtometers(a millionthof a trillionthof a meter), but within
The phenomenonof consciousnessgives novas their that range 1sthe strongest force m the universe. It holds
incredibleab1lit1es . Novascan manipulatethe Fundamental quarks together into hadrons and holds protons and neu-
forcesof natureon a quantumlevel.Giventhat our conscious- trons togetherto formnuclei. Onlyits extremelyshort range
ness exists primarilyon the quantumlevel,the ab1lit1esof allowsother forces to overcomeit at all. The particle which
novasare merelymanipulabonsof the primarycomponents carries the strong Force1scallthe gluon.
of consciousness.HumansmanipulatequantumForcesevery Weak NuclearForce:The least understood of all the
dayby merelythinking.Novas throughthe M-Rnode,mag- fundamentalforces, 1talsoacts onlyat the nuclearscale. The
nify and externalizethose manipulations . weakforce 1sresponsiblefor a numberof nucleardecay re-
The metaphorical compansonbetweenthe M-Rnodeand actions,but is hard to explainbeyondthat, as it does not act
mitochondria maybe morethanan interestingcoincidence . inanysort of intu1t,ve"push"or "pull"mannerlikethe other
From "Introduction to Physics, three Forces. The intermediateboson,W is responsiblefor
the weak interaction. An early triumphin the search for a
12 edition", 2008, GrandUnifiedTheory(GUT)wasthe unificationof the elec-
entry-level text tromagneticand weakForcesin electroweaktheory.
QuantumForces: What are typicallyreferred to as the
"quantumforces" are in fact the fundamentalforces of the
17
 From N! documentary
"Nova Powers!!!"
TV ova di play a multitude of amazing and incred-
ibl power . Sci ntist have attribut d th
to a nova'
power
azarin-Ra houd node and it ability to
manipulate quantum nergies and force . While the
mechanic of how the M-R nod functions ar till a
my t ry, the effect of the power th m lv ar
more documented.
ova t nd to " rupt" at points of gr at tre . Th nature of this tre
oft n dictate the kind of powe the nova p e e . For example, nova
·cah W dman, who m rged during a kydiving
accident, gain d th ability to fly. ovas often
di play an outwardly vi ual effect a ociated with
th ir power , call d the "anima." A we e , Micah
di play a pair of glowing n rgy "wing " when he
flie .

th anima, mo t nova b ar om obviou

outward ign of their change. While many nova
po amazing phy iqu , om no a d v lop
furth r chang t th ir app arance, uch a
biolumine c nt aura or ilvery kin.

ova pow r can r u hly b divid d int thr cat gori : int rnal
power , n ory / controlling p wer and e ternal power . Th e cat go-
rie ar merely for purpo e of demon tration; few nova abilitie are o
ea ily cla ifi d.
Int mal Pow r

Som nova di play u ful and amazing b dy m dification . o a with

claw , wing or the ability to with tand th el m nt or ma i am unt
of energy are not uncommon. Changing appearance at will or even
turning com pl t ly invi ibl ar other docum nt d p w r . And, of
cour , o i th ability to fly ....
S n ory / Controlling Pow r
Potentially even more powerful are nova who can en e thing be ond
th limit of normal human p ri nc , or control obj ct through a t of
will. t th imp! t I vel, many of th e abilitie m nothing mor
than normal human en e tended and heightened to an imp ible
degr . 0th r uch p wer includ ing in other part of the electro-
magn tic p ctrum ( uch a infrar d, ultra iol t and -ray wa ) or
ing matter on a micro copic or atomic level.

18
lkeep reading .,
 Novas occasionally display powers that were once considered psychic or
extrasenso ry perception. Acts of clairvoyance or precognition fall into
this category. Other so-called psychic powers, such as the spectacular
"telekinesis" ability, will be mentioned later. Novas often seem more 'in
tune' with the world around them, and some are able to predict future
events. No one knows the limits of these abilities, but they seem special-
ized and relatively rare among the nova population. It probably makes
our viewers feel better to know that no nova has
displayed the ability to read minds. Yet.

Novas have also displayed even more esoteric

abilities. ViaSoft prodigy Mungu Kuwasha, for
example, can manipulate and control computers
and data seemingly by thought alone. Novas have
demonstrated control over purely mechanical
devices, too. Most novas with these abilities seem
to "interface" with the object in question ....
External Powers
By far the most spec tacular and impressive of their
abilities, the external powers account for the most amazing and unbeliev-
able of nova abilities. These powers allow novas to defy nature - to
literally change the world.

Many novas possess the ability to harness ambient energy, then release it
in a focused burst. The tabloids have dubbed this ability the "quantum
bolt," and it can take many forms. Novas have been observed throwing
heat and electrical discharges, even shooting lasers from their eyes. News
footage from the Kashmir crisis and African conflicts show the sheer
power of these "quantum bolt." They can vaporize tanks, crumple
buildings and even simulate atomic discharges. The nova generating a
quantum blast seems immune to its effects, sometimes walking un-
scathed out of a conflagra-
tion of his own making.

Just as some novas can

create energy from no-
where, other can absorb and
destroy energy. Randel
Portman, the famous
"Fireman," is probably the
most widely known energy-
absorber. Last year, an

- unknown nova even

walked into the fires of a
nuclear power plant during
tl,e Calcutta Meltdown, and
when she left, there was not
a trace of radioactivity left.

External powers displayed

by novas take on even
more bizarre forms. Sound
waves, radioactivity and
even biological processes in other creatures can all be controlled by
certain novas. Many of the other so-called psychic powers, such as
telekinesis, also fall into this category. 19
From internal Department of Defense memo,
EYESONLY, 6/6/03
Our scientistshavecompletedtheir studiesof knownand theorizednovaabilities. What they foundis shocking.
First, somenovasdo possessthe abilitylo manipulateemotionsand evendominateindividuals . Mind-readingis not
confirmed,but is not out of the question, either. This informationshouldbe screened and censored from the media
and the scientificcommunityat large. I also recommendthat allsensitiveoperativesbe screened Forundue mAu-
ences.
The scientists conclusionis that novascan potentiallydo anything, and I meananything . Theyaffect the very
fabricof the universe. Our scientistsspeculatethat, givenenoughtimeand training,there is literallynothinga nova
couldnot do. Evenmore frighteningare preliminaryreports that novaswith greater levelsof quantumcontrolap-
pear to be less stable. The researchers theorize that the increasedgrowthof the M-R node, necessaryfor greater
power,also impingesthe frontallobe, possiblyleadingto hallucinationsor even personalitydisorders. The last thing
we need is a bunchof psychoswith the power of gods....

From a New Nova Orientation Meeting Speech

Greetings. everyone,andwelcome to thedawnofyou-newfubre.I cW11Or.YujiGo;youwillnodoLDt getto knowmeand of the
otherProiectUtopiastiffintimatelydnngyou-trainingstay hereatthisRashoud . Ifyouhave
facility anyquestions orconcernsruingyou-
stay pleasecontactyou-personal rlalSOllwhowiRtaketheproperproced.-alstepstohavethematteradaessed.
Asyouallu'IOOlDtedy knownow,youhavedemom.trclted thatidentify
abilities youas n<MIS . Takea quicklookarot.ndyou- most
ofyouareinyou-20s, v.+ule a feware 1nyou-early30sanda goodyruroer ofyouarest,D inyou-teens. Obviously, eruption- whichis
v.hatwecallthe actof beco1111ng anactivenoYa ratherthana latentone- happensto relatively ycuig mem>ers ofsociety.&,,looking
arot.nd,you'vealsoprobablycaugiton to thefactthat111M1S arenl restnctedtoanyS1ngle class,raceor ethnicity . Someofyouweredirt
poorsevendaysago,whileothersofyouma'/havebeenbornwithSliver spoonsinyou-mouth . Thatdoesn'tmatteranymore.Whatis
mportantis thatwe're hereto helpyourealizeyou-potential and, shoodyouchooseto remainamongus,becomea contnbubng merroer
of ProjectUtopia, whoseowngoalisbuilding a betterworldfornc,.,as andhtm.rl<incl
alike.
If you would,thinkback to the timeof your eruption. It maybe a bit traumaticfor you, but this helpsus immenselyin
directingyourpotential.Recallthe exact circumstances , as theyhavebecomepsychological catalystsfor yourburgeoning pow-
~ -Forexampleif youwere trappedin a burningbuildingand the stresstnggeredyoureruption,youmayfindyourselfinclined
towardthe manipulation of fire. If youreruptionoccurredwhilefalling, you maypossessa Right potential.1Fyoueruptedwhile
facedby a menacinganimal, you maypossesscontrolover nature's lesserbeasts. Whateverthe case, giveit a momentof brief
consideration . Ifyou'd be so kind pleaselookoveryourenrollmentdossierand makesureyourprocessingliaisonrecordedyour
eruptioncircumstancescorrectly.Theres nothingto be ashamedof - remember,1fyoudon't helpus, wecan't helpyou.
Beforewegoanynrlher,howewr,I'dliketo offera bitofpreemptorywarning.Yesyouareallnovas,andyoupoosesstremeodous
abilitiesandvastpower . Butthat powercomeswitha price.I wi warn you nowaboutUS1ng you-powersrecklessly: Donl do il The
14Xoming monthswiUedJcateyouintherudiments ofwhyandhowyou-abihlieswon<., as welas thedangerimerentinabusing themFor
now,simply letus~ide anddirectyouintheuseof}Q.I" noYa potentials. Yo.rveryhealthdependsonit
l can see someof youare uncomfortablewiththis already. We've anticipatedthat. Dunngyour physical examinationyou
were administereda pillor injectionof quantum-retardingmoxinoquantam ine. Whateverpotential you maypossess the drug
limitsit untilyouhavelearnedthe controlandrestraintto do it yourself.Wecannotcontrolthe effectsthisquantumpowerhason
yourbodies, however,and if youinsiston rebellingor makinga show,youwilldamageyourselffar inexcessof the effectyoutry
to create. Please; we do this Fora living. Let us workwithyou.

20
 To: Allfield operatives,clinicstaff and recnutment team captains
From: MichaelHodge,NewPersonnelProcessingDirector
Re: ProceduralUpdate
Effectiveimmediately,all recruitmentstaff are to cease "snatch-and-grab' enrollmentmethods. Whilethis
maybe appropriateto "organizations"likethe Teragen,,tis certainlyout of placewiththe aimsof our organization.
Project Utopiatakes a nurturingstance on novadevelopment.AlthoughI am not a novamyself,I haveseen manyof
you broughtinto the organization,and encourageyou to rememberthe traumaof your ownfirst eruptions.
AllI'm asking1sthat team leaders show a little sympathy. lf we adopt the methodsof the other groups, we
makeourselvesno better than they.
Climestaff, if youhaveanyreasonto suspect that a newlydiscoverednovahas been treated roughlyor unfairly
by his recruiter, please notify me immediately.

To: MichaelHodge NewPersonnelProcessingDirector

From: BruceMclnemy
To: Allfieldoperatives,clinicstaff and recruitmentteam captains
Re: ProceduralUpdate
Look,1alreadytoldyou that McKinneykidrefused to calmdownonce he'd alreadyagreed and his parents had
signedthe release. Readthe report. Thisjob's alreadyhardenoughwithoutsomepenc1l-push1ng, third-rate bureau-
crat trying to tie myhandseven more becausehe's got nothingbetter to do on ProJectUtopiatime.
The moreyou complicatethis. the more difficultit becomes,and the easier it is for these new novasto fallin
with other potentiallydangerous,organizations.
Screwyou Hodge. It'salreadyndiculousthat someonewithmycapab1l1ties has to file paperworkt.o keepa ticklike
youhappy,so countyourblessingsthat I haven'thad to "ensurecomplicity''by knockingyouout witha manholecover.

From a Progreu Report on Nova Development at a Utopia Facility

Date:10Jan 2006
Datun/Oata: Actualizaboncontinuesslowlywiththenewestdetachment ofrecruits.Retarded~ seemsto rest1r1thenabre of
the recnJ1ts:AsM-Rnodeeruptioncan occur in anyone,we haveno !P,Jill"ilfllee of dealingwithanalytical or evensuitablyself-aware
su,jects. IndeedsomeamongtheClJ'T'ellt rosterseemto had&omwhatcoudbeclescnbed asi.nderprivileged, sociallyine411tableor (for
lackofmoresurtabledescriptors) '"white-trash" 14)bnngings.
Whilethedwelopment teamcontiruesto g.iidethese prospectsdownthetrpathsof emchment.it is the0p1nion of thisresea-chet-
thatsomesu,jectswoudaffecttheirenvronment moreradically thantheypossesstheconscience or intelligence to l.liderstand.
1a-aw historyto makemypoint.Starathletesof thelatter20thcenturymadea gooddeal<l money,
on sociological oftenwithlittle
morethancursoryedJcabon. This~ accuruationofmoney. corminedwithpoorknowledge basesandinsufficient made
socialization,
foraberrations ofsociety- '"hi · ieswithmoney,'whocoudnot conceiveof theproblems theypotentially posed.
Taken tothenextlogical
step,llO'laS possessfarmoreenvnnnentalmfueocethanmoney represents111thepreceding pro-athlete example.
Whena su,jectpossesses theability to distortthemindsof thosearouidhimor causea ruclearconflag-ation ina half-mde rad1JS,yetlacksthe
abilitytodisting.mbetween notonlyrij,tclldwrong butappropriateclld mappropriateaswell~ whom doesthebu-den ofresponsbl,ty fall'?
Asfu1herev1deo::e.1 citecaseUT-117 -UK;MarJoneMcCannagi. At 60 IQ,MarJone wasonlym.rgrnally aw.reofherSl.JTOlm 1ngs,soherpower
to severorganic moleaJ.rbondsclldtlrn hving thmgs intopuddles ofcaroon sLdgeposedmorethreatthanadvaitage .
(Grantedthese aberrations are ISOiated 0Ca.1Tences . Allevidencesuggests tha~mostfreq.iently , the M-Rnodeacclimates and
acceleratesthemindandboclytopea< or even~ levelsof fitnessandperformance. Thisproblemon a largerscale,seemsto be
moreof a sociologicalphenomenon, ~ McCiff1i191 ishardlyaninappropnate ex.alrflle.)
Tothatend,thisresearcher roostrecommend contiruedptflUit of theproposed"M-Rlobotomy" treatmentInsociopathic, asocial
andcnminally su,jects,theProJedroosttakeituponitselftocauterizetheM-Rnode
inclined as ea-iy1nitsel14)t1011as possible. Waiting too
longmayallowthenodeto grfNfbacki.nderthehealingauspicesof itsb,ochenuc:al adjustments.
21
 Welcome to the Nova Site , the only site on the OpNet
devoted to self-made novas by self-made novas .
So you want to be a nova . Join the club. Only one in a million people
becomes a nova, because its really hard to do. First, you have to have the
devotion to do it . Second, you have to have the time to explore your powers .
Third, you have to have an extra bit of meat in your brain, which causes all
your powers to happen.
You can't be a nova without causing that bit of meat (called the node)
to open up . Of course, its not that easy . The node only opens up under
stress. (Mordus says he opened his by drinking an entire case of African
Malt Liquor, but I think he's lying.) That's the hard part. You have to
cause yourself enough stress to open the node, but if whatever you do to
cause the stress might kill you, so be careful.
Also, your nova powers have to do with the thingie that caused your node
to open, so pick something cool . If you open your node by holding up a golf
club in an electric storm you get lightning powers, but if you open your
node by slamming your head in a car door a lot, you probably get some really
crappy powers like only making car doors open .
Learning powers and opening the node usually makes you really sick . Most
people get huge headaches (migraines) when the node opens up, because the
node pushes its way out from the "inactive part of the brain to the
"active• part physically . Seriously.
Also, the power (we novas call it jolt or juice or magnum) sometimes
causes illness in a body not used to it. Your going to be really tired when
you first become a nova, because all the juice just wears you out because
you don't know how to control it yet . Also, you'll probably get some kind of
disease like a cold or the flu because your so tired your immunity system is
tired with the rest of your body .
The best thing to do is practice your powers, though, so let the headache
and sickness wear off and get to work. Practice makes perfect, but here's a
few easy tips to help you on the way.
1 . ) Do it (practice) away from people until you get the hang of it . If
you're just learning you might kill someone or hurt them, so stay away from
other people.
2 . ) Practice at the same time every day. Let your body get used to a
regular series of practice exercises, so you can be at your maximum ability
each day when you "work out . •
3 . ) Go slowly. Only train your powers for a few hours a day - no more
than two until you can learn to control the power flow . Too much will wear
you out and either burn out your node or make you sick again with exhaus-
tion .
4.) a lot. If your really a nova and not a poser. you' 11 eat a bunch
of food all day long. These munchies are caused by the power in your body,
as you have to keep giving it fuel.
5 . ) Don't wear a costume . A nova with a costume is either an Elite or a
poser. Do not wear capes especially because when you get in a fight, that's
the first thing people pull. This isn't a comic book, it's real life. Do
pick a cool name for yourself though, but you probably already knew that.
Being a nova is being important . You have to look like somebody worth
noticing for anyone to care.

CLICK HERE to join the OpNet Novas mailing list

CLICK HER~: 19lb@

Q@C ~ ovaRing site

CLICK HERE to register with the Renegade Nova League

22
From a Training Session Video Recording at QuebecFac
[TranslatedFromFrench]
· Trainer: Youmadesome excellent progressyester-
day, Jean. Howdo youfeel today?
· Jean: A bit tired.
• Trainer: Anysymptomsto report? Didyou need any
medslast night?
· Jean:l had a nosebleedafter dinner last night.And
the nursegaveme one adrenocilin,but l only took half the
pill.1slept likea baby, but I've got kindof a headachenow.
• Trainer: l see. What did you do with the rest of the
pill? I likeyourcap, by the way. Are youa Yankeesfan?
• Jean: Flushedit. Yeah, I like the Yankees
. I've got a
jersey, too.
•Trainer:Allright.Are youready to start Fortoday?
· Jean: 1guess.
· Trainer:Okay.[To technicians]Let's have400 migs
of moxinoquantamine. Okay,Jean, I wantyouto thinkabout
movingthis magnetagain.
· Jean:Wedid this yesterday.
Trainer:1know, Jean, but l don't want to go Forward
withoutmakingsureyourememberhowto do whatwecov-
ered yesterday. [Jeansighs]Ready?
• Jean: Yep.[magnetmovesvisibly, suspendedin air.
Magnetrotates in air]
· Trainer:Fantastic,Jean!Not onlydo you remember,
you're already controllingbetter than you did yesterday!
Greatwork!Okay, nowslowit down...good. Putit downcare-
fully.[magnetclatters to surfaceof table]
· Jean: Dammit.
• Trainer: No problem,Jean, we'll just try again. You
weredoingawesome.Thistime, though,fee/the magnetthe
wholetime. l saw you kind of relaxyour mindbefore the
magnetwason the table. Makesure yougiveit yourfullcon-
centrationallthe waythrough.
BIOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES

FROM A mANSCRIPT OF THe

NEW GODS : HUMANITY'S NEXT
STEP, NARRATED BY NATHAN
&.ACK, JANUARY 2008

WITH Me IS NOTED NOVA

PARAPHYSICIAN DOCTOR TASMIN
GOOD EVENING, NATHAN. I HARVER . TASMIN'S EUFIBER
LOVE YOUR SHOW. BODYSUIT comes COURTESY OF
ANIBAL BUENDIA'S A / B AKTIF
SPORTSWEAR LINE . LET'S START
WITH YOUR POSITION, T AS(;IIN :
WHAT, EXACTLY IS A
PAAAPHYSICIAN !'

AS we ALL KNOW, NOVAS ' 60DtES AAE MORe

eFFICIENT THAN THOSE OF NORMAL HUMANS .
THeY HeAL FASTER , move FASTER, BREAK DOWN
FOOD INTO ITS COMPONeNT NUTRIENTS WITH
GReATER ReSIJL TS, CAN WITHSTAND GREATER
EXTREMES OF STRESS AND ENVIRONMENT AND
THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. AS A PAAAPHYSICIAN , I
SPECIALIZe IN THe INNER WORKINGS OF THeSE
OPTIMIZED, SUPE'RHUMAN BOD!ES.

.. ...
.p.... . ..... ...
.. ... :. .. . ..

NOT REALLY . WELL, MAYBE A LITTLE, I

Guess . STEP INTO OUR RESEARCH
LABORATORY AND ll.L SHOW YOU A 61T
iW)Re ABOUT HOW THe 60Dles OF
NOV AS WORK

24
 M R. l<lK.JAK IS HERE N/ Aft:);H, • N/ POP . KIPS, s,,qy l/11SCNa:;a.::A/IIP
TO S E A SORT OF OON '7"Ot:7&>RUGS. ,A/Ill? RE~Be?, Ya/ CAN
GUINEA PIG FOR US IN "'1t!i!:'TYa/R Pt7TE/IITI~ , BASS/Ne CR /ll~A
THE LAS . ISNi" THAT /N /II/KE SP~W64R.
R IGHT, KIK.JAK!'

NOT IM/VISDIATELY,
6UT IT WOULD
CERTAINLY STIMU -
LATE ALL HIS
MUSCLeS, PREVENT ·
ING HIM FROM
MOVING . IN SOME
CASES , IT MIGHT
STOP THE AVERAGE
HUMAN HEAAT .
 WHATE\11:R YOUR
NA/VIE FOR THEM ,
THEIR CONTROi.
STE.MS FROM THE
FLOW OF •QUANTUM •
THE: NOVA 'S ceu..s AA!:: DIFFERENT - ENERGY - ENERGY
DE:NSE:R - THAN THOSE: OF NORMAL THAT NORMAL HUMAN
PE:OPI.E:. THE INHERENT ABILITIES BOOtESARENT
NOVAS POSSES DE:SIGNED TO
PE:RCEIVI: , LET ALONE
.MANIPULATE:.

ALL OF THESE TINY "PATHWAYS • OR

NERVE GROUPS ALL O W THAT ENERGY
TO MOVE T~OUGH THIS NOVA 'S BOOY .
THeSE NERVE: GROUPS ALSO TRANS ·
.MIT THE FEEDBACK FROM MORE
TRADITIONAL ST IMULI , Lll<B ELECTRIC ·
ITY, HEAT OR KINETIC FORCE . THAT 'S
WHY MANY NOVA S CAN WITHSTAND
BEATINGS , STABBINGS AND EVE:N
GUNSHOT WOUNDS .

WELL, TO GET TECHNICAL, THEY'RE NOT REALLY NERVE:.5, THEY'RE CALLED .M· R COILS, BUT WEU GET TO
THAT LATER . A.5 TO WHY IT DOESN'T HURT /VIORE , THE DE:LIVERED STI.MIJLU.5 IS STILL THE SA.ME, BUT
DISPl:RSED MUCH MORE EXPEDITIOUSLY . LET'S SAY YOU AND t<IKJAK GET HIT BY A CAR YOU BOTH FLY
THE SA/VIE DI.STANCE AWAY , YOLJ BOTH SUFFER THE SA.ME AMOI.JNT OF PHYSICAL KINET IC FORCE ON
IMPACT, BUT YOUR BODY DISf"ERSE.5 THE FORCE THROUGH BILLIONS OF NERVES, WHILE KIK.J'AK'.5 600Y
DISPl:RSE.5 IT THROUGH A LOT MORE , GETTING RID OF IT MORE Q UICKLY.

;4/VP Ya/ CRY ;4 "7T ~c, /V,47'.N,4/11.

BUT, DOCTOR, HAVEN'T we BOTH .SUFFERED THE
SA/VIE - ER, TRAUM.A i" I IYISAN, WE'LL BOTH STILL
HAVE BROKEN BONES , BUT He'LL JUST FEEL IT - YOU MIGHT ACTUALLY BE
LESS, CORRECT /' GIVING HIM MORE POWER , IN
THE CASE OF WHAT AAE
AL/VIO.ST, NATHAN . EACH OF THOSE LITTLE .M· CALLED "ABSORBER NOVAS '
R COILS TRANSFERS QUANTUM ENERGY DOWN OR "QUANTUM REPLICATORS ."
ITS LENGTH. WITHOUT GETTING INTO LONG ·
WINDE:D THEORIES AND MET API-IYSICS. ACTUALLY, IT WAIT, SO NOVAS MAKE THelR
OIJANTU.M ENERGY BASICALLY COMPRISES CONVERTS OTHER OWN POWER ?" THEN HOW CAN
THE FOUR FUNDA.MeNT AL FORces OF THE ENERGIES TO THEY BE BROUGHT DOWN /' I
UNIVERSE : GRAVITY, ELECTRO.MAGNETISM, QUANTUM ENERGY . IN IYISAN, JUST LAST WEEK, KIKJAJ<
STRONG AND WEAK NUCLEAR FORces . UNDeR FACT, IF YOU WE RE HERE FOUGHT ONE OF THOSE
THe CONT ROi. OF A NOVA, QUANTUM ENERGY FOOLISH ENOUGH TO TERAGEN NOVAS - KNOCKED
BECOMES ...WELL, A SORT OF ·cosmic PUNCH OUR FRIEND HIM OUT W ITH A FORCE 80L T
POWE R,' IF THAT DOESN'T SOL.IND TOO CORNY . KIK.J'AK- TO THE HEAD .

H~ Y6"w. K-J;4K
a/'TT,4 P-n:M'/V
STR,4/oKT n:, tXJl'ffl-
/VATc l;V CW-SoHT.
 THE M · R COII..S ONI..Y TRANSFE R
QUANTUM. NOVAS HAVE ANOTHE R
ORGAN - A Gt.AND, TO SE PRECISE,
KNOWN AS THE M ·R NODE . M · R ST ANDS
FOR MA ZAA IN· RAStiOUD, THE NAMES
OKAY . so, ON some FUNDA/l'IE:N · OF THE SCIENTISTS WHO DISCOVERSD
TAL I.SVEL, THIS HIGH RSSISTANCE THE NODE A DECADE AGO, SY THE
TO 6E:ING HURT - WAY . THE M ·R NODE ALI..OWS THEM TO
CONTRO(. QUANTUM AND CONVERT
THOSE OTHER FORCES INTO l'eRSONAL
_IS ACTUALLY HYl'eRACCE:l.SRATED
QUANTUM RSSERVES . weve ALL GOT
HEAi.iNG, AS THE QUANTUM AUGMENTS
QUANTUM RUNNING THROUGH US, 8UT
THE BODY'S NATURAi.. HEALING NOT AI..L OF us KNOW HOW TO use IT
PROCESS . KIKJAK MUST HAVE MAN · COR R ECTLY, OR EFFlCIENTLY, IF AT ALL .
AGED TO DOI..E OUT MORE TRAUMA
THAN HIS ENEMY COULD CONVERT AND
HEAL . THE BOTTOM 1..INE IS THAT EVEN
WITH ALL THE QUANTUM IN THE WORLD,
IF YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITH IT , IT
DOESN'T DO YOU ANY GOOD .

SIV/CKcR NO , THERE AAE NO , NOT f'RECISEI..Y . NOVAS

STII..L NORMAL, HUMAN
61.EE?DOFF THEIR LlllUSED
B UILDING BLOCKS UNDER
QUANTUM IN Dl~NT WAYS .
THOSE M · R COILS . YOU CAN
SOME MAY HAVE A STRANG€
STILL BREAK BONE?S AND COLOR CAST TO THEIR Sl<IN;
CAUSE HEMORRHAGES , THEY
OTHERS MAY "HUM"QUIETLY OR
DON'T ELIMINATE ALL THE
HAVE UIIST A8LE CELLULAR
NORMAL OBSTACLES . IN MOST
60NDS THAT RSSIJL T IN A
CASES , AT LEA S T. IN FACT,
WATE?RY CONSISTE?NCY TO
BECAUSE THEIR BODIE?S
THEIR BODIE?S. IT ALL 0EPEN0S
Sl'eND SO MUCH TIME? AND ON THE INDIVIDUAL. MOST
EFFORT DEALING WITH
NOVAS HAVE Re<.ATIVELY Ml~
QUANTUM , MOST NOVAS EAT
ANOMALIE?S, 8UT THOSE WHO
MORE? THAN NORMAL HUMANS ; HAVE USED A GRSAT DEAL OF
SOMETIMES 10 TIMES AS MUCH QUANTUM IN A SHORT TI/YoEOR
OR MORE, DAILY . HAVE USED IT OVER MANY
YEARS, WE SUSPECT , COU..D
Dl5Pt..AY MUCH MORE: PRO ·
f\lOU\ICED QUIRKS.

THEY ACTUALLY~ 6EiWEEN

ZERO PERCS:NT AND ONE ·HALF
PERCENT MORE FAT THAN THE
NOT DIRECTLY , BUT we MINIMU/l'I N6EDED FOR BASIC NERVOUS
BELIEVE IT TO ae A SYSTeM INSULATION, AS THE QUANTUM
SIDE EFFECT, SIMILAR PROCESSED 8Y THE M ·R NODE
TO THE ATTUNE?MeNT MAX IMIZE?S THEIR 60DIES' NATURAL
AND "STREAMLINING " OF FU\JCTIONS AND MINIMIZE?S THE
NOVAS ' BODtES . YOUVE 06STACI.SS THAT IMPSOE THOSE
NOTICED HOW MOST Fl..NCTIONS . ALONG THE SAME?LINES,
NOVAS APPeAR TO NO/AS CAN EXIST AT VERY LOW AIR ·
HAVE LITTLE: BODY FAT /' OXYGEN COU\ITS, AND CAN NEUTRAL ·
IZE? TOXINS ALMOST AS OUICKLY AS
THEY ENTER THE 8LOOOSTFlE<AM.
OF COURSE ,

TRUE?,BUT NO/AS RAAa.Y GET SICK - IN ADDITION TO SHVTTING OUT

TOXINS, THEIR 1/\'Vl'llA'IIESYSTEMS WIPE: OUT eveRYTHING 8UT THE MOST
DEBILITATING DISEASE S INSTANTLY . NOIA "MEDICINES " LIKE ADFlENOCILIN,
WHICH ENHANCS:S QUANTUM CONTRO(., ARe VEF'Y f'LJFle RATIOS OF THE
CO/V'PONENT CHEMICALS, WHICH WOULD DROP A SIOENGINEEfU:D COW DEAD
IN ITS TRACKS. LIKEWISE , IF A NOIA WANTS TO "HAVE A OUICK DFllM<" IT HAD
BET'T'ER 6E VERY NEAR 100 PERCE;NT ALCOHOL FOR HIM TO EVEN Feet. THE
EFFECTS, BUT I CAN'T IMAG INE THAT TASTE S VERY GOOD .
From the iournal of Dr. Nimal Dharmasena; November 3, 2001
I wonderif Darwinwouldfeel this way,if he were in myplace.
For the last few nights,I haven'tevengonehome. I've calledlmiraover and over again, reassuringher that I'mstillall
nght, that I'mjust at a criticalstage. AndI feellikeI'mlyingwhenI say that; after all,the last batchof test resultshassat on
my desk for a long while. But I reallyam being truthful, after all. I am at a criticalstage. It's JUStone of decision, not
discovery.
The novasseemedso impossiblewhenthey started emerging.I swear, I almostgaveup scienceand ran out to Nevada
to preachthe gospelof chaostheoryby the freeway.Butas it tums out, they mightjust be quantifiableafter all- and now
that Utopiawantsme, I feel likeI've been giventhe keysto the kingdom.No,scratchthat - the blueprints .
Humanity isn t reallyevolving anymore,I'm sure of that. Andthe emergenceof the novastellsme that Natureknows
this, too; so she jumpeda few peopleahead, to whateverstage we mightnormallyhavereached. The novasare her gift to
us, a wayof examiningwhatwe might become- and evolvingourselves.Us, not her.
The potentialisendless. Onenovaalone,withthe rightgifts,couldend hunger reworkthe worldeconomyor terraform
a continent. If we achievesomelevelof controlover novapowersand whowe investthemm, we couldachieveStar Trek
severalcenturiesearly - my kidscouldgrowup in a worldwithoutpollution,withoutcrime,withoutfamineor fear or
disease. Andthe thoughtthat myresearchmighthelpbring this about....
Whoam I kidding'?I've wantedto jumpaboardUtopiaForas longas it's been in existence. I'msittinghere frettingand
moaning aboutwhatit'll meanto mypersonallife, whatI mighthaveto giveup, whenallI'm reallyafraid of is the possibility
they'll changetheir mind.
It's time I madethat phonecall.

The Genesis
Froma SocialScienceslecture, EnkaHigh School,North Cananyonenamethe movementthat disagreestotally
Carolina with the Zurich Accord'? Anyone'? Good, Emily- the
Obviously nobodyknewwhat to do about the mani- Teragen. Butwe'll get to themlater.
festing novas. It tumed science, religion and society all on Anyhow , Project Utopiawas Formedat the same time
their heads. We didn't even knowwhat an M-R node was. the ZurichAccordwassigned. Its stated goalwas"to utilize
We were baffled. the vast powersof novasto better the quality of lifeForall,
That'swhenthe AeonSocietyenteredthe picture. This humanand novaalike, on PlanetEarth." That's on page 227
philanthropicorganizationhad an extensive, if not widely - better memorize that. Theyalsowoundup havingan en-
publicized history of assistingand backingvarious large- vironmentalistagenda as well,but people have definitely
scale goodwill programs,suchas the Red Cross, benefited fromthat as muchas animalsand plants
the World Health Organization and similar have.
projects. These fellowsdecided that somebody The next step ForProjectUtopiawas two-
needed to stick up for the novas,and it mightas fold. First, they began their intervention pro-
wellbe they. Good thing they did, too. So they grams, where they'd contact newlyerupted no-
started talking to the UN,and theyeventually vas and invitethem to their Rashoudfacili-
workedout a possible solution. ties,specialclinicsdesignedto helpthemad-
TheZurichAccordofJune 1998- and Just to their new powers. Then they an-
youhad better believethis willbe on the test nouncedthe Formation of their specialteam
- publiclydeclarednovasto be humanbe- of all-novaoperatives,Team-
ings. I know, this kind of soundslikea com- Ah, there's the bell. Allright, people
mon-sensething, but there wasa very real finish readingChapter24! I wantto be able
case Forconsideringnovasan entirelydiffer- to pickup wherewe left off tomorrow,and I
ent spe<:ies in whichcase they wouldn't have don't wantto haveto quizyou - but I willif
allthe rights and responsibilit
ies that go with I don't start hearing somefeedback!
beinghuman.

Exc t'rpl : " Wl'ck in l' c rs pc r liVl' with W,1lll'r L>onu v,111"; s ho w ,1irl·d l,11u1.irv l h, 2lHIX
l1111
:l -1:2hl
· DONOVAN : NEXT TOPIC THE
LATEST POUS HAVE SHOWN
NOTHING BUT AN INCREASE IN
POPULAR SUPPORT FOR PROJECT
UTOPIA. EVEN THOUGH UN
AMBASSADORS FROM SEVERAL
NATIONS. INCLUDING THE
UNITED STATES. HAVE EX
PRESSED GRAVE CONCERNFOR
THE AUTONOMY AND AUTHORITY
UTOPIA CURRENTLYENJOYS
GENTLEMEN>
· CULPEPPER : ECOLOGISTS
HI RED BY UTOPIA . I MIGHT
ADDI ISN"T THAT SOMETHING
LIKE THE TOBACCO COMPA
NI ES" HIRED HEALTH EXPERTS
OF LAST CENTURY>
· BRYANT: SO NOW YOU'RE
ACCUSI NG THEM OF BRIBERY>
: NOT AT AW I' M
• CULPEPPER
SIMPLYHAZARDI NG AN
OPINIQNI
TIO N OF BANGKOK'S CHILD PROS TITU
UN SANCTION• AND IF YOU WANT TO
WHAT ABOUT THEIR ASSIST ANCE IN
ACHIEVEMENTSAND GOALS
· CULPEPPER
: WELL. I'LL FRANKLY
GO ON RECORDAS DI SAGREEING
WI TH THE MAN ON THE 5 TREET
AND AGREEING WITH THE
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT Ot~
THI5 PROJECT UTOPIA I S DOING
TOO MUCH. TOO SOON . AND I'M
HONESTLYVERYWORRIED ABOUT
WHAT SORT OF LONG TERM
DAMAGE THEYMIGHT DO IN THE
NAME OF A SHORT TERM FIX
· BRYANT: OH. PLEASE' IF YOU'D
ACTUALLYRESEARCH THE TOPIC.
YOU'DFIND THAT THEY ASKED
THE 10 FOREMOST ECOLOGISTS
I N THE FIELD FOR THEIR
OPINIONS' IF THEY WANTED
YES MEN. THEYWOULDN'T HAVE
GONE TO ALL THAT TROUBLE'
· BRYANT: YOVRE BEING CONTRARY
FOR THE SAKE OF CONTRARINESS•
LOOK AT ALL THE OTHER POSITIVE
WORKS THAT PROJECT UTOPIA HAS
COMPLETED- THE OVERTHROW OF
RADOCANI . THE VIRTUAL ElI MIN A
TION TRADE - AU OF WHICH. I
MIGHT ADD. WERE UNDER COMPLETE
TALK SCIENTIFIC ACHIEVEMENTS
CURING AIDS AND CANCER. THE
HYPERCO MBUSTION ENGI NE. THE
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP
ACTIONS-
· BRYANT: AR[ YOU
SERIOUS' LOOK AT TH[
TfRRAFORMING Of THE
fTHIOPIAN HIGHLANDS' A
VIRTUAL EDEN ON EARTH
BALANCINGWILDLIFE
PRE',ERVE WITH HIGH YIELI,
CROPLAl~DS NEVERMIND
THE FACT THAT AT LEAST
SIX OF TH~ MOST PROM I
NfNT ECOi OGIS TS IM TH!
WORLD HAVEPRAISED THE-
· CVLPEPPER
: WELL WITH THE
AMOUNT OF RESOURCES THEY
HAVE AT THEIR DISPOSAL IT
PROBABLV WOULDN T BE TOO
HARD TO PERSUADE-
· CVLPEPPER: MAYBE YOULI KE
THE IDEA OF THE UN GRANT1N6
VIRTUALLYTOTAL LATITUDE TO
A GROUPWITH AU THE
POTENTI AL MILIT ARY POWER Of
ANY TWO EUROPEAN NATION5
BUT I HAPPEN TO THI NK·
· DONOVAN : GENTLf MEN
PLEASE• IF I MIGHT CHANGE lHE
SUBJECT
 -· ~~ .....
,,, :: =
CT UT OP

Froman OrientationSpeech. ManhattanRashoudFacility

Believeme, I've seen it before, and I can tell whatyou're thinking.You're thinking, What is this 'save the
planet' politicallycorrect garbage'?"You'rethinking "Why the hell,withall the new opportunitiesavailableto
me,wouldl wantto throwin withthisgiantworldwidehippy-dippylove-in?"Well.I'mnot goingto giveyousome
feel-good,lovey-doveysong and dance about sacrificeand altruismfor the greater good. No one - not even
the chirpiestProJectPR rep - 1sthat na·ive.Now,don't get me wrong,Utopiadoes a lot of good for the world
everyday,and I'mdamnproudto be a part of it. But,first andforemost,Utopiaexistsfor novas. Forus - for our
protectionand, yeah, self-interest, albeit enlightenedself-interest. Becauseunderneathall the hype, the cold
hard facts are there are a fewthousandof us andb1ll1ons of them. Andthose terms- UsandThem,Nonna(and
Aberrant- are exactlywhatUtopiais committedto avo1d1ng at allcosts.
Look,humanityhas a long, longhistoryof destroyingthe Other,the different.We don't wantconAictwith
the baselines.They're our friends,our families.Butwhilemyfriendsaren't a threat to me. they mightbe a threat
to you. for example.Mobmentalityand scapegoatsare ancienthumantraditions. WhatUtopia'sdoingis aggres-
sivelydemonstratingwhat we novascan offer, howwe can help.It is and 1tisn't altruism; you mightevencall it
altruisticself-interest.It's lovingyour neighbornowso that yourneighbors,thoseb1ll1ons andb1ll1onsof anxious,
shell-shocked,understandablyworriedpeople,willrealizethat ultimately,we're not so very differentafter all.
Andthats a goalI, for one. can workto support.Yourfuture isyourown.but I hopeyou'llgivesomethought
to stayingwiththe Project. We'vegot a place for any novawhoasks, and the worldcoulduse someonelikeyou.

secrch ,ng for terronst ocriv,ty or newly erupted no

-
It wasn't until Ap.-11hot they found who they wer• look-
........ And""wThO!N1$Pl1t'lcu ,ng for - or rotht.r . h• found lhvn . He orr,ved w,th o
... .,._ Septunbu 15, 1989 crash 01 M1<11111 's Utopia off,ces , dropptng on l1t'lll°""d
PIICIIIIIIIIIII: Jacksonville , Florido CM ,1110the pork,ng lot that wosfound to conto,n a small
......_ Teem Tomon-ow agent legion of Spongie r Posse repeal offt.nders When Ula•
'-" Skew hosuceptionally polenl control over p,o persol\Mlpour•d out to ,rweshgote. They found Thal
mogroet,sm. and he ,s cap<lble of n1011,pula1,ngup to 22 the self -titled 'Skew" wasn't go,ng to toke onyth,ng f
Ions of ferrous metal al o d,stance of 300 meters He them but o JOb applicc1,on. He got ,t - dehvered ,n per-
can geroerole electromogroet,c pulses copoble of shorting son by Coestus Pax.
out even shielded electron,cs ond inon,puloTe mognetic /1.swildly erratic and creative as the skew-metal
fit.Ids to create powerful force sh,,:lds He hos even been mus,c from wh,ch he tokes h,s nc,ne , Andrew,s oft~
noled to exert h,s power wildly ,n o 20-meler rod,us . hailed os Team Tomorrow's "loose ccnncn. • He's os hkcly
erecting o cyclone loaded w,th metal weaporus H,s top 10 wrap c foe up ,n a m,ds,zed sedan as he ,s 10 try sub-
fllghl spud ,s p""5ently unclocked (or poss,bly just un, duing him w,1h o barrage of blunt -edg•d me Toi projt.e•
C1V01lable to the pubilc) , but he 1s certainly capable of t iles (which doubl• as JCCl<etaccessories , no less) . Som•
holding h,s own ona cosual dogf,gh observers wryly note tho! h• hos the dubious honor os
Rumors givt. Skew some ob1l,ty to affect the ,ran leader ,n he ·casual property ~- s1ot1s1,cs . bu!
1n a foe's bloodslreom , allowing h,m lo lainpu w,lh th• nobody con accuse Skew of refus,ng 10 help out w,th
blood flow loo torge!'s brc,n ond induce vert,go or hollu• cleanup oft•rwords .
Enf1n11ted
p_,. L&-.als:
c1no1,ons He ,s also ollt.gedly obi• to ge.nerot• pulsf!S thol
Strength : 4
,n1erfere w,th the electrical ,mpulses ,11o htJman ner-
Intellect : 3
vous $)'Siem. However . he hos yet to publicly demonstrate
Sp«d : b anything req1aring th,s l•v•l of subtl•ty ond control .
Offense : 7 ......,_ Andrew 's eruption wasn't one w,th o
l>d- :7 lot of witnesses . but It urT0111ly coptund th• nat ,on s
Vcnat/11ty : 7
attent,on soon enough. After on electromagnetic pulse
h1tthe greater portion of""'""" n February of '07, caus-
ing widespread blackouts. government ond Utopia per-
sonnel ohke combed the area for months afterword,
 DUTIES AND POWERS

CNN News
report,
4/19/2005
thenews
Daphne Myung; Skopj , Macedonia
• My ung: "Sudd nly and abruptly , b for anyon could blink, it' ov r.
Nhenainment Yar lav Radocani, th dictator v hod clar d him If the pr id nt-for-
lif of ac donia, ha b en remo ed from power by Team Tom rrow
Europ . Th op ration lit rally took th world by urpri e; not mor than
Nherview 15 minutes aft r Seer tary-Gen ral Ghali of th announc d that
Pr j ct Utopia had b n de ignat d to act a a peaceke p r in thi
Nllhenews in tanc , Radocani' p r onal flag had b n t ppl d from th royal
palac .

Nlsluht act d tails of the op ration have y t to be fully dis-

do d, it' apparent that T2M mana ed to infiltrate th city und r co er
f no a pow r . Rad cani and hi black-market technology didn ' t go
Nitrenous down lightly - r p rt f d a tati n to th r yaJ pa lac and it bunk r
b neath e timate that an arthquak would have b n farm r g ntl .
Howev r, T2 ha announced that they have uffered no ca ualtie , and
N!ternet that onl a f w of Rado ani' I yali t w r killed in the fighting .

tunNIgames
From the journal of Dr. Nimal Dharmasena ; March 16 2007
Got to report to Antaeus again today. It gets more unnerving each time . He was very,
very deep in Sector 3; I could have sworn that one of the imported leopards was going to
take my throat out safety transmitter or not. I walked around for a whole hour, sweating like
a pig, until I finally sat down to rest. And sure enough , there he (she?) was , heaving his
body out of the ground , geocarapace and all.
(Is it really a carapace? I'm starting to really wonder . Is it possible that Antaeus ' entire
cell structure has been replaced with soil and plant matter? Is he really disembodied? Gos-
sip is that he somet imes mentions having "transcended " in some way .... )
Anyway , I laid out the months plan of attack to him. He listened to every word , and then
sat there quietly for a few minutes afterward . I was starting to think maybe he wasn't listen-
ing after all until that strange , deep , rich voice came welling out of his ... well, vicinity.
Turns out that there's some sort of privately owned plant starting up in Madagascar ,
and Antaeus has just made it our next concern . I double-checked the OpNet for as much
info as I could scrounge , and couldn 't find a thing about it. But sure enough , there was a
dossier wait ing on my desk by 5:00.
How the hell Antaeus gets this informat ion is beyond me; we get visits from other direc-
tors maybe once every three months , and they don t usually visit the gardens . He makes
me redefine my idea of the word "nova," that's for sure . How is it that he can be so impossi-
bly brilliant in the field of ecoscience , so erudite as "Dr. Balmer," and yet, as "Antaeus ,"
practically autistic when deal ing with people? I swear , I've learned gigabytes of information
since coming to Utopia, but I sometimes feel more confused than ever.

OpNet post, alt.fan.utopia

Subject: Re: LOOK AT THIS !!!!
Date: 9/ 18/07
Sender : SliderFet ish @unca.edu
2Wikkd @im.not.go ing.to .let.them .trace .me .com wrote :
>i can't believe you people ! everyone here is just talks on and on
>about how great project utopia is but none of you see the whole
>picture ! what about all the things they don t let us see or have? my
>brother is a scientist, and he was working on something relly important
>that would have made all our live alot easier but they came in and
>look all his files and now he drinks alot and can't get a raise cause
>he just wasted all his time work ing on something that utopia wont let
>US have! you utopia slaves suck ! by the way this story is TRUE but i'm not
going to say who my brother he works for because they (utopia} might
>find out and he'd get fired or arrested or something .
>YOUall suck !
So? Look , hobgoblin , the UN granted Project Utopia the power of scientific regulation
for a reason . Did you hear about the guy who was working on a virtual OpNet interface that
would be wired right into the user 's pleasure centers? Now, I know that sort of thing sounds
pretty good at first, but do you know how damn addictive that'd be? It'd be like unleashing a
new drug , something worse than spike ! As far as I'm concerned , Project Utopia (something
properly spelled with the "shift" key, loser) has every right to their environmental and scien-
tific regulatory powers . Might as well go to somebody with the staff smart enough to use
them wisely.
Dev
:::::- If you're reading this , Slider, please marry me.- :::::

32
Froma guestleclure at Bowling GreenUniver5ity;
featuredspeakerDamian Lombroso; date10/02/07
...I knowthat whenmost people thinkof ProJectUto-
pia, they immediatelythinkof TeamTomorrow . ButT2M is
onlypart of our organization 's overallstructure. They're the
ones whoget a lot of our workdone, that's true, but I'd like
to focusfirst on the manythousandsof menandwomenwho
workJUStas hard to further the Utopianideals- the un-
sungheroes, if you will.
I know that the administrativewing isn't what most
peopleare interestedin- after all,whenyouhaveCaestus
Paxdestroyingentire chemicalweaponsplantsby his lone-
some,the lot of a bunchof paper-pushersdoesn't seem all
that interesting. But if it werent for Admin,we wouldn'tbe
here today. Adminkeeps our budgets balanced - even
thoughwe get a good amountof fundingfrom our parent
organizationof Aeonand numerousphilanthropicorganiza-
tions,to say nothingof licensingand corporate enterprises,
wearen't as filthyrichas youmightthink. Mostof that money
gets sunk right back into our variousprojects. Adminalso
operatesour Rashoudfacilities(wherewehelpnewlyerupted
novascometo grips withtheir new selves)and coordinates
our mainoffices- consideringthat we'vegot an office in
almostevery USstate, and almostevery countryacross the
globe,that's a lot of coordination!
Oh,andIcan't forgetour overworkedlegaldepartment;
1fit wasn't for their efforts, we'd be so restricted by mis-
guided lawsuits, outmodedstrictures and just plaincross-
boundarylegalconfusionthat wewouldn'tget anythingdone.
The folksin Legalhavedone a lot for promotingcivilrights
of novaand baselinealike,as wellas helpingpass legislation
that takesthe planetwellawayfromthe ecologicalandsoci-
etal stagnancyof the late 20th century. Our diplomaticex-
perts. legaleagles, fund-raisers,plannersand educatorsare
all part of Admin- as youcan see, it's not as boringas you
mightthink. Thmkof workingfor a charilyorganizationand
a nationalgovernmentat the same time - that's what it's
likefor us.
I'msure you'veallheardquite a bit aboutour S&T De-
partmentas well.Unlessyou'reinthe fieldyourself.youmight
notknowthe namesof our top experts - but I'msureyou're
familiarwith their results. Anybodyhere been on a cruise
lately?Right. Did you notice how much better the ocean
looks?IFthe boysand girlsin Sciencecan help it, your chil-
dren won'tbelieveyou whenyou tell them howpollutedand
misusedthe worldwas whenyou were their age. There are
three majordivisionslo the scientificwing- Environmen-
tal,MedicalandHardtech.Eachonehaslabsscatteredaround
the world,and the staff does a lot of field work. We don't
encourageour staff to stay lockedintheir labs,neverseeing
muchof the worldthey're trying to better. And the results
are pretty dynamic.
The TritonFoundationisn't part of our direct chainof
command,but ifs the best exampleof the semi-indepen-
dent projects that we tend to sponsor. Naturallyit's alsoone
of the divisionsthat we're most proudof. Not one person in
the world- especiallyyoucollegestudents- missesAIDS
one bit. Wecan onlywaitandsee whatthe wizardsat Triton
cure next.
Allright, I can see you're about ready for me to start
talkingaboutTeamTomorrow.(laughter)Asyouknow,T2M
has fourmainbranches.eachone withaboutsixto eightnova
personnel,plusa rotatingpoolof Floatingoperatives. Heck,
1m sure you can probablynamethem all.But T2M is a lot
more than just novas. Youdon't see as muchof the pilots,
translators,trainers investigators,support staff and com-
puter wizardswhoare allas muchpart of T2M as our nova
agents- but they're there. Anyone of youcouldbe part of
T2M,if you impressedus.
So as you can see, we're keepingourselvesquite busy
- and we're doing our best to grow even further all the
time. 1hope to see some of you in a few years around the
offices- trust me,we're alwayslookingfor the best.
NowId liketo open up the floor to questions. Who's
first?
 'Stasia ,

So, you've gotten on the wrong side of the Utopians, have you? Shame
on you. You knew they would enjoy nothing better than tweaking our noses,
and to actively put yourself on their list before you're ready to cope with
the consequences - well , darling , it lacks class. I should leave you to
their tender mercies ; Mal would like nothing better than such a test , I'm
certain. But. .. well , I've always had a compassionate streak. So at least I
can tell you where to hide .
There's no getting around the fact that Project Utopia is quite tight with
the United Nations . For Heaven 's sake, now they've managed to buy off
the UN debts of every single member of the Security Council - and now
they're a member , albeit an "advisory " one, of the council itself! This just
makes it even more difficult to get an "in" among the right people . Most UN
member nations just won 't hear it, and the Continent , of course , is right
out.
Of course , this heaping helping of goodwill doesn't extend everywhere .
The United States, bless its jealous little heart , can't stand Utopia's suc-
cess . Of course , the public-opinion polls might not necessarily reflect that
- but just try to push some bit of pro-Utopia legislature through Congress
and watch what happens. It doesn 't seem to bother Utopia much ; note
that their continental headquarters are situated in the much more recep-
tive Mexico City, and nobody seems to be unhappy with that arrangement.
But you weren 't planning a trip into Mexico, were you?
The United Kingdom 's not in love with Utopia, either ; that might be a
secure place for you to lie low for a while , although you might well be
bored to death there . Mumbai might be a better choice , since the Kashmir
intervention left a mildly bitter aftertaste in India's mouth . You can mingle
with the up-and-coming movie stars while you 're there, although for
Heaven 's sake , don't be seen with them!
Ironically enough , Japan seems to be doing its best to create a Project
Utopia of its own - or hadn't you noticed the similarities between Nippontai
and Team Tomorrow? I suppose Utopia really strikes a chord with the Japa-
nese psyche, but it irks them that they 've lost a nova or three to Utopia,
particularly T2M Asia , rather than to their own patriotic interests . So here
they go with their own nationalistic project. What fun. They might ignore
you, since they have no personal problems with you - then again , it might
tickle them to capture one of Utopia's sworn Teragen enemies .
As a last resort , there's China - but frankly, they're not friendly to
anyone . I have a friend or two there , but they 're quite busy with their own
conversion projects and wouldn 't have time to nursemaid a little white girl.
Well, that's about as much as I feel like sharing with you. You really
should 've thought this thing through a little more before starting your little
war with them . I hope this will teach you some subtlety.

Raoul

34
 From "The World's
Opinion " segment
dated 4/11/08
terview
-
I Proj ct Utopia handlin g it pow er r pon ibly?

Nllenainment • Soon Pak, policeman, Seoul: "Th y ar a fine

e ample to all of humanity, nova or otherwi e.
Who el e ha achieved o much?"

Nlthenews
Nlsight
• Terrence Rather , pro ecution lawyer , Chi-
Nitrenous cago: "I uppo it couJd b much wor . It' an
awful lot of power th y've got, but they've done
all right by it - o far."
Nhernet

• Jeanne Gri eault, elementary chool teacher ,

funN!games Pari : "What ort of e ample do they think th y
tting if th y ar willing to r ort to vio-
othing can v r b ttl d by th fi t, no
matter how p werfuJ the fi t."

• Cory Evert, tudent , London: "Utopia'

corkin'! o what if tho e tate ide wanker get
all knott d up v r' m? If I had that pow r, I'd
u it too! er w th p 11!"

• Ketem a lemu , farmer, In wari: 'What kind

of an ,ver could you pect? Ten year ago, I
and my children w r i k, p or and h p 1
ow Teat thr m al a d y and m ni
c nd-placed on hi univer ity' track team.
topia and the Team Tomor row are a ble ing,
and I cann t b Ii that you w uld a k th r-
,,

35
 Excerptfrom
introductory
sequenceto
tertainment N! news
show,Nova
Go d evening, thi i Violet Cameron, and welcom Planet,air
to ova Planet. Tonight, our feature profile are four
of th mo t prornin nt figur of Proj ct Utopia - date 03/20/08
p ople who daily work ha rder than we can imagine
to make our world a bett r place. Whether they
work on Team Tomorrow or behind the cen , on-
site or in the lab , the e four nova are b aeons to a
bright r futur .

Cae tu Pax - the center of 1 am Tomorrow

Centra l, and th heart and oul of the entire Team
Tomorrow proj ct. om ay h ' the most pow rful
nova in e i tence today. But more than that, Cae tu
Pax i the ideal of dedication - he i the voice of
Proj ct Utopia' i ion of hop , p ace and the
betterment of life on Earth. Tonight , we' ll follow
him around to watch a day in the life of Pax.

Jenni fer "Slider " Lander - th

m mb rofT2M who gift ha
live from di a ter or viol nc . To many, h i th
living counterargument to the ull anife to -
th girl who prov that no matter what , nova and
ba line are not o very differ nt aft r all. Our
camera go to the location of her op ration , and
tonight w 'll h ar fr m tho e who might not b
h r today if not for h r int r ntion.

Ana Gra~a Texeira - the Brazilian beauty who '

qually at horn couring th oc an b d, taking
gun awa from terrori t guerrilla or helping in the
con truction of new hou ing f r the homele . We
trac h r car er from h r ruption to th mod rn
day and collect report from around the world on
h r late t activitie .

All toni ht: on Nova Planet.

36
Excerptfroma lecturegivento prospective TeamTom01Tow applicants, 9 /14/06
1'11
skip introductions
. Bythis point, the five of you shouldknowwho I am and whyyou're here. You'll haveplentyof
timeto get to knowone another, too; this trainingprogrammakesfor excellentbondingmaterial.Thinkof it as a kindof boot
camp- if that scaresyou, you shouldn'tevenhavemadeit this far. You're powerful,sure, but are youready to represent
allof Project Utopiawhenthe entire world's lookingat you7
You've alreadyundergonethe Project'straining, so we knowyou're able to controlyourpowers. Hereyou'lllearnhow
to masterthem. Youneed to knoweverythingyou're capableof; raw powercan coverup for a few mistakes,but one's allit
takesto screwyouup for good. You'lllearnhowto applyyourpotential, andyou'lllearnself-defense. After all,you're novas
- youalreadyhaveenemies,whetheryou knowwhothey are or not.
But this isn'tthe Army.You'lllearnmuchmorethan self-defense. You'lllearnfluencym foreignlanguagesif youdidn't
haveany already.That's right, youhaveto leaveyourisolationist,dealsat the doorhere - we're TeamTomorrow,and we
represent the world. Notyour homecountryor state or provinceor countyor village- the world. Lookaroundat your
fellowshere; doesn't seemtoo representativeof anyone country, doesit? Yourcellwon'tseemthat way.either. Wetake the
best, and excellencedoesn't recognizepoliticalboundaries. It's no accidentthat CaestusPax and Sliderserve alongside
Makaraand AnaGra~aTexeira,and themalongsideAndreCorbinandJinshuShan.
W,th that in mmd, you'llalsobe taughtetiquette. And I damnwellrecommendyou pay attentionduringyour tutoring.
Youwillbe taughthow to deal withpublicspeaking, howto act responsiblyaroundcrowds,howto be an idealspecimenof
humanitywheneverthe camerasare on you. A poor publicimagewon't get you anywherein this world.
You're probablyaskingyourselves, "WhyshouldI go to all this troublewhenI can get an easier job elsewhere?" You
alreadyknowthe reasons. Agenerouseight-figuresalary. Unmatchedhealthcare and insurancebenefits. Fameand fortune
- a wholeworld'sacclamation.ifyou thinkyoucanhandleit. Andmostimportantly,youcan go to yourbedsat nightricher,
morepopularand withouta scrap of a guiltyconscience - becauseyou are doingthe rightthingwith us. Andyou cannot
get that to sucha degree anywhereelse.
 From Virtu ,11To ur s
Inc., Pa cka ge # 108
OF COURSE. NO BUGS CAN BITE US
HERE - BUT THEY COULDN T BITE
YOU IN THE FLESH. EITHER
VISITORS ARE SUPPLIED WITH
SPECIAL PHEROMONALLYTREATED
BADGES THAT KEEP THE WORST
PESTS AT BAY
LErs GETS TARTED' FIRST OF ALL
THIS IS THE RECEPTION AREA I
WONDER IF WELL SEE ANYONE
FROM TZM CENTRAL HERE - OOPS
NO LlJCK I GUESS THEYRE ALL TOO
BUSY TO HANG OUT HERE FOR ANY
LENGTH OF TI ME
NOW NOTE THE VARIABLE LEVEL
GYMNASTICS EQUIP MENT ITS A
LOT MORE IMPRESSI VE THAN YOUR
AVERAGESET OF MON KEY BARS.
ISNT IP AND WAIT- WHOS THAT
MAN USING THE HYDRAULIC
WEIGHTLIFTING PRESS? THArs
RIGHT ITS MAKARA' GEE. HE SURE
DOEsN·T LOOK LIKE HE NEEDS THE
EXERCISE. DOES Hf? WHAT A HUNK
OF MUSCLE'
HI' NICE TO SEE YOU1 rM TERRI
AND Ill BE YOUR VIRTUAL
HOSTESS AND TOUR GUIDE I
MUST SAY YOU VE CHOSEN A
VERYPOPULARPACKAGE SEEMS
LIKE EVERYONE WANTS TO SEE
THE INSIDE OF THE FOUR MAIN
TZM CELLS HEADQUARTERS
THESE DAYS WELL WE RE HERE
TO OBLIGE 1 NA TURALLY.SOME
DETAILS HAVE BEEN CHANGED
AFTER ALL. TZM IS HARDLY
WITHOUT ITS ENEMIES
NOTE THE REPLICA CARPETS -
AND YES. THAT RODIN OVER BY
THE BAY WINDOWS IS AN
ORIGINAL YOULL NOTE THE
WONDERFUL LIGHTING EFFECTS
THArs BECAUSE THIS COMPLEX
LIKE MOST MAJOR UTOPIA
BUILDINGS. WAS DESIGNED BY
PIOTR ENRIKSSEN THE NOVA
GENIUS BEHIND MUCH OF PROJECT
UTOPIA·s ARCHITECTURAL
ENGINEERING PROJECTS NO. HE
DOESNT JUST BUILD DAMS 1
NOW WELL BE GOING TO THE
DINING ROOM YOU LL NOTE THE
13TH CENTURY TAPESTRIES -- WE
UNDERSTAND THAT THEY-
BUT FOR THE MOST PART. THIS
TOUR WILL GIVE YOU THE
I MPRESSION OF WHAT ITS LI KE
TO LIVE WITH THE BRAVE
MEMBERS OF TEAM TOMORROW'
THIS TOUR IS PATTERNED.
APPROPRIATELYENOUGH. AFTER
THE HEADQUARTERS OF TZM
CENTRAL. LOCATED IN THE ADDIS
ABABA UTOPIA COMPLEX AND
WHAT A COMPLEX IT IS' ACRES
AND ACRES OF LUSH GARDEN
PARADISE. FILLED WITH ANI MALS
AND PLANTS OF THE MOST
PHENOMENAL BEAUTY
OKAY. NOW LErS GO TO THE GYM I
HOPE YOU WONT BE DISAPPOINTED
- THERES NOT MUCH BY WAY OF
COMBAT TRAINING EQUIP MENT
THERE TEAM TOMORROW CON
DUCTS MUCH OF ITS BArTLEFIELD
READINESS TRAINING ON HIGHLY
SPECIALIZED STAGING AREAS. AND
WERE NOT TOLD A THING ABOUT
THAT BUT THERES STILL PLENTY
TO SEE THERES THE OLYMPIC
SIZED POOL - OOH. IT LOOKS
REFRESHING
 Fromtranscript of HomoSapiensNovus, History Channeldocumentary,originalair dateFebruary3, 2008
So what exactlydoes someonedo once his Mazarin-Rashoudnode manifests, and he findshimselfpossessedof the
powerof a demigod?
SomehavejoinedwithProject Utopia,to pit their astoundingpowersagainsta challengejust as great - changingthe
worldfor the better. Here novasfrom all countriesuse earth-shifting telekinesisto dig canals,or superhumanscientific
prowessto cure diseases. Someof these evenjoin withTeamTomorrow,the elite cadre ready to fightroguenovasor raise
housing,alldependingon the needs of the day.
Others followtheir patriotism, joiningwith governmentagenciessuch as the armed forces or aer~pace programs.
Nowthe humanrace has walkedunaidedon the moon,and the possibilityof colonizingother planets has leapt centuries
towardus. At least one FBInovahas managedto solvebafflingcases on an almostdailybasis,bringingpreviouslyuntouch-
able criminalsto justice.
Somehaveentered the entertainmentindustry,and theycontinueto offer us spectaclesof sightand soundthe likesof
whichwe've neverseen.
Somehaveentered the employmentof powerfulmultinational corporations servingas spokespersons,specialsecurity
consultantsand even advisorsto their employers.
Some have gone freelance,offeringtheir powers to the highestbidder - often in a militarycapacity. These, the
"elites,' havebeen the decidingfactor in border conflictsaroundthe globe.
Sadly,a few havedecided to use their phenomenalpowersfor personalgain or advancement.In fact, if not for the
efforts of Project Utopia and other novas workingfor law-enforcementagencies, it's difficult to say 1fany of these
ubercriminalswouldever havebeen broughtto justice at all. Andloomingbeyondall the independentnovacriminalsis the
terrorist organizationknownas the Teragen.
The spectre of conflicthangsover all these cliquesand organizations . Larger than lifein every way,manynovasfind
themselvesdrawninto conflictwiththeir fellowsuperpoweredbeingsat leastonce in their lifetime.Sometimesthe deciding
factor is egotismrun out of hand; sometimesit is a conflictof interest, whetheran employer's or one's personalissues. But
in a world where the only thing that can reliablystop a nova 1sanother nova these Prometheangiants find themselves
thrownagainsteach other by chanceor design. And the resultsare alwaysdramatic.
Tonightwe'llbe lookingat the role of the novain modemsociety,fromthat fatefulday in 1998until...

thu gracefully shoctd the rrwtjorityof these people

owoy. negot,oted a s,mpl• contract tk New A1ver
_ _, Alejandra Mar,o Magdalv,o Carrot1.zo R,c<><'ds , ond prouedt.d to mo novox history
-·-- febn,ory 5, 198◄
....... Mexico City, Mexico
....... Novoxsinger
,-. AleJOlldros gifted with !ht powu-of ti\•
h<ulad vocalprojection, as wellos some monnuof con-
trol over sonice.nugy Sh• is capableof producingsoundJ;
from 200 dB To subsonic levds. Hu oblhty To control
Offib1enl sound 1sC\rf'tlltly IJIIIMQSu,,ed
, but she con lower
or increase t he volumeof bockgroundnoise 1nhu YICin •
ity, ond oflt.n docs so with prt.cis• control os port of hu
novox concerts She is also copobl• of a form of
sup,:rpowued ventr,loqu,sm, m1m,ck1ng ond praJut1ng
s~c ific voices or sounds anywhere within eorshot
---- AltJondro 1$onolhu of ThedromoT,c
rogs-10-r1chesstories that the M-R node hos mod• pos-
sible. Hu fom,lywas eight nrong . all stuck in a Mexrco
Esti,natcd p.,..,. Lawli:
C,ty ltntl!IU11. As she Tells,t, onlylht1r faith kepi them
StNJ,¢1, : 2
go,ng •••n 1nTh• ,voke of d,sosrus such os the t(ll'1h-
Ifttcllcct : 3 quoke of 2002
Spud : 3
AltJ<llldrowaso mvnbu of her church's cho,r, ond
1 wos !ht.rt. that hu power first monifwtd ,u,Jf, fnl-
ott- :5 ,ng 1he church wrth a songof celutlOl btoufy It didn't
Def_ , ◄ Toke Jongfor the news 10 p,ck up on th,s , and olmost
VUSGtf11ty
:6
instantly her familywasbes1090dwith offt.N of ~ Joy-
ment from music agt11ts. Hollywoodond Bombaymov~
studios. Projut Utop10and re..lll•Jondra ond hu fo-
 ROLE MODELS

I'm waiting on b fore - he hang on every on

of her murmuring- tr am yl-
the patio of labl s a if she were telling him
her phon number, and then he
DuMonde's, nap off to the kitchen like St.
George after hi dragon. Then
ifting through the publicity he turn her attention fully to
photograph her office s nt for me, and If l like Mo having
thi intervi w, and alr ady I brunch with the burning bush.
don't feel up to writing thi You would, too.
article. She' po sibly the mo t
beautiful woman I've een -
Elizab th Taylor and Marilyn
onr , two of the 20th
century' bigge t ex ymbol ,
eem almo t tawdry when
compar d to her. A I hift over
a shot of h r p n ively sitting on
th balcony of her Cancun horn ,
it occur to me that word ju t
don't s m to do her ju tice.

Then he whirl into the room

and ettl at my tabl like a
umm r wind, a zephyr adorned
with a white ilk button-down
blou and flared collar, per-
f ctly flatt ring black Rochellaux
pant , and the midnight hair and
eye of an Aztlan angel - and I
realiz that th picture didn't
do h r ju tice, ither.
• lejandra : (laughs) h , it' no thi n .
Thi i , of cour e, Al jandra -
the nova who ha r defined
Hi panic pop music and i
curr ntly shaking th pillar of
th entire mu ic indu try. Sh
laugh an apology for h r tardi-
ne (as if anyone could hold
anything again ta novox d ity-
diva lik h r lf) and g ntly a k
the waiter what local fruit i in • Al jandra : An d ti ll the offer c me.
ea on right n w. I've never een (smiles) Th an kfully, my famil y i a lway
a Du.Mond ' waiter O attentive th r i rm ; l d n 'c kn w wh c I'd d
40 uox
 with ut them p litely h oing away
me f th e p pie.
• Al jandra : (laughs)It' n t
c.l a au migh think!
[ he become pensivehere, and restSone
exqui itefingeralongh r chin.]
• Al jandra: I think it mi ht b b t
de cri d in lind and deaf, and
U OX
udd nly b c ming exp ed to light
and color and ound all at the am
time. It wa a tidal wave of n w
n ari n, a wa e chat drenched m
from my kin d wn to my keleton. I
hear thing now that nob dy el can,
and my v ic ... (laughs)It i ome-
thing I beli v I have t write a ng
a uc; perhap the experience can b
pr perly c n ey d only
thr ugh n x.
n your unique
n cage, my
• x: Y u make it und a if it ha a
mind fit wn.
41
 • Alejandra : (gentle smile) Religion • Al ejandra : Ye . Th w rd "aber-
i n't omeching chat I rant." What ha originally
matter only when it' in tarted a a term of mi un-
fa or. hri cianity wa der tanding i becoming a
not "in ryle" in the time thing f hate. (stem wne) I
of the Roman Empire. advi e your reader n r,
ever to u e the word
• ox : G od point. Do around me.
you like to chink of
your If a a role model • ox: Oh, of c ur not!
for Cath lici m then? W 'LLmove on. ow, ome
might ay ou'r bucking
• Alejandra: oc really, all the hott t no a er nd .
no. I a pir to liv a go d You ha en't taken a cage
life. My m th r alway nam , and you don't
caught me that pride wa both r with ny ma k -
th fir t and wor t in, o I on t want which, I under rand, wa a tradition
co chink of my elf a a role m el. If originating in Mexico.
other young pe pie lo k at me and ay,
' Al jandra i ing a g od Chri cian
e n though it i n't p pular - mayb
h uld ive it a econd chance," then
wonderful. But I cannot let my elf
b lieve that chi i wha houldb
happ ning.

• o : o I cake i you don't care for

Rev r nd Tul y' accu ati n chat ch
nova opulacion will naturall et
chem Ive up a , w ll, g n earth?

',' •
•• • ••
• •• • •••
•
•
• . . .•
• .
•
• .•
-
••
•
• ..
• •
... •• •
•
•
•

• . .. .
• A1 jandra: (mi chievous
• o : Beautifully put. mile) H wdoy um an?
Ha l chan ed y ur ju t
• I jandra : (laughs) now?
Why, thank you, ir.
• Vox: Truthfull
• Vo : D anything
r ally g t und r y ur kin?

42 U OX
[HContract
Between a nouaandanEmployer]
Contract Between Linda Raphael dba Lotus Infinite and TransEurope Expediting, Inc.
This contract is entered into effect as of 5 October 2007 between the parties hereto , who
agree as follows in consideration of the mutual promises contained herein:
1. PARTIES . This is a contract by and between TransEurope Expediting , Inc. (henceforth
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Atlanta , Georgia 30341; and-Linda Raphael dba Lotus Infinite, with offices at the DeVries
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2. RESPONSIBILITIES OF OPERATIVE . The Operative hereby agrees to locate and
retrieve 13 OpNet-capable computer information server~,, serial numbered XB4365023WQ ,
XB4365023WR X84365023WS , XB4365023WT .11.84365023WU , X84365023WV ,
XB4365023WW , XB4365023WX XB4365023WY , XB4365023WZ , XB4365024WA ,
XB4365024WB , and XB4365024WC , tentatively titled "Operation : Upgrade " (henceforth,' the
MissTioh~ Is")M.IssIon
· · s h a 11b e pe rtorme d accor d'mg to ce rtam
. specI'f'Icat·ions provI'd e db y th e C or-
~oration , and the Mission shall be undertaken for, and in the name of , the Corporation . The
Corporation is the sole owner of cQPyrights exclusive of the Operative 's payment fees ; the
Mission constitutes "work for hire." Ttie Operative is solely responsible for completion of the
Mission .
The Mission shall incur operational expenses of no more than one million (1,000,000)
dollars in excess of the Operative 's payment fees.
The Mission shall commence upon 11 October 2007.
The Mission shall conclude by 18 October 2007.
3. PAYMENTS TO THE OPERATIVE.
a. The Corporation agrees to pay the Operat ive a flat fee of four hundred thirty-seven
thousand (437,000) dollars in two installments , 1O percent of which shall be paid as manage-
ment fee to the De Vries Agency.
(i) The first installment, of 172 total payment, will be paid upon the Corporation 's receipt of
the signed contract. The second installment, of 1/2 total payment , will be paid upon receipt of
the aforementioned servers.
b. A kill fee equal to 10% of the total payment will be paid to the operative should this
contract be terminated by the Corporation .
(i) If the servers or any part of the servers or their required components are delivered to
the Corporation after the specified deadline, a penalty of 2% of project 's total payment will be
imposed for each day that the Mission remains unfinished after the specified date .
c. The Corporation will pay to Operat ive a royalty of four percent (4%) of the net profit per
recovered server sold.
(i) On servers destroyed, given away or sold at or below cost , no royalties shall be paid.
4. RELATIONSHIP . The Operative represents and warrants that , t>etween the Mission
Dates specified by the Corporation , the Mission shall be disavowed and denied by the Corpo-
ration and refresentatives thereof , nor shall the Corporate be under any legal liaoility to avow
this Contrac or the terms herein. The Operative shall not rely on or reveal the nature of
contents of this contract to any individual outside the Corporation or its duly recognized fel-
lows. Should such individuals exist , the Corporation shall provide detailedJ written descrip-
tions of them and shall assume all responsibility for the veracity of those oescriptions , pro-
vided suitable precautions regarding security are taken , in good faith , by the Operative . The
Operative shall under no circumstances discuss the Mission with government or law-enforce-
ment agencies , even if the circumstances of the Mission lead the Operative into conflict with
said agencies .
5 . CIVIL LIMITATIONS . The Operative will endanger no innocent lives , participate in no
unwarranted attack upon individuals not associated with the person or entity responsible for
theft of the Corporation's properfy , and kill no individuals directly associated with the person
or entity responsible for theft of the Corporation 's property. Due to policies upheld by the
Corporation , the Operative shall perform neither the Infinite Wind Technique nor the Infinity
Justifier while carrying out the terms of this contract. Property damages caused by the Opera-
tive are considered to fall under operational expenses outlined in Paragraph 2, and are to be
reimbursed by the Corporation to the extent discussed therein .
6. CONFIDENTIALITY . In consideration of the confidential material and business plans
supplied by the Corporation to assist in the performance of the Mission , the Operative agrees
not to reveal any of said confidential material or business plans to anyone not working lor or
in behalf of the Corporation without the Corporation 's prior written permission .
7. TRADEMARK AND PROPERTY PRODUCTION AND PROTECTION. In consideration
of the fee paid under this contract , the Operative agrees that, upon execution of this contract ,
he will not participate in any Operation : Upgrade-related project except for the Corporation or
its licensees , unless the Operat ive receives direct written permission from the Corporation .
"Participation " shall include subsequent "re-recovery " of the specified servers or their con-
tents , destruction of or security relaxation of the specified servers or their contents, tampering
 with or other consultat ion on matters regarding the spec ified servers or their contents .
"Contents " shall include intangible data or information contained as data on the specified
servers . This shall in no way limit the Operative 's right to write or be interviewed for maga-
zine articles , perform compensated endorsements and the like, subject to Paragraphs 4
and 6.
8. MISCELLANEOUS .
a. Governing Law. This contract , including all matters relating to the va lidity, construc-
tion, p~rformance and enforcement thereof , shall be governed by the laws of fhe State of
Georgia .
b. Severability . The provisions of this agreement are severable , and if any provision
shall be held illegal , invalid or unenforceaole , such holding shall not affect the legality,
validity or enforceability of any other provision . Any such illegal, invalid or unenforceabre
provision shall be deemed stricken herefrom as if it had never been conta ined herein, but
all other provisions shall continue in full force and effect.
c. Final Agreement. This contract contains the entire agreement between the parties
with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any prior agreements between
the parties , written or oral, with respect to such subject matter.
d. Notices and Reports. All notices or demands required or permitted under this agree-
ment shall be in writing and shall be deemed served when deposited in the United Slates
Mail , first class postage prepaid , certified or registered mail, return receipt requested , ad-
dressed as provided in Paragraph 1 of this contract , or to such other address as either
party may from time to time designate in writing. All reports or payments required under
this contract shall be served as aoove , but no certification or registrat ion shall be required .
Corporat ion Operat ive

Date Date

Core is moff famous for the rodiont ye llow-wh,ta

• -- Louis ,nF~tmo11
glow of hos ~ powc:N, which cmonotes f
eyesand mouth h" o,xper,cnces •~
htS
buildup" -
an c:vut oft"" accompony,ng an 099"0YOtcd emot ional
...... Augus 4, 1979
......... NYC
11,-ooklyn. sta t e In othu words , the ongriu he: gets , the more
hos powu builds, Th.ls happv,s110W and ogcu ,n toumo-
........, Tournc1menshootf,9hfer. current
XWFWorld H;.avywe ight Champ ion "1vlts , and whu It does. wat ch out - b«ousc: the: Core:
Meltdown"" ,sn't for bch,nd l
,_., Corepossesses po~rlul plC1Smo-g-t<1 •
t!) Iron powus . which he con monifes l in S4'Y4'1'<!1wa,s . Most
common ,s the proj ect ion of plCISmobolts copoble of
loquify ing solid stee l Howc:w.r, he: ,s also able to mon, -
fest a plC1Smo sh ,c:ld that can stop smoll-orms f ire:, as
well as c~ I hos ocess c:nc:NJY through his own form
to increase his physical m~nglk and durob ility .
......, By his OW11occounts . Louos Frurnon
manifested his powus almost ,m,nediotc:ly ofter the
Galatea oplos,on of 1998. Nobody could approach the:
whirling moss of plasma tho! surrounded him - unti l the
effects died down two hours later Louis fled at that
Ertimat&dp_,. Lawis; t,me , eYOdrngpolice:and Noltonol Guard oltkc: to f ond his
S~ : 1, waf undU9found.
Iilt ellcc-t: 3 H" rc:surfoco,d n J'apan IWo y1UJN latu, ere:
Spud : b the: f irst noYO•lc:vc:I shoot fight compet it ions hod begun
Offense : H<Mnglearned to control his Innat e obl!,t ies . as well CIS
Defense : 7 ku p,ng his QJrc:odypot u t t,ghting prowess up t o dote ,
Vcrsotlllty: he rapidly mode a ncune for himself in t he Independent
fighting circu its Whu the XWF first forrMd n 2004,
Fruman - '1ClWundu a newncune- bu one of its
f rrst ~cru ,ts .

44
Excerpt: CarsonWhitland's orientation interview, HolisticsResearch, Incorporated, 08/17/OS

· Meade:Formalitiesaside, Carson,it's wonderfulto haveyouaboard. We're allvery excitedaboutthe potentialyou're

bringingto Holistics.

· Whitland: Thanksvery much, Ms. Meade. I'm lookingforwardto it.

· Meade
: Oh please - callme Sara.

· Whitland: Um. Sure thing,Sara.

· Meade: Great!Now, let's get started. We're certainlypleasedthat you'veaccepted our offer of employment
; I can't
stress enoughhowhappywe are to haveyou aboard.

· Whitland: Well,to be honest, I haveheard the stories about nova-runcorporations and it did soundpretty tempting
- but I'd rather go ahead and workon research full-time. 1don't havemuchof a head for business,and my... um, powers
seem to lend themselvesbetter towardresearch and analysisthan playingthe stock market.

· Meade:Well,we're certainlygladto hear that. Andas I've mentionedbefore, we're morethan willingto make,t worth
your whileto stay on withus.

· Whitland
: (laughs)It's sure hard to say no to a seven-figurestartup salary!

· Meade: Morethan that, Carson. Yourhyper-enhancedsenses are a very valuableasset to us, to say nothingof your
abilityto handledangerouschemicalswithoutharm. We'veput togetherone very attractivepackageof benefits for you -
fullmedicaland dentalwiththe RostremClinic-

. Whitland:Really!Ahem- sorry.

· Meade : Quiteall right. Anyway,there's also a multtmillion-dollar

life insurancepolicy,expense account,company
transport, provisionsfor retirement,shares in the companystock - I don't thinkyou'll be able to find a better offer out
there.

· Whitland: Well,uh, probablynot. Butreally,I d alreadybeen kind of keepingtrack of the variousresearch institutes
while1was in college, and this seemedlikea great place to comeand work. Doingwhat I want to do, I mean. Youknow.

· Meade
: (laughs)You've got the job, Carson!There's no need to butter us up - you can save that for your first
performancereview!

· Whitland
:(sheepishlaughter)Yeah, I guessyou're right.
· Meade
: Well,if you IIjust signhere, then, 111give you the fulltour of the facilities and start makingintroductions.All
right?

· Whitland
: Soundsgreat, so longas we stop somewhereand grab somelunchsoon. Nova-sizedappetite, you know....

· Meade: (laughter)

.45
 •
•• •

.. •
•
• •
.
.. •• .
thenews ..•• • . •
•
I

.. .
• • • •
Excerpt from • •
• • • •
General Tobias • ••
N!tenainment •• •

Nherview
Gahagan's press
conference,
. .
.
• ..
•
August 10th, 2000
Nlthenews
•• • .. •
• ...
.
•
• : .
•
•

.. ...•
•· •
..
Nlsiuht • • :• •
Nitrenous
... •..
• •
• •
•
•• : ••
Nlternet
••
• •
:
tunNIgames
. •• • •
.
. .
• •
•
...
• • • • .• • • • •
... • I

• • • •
. • .
•
..
•
•
• : . •
•
•
• •• • : •
•
• . •
•
• • •. .
re p ct ....
• .
..
•
• • •
 Scriptexcerpt from docu-
mentary program"Cutting
Edge" episode #53
ht (unaired)

The "elite ." ova mercenarie . Superpowered oldier for hire.

By all account , it' a glamorou job. A tandard contract can pay an elite
Nltenainment over 10 million a year - and that' for a relatively raw and unproven
nova. Veteran can demand much, much more. They are among the mo t
notoriou and re p cted men and women in the world - and yet, they
Nhervlew are al o tied into a world of blood and death, where "minor'' war such
a th 2007 Tran -Tanzanian Conflict are fought entirely by elite proxie .
NI thenews Tonight we delve into the deadly world of the elite , where international
boundarie mean little ne t to nova-level power, tarni hed glamour and,
of cour , the univ r al law of curr ncy. W look at the practices of the
ma k-wearing, code-nam d ag nt for hir and ven travel on a mi sion
with one. All tonight, on the Cutting Edge.
Nhrenous
[Op ning credit roll]

Nlternet When di cu ing the elite , the mo t obviou place to begin i with the
ma k. Wh r o many oth r nova ar proud to I t th world look on
th ir f ature , th elite ha e evolved a ub ociety in which th ma k, the
per ona, is more important than th p r on b neath. C rtainly, ome of
thi tern from the de ire to keep one' identity concealed, particularly
tunNIgames wh n job take on far from home - or too do to home.

But a ma k i hardly anonymity. It' a per ona, a character larger than

!if . Tak , for instance, the golden kull ma k ofT6tentanz. It' a ymb

47
!keep reading .,
 that has come to represent professionalism and
surgical precision - not mercy. When his mask You own the
comes into view, his opponents, whoever they
may be, give little thought to the man under- attitude - now
neath the mask. Instead, it's Totentanz they fear, own the T-shirt!
a modern-day incarnation of death. The mask is The meanest ,
pure intimidation, pure publicity, without giving roughest , hardest
away anything of the man beneath. SOB of an elite
ever to draw
In such a society, it's no wonder that unmasking breath - the
is a ritual of its own. When two elites develop
Stone Badass ,
such a grudge that they're driven to duel with
one another, the stakes are rarely to the death. Lance Stryker!
N!tenainment However, sometimes one's whole persona is on
the line, as the winner takes the loser's mask as
a trophy. In many ways, this is very much like
N!terview the myth of the Old West, where gunfighters
would challenge one another to see whose
legend would emerge paramount. The winner of
N!thenews such a duel gains boasting rights, which can
lead to more lucrative contracts - after all, he's
just proven himself a better fighter than at least
one rival. But the loser can never really put on
his mask again. The image has been shattered.
Nitrenous The immortal is now a little more mortal.

And yet, the power of a nova is such that even

N!temet an unmasked eHte can command great respect.
One need look no farther for an example than
the self-proclaimed "Stone Badass," Lance
Stryker. When unmasked by rival eHte Borealis
in the spring of 2007, he rallied back with such
tunN!games drive and charisma that his name is now a
household word. His licensing arrangements are
as profitable as even those of Caestus Pax and
Andre Corbin - not bad for a mercenary.

[Add footage of interview with Lance Stryker,

prior to resolution of 5/06/07 Corpus Christi
incident)

Stryker: "Yeah, I've heard your fancy-ass press

releases about how you think your sorry asses
are so superior to normal people and how you
think you can lick just about any man on the
face of this planet. You bitch and you moan and
then you don't get anything done unless you
count hiding behind a bunch of women and
children. You wanna sit there on top of your
"moral superiority''? Well, you're about to get
Lance Stryker's boot so far up your ass that your
moral superiority's gonna be fired on out your
nose, and that's a damn fact!"

[END SCR IPT EXCERPT]

H
- 48
[BEGID
HUDIO
CLIP;
RECORDED
ffiESSHGE]
Good evening , Dr. Moran . I hope this message reaches you in good
health.
My name is Elaine Katzenbaum , and I'll be your contact with the
DeVries Agency. First of all, I'd like to thank you for your interest in our
operation. We've worked very hard to attain our reputation as the fore-
most contracting agency for freelance novas, and we hope that we can
prove to you that our reputation is justified .
Regulations forbid us from attaching an extended file of our nova
operatives , so you'll pardon me for the omission. I'd like to arrange a
meeting with you at your earliest convenience ; there we can discuss the
nature of employment and the available agents that would be best suited
for your purposes. Rest assured that should you require a task that runs
a high risk of nova-level conflict , we have agents that are fully capable of
meeting that challenge. Naturally, our elite agents such as Pursuer are
available as well, should you require a very visible presence. Our re-
sources are such that we feel confident we'll have someone available to
suit your needs, no matter the place, time or job description .
We've already completed our credit check , so don't let that be a worry.
We can discuss exact terms when we meet face-to-face . Again, I look
forward to it, and thank you once more for coming to us. Rest assured
that your task is as good as completed .
 They change the
world.
They move moun-
ta ins.

thenews They define fash-

ion, music, enter-
tainm ent.
They ' re the hottest
thing on the planet .
... And in Kyoto today, th highly
nthu ia tic r ception for th vaca- They're novas. And
tioning Pur u r f ll a little flat with we've got them -
Nhenainment the arrival of Caestu Pa . Pur u r 24 hou s a day, 7
wa disembarking from hi privat j t days a we ek.
and acknowl dging the er wd when N!
Nltervlew Pax dropp d out of th kie , landing
well dear of Pur uer' entourage but Walk among the
certainly do e enough for conver a- gods.
Nlthanaws tion . Seemingly, no cl ar word w r
(Call your di1h network to
e changed, but a taredown of ort
1ub1eribe todayl )
N!sight emerged, on that th crowd ncour-
aged with cheer for both ide . It
nd d inconclu ively when Pa
Nitrenous point dly turned hi back on Pur uer
and lifted off into th ki again.
Although
Nhernet Proj ct topia
has made no
official com-

tunN!uames
certainly a
tat ment of
di approval
regarding
Pur uer' part
in th lat t
Argentinian
op ration . It
certainly
wouldn't be
th fir t time
that th

two force cla h, even non vi l ntly, who benefit ? Well,

the lie n e , for one . Toy ale how an average 10% incr as for Utopia
and DeVrie licen ed pr duct ju t aft r any thr at of ho tHitie b twe n
th two . Apparently if the nation' youth can't th Highwayman and
Skew duke it out on national TV, they'll have to ettl for taging th ir
own battle on the playground or in th arcade .
50
 Recommended highlight thi
week on !:
• und ay, pm: The broadca I premiere o
Y, him Kumito' controversial film Hand
of Cod, tarring ichelle Ca par and Tora

TV Religi n arid quantum powe are

pl red in thi powerful vi ion of what it

-
mean to ha\'e th power to change the
world. 1ew r di retion i advised.
• Tue day, 9 pm: 811rkmgtireOdd , the
documentary co ering the WF from it
From an N! Broad- inc ption to today. what it's like to
w rk behind the en at th· multimil-
cast of Two Minutes lion-dollar organization, and find out ju t
Hate on January 21, h wit manag to keep on delivering t p-
notch battles every week.
2008 • Wedne day, 10 pm: Th hi hly contro-
The following televi ion program doe versial interview with Mefistofaleez mak
not repre ent the opinion of ! or it this w k' edition of Constellnt1on a
mployee . Two Minutes Hate i int nded tandout. Parental filte are trongl
nc uraged.
a a public forum, wh reby nova of all
• Frida , 2 pm: Kirsten Dun t return. to
creed and ori ntations may make their Storm~at S,mset a iol t rise,; from th
view known. It also erves a an dead in the landmark 200th pisode. Will
ab tract inde of nova popularity, a an thin ever be the ,;ame in Storm Bay?
interpreted from independent poll
conducted by the ! twork.
, SWNrlolieiiiiine nwagar«~ ..... cl
.. ...,rJ-.Ewr-,-..1,-,1w1
m111rycn1 ..
claapcircnl_.....ilrtllf._,OilchnwlcltWM11I
gcmat'-cnlmalhmwllalalwlalunilM-1111.:·
lwllCllonlybaracnlmfltonlyWood.lhM.__.
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..... ...
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alaytWrwhllcnlCIIIIIUIIMrc:hldi-.lWllnfalcl
~

62
 Letter to the Editors
As I had no doubts, Issue 37 sparkled and
hone, particularly Will Fraser's fa cinat-
ing look at the decline of the two-party
system in American politics. ot that it's
any of our busine what the presidents
choose to do, but they must accept
responsibility for those actions should
they come to a public light.
Three years ago, Congress brought up a
legislative proposal that would have
created a greater role for the government
in media, entertainment and cultural
development. Proponents of the bill,
citing too much emphasis on novas in the
media, on the big screen and in other
entertainment venues, claimed society
sought unattainable role models. Tho e
opposing the bill upheld the independent
studios' rights to make whatever their
audiences wanted to see, culminating in
then-presidential candidate Earvin
Waterman remark, "as long as it keeps
[novas] out of politics." Well, I've got
news for you, Mr. Waterman. From what
the public see of novas, we know their
plans and agendas. They don't hide
behind petty smokescreens and spin-
doctoring campaigns funded by taxpayer
money. Perhap if this country took a
politicalcuefrom its novas, we wouldn't
have suffered the collapse of our political
engine in the first place.
Anthony Freeman,
Tulsa, OK
Anthony s plea for honesty in
politics couldn't come at a
better time - to refute his
point. See Mim Udovitch' s
shocking expose of RusCon' s
Sierka administration, page 125,
for more insight into the nova-
political arena. - Ed.

52 zmE
 tenainment
Sports Entertainment
.• •• •• • • .. ... ·:-t- -

• .
• : • -
Nlterview . .. -
• I
•••• •
NI thenews ti•
• • .. •
• . • • • •
Nlsioht
• .. •
.. - ..
I I
•
•
••

Nitrenous
•
••
• ••
•
I -
• •
. .. •
. I

- • ... •
..
N!ternet
•
., • • • •

tunNIgames

Of cour , ther i one arena where no a can te t their talent again t

th rand rake in a fortune in m rchandi ing, pay-p r-vi w pr -
c d and ndor m nt deal ....

53

· .JERRY"JOJO'"DYLAN: FOLKS. I
KNOW rvE SAID THIS BEFORE. BUT
WE REALLYCOULDBE LOOKING AT
THE GREATEST MATCHIN THE
HISTORY OF OUR SPORT1CORE HAS
BEEN RIDING HIGH ON TOP OF THE
HEAVYWEIGHTDIVISION FOR TWO
MONTHS NOW - AND ITS ONLY
NATURALTHAT THESE TWO WOULD
NOW COLLIDE•
· DUSTIN MCSHANE: ROB
·suPERBEASr STEELE•THE ONE
NOVA WHO'S NOT ONLYMAN
ENOUGHTO TAKECORE DOWN. BUT
WHO VERYWELLMIGHT LAND THE
INVINCIBLE ONE IN INTENSIVE
CAREi
• ANNOUNCER : LADIES AND
GENTLEMEN. THE FOUOWING
CONTEST IS STIPULATED AS NO
0
TI ME LIMIT ." AND IT WIU PROCEED
UNTIL ONE OF THE COMBATANTS IS
NO LONGERABLE TO CONTINUE. IT
IS FOR THE XWF HEAVYWEIGHT
TITLEI INTRODUCING FIRST -
HAILING FROM DETROIT. MICHIGAN
AND WEIGHING IN AT 613 POUNDS
- THE CHALLENGER• HE IS THE
NOVA WITH NO HEART- THE LORD
OF THE DEAD- THE
CORPSEGIHNDER•HE IS ROB STEELE
- SUUUPERRRBEEEEAST1
· MCSHANE: THESE TWO GUYS ARE
GONNA BEAT THE CRAPOUT OF EACH
OTHER WITH PUNCHES THAT COULD
STOP TANKSII CAN HARDLYWAIT1
• DYLAN: PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT THE VARIABLE·
ENVIRONMENT ARENATHAT WE HAVE
SET UP HERE TONIGHT1SUPERBEAST
Excas AT VARIABLE-LEVELPLAT-
FORMS AND A VARIETYOF SURFACES
- AS HIS MATCHLAST MONTH WITH
MAXXMAULERPROVED. ALTHOUGH THE
EXPIREDTI ME LIMIT MADE THE
MATCH'S RESULT INCONCLUSIVE-
. MCSHANE: MAULERWAS SAVEDBY
THE BELL'IF THAT MATCHHAD GONE
ANY FARTHER. MAULERWOULDBE
DOWN DEEPERTHAN OUR BOTTOM•
LESS PIT~I
· DYLAN: GOOD GOD. WHAT A
MONSTER•
· MCSHANE: LOOKAT HIM LICKING
HIS CHOPS• HE CAN'T WAIT TO SINK
HIS TEETH INTO CORfl
· DYLAN: THERE'S THE BEU - AND
THERETHEYGOI
· MCSHANE: OH YEAH. BABYI
..
·~,i
.
-
.,,,,,.,.
(·
r.
~=.:,.---ti
.
. DYLAN: I DON' T KNOW IF I"D GO
THAT FAR. DUSTIN AND IT LOOKS
LIKE OUR ANNOUNCERIS READYTO
BRING THE CHALLENGERTO THE
RING'
· ANNOUNCER : AND NOW - FROM
BROOKLYN . NEW YORKCITY -
WEIGHING IN AT 280 POUNDS - HE
IS THE REIGNING CHAMPIONOF THE
SPORT AND THE MASTER OF THE
CORE Ma TDOwN~ . LADIES AND
GENTLEMEN. YOURXI WI fl HEAVY-
WEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE
WOOOOORRRLD- DUKfl CORE•
BAROOOONNN1
• DYLAN: THE CHAMPION• LOOKAT
THAT PLASMA ROLLOFF HIMI
· DYLAN: DEARGOD• LOOKAT THAT1
CORE HAS BLASTED SUPERBEAST
STRAIGHT UP THROUGHTHREE
CONCRETEPLATFORMS• NOBODYCAN
WALKAWAY FROM THAT1
From the Boole ol Kolpa

Foreword:
' Responseto the comingof the novasand their role in the modemworldhas been so strong that, as of this printing of
the Bookof Ka/pa,membershipin the Churchof the ImmanentEscheatonhas eclipsedthat of manyChnstian denom1nat1ons .
Since our inceptionin 1998, we haveconverteda vast cross-sectionof the Westernworldto our point of view, glorybe to
the One, throughthe mystenes with whichHe has aided our crusade."
- ChrystianKalpa

Chapter Three: On Holy Living: Chapter Six: Meditations:

"The thetans, whichmaysuffer plagueor spiritualde- "Yetthefi.ndcrnentsbehindtherevelatory Ouch ofthelm-
cay, maybest be kept at peak health througha regimented nment Esche.atonare logical
outg-owths of establishedfaith. We
diet. As the Apostlesthemselvesate bread and drank wine do not forma rut,nor are we heretics.Observanceof the Imma-
with the novaChristat the Last Supper,so shouldthe pure nentEsche.aton , a WiJf of life. Godis hereamongus.
is a philosophy
seek to emulatethem, succumbingneither to gluttonynor just as Hewasamongthe Cathol1CS of the Middle Agesandthe
the lusts of indulgence. Blandfoods do not excite the body Protestantscuing the Reformation , andjust as Heisst,n among
unduly,and so shouldtheysupport the mindwiththeir foun- them.God- theOne- lowsallHisch,kren.''
dation of simplicity."

Chapter Four: Ascension to Chapter Seven: A Chorus of

Immanence: Voices:
"WemayallbecomeImmanent, awa<en 1ngthe bloodof the "Andso numberedamongthose practicing the Imma-
novawithinallof us. A properdiet.and observanceof the 30 nent Escheatonwere GautamaBuddha; Jesus Christ; Martin
Escheatic Commardnents. pavestheWiff. Listento thehig,ersou LutherKing,Jr.· the ComteSt. Germain;Louis XIVof France;
dring thedadymeditations,forony bydenying thelowersou mayand MadameBlavatsky.Andso numberedamongthoseprac-
onerevealthepathtowardlrrmanence . ticingthe ImmanentEscheatonare those whoare born into
"Andthosewhohaveearnedtheirlri!nsceooenc:e shallbear the world, for in the purity of birth lies the introductionto
theWuiown's Eye, thoaj, itshallbe invistbleto allbutotherswho Immanenceand the faith that one basks forever in the love
sh.nit.Whetherthisisknownby its~n.:me - theMam-in- of our lord God."
Rashoudnode- or byits spiritualsig,ificance as themarkofthe
, thoselnmanentswhohavebecomeso blessedshall
deity's favor
knowtheWiJf to Heaven "

56
 From CNN
Worldspan At-
a-Glance,

thenews2007 November 16,

All eye in Japan have turned

upward to view the grandeur of
Bodhisattva Ma ato, the nova From Fu// Nova
leader of the country's na cent Extra , on NI
Nhenalnment Kami ama Buddhi t movement.
"Hell, I should go over to
According to Kami ama Buddhi t Japan. They worshipnovas

........
Nherview b li f, nova are r incarnated over there. It's part of that
'bodhi attvas' and 'asura ,' divine Buddhist thing."
being placed on Earth as avatar
to I ad th r t of the world toward - Starchylde
enlightenment.

Nlsight Such bell are not uncommon

elsewhere in the world, and this phenomenon parallelsin th W t m
doctrine of th Church of the Immanent Escheatonand veral smaller,I
Nnrenous recognized but no I d vout faiths in any number of countri .

The trend has taken a disturbing twn in Japaneseculture,however,as the nation's

N!ternet youth, obses.sedwith th nova as a popular cultural icon,fonn cults of personality
centeredon certain members of Japan' nova population. In a societyso inun-
dated with a constant flow of media asJapan, th 'n w m iahs' com and go
as quicklyas one can change the channel.For the devoted, however,the nova
becom a way of lifeasw 11asa conduit to the heavens.
tunNIgames
ven youths were fowid in an Osaka school yesterday,naked and cold-bodied,
their bloodstreams robbed of oxygen by fatal quantiti of adrenocilin,a drug
used by fledglingnovas to control their quantum powers. Lessthan an hour
after the tudents' bodies were found, 14-year'"()ldToshiroShigematsu turned
himselfin to Osaka authoriti . A documented nova for three months,
Shigematsu claimed to have persuaded the other children to take his prescrip-
tion adrenocilin, telling them it would make them novas. When questioned a to
his motive for telling the children this,Shigematsu tated that he was a demon
sent back from Hell to reap the souls of th innocent.

BodhisattvaMasatohas issued a public censure of the event, but when pressed

by Japanese media representatives,he claimed that, quote, 'with good must
come vii, and th asura wickedly follow th paths th bodhisattvas tread.'
Other members of the I<amisama Buddhist camp have expressed displeasure at
th circumstan surrounding th Osaka child-suicide.

Osakaauthorities,with corroborationfrom other Japaneselaw-enforcement

agencies,claim that incidentslikethis are not isolated,however.In fact,though the
island nation claimsas much as a nin percentpopulationof Kamisama Buddhists,
severalknown groups draw constantpolicescrutiny,as officialsgrow ever wary of
terroristacts performedWlderthe auspicesof religiousfervor.

Until further events develop, I'm Lotta Voorhies, C etherlands

corresponde nt in Japan.
57 !keep reading_,
 Church of
From the Associated Michael
Archangel
Press
Take Your Planet
Back!

N!tenainment

Nlterview

Nlthenews
As a HUMAN you
are a CHILDOF
N!slgbt GOD, and you are
DESTINEDto
INHERITHis
Nitrenous garden and
everything in it.
Stay true to
Nlternet GOD'S ONE WAY
and your SALVA-
TION is ASSURED.

But SATAN has

sent his DEMONS
lunN!uames to plague this
earth and to tempt
the righteous with
their TERRIBLE
POWERS. Walk
not with the
aberrant NOVAS,
for in the path
own?"
follows the DEVIL
and his EVIL
CURSE.

This is the final

dawn, the AGE of
APOCALYPSE,and
the ANTICHRIST
has delivered his
MINIONS every•
where across the
world.

Take your planet

back - reveal
these aberrants
for what they are:
TOOLS of DAMNA-
TION!
58
 Welcome to the k Dnr~ "lt"r
d :,,, l:i.
avatars Beltaine. Belial and Grimskull.
.a ' . - the onhne home of Astaroth and his -I
Member Name :

Password:

Insbowlonchrsun.Jndn mJsJllowrd10 srorrllprop

·•ithr forchJngrlpoured Ir mnhfirr. rhrumrrrsrorchrd
burhr
firm hear.burchmrurscdrhcnJmc ofl,od. mho hadaurhonru
ourrtheseplagues , andrhcudidnorrepent andg1urhim
gloru."
- l' roclanon 10:,
Astaroth has spoken, and his word takes precedence of those of
the feeble Christian armies lined up for the slaughter. In the name
of our lord Astaroth, the world shall be consumed in a firey cloud,
burning those who welcome the Word of God or the Immanent. And lo,
the world shall end on the Candelmas of 2017, for that is the nwnber
of the great Harbinger Belial.

• Thanks to everyone for the donations for Brother Elias's court

appeal legal fees. Send money to Brotther Elias (Stanley Welty),
#68291-013, MCFP Springfield, PMB 4000, Springfield, MO 65808-4000.
DO NOT TALK ABOUTTHE CASE OR THE INFANTS. That will just get your
letter torn up . You can also email brother Elias at Error! Reference
source not found.
• The Burning Man Astaroth Reunion drew over 100 (!) Astaroth
servants. Click ~ t.. to see some of the pictures and read the
Convocation Litany as spoken by the Astaroth himself!
• Legal procedures have been finished! The Dark Altar, under the
name Church of Astaroth, is now a legally-recognised, tax exempt
Church!

Astaroth, Beltalne. Behal and Gnmskul ere not 8s$0Ciate<I

wllh Uiople. TaregenOf any olher panl$8n novas society

reignof
euiI.com
2008 CULTUREAND TRADITIONS

From "Masks and Mar-

vels" in Nova Nouveau
Magazine, April 2007
ht Novas, often perceived as "superheroes"
among the less educated ranks of our
society, seem to have adopted a few of the comic-book tradi-
tions of their fictionalized predecessors. A Mexican innovation formerly
sported only by elites, the mask has become fashionable among other
novas recently, and may be well on its way towa rd becoming the hot
N!tenainment accessory for novas and wannabes alike. NovaNouveaulooked into this
burgeoning trend, hoping to gain a bit of insight into the trend. What we
found was ... interestingto say the least.
N!tervtew
N!thenews • Shann en "Shard "
Borlan d: Um, I
thought all novas
were supposed to.
You know, part of
Nitrenous the tradition and all
that.

Nnemet
• Mefistofale ez: So
when I beat your
. :..- .:::----- -_- ~ ~- -
punk white ass, you
can't serve me with
tunNluames a summons. [Ed.
Note:In thecaseof
Hoganv.
Mefistofaleez(Dec.
2007),the Supreme
Court upheld11011-
novas'rightsto bring
chargesagainsttheperso11as of known novas,
regardlessof whetheror 11otthosenovaswere
operatingin a publicor privatecapacity.]
• Jonas "Kikjak "
Kin caid : A mask
commands respect.
You know you're
dealing with a nova
when you see the
mask - when I yell
at an ogling crowd
to get the hell out of
the way, they all
know that I'm about
to throw something big over there.

60
!keep reading.,
- HOME .
• Nha "Lady Ion " Nguyen: It lets me adopt a
different personality. I've actually got two nova
personas, one of which has a contract with
Nllenainment ViaSoft and the other with IBM. Of course, they
were smart enough to put noncompetition
clauses in those contracts, so I just made up
Nttervlew another "character" to get around that little
obstacle. And my lawyer says it's airtight.
NIthenews

Nitrenous
Nlternet
• Sean "Sw itch " Connell: It looks cool, and it
hides the fact that my eyebrows grow together.
I keep a secret, private identity aside from my
public, nova identity, so I don't have to deal
tunNIgames with all the public-servant bullshit when I'm
not "on."

• Lance "Stone Badass" Stryker:Masks are for

cowards. I don't do nothin' I'm afraid to own up
to, and tha t's a damn fact!

61
 fromTheLondoner
Hbroad
UolumeII, Issue
9 (September
2007)
Novas-On ly Club Draws Fire From Loca l Scenesters: When entrepreneusse Travius
Diaz designed her latest night-spot for the beautiful people , she had a specific group of
beautiful people in mind : novas. A strict novas-only policy at the glamourous Amp Room
(with one exception made for hostess Diaz herself) ensures that only the superpowerful get
in, and the mundane remain without.
"This isn't bigotry,' Diaz claims , despite no intimation of the journalist to that effect.
"Novas prefer each other 's company . That's what led me to my decision for the novas-only
club. Recent research into the sociology of novas indicates that their biochemistries cause
sympathetic reactions in other novas. They may fight and feud on NI, but on a basic nova
level, they really do share a vibe ."
Diaz' theory seems to have more than a grain of truth to it, if her cover charges and
refreshment prices are any indicator. The price to pass from the street to the door is £60 and
the price of a signature "Amp Well" (a drink consisting of fruit juices , coca extract and dubi-
ous other ingredients , rumoured to include adrenaline from human glands and ketamine
dosages fatal to baselines) . On a special night , the club sees as many as 300 nova guests
and mixes as many as 2,000 Amp Wells.
Local nightlife veterans are outraged , however. Ranging from the usual cries of preju-
dice to the more rare legal actions (which Diaz has already employed a full-time solicitor to
handle) , local patrons want access.
"It's ridiculous not to let us in. Parties make Ibiza what it is, and the professional partiers
should be allowed to enter." So says Nero Krauss , a German transient who washed up on
lbiza's beach with 10 quid in his pocket and half an eight-ball of cocaine in his brain. As part
of lbiza 's insolvent population of starstruck , unemployed clubgoers-by-trade, Nero's state-
ment echoes through the ranks of the youth .
Diaz has no sympathy . "These Eurotrash drifters, they want to get in, but all they do is
upset the clientele. I vacationed in Ibiza 12 years ago, and all the clubgoers snubbed the
visiting middle-class continental men , calling them 'lager louts.' Now that the same thing's
happening to them , they 're up in arms about it."
Don't expect anything to change , either. Among the jet-setting novas who attend the
Amp Room - many of whom travel to Ibiza for one or two nights solely to visit the club -
are noted Indian movie producer Oeepak Palit, American elite Sarge In-Charge , radical
Teragen aristocrat Raoul Orzaiz and even high-society celebs like Amanda Wu. According
to all of these and more, novas enjoy the policy. ''We're very public figures , and this gives us
a place to be private ," says supermodel Lydia Divine . (Needless to say, the Amp Room
bears a constant wreath of paparazzi.)
"I've got 100-plus enormously famous and fabulous personalities to deal with nightly, all
of whom require individual attention ," claims Diaz. "My policy is no more restrictive than -
and just as appropriate to my patrons as - a dress code ."
62
 From Flare's
"Normal
Lives"
column by
Dr. Duke
Rollo
in cant.
And then my ph n rang.
o d ubt thinking he wa intercepting the
cruele t of phone all , p rhap b cw n
d al rand cli nt, th P lice Hun gra b d
th ph ne from my belt and an wered it
with a n er. Exp cting him to offer me a
wicked mile and begin d hing my ~rairu;
ur with hi ti k, I niffl d fc bly. In tead,
um h wever, he coughed out a few word ·,
turned white, looked ar und with an ir of
panic, and pl ced ch phon in my jacket
ket. He then undid my manacle and
helped me to my feet.
With my freed m r cum d, I grabbed my
ph ne and rai ed the god .
"Who i chi ?" I mu d.
f "It' L cer, y u ~ I, now get uc of there
and o to the airport. Flarewant a ,•1dco•
Op et d umentary n 'th world after
che n va came' or omeching." Ble him;
iegfried Le ter, my agenr, had pulled m ·
far from the fir .
"Y, u t Id them that and they let me go?"
" o, I told them you wer a Utopia agent
20/20, and ch r und rd p cover and that a fi Id t am wa
read wid and urveying them. ow et to the airport!"
l only hope chat in the future, when I ring
up a fri nd and m for ign hruce an wer
he phone, I have the pre ence of mind to
noc only peak rhe language but come up
with an impo I ly implau ibl yet c mpel-

ZIRE 63
 ling tory with which co ave my
acquaintance's life.
Anyway, without further ado, l headed co
the airport, catching the next plane co
Am terdam and billing it to my revolving
expen e account maintained by N !
•••
I topped at the hotel in Am terdam ju t
long enough to shower, shave and pick up
my media bag from a rap callion Hindi
named azir. A Dutch citizen in on ly the
loo est sense of the word, azir had
relocated from Saudi about 10 minute
after the Middle Ea tern "Midnight un"
event the rogue nova Asif ibn Karim had
cau ed in late 2004. "It' okay," azir told
me. "I don't mis it." Th e little fiend had
originally established himself in the global
nightlife circuit a part of the late 1990s'
world music cene, but that had since gone
bottom up and azir had reinvented
him elf as a " haman" of cechno mu ic.
That term - techno - has always cau ed
a ubconsciou hudder in tho e who don't
understand it. Perhaps it' ingrained in u ;
after centuries of making music with
"analog" equipment like itars, drum and
flutes, some people ju t can't relate to
music compo ed with no instruments.
Since its creation in the lace 1970 , what
may generally be called "techno" has
evolved to eclip e the more traditional
rock and roll of the late 20th century. Past
its primitive (yet compelling) beginnings,
techno has become the linguafranca of
music - the "e tabli hment," as it were.
Whereas the American "rebel" would pick
up a guitar, his European counterpart
would instead learn to make mu ic on a
computer. Somewhere after Aerosmith'
75th album, the pop mu ic enthusia ts of
the world grew bored with tedious power
ballads sung by 60-year-old men pining for
the "hot ugar" in teenage girl ' pantie .
They turned to electronic music - dubbed
techno for ease of reference - which was
created by and for energetic young audi-
ences, and which was performed in the
greatest quantity (if not quality) in Europe.
Vulgar, raw and at once emotionless and
furiously passionate, techno ignites the
hearts of the dance floor-regular and
partygoer alike. It i not that unreali tic,
then, to under tand how techno ha "taken
over the world," to use media peak. Music
i an e cape, and where better than the
synthetic drums and electronic Avalon
evoked by cechno?
64
To imply ay all chat, though, denie the
ha ic attitude of youth and mu ic. Mu ic i
for nightclubs and nightclub are about
exce performed to a backdrop of mu ic.
Thi much alway ring true, a azir
showed me at a nightclub called (roughly
tran lated) the Echo' Lick, no matter
where in the world one find him elf.
Bodies whirled and pogoed like the pi ton
in an internal combu tion engine .
Clubcrawlers threw back drink after drink
- beer, liquor, enzyme-boo ting vegetable
elixir , you name it - and catapulted
them elve back and forth aero the dance
floor. Every pharmaceutical of man' device
and then ome could be found in the
Echo' Lick, often over the counter. (The
club had somehow procured a licen e to
prescribe drug , which, when coupled with
the etherlands' lax controlled- uh tance
law , made for one hell of a refre hment
bar.) pikehead bumped into herb-
smokers, who crawled pa t agitated Mitoid
who whirled like dervi he through clu cers
of hallucinogen trippers and common
drunks alike. After caking a pair of red
benn ie for no talgia' ake (much to my
later chagrin), I cut a rug to an old favorite
- Wonder Factory's anthemic "Baby Left
Me o Kidney" - and demanded azir
take me somewhere el e.
"The e cretins are dancing to the ame
damn 16-beats I've heard ince I wa born,"
I spat at him. "Take me omewhere I can
hear some modem music, you on of a
dingo."
In the cab, my head exploded. My bennie,
which I had thought were mea ured in
milligram of potency, were actually
measured in centigrams. The "nickel " I
cook made up more than a "dollar" worth
of dosage. After we found enough pieces of
my head to rudely fa hion a replacement,
we moved on co Groove Yard, a bar
pecializing in terr'r.
Terr'r music (pronounced "tear") grew, I
think, out of the 20th century' nihili tic
hyper-affected "gothic" (sic) genre. From
seeds originally sown by urban indu trial
and goth mu ic, terr'r cake the experience
one step beyond. U ing pecial uh onic
frequencie , terr'r mu ic stimulate the fear
center of the human (and nova) brain.
The e ubtle ound "create" fear in
listeners.
Of course, any po cgoth worth hi alt is
going to appreciate the irony of chi , and
while the vast majority of terr'r band (like
Zlnf
the Crypt Ro e and Valhallan Reaver )
rum out ome truly overwrought pooky
tune , c r brat band like Lacefi her focu
on crafting what would be entertaining,
amu ing pop and la-la song if they didn't
creep the hell out of y u whenever you
heard them.
A for the bar' patron' ,
y u've een them II
before: alienated ~ln ,
alienated vo~ng adult
and indulgent ly
alienated Older
People. Mo c of them •
eemed bored by the
scene, but Nazir
told me that ennui
i part of the
culture. "They
want to be
dead. Or • perception
vampire ,•~1-te • ..
told me. I
didn't rrt_-
In yr.
Corre p.' • ible without
opinion, for a
group o alienated,
the e cenester sure eemed to thrill at
sniping at each other. If I had a dollar -
excuse me, a euro - for every time one of
them called another a po er, I'd be arch-
duke f the Low Countrie .
It is cur ious to note that the Dutch have
everely limited the venues in which terr'r
mu ic may be played. B cau e of the
psychological effects it creates, terr'r i
forbidden in moving vehicles and in public
hou e of le than certain ize. It makes a
sort of viciou en e; terr'r care normal
people, on the level of mortal fright or
amphetamine derangement. en ible
individuals flee from fear, though human
society eem to have bred headcases who
actually thrive on this ort of thing.
After flogging azir, l managed to persuade
him to how me a novox bar. Out front, we
met a woman who claimed to have a gun
"with enough power to stop a nova dead in
hi crack ." It ounde like a good deal to
me, and I looked over her ware . Indeed,
the gun looked like it would stop a
rampaging nova, primarily by exploding
the shooter and everything within a few
yards of his vicinity. Thanking her and
refu ing politely, we entered the bar. On
our way out, we noted chat her car wa a
flaming wreck and the woman was no-
zmE
where t be een, but I refu e to render any
judgment ba ed on my incomplete observa-
tion of the ituation .
ovox mu ic (pronounced no-VEAU, ort
of like nouveau) i defined not o much by
its ound a it i by its creator.
Performed by novas,
novox may sound like
literally anything.
. Mo c of it takes
the form of
enormou ly
accelerated
rlwchm, but
ome ong
involve a
manipulation of
oundwave,
· distortion of
the audience'
andtthe
creation of
effects previ-
ously impos-
the abilitie of
. the performers.
Aficionado of the movement ub cribe to
ome fairly extreme ( though they call it
"pure") di tinction . A given novox ong,
if performed by a non-nova, udden ly
cea e to be a novox song. Likewi e, a nova
may choo e to perform an "unplugged"
version of a novox song, thu making it no
longer novox by removing the " uper"
elements. Exactly what genre thi leave
the ong in i not exceedingly clear to me,
and azir offered little insight on the
matter, preoccupied as he wa with a cute
litcle Dutch girl with blue hair that had
poradic, vi ible waves of low-wattage
electricity running though it.
"Damn it all," I whi pered to the aging
Marlene Dietrich clone across the table
from me, "what's the word I'm looking for
to describe this music?"
"lmpo ible," came the reply, which wa
wholly accurate . he punctuated her
revelation by standing suddenly and
flapping coward the bar amid her wintery
leather wrap. With that, I looked around
the bar and urmi ed one of the great,
baffling and ultimately cupid truth about
novox mu ic: It is for genuine individuals.
Because it lacks a genre and a definitive
sound,novox appeal to tho e who ub-
scribe to the cult of per ona lity surround-
65
 ,,.
Hat

... Hate

Hat

You

Aberrant

Spic

R d-dot

Jw
p n makin it

66
z zmE
 From
Opnet
Hgpertech's
monthly
netZine
TechStep,
December
2007
Here we are again , with a brand new smattering of what's chic and what's plain weak .
We editors here at TechStep take no small amount of effort to eyeball the current and
coming trends , and we pick the most promising of them to relate to you , our loving readers .
At the same time , we keep our fingers on the pulse of what 's on its way out, because God
forbid anyone should see you using outdated apps or last year s floor model. You'll thank
us, we promise.
Weak: Internet Diehards Chic : OpNet Pioneers
Okay, call us biased , but as the aging US information network degrades ~
beneath billions of daily Ponzi-scheme e-mails and "I Like Karnage Kombat
XIV Gold Turbo" websites , the OpNet looks better and better with each
new dawn . Faster data transmit times , hardwired fiberoptic routing , infinite
POP subscriber capacity and, most important of all, registered user licenses
(to filter out the dimwits and plebes) make the OpNet the wave of the digital future - which
is here and now.

Weak: Clunky Laptops and Palmtops Chic: Cellu lar Voice-Recognition Interface
Why carry your computer when you can talk to it from any phone? Typing ~
takes too long and suffers the vagaries of low motor skills and sausage-
fingers alike . That , and they always scan your laptop's hard drive at the
airport , which is pretty invasive , from a personal privacy standpoint. In-
stead , adopt any of IBM 's, ViaSoft's or Apple 's vocal interfaces and
telecommute at the speed of thought and speech. As long as your computer 's
OpNet-capable , processing power is only as far away as your pocket or glove box (or wher-
ever you keep your digital phone) .

Weak: Bat-Swinging Vigilantes Chic: Nova Activism

Look, the novas are here to stay. Sure, a few of them are selfish bastards
who crash local economies or wipe out city blocks , but most of them are ~
fairly normal people underneath it all. Maybe it's a nai've optimism , but
here at TechStep, we still believe in the fundamental goodness of all people,
novas included. Rather than let a few bad apples spoil the bunch , we'd
rather see another Fireman than another Bernard Goetz or Percy Andreesen (the
New York fall riots of '03, anyone?) .

Weak: Internal Combustion Chic : Hypercombustion Engine

Okay, maybe the hypercombustion engine is still a bit sketchy , but we can ~
hope, can't we? A twenty-five thousand percent reduction in global pollu-
tion from transportation and maintenance vehicles is a good thing and
one that we're willing to risk a few isolated cases of brain cancer for.

Weak: Grass-Roots Ecology Invigoration Chic: The Zushima

Macrobe ~
The editors here at TechStep are basically lazy people, but firmly devoted
to better life through technology . Now that we have garbage-eating "good"
bacteria courtesy of the boys and girls at Utopia, let's use it, dammit! The
Zushima macrobe degrades waste material and converts it to carbon diox-
ide (which, granted , is a simplified statement , but even the post-macrobe undigestibles
occupy less than one hundredth of their original mass) , which our environment is prepared
to handle. Doesn't the grass look particularly green today? Now that we no longer have to
bury our trash or shuttle it around the oceans in toxic garbage scows , let's all take a brief
moment of reverence to throw a discarded McDonald 's cup into the street.

Weak: Propr ietary OSs Chic: ViaSoft One World

Yeah, you Mac enthusiasts are going to raise a stink , but come on. Enough platform war-
fare - let's get back to computing . Word is the VS wants to have a remote-compatible
version of One World (nicknamed Infra, according to our sources in the R&D labs) by early
 next year , which should be music to your ears if you 're running DeskAway
1.03b . Don 't get us wrong , Big Blue ; we love using the phone, but that
awkward keyword interface needs to go - and to have the Mac 's floating-
Q
poin t coprocessor on its side .

Weak: Neural Messaging

Perhaps this seems Luddite of us , but does neural messaging offer any -
thing that pocket or wet phones don 't do better? Why read a message
when we can talk directly to the person who wants our attention? Global
Q
Chic: Good 01' Digital Cellular

long-d istance - when you even need it - is cheaper than neural mes-
saging hubs and backup nerve tapes• anyway . Here 's a case of the "break-
through " not living up to the hype . Sorry , PacBell : nice try.
*Yes, we know they 're not tapes , but they may as well be. So sue us.

Weak: Prague and New York City

So long , global telecom . Goodbye, Madison Avenue brand doctors. Hello,
entertainment , technology and hospitality . Since Utop ia's ''terraforming " of
Ethiopia , hundreds of thousands have been flocking to A-A to take advan-
Q
Chic: Addis Ababa

tage of the city 's boom in growth. Corporate and private citizens have made
Addis Ababa a hugely important city, rivaling Tokyo and New York for fi-
nance , Bombay for entertainment and any of those crumbling old European cities for cul-
ture . Provided you like a warm (er, hot) climate and no humidity , you can live like a caliph in
Africa , because it's still burgeon ing , so rent can be found on the cheap .

Weak: Endangering Species Chic: Genet ically Engineered Fauna

Hey , we leave the office sometimes . We know that humans aren 't the only
animals that share the earth . We 're happy , though , that new sciences and
nova-assisted developments have made it easier for us to exist with those
Q
animals . The end of the last century saw over 200 individual species on
the endangered list. Through cloning technologies , we 've brought that down
to a mere 12 , and "adaptations " of existing animals (such as the Triton-backed "garbage
pigeon ") give us a more harmonious environment. Engineered cattle , chickens and fish
provide more nutritional output per animal and in less time than Mother Nature 's way . Even
Utopia 's Zushima macrobe is vectored by a specially bred rat. It may not be Bambi, but it
sure beats eating species like popcorn .

Weak: NBC and Infantry Actions

While it pains us to th<lk that we can oommunh:ate withour friends nine thousand
miles away at the speed of light but we're still fighting with each other over skin
color and religion, at least there's a better way to do it Gas? No thanks. Germ-
Q
Chic: Nova Elites

bombs? Forget it. We'll just hire nova elites to do the necessary ass-kicking and
watch it all on the N! Report.Why risk countless lives when the novas are willing
to pound on each other for a few million bucks plus licensing options?

Weak: Polymer
Polymers are artificial , expensive , unstab le and able to transmit less data
per millimeter than the alternat ive . Eufiber , even the synthet ic stuff, is bio-
degradable , cheap , universal and able to transmit enough data at a one-
Q
Chic: Eufiber

millimeter thickness to grant everyone in the UK access to every subscrip-

tion-service OpNet porn site in the world at speeds in excess of a gig a
second. And it makes a snazzy running suit. No contest.

Weak: Big Five

For God 's sake , people , how many more sitcoms and gritty UN-agent dra-
mas do we need? The answer is none! Maybe we 're just geeks (though
the Nie lsens suggest otherwise ....), but we 'd rather watch the Stone Badass
Q
Chic: NI

duke it out with Electric William any day of the week . And ABC , here 's a
clue : Urkel is 40 years old. Retire him!
6A
 GLOBAL GEOGRAPHY IN 2008

Excerpts from
Dr. Duke Rollo's
Why Customs
Officials Hate Me
- The Wretched
World of Contract
Journalism
Courtesy of ViaSoft Press .

rev

Zlnf 69
 repurarioru, for brurnliry in th free worlJ,
but ·uch i Lhe price of etern. I vigilan c.
t lea t, that' , what th nova rent-a• op
tell · 1ou when h -•~rat h ·rmg your arm
behind your ba k ....
ew Yl rk ha . alway been the rotten
apple, bur tho e deifi nova have errainly
Jone th ir part in x ising thew rm from
the fruited ovary. Bymaking ew York the
pla e to he for nova · (a it hru been ~in e
time immemori al for u ha ·cline ·), rhe elite
uperpeople have l reatheJ ne, life into
what wou lJ hav ' ercainly fe rered into
anmher LA. Ameri an a. hion me ve
through ew York, a · d J • any even o
an national or international ignifi an e.
More ulturally tliv r e than perhap an '
orh ' r ity in the world, ew York i a
ncxu of glohal ivilization. ccJlc:,. tc
~a , thi · mean · you an't park anywhere.
an ad a
Yeah, •eah, you knO\ h 1w boring an I big
and olJ ana la i~. l'v heard tho
rnccmenr · o dubiou omi alue n mu h
a the next penm. o ,1hea I, mock
anada anJ tell u how ana lian all calk
funny.
i mi · anada ofn1and, however, , nd you
leave yourself out of whar the United
care ould hav lone i they'd wanted c
le ome b •tr •r r pie in t aJ f bigger,
I lU ler, ri her people. anada cnjo · an
appallingly low crime rate, which works if
you like co retain wner hip of your
clonging · but can make thing diffi ul if
you ind your ·elf at th tai l end of a bender.
"May I e your ID, · irt the o fi r a ·ked .
" lcrcainly."
"Are you inroxi aced, ·ir?"
"Thar depen:. Whu · th B
di tin ·hm? I'm pm~ I coxi aimed by m
mother' rnnner<l , but who call he ·hot ,
n und here?"
" ome with me, ·ir."
70
ana fa: well -aJju teJ, ivil, re pe rful,
lean and qui t. Prob, hi the arie t pl, e
on Earch.
bviou I , non of chi arplic to uebcc.
Once again, che French element ha . rai ed
it hac kle:- in it long- liveJ hi:tc ry of b ing
a thorn in the re r of che country ·iJe.
Again I moring for e e · ion, raJi al
element . o uebc oi ·ociety have even
I •gun printing their own money, , hi h i
worth roughly rwo 4ui k hell ' laugh , hut
little more. rick with the anadian dollar,
anJ embargo the h •II out of uehec if it
finally Joe e ede.
ic
For a <le riture n rion only marginally
above the tatu o the Thir I World,
M xi l ur know how m cclebnne,
though most of chc fc riviric: rem from
religiou events. That' no big Jeal if you're
a heathen like yr. orre , p., but devout
mJ1viduab of an , f ith haJ he ta limare
or ray home.
Mexi o elehrate ch mo t morhi I of
:,ffair , in luJmg Diade losMuerte , or the
" a of the •ad," whi h apparently
involve ma ive amount , of drinking,
ma · ive amount~ of ther ingc rion an I
cuing chin, on fire, but my memory may
be a bit fragmented fr m the fe·tivitie .
Then again, I ·peak onl en 1ugh pani h
t order beer and mena e th caballeros
with a harpenc I - rewJriver, n I'm nm
very well ver. Jin the cu ·mm' greater
in
Mar h. At either of
these elebration ( >r
an · of the le :,er acholi
fe·tiv al ·), 1 lexi an iti::en
..I participate with re kle: ·
abandon. B ware <lfpartaking of
th• en·eza too liberally, however, a the
g v 'rnmcnc has a bit co learn , bout
airne anJ hone c , and mor • than ~me
gringo h,ls ended up on the wr mg : ide of a
wrought-iron grate rever.
All if the c clcbrntion , of ou r · , involve
che ubi4uiwu~ mascarasfor whi h Mexi o
i July famou . o, not the tuff the terr'r
ZIRE
 kidz put on their eye , but actual full face
ma k , which the I cal wear t parry r
hold up liquor tore with little di crimina-
ti n. Once a localized phenomenon, mask
pread t th curril u lite ca ce nd, in
true con umeri c fa hion, are now being
bought worldwide by kinny white boy
who want to play ldi r fi ran venin g.
Mexico ity, home ofT2M America, h
turned it elf around miraculou ly in the
pa t LOyear . Once an ve pulated
breeding pit of poverty and violence,
Mexi Cicy ha benefited greatly from the
re ence and inve tment f th n va wh
dwell there. ow one of the cleane t citie
in rch America, Mexico icy al o
intend t reviv th naci nal c n my,
tarting locally. It i another multicultural
hu b, and all but them t daft f vi it r
can find omeone who peak their
language. In addition, the young economy-
n-th -up wing ha drawn a fair har f
entrepreneurs who, if you can look pa t
ch ir awful uics and omnipre ent cell-
phone conver ati n , may turn Mexic
Cicy into a mecropoli of global import.
Perhap in pice f chem elve ....
Central America
I can ay liccle about encral America of
timely valu , a any giv n government ha
shifted hand in three coup in the la t LS
minute . Al o, I fear to it ac my de k, a
the ri k f catc hin g n f che 2,500 tray
bullets that have made their way into my
r m. Rack d by popular di content,
poi oned y mon y from th M dellfn drug
cartel , and home to what eem like every
bu hwhacker conflict in the We tern
Hemi phere, ntral Am rica i a dang r-
ou place to live and an ignominiou place
t die . At night, the fighting die d wn in
ome of the citie , ometim , and th
talwart or cupid can creep into town for
deliciou f, d or t trike up a dallia nce
with ome of the mo t eautifu l Latin
ople on che c ncinenc.
ova Ani al Buendia mak hi horn
here, a well, in the relatively calm
(meaning chac on ly every othercitizen
carrie a firearm p nly on the treet )
Co ta Rica. Co ta Ric.a, (un)fortunately, i
ne of che plac God ha created naturally
occurring well f rum, my experie nce i
limited to andalwood ar that cool the
fevered foreigner' fie h. Al o, the "Je u
Chri t lizard," which am its nam by
running aero the urface of till water ,
may be een here, but if one ha overin-
ZIRE
dulged, one may take the lizard' name too
far. Po ring nd in a an J e jail c c an
arm and a leg, given credit-card c nversion
rate , and you may not take the lizard with
you ....
The Caribbean
Once a main cay f the crui e circuit, the
Cari b an h c m imultane u ly
more and le a lei ure locale. An influx of
wealthy nova who have purcha ed i land
fi r hem elve reduce the amount of
public lands available for vi it. Of cour e,
the the r ide f the coin i chat many
n va have d vel ped ch ir private
holding a commercial resort , catering to
the mo t lofty and ba e c whim imagin-
able. F r example, Alain Huur ' Heaven
r rt i a literal garden of earthly delight ,
ac which each vi it r r c ive the ervice
of a lave concubine. Um, or o I've heard.
By way of contra t, nova Darryl King ton'
pla h re ore e aim t exclu iv ly family
traffic, offering cuba tours, fi hing char-
ters, coral-gathering expe ition and other
far I uited to th drunken, fornicating
horde of modern odom.
P lici have become a pr sing i ue in the
Caribbean recently, and m r than ne
dark rumor ha circulated about a ecret
Teragen tronghold among the region'
i land . Thi i th kind f thing ne
overhear in dimly lit drinking e tabli h -
men dee raced with cers of Che
Guevara and trafficking in knive and
boat headed off-i land, but tho e muttered
m1 giving ventually make it co the pre
and certain ly have me ba i in reality.
Again, o I've heard.
Cuba, a anyone with an eye for the
decadent know , ha become the in
Capital f the We t. After Castro' death
and the i land' udd n (r ad: vi I nt) hift
to laissez-faire capitali m, money took
pr cedenc ver moral and che once-poor
Cuban e cabli hed the clo e t thing to a
true "free" market anywhere, at lea t a far
a yr. Corre p. h een. Like the cla ic
movie Casablanca,Havan h a bee m a
cro road of infidel , cretin , archfiend ,
r dical and other on-th -run rts, who
mix their company with Medellfn a oci-
ace and drug-crazed college students
alike ....
South America
Colombia ( with an "O"; you pell it with a
"U," y u'r talking a uc the capital f che
equally godfor aken ouch Carolina) i
71
 perhap the only country I have vi it d in
which it is not impo ible to order an
ounce of cocaine from one' restaurant
waiter. ick with the venom f th
resurgent Med llfn crafficantes, Colombia'
government remain weak thanks to drug
money and a martial law impo d by the
criminal who exi t o t n ibly on the
wrong id of it.
Brazil, on the other hand, ha taken a cue
from former filth- pawning pit Mexico
City and embraced the novas' ameliorating
way . Much of the Amazon d for tation
of the pa t 30 year ha been rever ed in a
cant ix, a Utopia-c ntributed genetic-
engineering projects have yielded plan
and wildlife chat grow to maturity in a
liccl a ix months. Project Utopia'
Environmental Divi ion maintains a strict
quota over what may legally be felled or
mined in the area.
ao Paolo and Rio de Janeiro have ri en
quickly as well, becoming the third and
I 2th-large t cities in the world, per capita,
respective ly. C ro road of ancient culture
and modem technology, these cities have
been caught between the rival influence
of the ubiquitou Medellfn cartel and
Utopia cru ader , yet have had the will to
remain largely independent for now.
ooner or later, th ugh, mething' got to
give, and my money' on basic human
greed, which may erve Brazil t th cartel
readily.
A few rumors have leaked out of the region
concerning a specie of uper-piranha
genetically engin red to combat nova . I
hear they're called "Jer ey Devil ,"
"chupacabras" and "boogeymen." I there
anything the pre won't print ... ?
Europe
The bullhead d, traditional Engli h have
largely re i ted the efforts of Project Utopia
(dragging Ireland and cotland into the
mire with them), and it how . For a
nation that tarted as a cros breeding of
Roman oldier who didn't want to go
home and Celtic barbarians who drank the
blood of their dead, the UK i a needle ly
stuffy place.
Such rejection of Utopia's aid i mo t
vi ible in London, the bacteria-inf: ted
armpit of the Sceptered I le. With
London' (and according ly, the re t of the
nation' ) refusal to support the euro,
accompanied by the degrading value of the
pound, the United Kingdom eems doomed
in the long term. Largely unaided by the
72
advancements offered by Project Utopia,
England slips a little more each day.
Vi lence continue to ri e in London, and
I'm not talking about the good kind, in
which members f the now-extinct Hou e
of Lord punched each other and soccer
h ligan trampled their own kind beneath
their feet. Rather, L ndon ha t a tone of
ethnic hatr d and petty crime that the re t
f the nation eems to slowly follow down
the trail of general eedin
On the newly ( ort of) united cont inent,
much ha hifted within the pa t 10 year .
Antwerp, the diamond capita l of Europe,
ha al bee me the fa hi n capital of
Europe, u urping that title from Pari and
Milan. Perhap the m t una~ ctedly and
inc r ly cyli h p ople of Europe, the
Belgian have et a cultural ton that the
re t of the C ntinent would do wi e to
f: llow. A genial, ho pitable people who
value their culture and refu e t cake ide
in p litical conflict, Belgium i a model of
what an economy hould be, if a bit goody-
goody for yr. Corre p.' ta te .
Likewi e, Am terdam ha practically
mirrored Antwerp' development, with the
added bonu of having virtually legalized
drug ramp ge , which goes part and parcel
with legalizing alma t every pharmaceuti-
cal on God' green earth. Removing the
"getting away with omething" a pect of
the drug bender does take part of the
my tique away, but I believe that to be part
of Am terdam' intent.
Ibiza, off the coast of pain, ha made
imilar efforts, but ha ucceeded largely in
only the drug liberali m. You're not going
to find any culture in Ibiza, unle it' of
the model-who-ju t-came-off-the-runway-
n-the-Groenplatz- eeking-a-meth-binge-
o- he-can-dance-all-night-and-not-eat-
for-chree-day variety. Granted, that's not
much cultural ignificance, but I hall
throw no tone from my glas hou e.
Venice, home to T2M Europe' headquar-
ter , continue to sink into the wamp that
eem to want to claim Italy phy ically a
the g neral cha of the nation wants to
claim it metaphorically. Italy continue the
tradition of alternating governmental
power between p ychotic communist and
crazed fa ci t every other week with the
end re ult of not a damn thing. A it ha
alway been, a it ever hall be, unle nova
Giancarlo Vocaccio's eye tum more
eriou ly toward political influence in the
boot of the Mediterranean.
zmE
 peaking f banana republic , half of
Africa' under th p n influen e f n va
elite and the other half r main und r the
concr I f m niacal dictators who want to
be nova elite . m 11- ale war , either

zmE 73
 AdJi Ababa i a moJel, perh p I'll nle
( (, r a bit of hepherding. It make you
apprc iate breaking the rules all the
more ....

Asia
A fragmented as 1t ha been all through-
ut hi ·tol) ', A ·ia remains the 1ltimat
pla to be ome lo t, both a identa!I and
elc tively. The r gion faun· almo r a
many religion a it Joe citizen , and any
relation . hip one manages to forge m one
country ma become null and voi<l m the
country I yard · away.
In th Middle Ea:,t, (,Jr example, religious
con ervati m yield a gnm outlook regard-
ing novas, whi h r>fl t in the quality of
life e rabli hed there. . nommal-ac-be t
participant · in Project Utopia, the Middle
Ea t i plit lown the middle by ~1 gr lwtng
faction f m Jeratc unni who regard
nova a Allah' cho en. Low-profile
military kinni . he in olve aim ta many
nova freebooter · as the cntral mcri an
confli t:., a the crife over matte religiou
drive neigh r:, m take up arm . Give
peace a chan e, th ugh: Long- u fcring
Pale tine h e tabli hed a national
 d vel pment with lip ervice < t e t,
Japane e manufacturer have rocketed
h ad f the indu try urve y 20 year or
more. In their priva e live , h wever, the
till hold a ft poc in their heart for
th e little ail r uit the girl wear to
chool. Bizarre per onal penc h nt not•
with randing, Japane e big bu ine ha a
uri u , had wy relation hip with the
nati n' Yakuza. vernm ntal int rdict
on certain technolo - impo ed by
Utopia pre ure, of our e - forbid ope n
ale of key item . The crimina l organiza•
tion , dint of their lawle ne , elect not
t heed the e r rri ti n and m ve the
product for big profit. Part of th t pr fit
obviou ly return to the manufacturer, who
then u it t pay hi caxc an I ru the
ocher money that come in via variou
ther illi it enue . Obviou ly, nor all
Japan c mmcr i illeg I, but the
acceptance of the crimina l in the relation-
hip between bu ine and government
mak fi r que ti nable echi . Didn't y u
ah ay u pect a much? The government
nly differs from the crimina l in chat they
t II y u it' k y. At I a t when y u deal
with criminal , you know y u're bad ....

highe t cor rate cowers.

For true innovati n , h we er, n mu t
trade in Japan. Followin the nation'
ai h r v luti n, Japan hifted into
re hnolo ical high g ar. A the r gard
Uropia' guideline on techno lo ical
Zlnf 75
Excerpt fromencodedmessage; dated May11,2008

Look the first thing you need to know is that it's absolutelyvital you don't let anyone
catch you reading this. 1went to a lot of trouble to micronizethis print to where it d be all
but invisibleto anyonebut someonewithyour powers. Please, if you valuemy life, don't let
on that you got this message. lt's that important.

Youknowhowwe kept getting that gut feelingthat somethingwas goingon, something

that they wouldn'tshow us? We were right. I saw it.

It was that espionagemissionI took last week; 1did a lot better than 1thought I would.
1 wound up tracing back one of the Noveltymiddlementhrough about six miles of false
trails back to the jackpot. He had 'orders to cooperate" withat least three elites including
Pursuer. So I started hoppingalonghis contact trails to findout whowas payingthese three
and why. l almostwish I hadn't.

There isn't space to go into allthe details here withoutmakingthis messagelookbigger

than a pixel. The short of it is - Rourke,Utopiawas payingthese guysoff. Not directly,of
course. But I recognizedsome of the names at the end of the paper trail, and they work in
the offices down the hall.These people were authorizinglacingadrenocilinwith chemicals
that I know are sterility-inducing, in doses that could only be tailored For people like us.
There was a coded message concerningthe Bahrainfacility:somethingabout detention
and treatment and "Mazarin-Rashouddisorder.' There were funds goingto pro-Kashmir
groups, the groups they send us over there to check. lt was like watchinga conspiracy-
theory movieat three in the morning,only it's all real. Everybit.

Comeand talk to me. Youwouldn'thave gotten this messageif 1didn t thinkyou would
care. But I knowyou do. We have to figure out what to do.

Jennifer

76
ANO YA THIN THIS IS SOME KIND 01'" FUCKIN '
Ca<?DIN, WQJV'T Yat usrcJV n:, ~
GLOBAL CONSP1RACY " COME ON, .JENNIE,
THcY'Rc IJS/NG VS! ~N, UWPIA TNc
THAT SHITE WENT OtJT 10, 15 YEARS AGO .
WHat PRa.J'.£:7" IS Rio.SEO n:, .KEEP
vs /JV UJVc ra<? S()/1tc'THI/V,S.'

FER CHRIST'S SA.KE,

.JEN, 1.ISTE:N TO
YE:RSE:~ . LISTEN TO
WHAT YE JUST SAID .
'THEY'RE USING US."
'THEY" HAVE some
SORT OF SIJPE:R·
S6CRET EVIL AGENDA
AND WE'l=te JUST
PAWNS IN THE GA/1'\E:;
l'M NOT KIDDING, HeRE, CORS . IS THAT IT /' YE KNOW
AND THIS ISNT Al30tJT SOME WHAT ?' Ye'RE LOSING
KIND 01'" TV OR OPNE:T IT, THEY HAVE NAE:
E:NTE:RTAINMENT THING . YOU LOVE FER me THEP.E
KNOW ME - I'll'\ NOT SOME ANY/1'\0RE, BUT EVEN
WHACl<E:D· OUT CONSP1RACY SAE I'll'\ GOING TO
NUT. 1ve .JUST $EN TOO CALL THAT OLD
/1'\UCH TO LET THIS GO BY BASTAAD 81.ASHILL
UNNOTICED . ANO DE/1'\ANO He PVT
YE: THROUGH PSYCH
E:VAL. THE STRESS IS
GETTING TO YE.

LOOI<, HOW LONG HAS THIS l<ASH/1'\IR THING

GONE ON !' YE:AAS, RIGHT !' ANO THE NOVA
60DY COUNT KEEPS GROWING . WHY " .JESUS,
l<ASH/l'IIR IS JUST A PISSANT LITTLE: STP.ETCH
OF DES6ITT IN THE /1'\IDOLE EAST. I /1'\EAN,
come ON - IT'S eE:TWE:E:N CHINA AND INDIA,
FOR GOD'S SA.KE - YEAH, THEY'l=tE:A I.OT OF
PEOPLE THERE, BUT rrs NOT EXACTI.Y PRl/1'\E
TERRITORY. AND UTOf'IA KEEPS S6NDING US
OVER THERE:, IN THE INTERESTS OF "/1'\AIN-
T AINING PEACE ."

THEY'RE l<eE:PING THIS THING GOING, CORB . UTOPIA 'S

MAKING SUP.E we KILL EACH OTHER OVER THERE , SAME
WITH THAT THING OUTSIOE /1'\EXICO CITY . I COUI.D'Ve
HANOI.ED THAT ALONE:, BUT THEY $NT SCHUYLER ALONG
WITH ME, ANO - LO ANO BEHOLD - THO$ ROGLJe
F'EOORALES HAD A NOVA WORKING FOR TI-E/1'1.EIGHT
DAMN DISSATISl'"IE:D GOVERNMENT COPS" WtEP.E't, THEY
GET THE MONEY TO HIRE A NOVA F'
 ST, THE LIST OF EVENTS GOES ON AND ON -
IIENCKEN DISAPPEARED TWO WEEKS AFTER /l'IIOI\IIGHT
51.JN,WEI LOST IN THE SU6/l'IARINE INCIDeNT, 6HAl<RA
DEAD IN THE ADDIS A8A8A TERRAF~ING IJPKEEP.

OKAY, THAT'S A LOT O' DeAD

IN A SHORT Tl/l'IE, 6UT l'l.L
NAE GO OFF HALF·COCKED,
FOR A CHAN6E. ACCIDENTS
HAPPEN, JENNIE, PEOPLE
GET HURT. IT CAN'T ee A
GENOCIOE THING, BECAUSE
THEYVf= GOT TOO /l'IIJCH
/1'\0NEY INVESTED IN US.
UTOPIA'S OPERATIN' COSTS
ARE &EEDIN ' ENOR/1'\0US-

SLIDER, THE ONLY REASON l'M

GIVING THIS HALF AN EAA 15
BECAUSE I TRUST YE AND I
l<NON YE'RE NOT AN IDIOT.
6EFOfl.5 Yf; GO TO ANYONE
ELSE WITH THIS, LET'S TAKE
THE Tl/l'IE TO DO A LITTLE
/1'\0RE HO/l'IEWORK. l'l.L TALK
TO EARL A60UT IT, AND YOU
TRY TO GET A FEW OF THE
LOOSE THREADS TIED TO
.50/l'IETHING.

WELL, DON'T . LET'S LOOI<

MORE INTO IT SEFORe we
ST AAT SOWIN' THE SEEDS
OF DISCONTENT . LAST THING
I NEED'S MORE FLAK FR O/I'\
THE /l'IUCKETY/Vll.JCKS.
tVa t::at.'B.' PO/V 'T" T",'U/< n:J .4/WO/Vc
- /VQT ,4 S&IW,! We POJV'T" KN~ IF
T"NEY - PON ' T" Ya/ St!t?
 From Project Proteus Audio Files,Delivered to an Operative in SecondWeek of May,2008
ClearanceBeta.
Allfteldagents· pnonty.
ConcemmgnovaJenniferLanders, a.k.a. "Slider.•
NovaSliderposes a threat to Utopiaand Proteuslongevity.
Fieldobservationsmd1cateSliderhas madecontact withno fewer than 16 novasand no more than 19novas
ma sympathybidagainstthe obiectives of ProiectsProteusandUtopia. KnownsympathizersincludenovasCorbm,
Mezt1szo, Holm,Greer, YannikCherpaand Fong.
Proteussecrecy has not been compromised,but it 1sof paramountimportanceto mamtamsuch.
Allsympatheticand suspected-sympatheticnovashavebeen assignedto monitoredareas for evaluationand
damagecontrol. Agentsof Proteus are encouragedto assess proximatenovas' performanceand attitudes, and
makenecessaryadiustments.
NovaRousseauhas not been associatedwith this group of anti-Utopianovaslo dale, thoughrecords have
been incomplete.She'sa cannybitch, though, so keep an eye on them and be prepared.
JenniferLanders, a.k.a. "Slider," presents liabilityto ProJectsUtopiaand Proteus to sucha degree that her
continuedperformanceexistsmore as threat than mere agitation. Act per CodeOmegadirectives.under normal
Proteusvis1b1lity
gu1delmes .

A Handwritten Note From Slider to Corbin

(-
Forgiveme for the Bombaycliche,but they're on to me.
l wentto fivedifferentpeople- bigmistake- withthe story, andthey're either part of the cover-up(maybeout of
ignorance)or hostile. Obviously, the guyl talkedto as myUtopialiaison(AlbertPetalan)is part of it, but so are the Calcutta
police, the APreporter and myrepresentativewith AmandaWu's company.I don't knowabout Rourkeanymore.
The bottomlme1s, we can't go to anyone. Get everyonetogether and let themknowthe scaleof this thing, but keep 11
hush-hush.Obviously.1fyou're not part of Utopia's''solution,"you're part of the problem.AndUtopia'sgot almosteveryone
involvedas part of the solutionon some level.
Anywaygotta run. I've left my'·resignation" fromUtopiahere in C.We'lltalk later.
Be careful,
S-
P.S. Heardof somethingcalled"Proteus'? Let me know.

APWireDatedWednesday,
May14, 2008
Calcutta, India- TeamTomorrownovaJennifer"Slider'' Landers,under temporarycontract lo Novelty
Consultation, was reported DOAat UN FranklinMoran field hospital this morningat precisely 4:02 am.
Paraphys1c1ans workedtirelesslyfor eight hours to reinvigorateSlider's failedbiologicalprocesses, only to de-
clare her dead after unsuccessfulattempts.
Sliderhad been relamed by NoveltyConsultationto safeguardagainstTeragencorporate espionage,and
agentsof that organizationare suspectedlo havesomerelationto her death.
Detailsare fewandfar-betweenmthisevent,but the act seemsto be one of assassination,possiblylinkedto
Teragenradicalism . Sliders inJunesappear to havebeen caused in conAictwith another nova,thoughno more
information1sforthcomingat this lime.
 [BROADCAST JOINED IN MEDIA RES]
GIVES ME GREAT SADNESS. AS NOVAS AND
BASELINES ALIKE HAVE LOST A STRONG HERO
NEEDLESSLY
ER. THIS IS N' CORRESPONDENT SANJI RAMANATHAN
REPORTING LIVE FROM CALCUTTA.WHEN ONLY
MOMENTS AGO. CONTROVERSIAL EX TEAM TOMORROW
MEMBERANDRE CORBIN FLED THE PREMISES BREAKING
OFF HIS EULOGYFOR JENNIFER LANDERS IN
MIDSENTENCE
JENNIFER WAS A CREDIT TO THE CAUSE. BOTH AS A
NOVA AND AS AN INDIVIDUAL . AND HER PASSING
SHALL LEAVEOUR EARTH A SADDER PLACEFOR A BRIEF
TIME ALTHOUGH I KNOW SHE WOULD WANT US TO
MOVE PAST THIS TRAGIC EVENT. HOPEFULLYFINDING
IT WITHIN OURSELVES TO-
DAMl.1IT SHUKI WHERED HE GO' SARAH PUT
SOMEONE ON IT- THIS IS LIVE FOR GODS SAKE
JESUS CHRIST SOMEONE GET IN FRONT OF THE
CAMERA SWITCH TO THREE ON THREE TWO ONE
DETAILS ARE UTTERLYABSENT AT THIS TIME AND
IM PROBABLYGOING TO GET FIRED BUT. UM THA rs
HOW THIS BUSINESS WORKS SARAH I QUIT
 5/31/2008
DirectorOzak,:
I msure I don't haveto tellyouthat wehavea problem. However,whatyouneed to know1sthat you've JUSt
been designateda troubleshooter.The informationleak on class1f1ed materialextendedbeyondLandersand
her 1mmed1ate circle of friends; althoughour plants on the team were able to min1m1ze the damagecontrol
amongTeamTomorrowmembers, she somehowmanagedto transmitsomeof her lies to other Utopians, who
havesubsequentlygone rogue. In alllikelihood,Parkwasthe one responsiblefor their evacuation; naturally,he
is amongthe missing.At least 10havefled[filesfor eachare attached); althoughwe'rewaitingfor confirmation
fromallcells, we believethat numbercouldnse to 15 or 20, all told.
The good news in this situation, of course ,s that the renegades have very few options at this point.
Landers' findingswere rather too comprehensive,and we suspect that Landers put a somewhathistrionic,
possiblyTeragen-insp1red , spinon the data, but that mayworkinour favor. The renegadescan be presumedto
be aware that Proteushas contads amongglobalauthorities and they havelittlereason to trust any particular
agencythere. Similarly, althoughour tense relationswiththe UnitedStatesgovernmentmightseemmoreprom-
isingto them. they wouldhaveto be foolsto try that route openly. The Teragen,thoughquite possiblybehind
this wholeLanderssituation, 1shardlyan option: these renegadesare theoreticallysmartenoughto realizethat
theycan't counton that nest of vipers. Andalthoughsomemediabacklash1scertainlyinevitable,weare already
institutingcontrolsto makecertain that the damage1sminimal.T2M1salreadybeing withdrawn,and we won't
be makingany press conferencesuntilwe're certain we knowexactlywhat needs to be said.
Yourrole in allthis 1sappropriatelysimple. Youare to use whateverresourcesyoucan covertlymobilizeto
track down the rogue novas, silence them howeverpossible,and leave counter-evidenceto draw attention
awayfrom Utopia. We wouldof course prefer that you reason with them convincethem of Landers' clearly
compromisedstatus, and bringthemharmoniouslyback mtothe fold;if that optionFails,however,youare free
to escalatedamagecontroloptionsas you see fit. We cannotafford to be exposedin this; subtlety1sof para-
mountimportancehere so don't let any of your agentsget too enthusiastic.Especiallynot Chiraben.
Whateverelse, be certain that Mercerdoesn't fmdout about this. Hehas enoughto worryaboutalready.
and the worldneeds himfocusedon his tasks. It's muchbetter for all of us if he, like the rest of the world,
believesthese renegadesto be just a fringegroupof conspiracytheorists.
DirectorThetis

FromUSAToday , 05/2l/08
Doyou thinkthe allegationsof a conspiracy within Project Utopia are true?
Yes 14%
No 58%
Not sure 28%
Whodoyouthink murdered Slider?
Teragen 34%
Corbin 21%
Governmentagency 18%
ProJectUtopia 11%
Criminalcartels 4%
Unknown 12%
 Excerpt, phoneconversationbetween public terminals,May30, 2008
Voice 1[male,estimatedage 25): Hello'?
Voice2 [female,indetenninateage]: Thank you for picking up.
Voice 1: Look,whois this'?
Voice 2: Someonewho'swellaware of whoyou are and whatyou're running from.
Voicel: I dinnaehave time for games.
Voice 2: Canyou guarantee that this phone line is completely secure'?Canyou guaranteethat it'll remain so'?
Voice l: ...
Voice 2: 1thoughtnol Listen to me. I can offer you nd your friends shelter. I have resources enoughto keep
you hidden- but 1also have resources enoughto backyou on a more aggressivecourse of action, one that
stands to helpyou correct someof your current problems.
Voice !: Canye prove this isn't a trap'?
Voice 2: Youhave a telepath amongyour number, yes'?He willbe the proof. Nowhangup and start walking
south. I'llcallyou again in five minutes.
[Transmission ends.]

From a TelecomVirusMessageDistributed by Sophia Rousseau,DirectedTowardFriendsandAcquaintances

Greetings.friends. Please listenfullyto this messageand pass 1ton via forwardingto someoneclose to you.
Utopiaclearlywantsnovast.nderitslfurb .Looking at recentlydiscCM!r'edevidence(theobta1mng of whichIrelatebelow),
1amforced to concWe thatelements W1th1nUtopia seekto SU>Jugate or ~te. possibly evensystematically eliminate,novasas
. Howmanyof ushavedied1nmeaningless
a -...hole skrnushes?Howmanyhaveaccepteda corporate-,city-or IJtopca-spoosored
lifestyle,tradingarselves formoney '?Aswearenot theenemiesofh.mai1<md, norareweitsservants .
The recent deathof Jennifer"Slider"Landers1sa pivotalpointin novahistory.Hercloseassociate,AndreCorbin,
hasassembleda collectionof her noteson the matter, andthe aggregatecompilation, especiallyin lightof her mystenous
death, pleadsa very strongcase .
However, weneedmorethana strongcase.Utopiahasinsinuated itself1neveryaspectofnormal life.Wehavenogovemnent
towhichto hrn, noranypolice force.At thesametime, wecannotbecometerronstsforfearoflosingsympathy forar cause.As
wellUtopia hasbecomesoenbei ichedinthegeopolitical strucnrethattoover1lrnpti>lic confidence1n1tcoudleadtocatastrophic
panicworldwide.Nor. mndy,doweknowa~ dealregardingtheextentofthecor,spu-acy , whether
,nUtopia theenbreProJect
hasbeen compromised or onlya selectcabalwithinitsadm1mstrabon .
Nonetheless, we camotremainpassrveagainsta clearandpresentthre-aNw.isinterested1ndefend1ng !her aj,ts as
1ndivlCl.lals
areencou-aged to gatheron]l.Slel of 2008at theAmpRoom , wherea pnvateroomhasbeen seared . Matterscntica!
to thefuh.-eofar role,nEa-ths history5hallbe dlSCUSSed, andyotr participation IS vitaltoar success .
Thank you for your time.

A Page from Slider's Notes, Presented Before the Assembled

Aberrants
Contraceptivecompoundsmixedintofood/adrenoc1lm (maintainsimpotencyof novasso no morecan be born)?
Utopiareg1strat1onallowsconstant checkupon status of ind1v1dual novas(privacy?)?
Novainfluencein globalgovernmentsestablishes"watcher" network?
Proteus?
Skirmish- levelsof violenceto killoff novas/control nova population'?
rabngspeakwith1ntemoYa
Telev1S1011 violence- broadcast'"Death ofTitanPalmyra"
hig,estratingrecordedinhistory
.
Mandatory stenl1zat1ons/apphcations for childhoodm highpopulationdensity cities
Galatea?
82
 PROJECTPROTEUS

thenewsFrom OpNews
Live, 11/09/07
... In other news, General
N!tenainment Thomas Eddicott was
interred today in Arling-
ton National Cemetery
N!tervlew with full honors. A long
line of Washington's
dignitaries turned out to
NIthenews pay their final respects,
including Captain Donald
R. Baldwin, popularly
N!sight known as "The Shooter."
He is survived by his
N!tlenous wife, three child ren and
four grandchildren.

Nhernet [SCENE: Captain Bald\.\rin's

eulogy. On saying Goodbye,
Baldwin looks skyward and
salutes.]

• Baldwin: "No finer

tunNluames soldier ever drew breath
than Gene ral Thomas
Dwayne Eddicott. I had
the honor of serving
under him for 15 years,
and in that I count myself
fortunate. I know many of
us are ga ther ed here
today to mourn the
soldier and patriot who
always served his country
with pride. H owever,
many more of us -
including myself - are
here to mourn the man
who loved his family and
his country. He was a
good man, first and
foremost. And as he looks
down from Heaven on us
here today, r just want to
say: 'Thank you, Gen-
eral...' - and thank you,
Thomas. We'll miss you."
83
Froma Departmentof Defense memo, classified Deep Black;08/20/06

Dr. Fielding:

GeneralEndicott1svery insistent that Project: Cornucopia be brought up to operating status within

schedule.The Americanmilitary 1salreadyover-reliant on novapersonnel- weneed these exoskeletonsup
and running, Utopian scientific sanctionsbe damned. Perfectingthe powergrids is youronlyconcern- we'll
handlethe security. GeneralEndicotthas told meto reassureyou that he is privy to information that willkeep
the Utopians off our backs, evenif they shoulduncoverour research. Wecan be certain that they won'twant
to take this to a publicarena.

Cpt. CharlesMoring

Commun ique double

-enayptedwith NavajoDaedalus 3; dated 6/03/08
I'll presumeeverything is going wellon your end, Director. Nonetheless,mybest wishes.
Dr. Ennkssen1sshowing somesignsof restlessness,as I'd projected· allthat intellectcan hardlybe finding
sufficient challengein engineeringand architecture. His abilityto process anddesignseemsto be speedingup,
at least when he's not being currentlyfaced with a direct problemto solve· he's progressed to completing
roughlythree designsper hour, completewitharchitecturalsketches. He's currentlydelegating the computer-
izedreproductionsto assistants- apparentlythere isn't enoughstimulus to finishinga 3-0 modelof a design
that he's alreadymentallycompleted.
I'm thinkingof testing the newgamesof chancefromHattori's pet projects on the doctor. Withany luck,
the advancedprobabilityconfigurationswhenset to cyclethroughshiftingodds in a non-repeatingseries of
patterns. willprovideenoughstimulation to occupyhis mind during non-peakhours. Psychtellsme that he has
just enoughof a gambling bug to take interest, with a minimalchanceof overattachment.
In the meantime, all seems to be going quite wellwith Cocharin.Shes continuingto adjust wellto life in
Engineering,and the departmentheads workedout a schedulethat allowsher to use her matter-transmutation
abilitieson a regularbasis withoutany real quantum-bleedingor signs of stress. I've managedto bond fairly
closelyto her, and fromwhat she's sharing,she seems to be takingthe whole "Slider" incident as she should.
There aren't anyapparent signs of her havingbeen part of Sliders network,and she's in Factexpressed worry
as to whatthe "rogues' mightindeed try. I intend to be at confidant-levelstatus within two weeks; she seems
glad of the regularnon-novacompanyas 1tseems to break downany self-imposedfeelingsof "beingdiffer-
ent.'
Advisefurther as you see fit, of course.
Ruiz
Communique double-encryptedwithNavajoDaedalus3; dated 6/0 5/08
Nyeung:
Goodjob on your recent efforts. Yournext bit of businessis to prep Ishidaand Fashoudand have them
ready to supportT2MAsin the closingof the SopMoei plant·they'llbe wetworkingamongthe localgovernment
and militaryin order to makecertain that the closedownis pennanent.A fulldossier of their role is enclosed.
Businessas usualfor T2MCe,Euand Am.
Also, I wantan updatedfullreport on the Aeonboard - they've takena few steps I hadn'texpected and
1very muchdislikesurprises. Usea second-tier agent· 1wanta purer infonnationfeed to m1nim1zethe chanceof
discrepancies.
DirectorThetis

Unmarked communique,dated06/09/08
Chiraben:
I wouldvery politelyliketo remindyou to keep in Fuckingline. We are not an organizationof sadists and
bullies.We are not in this for kicks. We havebeen entrusted with the task of doingwhat needs to be done in
order to better the wholegoddamnplanet.If that meanssomebodydies nowand again, that's what ,t means.
Ouroperatingprinciplesare here in order to preventus fromparalyzingourselveswithevery lastethicalques-
tion· they were institutedby necessityso that we can achieveactual.regular progress on the betterment of
humansocietyas a whole. Theydo not giveyou carte blancheto do whateverthe hellyouliketo somebodythat
has been designateda liability.We are Project Proteus. We are the oil that keeps the gears lurmng.We are the
screen that keepsthe baselinesfromoutrightpamc. Andwe are the onlythingstandingbetweenthe status quo
andwaror genocide,betweenthe rest of the worldand lunaticslikeMalor thoseother THINGS.Inother words,
Chiraben,we do not fuckaround.
Youworkalonenot becausewewantyou to do whateverthe hellyou want.Youworkalonebecausethat 1s
the waywedo things. If wordcomesto meagainof youmisusingyour powerto get yourownsadistickicks,then
I swear to Godthat you willbe the next designatedliability
. Anddon't even Fuckingthinkof trying to blowour
cover to saveyour ownskin. That didn't save Slider- whowasone of the sweetest girlsI've ever known-
and 1tby Godwillnot saveyou. I knowwhereyou live,and I knowwhereyou sleep. Don't eventhinkof doinga
damnthingthat mightpossiblycompromiseus ever again,or whatyou d,d to your last ·'assignment"willlook
likea picnicwithyour grandmothercomparedto whatwe willdo to you.
Ozaki

85
THETERAGEN
From WSSB Eleven o'C lock News, dated 06/08/07
· MONICA GASPAR: OUR TOP STORY TONIGHT:
TAMPA·s MAYORFREDERICKRUPERTWAS
MURDEREDTODAY. IN A BRUTALRESPONSE TO
HIS CONTROVERSIALANTI -NOVA SPEECHES
AND PROPOSEDLEGISLATION. THE TERAGEN
MEMBERKNOWN AS "GERYON"APPEAREDAT THE
MAYOR·s OFFICES AT 2:10 PM, AND FORCEDHIS
WAY THROUGHTHE BUILDING·s SECURITY
UNTIL HE REACHEDMAYORRUPERT.
COUNT RAOULORZAIZ . LONG NOTED AS THE
MOST PUBLICLYOUTSPOKENADVOCATEOF
THE TERAGENS BELIEFS. OFFEREDSYMPATHY
FOR THE VICTIMS' FAMILIES . BUT REFUSED TO
APOLOGIZEFOR HIS COUEAGU!:S ACTIONS.
· GASPAR: HOWEVER. OTHER MEMBERSOF
THE NOVA COMMUNITYWERE FAR LESS
FORGIVING. PROJECT UTOPIA IN PARTICU-
LARHAS CONDEMNEDGERYONS ACTIONS.
AND THAT ORGANIZATION HAS PROMISED
TO MAKETHE TERAGENMEMBERACCOUNT-
ABLEFOR HIS ACTIONS
THE ROGUENOVA SNAPPEDRUPERrs NECKWITH
ONE HAND. AND PROMPTLYLEFT THE WAY HE
CAME. TWELVESECURITYGUARDSAND POLICE·
MEN WERE SLAIN TRYING TO APPREHEND
GERYON. AND 25 MORE - BOTH POLICE AND
CIVILIANS - WEREADMITTED TO ST . JOSEPH'S
HOSPITAL WITH VARYINGDEGREESOF INJURY.
· ORZAIZ: REAUY. IT IS UNFORTUNATETHAT THIS
INCIDENT HAD TO HAPPENAT ALL- BUT IN ALL
FAIRNESS . WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT?YOU CANNOT LET A
RABID DOG RUN LOOSE IN YOURNEIGHBORHOOD. THIS
PERSON WAS NO LESS RABID, AND MIGHT WELLHAVE
BITTEN SOMEONE RATHERMORE USEFUL THAN HIMSELF.
GERYONS METHODS ARE BRUTISH. BUT HE DID NOT ACT
IN THE WRONG. RUPERTSHOULD HAVEREALIZED THAT
HIS SENTIMENTS ARE MOST INAPPROPRIATEFOR THE
NEW ERA- TO BE FRANK. THE LOSS OF AN ATAVISM
SUCH AS HIMSELF IS NO REALBLIGHT ON YOURSPECIES.
· CAESTVS PAX: THE NUU MANIFESTO IS NOTHING MORE
THAN A TRUMPED-UP excuse FOR TERAGENMEMBERSTO
INDULGE IN WHATEVERCRIMINAL ACTIVITY THEYCHOOSE
WITHOUT A PANGOF CONSCIENCE. IT IS FLATLYINTOLER-
ABLE. PROJECT UTOPIA IS ASSISTING IN THE AUTHORITIES'
MANHUNT FOR GERYONAND WILL BE KEEPINGAN ESPE·
CIALLY CLOSE EYEON OTHER KNOWNOR SUSPECTED
TERAGENMEMBERS. SHOULD THEYCOMMIT CRIMES SIMILAR
TO THIS ACT OF TERRORISM. THEY WILL BECAPTUREDAND
PROSECUTEDUNDERINTERNATIONAL LAW. WE ARE AU
HUMAN TOGETHER- AND THIS DIVIS MALAND HIS
RADICALSNEED TO REALIZE THAT QUICKLY. IF THEYDON'T.
THEYWIU FACETHE CONSEQUENCES
 [DIRECTIVE FILE]
DirectorHams:
Enclosed1smypreliminaryreport on the knownpersonnelandresourcesof the "Teragen"movement(file
PA-2].Operative"Turncoat"continueswithhismf1ltration, and willupdatethe fileas opportunitypermits. The
evidencesupportsour theory that thisorganizationseemsto be morepopularmovementandchansmacult than
anythingelse - the keydifferencebeingthat onlyaberrants are involved.
Director.the moreI learnaboutth,s Teragen, the moregravemyapprehensionsbecome. I'll leave1tto you
lo pore over the filesand piece together the possibleextent of this threat, but evena casualscan provesthat
these peoplehaveinfluenceacross the contmenls,possiblyeven worldwide . I can onlypresumeby the mered-
ablyextensivevarietyof theircontactsand "customers.. that they musthavea highlycellularsetup; there doesn't
seemto be muchof a regimentedcentralstructureat all. Thankfully , weshouldbe ableto closem on, say,one of
the Zukhovcontacts withoutworryingabout the Teragens contacts m the Vatican.
1highlyrecommend1solatmgseveral of these contact pomts and movmgthrough them to the Teragen
membersinvolved.OFcourse,we'IIneed to buildup our reserveof reliableaberrant personnelfirst: of the three
aberrants m the DirectiveI trust. one's m deep cover. the second 1sa b,l unsubtle,and bnngmgm the third
shoulddefinitelybe a last result 1fwe want to avoida mediafiasco.
l repeat: rm worried. 1thmkyou willbe, too. once you go over the file. Althoughthe Teragenhas yet to
fullyblossommtothe worst-casescenarioswe were proJectmgback m '98. I havea naggingfear that it's only
gomgto be a matter of time.
Carson
 \ .. ·I
\~ /

mo sapiens novus (also

o sapiens . Regulations
sily subverted and mi
y destiny to attain the
es set by beings w
is "ethical" or "mo
s and governing
s must be consi ea inapplicable to Homo sapi-
ens novus.
Until a common gover bodyl compo entirely of novas qualified to
hold authority, is recognize the m ority of e nova population , then it is the
duty of every Homo sapie n vus to vern h1 self or herself as he or she sees
fit. Just as it is preposterous ask hu ans to a e by the strictures of chimpan-
zee society, any attempt to
must be seen as an attack 'te
rce a nova to abi by the laws of human society
righrs of the i ividual nova ....

88
Private iournal entry: Leland Cornwall; April 23, 2007
Just how I liketo beginmydays: A telepathic probe just after breakfast.I wishI didn't haveto wanderinto people's
mindslikethis, particularlycriminals- and particularlynow. I swear to God, walkinginsidesome people's mindsis hke
goinginto a sewer - it's a hellof a lot differentthan sexplaywithan open partner, that's for sure.
That's howit waswithSluice.To be honest, I wasexpectingsomesort of monstrousasylumdreamsequence likethey
run on Tefepathseverynowandagain. After all the Teragenare supposedto be brainwashedmonsters,fullof programmed
sadism,right? Not Sluice.
HeknewI wascomingm, even thoughwe had "Psi-Dancer"in the roomas a distraction. He didn't bother withher at
all- he wasexpectmgme. Don'task me how;evenPaxcan't tellher M-Rem1ss1onsare fakedwhenI don't wanthimto, so
it wasn'ta problemwiththat. Heplayedthe gracioushost walkingme throughthe mansionof hiscortex and kindlyopening
doors for me. It was likesomedrawing-roomplay.
Worstpart is, he kept meout of someof his memories.Howthe hell?!?Hesaid it hadsomethingto do with"meditative
exercises" and "Funnelingpotential." Right.
Anyway,1managedto pullout answersto mostof the Directors'questions. They weren't happywhenhe said that the
Teragenhadno chainof command,no superiors. The onlyflashof authority-respectthat I couldgleanwaswhenMal'sname
cameup. The best analogyI could comeup withwasthat the Teragenwaslikea bunchof graduatedcollegefriendswhokeep
1ntouchand help each other out nowand again- and the Directorsdidn't likethat much,either.
Sluicesure seemedto be happywith the arrangement.Evenin captivity,facinglife in a solitarydark cube, he wasn't
bothered by thingsat all. "You'llcome around." That's what he said as he was escorted out. "I can wait, and you'llcome
around. Then we can talkabout this likereasonablenovas,withoutall these monkeysscreechingat us."
I didn't likehis tone one little bit. Particularlybecause 1tseemedso genuine. What does he expect, that I'm goingto
havesomeepiphanyand springhim,then we can go waltzoff to Maltogetherand makethe worlda happyplace for novas?
Wheredo the peoplefit in in this arrangement?
I've been stewingover this allday, and 1can't thinkof anythingelse. I mgoingout tonight, no matter whatPaxtonsays.
It's goingto take a goodlongeveningof sex - sensorysharingand all - to get me to properlyunwind.Withat feastthree
women.
ThankGodI'ma nova.

[Directive]
"TOP PRIORITY : FORIMMEDIATE DISTRlBUTlONTO ALLAGENTS'
To: Allagents
Re: TeragenFilePA-3· OperativeJesse Hooks
Immediatelycease and desist all operationsreliant on data suppliedm TeragenFilePA-3.PA-3 must be
treated as falsifiedinformation,deliberatelyleakedto the agency. Inaddition,operativeJesse Hooks, codenamed
Turncoat, is to be considereda rogueagent withaccessto classifiedinformation.Agentsare ordered to 1mmed1-
atelyreport even the least substantiatedsightingof Hooksto their superiors. If Hooks1slocated,do not engage
himwithoutheavybackup; Hookspossessesquantumpowersof at least "B ·-class and shouldin every waybe
considereda Titan-class threat. The poss1b1hty of brainwashingor mindcontrol is not an issue; it is utmost
prioritythat Hooksbe treated as a defector under his ownfree will, and dealt withaccordingly.

89
 ranscript from a Formative
Directive Meeting
Apparently,the meeting from which this transcript
ongmates was held shortly after the St. Petersburg·•nova
cns1s" of 2001. Russian[sic) phys1olog1sts made break-
throughssimilarto those of Ors. Mazarinand Rashoud,but
withfar lesspublicitypromptinggovernmentofficialsto look
mtothe matter. Fromthe spotty recordsandprimarysources
we can assemble, the early Directivediscussionsoccurred
after somedraft of the apocryphal"SterynchM1ss1ve " cir-
culated amongcarefullyselected membersof superpower
governments(thougha fewseemto havebeenselectedwith-
out regard for their lackof superpowerstatus).
At nsk of lendingundueeditorialto my notes I fmd 11
odd that a looseconfederationof EuroSlavstates couldmus-
ter the wherewithalto parallelthe M-Rdiscoveriesor unite
other nationsto formoneof the mostpowerfulpolice/para-
militaryorganizationsin the worldwhenthey can't manage
to manufacturea decent gas oven. The pre-Sierkaproblems
Russiafaced shouldhave been enoughto cnpple their re-
search, but maybethe triumphof the humansp1ntis worth
more than Hallmarksentiment.Yet,I digress. To get to the
pomt, I suspectguidanceor support behindthe Russians.
. Anyway,I hope you enjoy this. I lost six people to get
11.The Ministryof Informationis a bit tight-fistedregarding
nationalsecrets. even when11comes to publicdocuments.
I've taken the libertyof translating.add1t1onally.
- B.F.
· llyanovich {Russian Confederation): So then, were
agreed? The presence of these "novas"1sa concern for all
our governments?
· Stinson(US): I wouldimagineso.
· Nakamura (Japan): Agreed.
· I: Perfect.Nowthat our semanticscomc1de , perhaps
we shouldoutlineexactlyhow they wouldbest serve us, m
the sense that they wouldbe workingfor their government.
of course. If you'lllookthroughmyproposal.gentlemenand
lady,you'llsee weopmethat a militarystructureworksbest.
Althoughour pnor experiment[ / thmk he's talkingabout
Interpol, but Jinnot sure - B.F.]failed, limiting the struc-
ture to Fewerparticipantsbetter able lo enforce the Direc-
tivecode - see the thirdandfourthattachments- should
be far more effective.
· N: And the membership1slimitedto these novas?
· Lathrop(UK): No.we've budgetedfor a...um, normal
supportteam, as wellas a J01ntstaff of policyleaders. Leav-
ing the organizationsolelym the hands of these novasand
relyingon their sense of patriotismwouldn'twork.
. · S: Pardonme 1fI'm bemga bit slow, but what exactly
1sthe pomtof this [ soundof papersshuFFling] er, Directive?
90
I'll tell you nght now,my m1l1tary proJectexpendituresare
stretched fairlythin with domesticarmed forces spending
bemg cut, 60 "policeactions" takmgplace and UNsubs1-
d1eson top of it all. I don't knowthat l can afford another
"policeforce of the world" sort of action, and I'm not sure
our peoplewant 11.
· N: 1FI maybe Devil'sAdvocate,I'm not sure a nation
can afford not to be a part of this. We've alreadyseen the
powernovaspossess. Anystate withouta direct hand 1nthe
governanceof their, ah, superpoweredcitizenry1s goingto
have difficultymaintainingits administration withoutopen
revolt.
· S: And then what are your feelingson Chma.Miss
Nakamura ?
· I: A vast population, best watchedby those sharing
our commonmleresls.
· 5: Well, I didn't ask you Petr but 1guess that'lldo.
[Transcnpl continues.delvinginto budget allocations
and membershipcharters.]
From the Sherman Report,
presented belore Congress in
late2006
Spendingto support the Directivemustcontinue, even
1fadditionalsupport fromprivatecorporationsmustbe ob-
tamed to secure the United States' ongoingmembership.
Currently,the D1rect1ve represents the onlyviable recourse
against placingnearlyall faith m novamatters m the hands
of Proiect Utopia.
Directive records show the followingcountries' con-
tributionsand memberships . (All figures shownare in US
dollars)
UnitedStates $3.5 b1lhonper annum
30 activemembers
RussianConfederacy $3.2 b1ll1on per annum
31activemembers
Japan $2.85 b1ll1on per annum
13activemembers
Germany $2.1billionper annum
II activemembers
UnitedKingdom $1.2 b1lhonper annum
10active members
Directivepresence and continuedAmericaninvolve-
mentserves m1htaryand intelligenceends, as wellas allow-
mgAmericanparticipationm globalpolicydirection. With-
drawalfrom the organizationplacestoo muchpowerm the
collectivehands of countrieswith whichthe UnitedStates
has had a historyof conflictand enmity.
By maintaininga strong financial and personalpres-
ence mDirectiveaffairs, Americakeepsthe strongestweap-
ons in its ownhands, or at least under its sway.
 Froma CBSEvenmgNewsBroadcast. January13, 2004
Transmission starts m mediares, owmgto storagemedwmdamage.
...Is whywe're here. FederallysponsorednovacontractorsKarmaandTombstoneare withme, descnbmgthe
presenceof these unknownnovasas "territorialand cryptofasc1st. "
The cadre of novas, allwearings1m1larblue-and-whiteumforms, appearedon the scene shortlyafter Karma
and Tombstone, and asked the two mdependentsto leave. When Karmaand Tombstonerefused, the apparent
leaderof the groupdisplayedan official-looking badgeand informedthe two interlopersthat failureto allow 'the
Directive" to handlethe hostages1tuat1on wouldresult ma federalcharge of treason.
Onlookersdescribethe groupmembersas ~daunting" and of "a varietyof ethmc1t1es ."
Moreon this s1tuat1on as ,t develops. Backto you, Dan.

Graffiti from a Subway Train in · ProsecutorDanvers:Andwhatpreciselyis the nature

Japan (Translated)
Super-soldiersor secret pohce?
The D,rect,vehas ,ts eye onyou.
From the Transcript of Klein v.
United States
In2005, EugeneKlemwasarrestedby a Russian0,-
rect,ve agent whileattemptmg to burn down a Moscow
warehousestocked withover 4.000 casesof duty-free al-
cohol.whichsupposedlybelongedto a smugglingrmg. The
warehouseandattendantproperty msurancewasfoundto
be registeredm Klem's name,n a Russiancourtof law. Ex-
traditedto America, h,s landof birth. Klemexpected the
chargesto be dropped.wh,chthey were not. After being
declaredgwlty man Amencancnmmalcourt.Klein suedthe
Amencangovernment.cla,mmgfmanc,al,phys,calandemo-
tionaldamagesm excess of three b1//1ondollars.
of this Directive, captam?
· Captain Petrograd :The Directivemaintainsglobal law
enforcement.Mr. Klem's actionswere criminal,as yourown
court proved. As a memberof the Directive 1twas my duty
to preventsuchillegalitiesfrom takingplace.
• PD: Andwho, exactly, maintainsthe Directive?
· CP: A Jointcommission of Amencan,Russian, Japa-
nese and UmtedKingdomgovernmentalofficials. Germany
has recentlybecomea memberas well.
· PO: A globalconspiracy,then? No Furtherquestions.
· CP: No, a check againstUtopia'sambitio-
. PO: No further questions,witness.
· CP:The Directiveexistsas an alternativeto the smgle-
mmdednessof Uto-
. PD: YourHonor!
W,th J,ttledehberat,on. the SupremeCourtFoundm
favorof the UmtedStates.

91
THE TRITON FOUNDATION

From "The Triton Foundation: Curing the Wor ld",

Time Magazine , February 2008

ill. "I can nly h p tha we an

92 ZlnE
 Timeline
1994: Trir n F undaci n er ated b the merging f e eral pharmaceutical and bio-
m ical r arch c mpanie under the au pice of th A on ciety.
2 00: Br a c cane r cur d v I p d
2001: Pr rcur d v l ped
2003: AID d
r£ ct cur m t kn wn form f cane r·
e
20 6: Fir t prenatal cane r ere ning for br t cane r; fir c pr natal g n th rapy

arch into gen tic rigin f no a rel a d

pho c sofaris, and s w tured

promil'Cntly,n Naf iono/ tiugraphlc M,ogozine - his
ability lo run with th .. Chuta/it wander w,th
-- RoocJICr<st6bal Oeza,z the hOIIS wrthout fear of honn suvcd his
.. .,.,. Unknown photogn,pl,y te l ts II
flllllllltlllt: Valene"', Spain Orzo,z his odhercnu o the T
...... Socialite.; T n creed olmort i ootelyofter the re of the
,_., Count Orza i1 ,._,._,., to hims..lf as ·an Null Monlfuto . Ho,...vu , his Mllcvior is a far cry
accomplish...i ath let._ af my sp...:,u. ." H._has from h s more casually sociopothoccolleoguu. such
d1shnct,v._1ysuperhumanlevds of stamina, spo.edand as Guyon - the count s unfo,linglypolite, and he
S1rcngth, although he refra ins from publicly notably e11Joystke companyof baselines. Although
dc.monstrating his prowes.s. Secondhand rvmor (usually Project Utopia has stot...i that thq inlelld to kup
attr ibul...i to on,: of his manylodyfr itllds) cites him as o don eye on him, the count has yd to do anyth ing
able to lift a dump truck . run as quickly as a cheetah more subversive thon Jou o few hundred thOl.l5Gnd
and survive smcll•0MIISfire without a scratch . francs on Monaco's casinos.
..._._ They don"t come any more controvus ial
than the celebnited Count Oria iz. This European
playboy is an unapologet ic and public membu of the
infamous Tuogen - and likely the mo_,.t •s most
telegenic spokesman. Although his philosophy is far
from popular. the count doesn't lock for popularity of
StNllgtil : 6 kis own.
J:ilt-.li.ct: 5 Count Oriaiz ho,ls from one of the old ble
Spud • 6 families in Eurapo.,a 8as'IU'-dynasty that sft"-tchu
OffCNC < 7 back for Celltlll'ies HIS lion. which OCCUN'ed
l>cfCNC : 7 shortly aftu lus graduation from un<vusoty,-
Vcnotiltty: 8 woddy publlc,ud h haul Eurapo..H,s powers
d,dn"t seem 10 affect 1s Jetsctt,ng hf le much: if
anyth,ng, ,t,q only UIG<ourc,geG it Orzaiz is fond of

zrnE 93
Script excerpt from documen-
tary program Cutting Edge,
episode #41
The state of organizedcrimeat the tum of the century
was nothingless than all-outwar. The alreadyvolatilerela-
tions between nval gangs,Familiesand cartels broke down
intoevenmoreheavyinfighting,whichwasexacerbatedwhen
certainorganizations(mostnotablyamongthe Chinesetongs
and SouthAmericancocainecartels) beganemployingnova
enforcers. Thistrend wasto get worsewhenthe UNgranted
Utopia authority to move against internationalorganized
crime.
Suddenlythe criminalcartels and syndicates of the
worldfoundthemselvesin deep trouble. Notonlywere they
killingeach other off at a record rate, but the suddeninter-
ventionof TeamTomorrowmadethe situationmuchworse
for them.By2004, onlya very fewcartels were left stand-
ing....
Camparelli-Zukhov
Megasyndicate
Excerptfroma phoneconversation;03/21/00
· VoiceI: I cannot believeyou had the audacityto call
me. 1havenothingto say to you.
· Voice2: If that's so, whyare youstillon the phone'?
· Voice1: Be very carefulhowyou put your words.
· Voice2: I'm not trying to insultyou,Zukhov . Get that
throughyour head.
· Voice 1: Oh'?Andwhat are you tryingto do7
· Voice 2: Look,this war's been hittingyou as bad as
me. But you and me, we're both survivors,right7 I wanna
talk terms.
· Voice 1: Of surrender'?
· Voice2: Now1shouldbe the one gettinginsulted. But
I'm gonnalet that slide. See, 1knowwellas you that we'llbe
luckyto get out of this alive,muchless free and stillin busi-
ness. We've both got contacts in good places, but when 1t
comesdownto iust the two of us, th,s Utopiabunch1sgoing
to pick off one - then the other. Just like that. We don't
havethe muscle and wedon't havethe freaksto resist them.
Not separately. That's whyI've got an offer for you.
· Voice1: ls this the sameoffer youmadeSerizyandhis
Frenchmen'?
· Voice 2: No. No, it isn't. They were woundeda lot
94
worse than you are; they had no choicebut to comeunder
mybanner. You...YouI respect. Zukhov . Youhavetalentsl,ke
nobodyelse in this business; comesof beinga damnedKGB
special talent. huh'?I wasn't talkingabout you workingFor
me. I was talkingabout us workingtogether.
• Voice1:Hm. And I am to trust your goodw1ll 7
· Voice2: Youdon't haveto. That's the beautifulpart. 1
knowyou've already been checkingup on me and mine. I
knowyouknowthat we"rethe last Familystanding,and that
we've dragged a numberof the survivorsunder our wings.
Just like 1 know you've managed to pick off all your
Organizats1ya rivals,anddonesomerecruitmentof yourown
amongthe Europeanswhileyou were at 1t.Runyour num-
bers. I'm guessingyou'd come out with the same figures 1
would- that if we tried to do each other dirty. wed wipe
each other out, but 1fwe cooperated...
· Voice1:Yes. That waywe stand a chanceof survival.
and of confoundingone another's enemiesby poolingre-
sources.
· Voice2: You'requickon the draw,Russk1e .
· Voice1:I havedone myhomework.I willpresumethat
my men willbe trainingyours in proper enforcementtech-
niques.yes'? Youwillabandonyour protectionoperations,
of course; there is little need for those whenwe can makea
muchgreater profiton transportinggoods,bookmakingand,
of course, • vice.''We are both very good at the vice.
· Voice 2:Sonof a bitch. Youwere expectingme to call,
weren'tyou'?
· Voice 1:Is that a problem'?
[ENDPHONE
CONVERSATION]
Nakato Gumi
Draftof scriptfrom "GumiNovaTragic"OAV,aired07/
13/07
· Ryu:I don't expectyouto understand. Youare rightto
hate me. My hands are soaked in blood- all shed by the
order of myoyabun. 1havekilleda hundredmenin the name
of mygang. I have taken technologiesforbiddenby ProJect
Utopiaand sold themon the blackmarket.I havedefied the
lawsof the worldand obeyedonlythe lawsof myFamily .
· lchiko:But... but you have a choice, Ryu!Everyone
has a choice!
· Ryu:No. not everyone. 1was givenno choice to be
born,andno choiceto live. NowI haveno choicehowto live.
 from a DeVriesbriefingletter, dated 03/24/ 08
Jeffries:
If you've lookedover the contract, you've probablyalreadynoticedthat you're lookingat a hellof a lot
of moneyfor a simpleextraction. Well,don't be fooled- this is no simpleextraction. Thingsare never
sunplewhere the Nakatoare involved.
I expect you to spend some time doingresearch on the flightover. You'llneed to knoweverythingyou
can about these peopleto pulloff this m1ss1on . I hope your chameleonskillsare up to the task; Japan's still
fairlyxenophobicafter all these years.
Of course, ,t doesn't help that you're up againstone of the majororganizedcrime forces in the world,
and goingafter themm their ownbackyard- wherehalfthe za,batsuin Osakaare likelyin their pockets. I'm
sure you'veheard all the stories about the Nakato- amphetaminesand spikedealing, vice crimes,money
laundering- seems likepretty tame stuff whenyou compare,t to someof the other jobs, nght?
Wrong. The Nakatoare bad, bad news. I'mseriousaboutdoingyour research; you won't havea chance
in Hellotherwise. Forone.youknowthat smugglingof Utopia-bannedtechnologiesthey do'?Don'tthinkFora
minutethat there aren't any gimmickswithmilitaryapplications in their inventory.Someof those mighteven
be capable of droppingGeryon.
For another,you'll havelo watchout Forthe wholeneighborhood:in Japan, the Nakatohavepopularity
and approvalratingsthat are throughthe roof. The numberthree comicin Japan 1sa "true life" rag about a
novawhoserves his Yakuzamasters helpingout the little guyand tweakingthe nosesof Foreignauthorities.
They've madea damncartoonout of it, too; and the thing's been exportedaroundto Americanand European
markets.where we can onlypresumeit's steppingup their approvalratingsas well.
Finally , you can bet that they've got a novaor two up their sleeves.and we have no idea what sort of
powersthey're packing. That comicshowssomebodywithsuperspeed,but there's no reason to believeits
based on real life; probablyjust bankrolledby somekobun. So be ready to expect anything.
Fulldossier's on the chip. Goodluck, and watchyourself. If you pullthis off, I'll buy you the cognacof
your choice.deal?
Khalif

Heaven Thunder Triad a prescriptionof adrenoc,linbefore our next session.

FromWXLM-News broadcast,11/30/ 06
Policecontinueto investigatethe bizarremurdercase
of HerbertWa, whowasbeheadedin the middleof the Thou-
sand Miraclerestaurant last Sunday. Althoughthe restau-
rant was apparentlyat peak dininghours whenthe murder
occurred, the policehaveyet to producea cooperativeeye-
witness. As a further outlandishwrinkle, Mr. Wa's head has
yet to be recovered; one sourceat the coroner's office ad-
mittedthat •·,twas ,f hisheadwasbitten off andswallowed ."
Excerptfrom report filedby Yukiko Takemitsu;08/09 /
07
Telepathicscans on the subject are difficultand still
not fullyconclusive
. I havedifficultypenetratingthe layers
of his mentaldefenses; to do so causesh,mgreat pain,and I
experiencesome Feedback . As such I wouldliketo request
95
The subject,MaYuoisa lifetimeresidentof HongKong.
Hewasrecruitedinto the triad-sponsoredYellowSilkstong
at the age of 13; he killedhis Firstmanat the age of 15. This
much1seasy to discern.
However,it is whenI pry behindthe door paintedwith
the words"HeavenThunder"that the defensesbecomevery
thick.Eitherhe has been psychologically conditionedto re-
sist telepathicinquiry,or he 1sholdingme out withemotions
even stronger than a survivalinstinct.The threat of some-
thingworsethan death is very real to him.
The images1receiveare fleeting. Ma was apparently
onlylightlyinvolved,n anyheroindealingor use, Forit is not
a primarymotifat all. He does touchon imagesof fan-tan
cards and pa1gowdominoes,leadingme to believethat he 1s
indeeda rankingsoldier in the triads gamblingring, as In-
vestigationsreports.
 lt 1sas l attempt to go deeper that the other imagery
rises up. l catch the repeated chantof oaths of loyalty,many
oaths of loyalty. ln all a gruesomefate is promisedif he re-
vealsthe secrets. The chantingis accompaniedby shadowy
images- demonswiththe smilesof sharks,a manon fire,
a goutof greensmokewiththe lipsof a woman.At thispoint,
the pain becomestoo great, and l am forced to withdraw.
I can onlyconcludethat these finalimagesare howthe
subiectchoosesto acknowledgethe novaenforcersthat we
knowthe HeavenThunders keep on retainer. There 1sno
evidenceto confirmthat their chairman1sa novahimself. I
willattempt to pry further tomorrow,if that is your wish,
but I fear that the subiect is in very real dangerof death 1fl
pry further. Hisemotionalstate is suchthat dyingof fright1s
quite possible. l awaityour decision.
Froma TearnTomorrowAmericas traineebriefing; date

01/10/07
When 1tcomesto organizedcrime, we have three real concernsin the Americas.The first 1sthe trouble
withvariousgangs,a fewof whomnowhavenovaleaders. You'veprobablyheard enoughabout the rise of the
Cnps and the SpanglerPosse,and howtheir leadershaveturned them intosomethingmuchdeadlier; however,
these are moderatelylocalizedthreats, and not the subjectof this lecture. Secondly,there's the statesidever-
sionsof the Nakato,Camparelli-Zukhov and HeavenThunder- but these are largelyUnitedStates-local, and
smallstuff in comparisonto their hometownversions. The real lords of organizedcrimeacross two-thirds of
our protectorate are the Medell(ncartel.
The Medellinare virtuallyunchallengedfor their positionas kingsof the cocainemarket.Not longafter
the Galateaexplosion,the other Colombiancartels began sufferingcripplinghits on their farms, processing
plants, even households- you nameit. To nobody'ssurprise,this swath of destructionhad novasbehindit.
These novas- two of themat first, althoughwebelievethere are morenow- turnedout to be hiredagents
of the Medell(ndrug cartel. The Medell(nslaughteredall their rivalsand set up their own householdas the
unquestionedrulers of the SouthAmericancocaineand cocainevariantstrade. Currently,we suspectthat one
of these novasis the headof the cartel,and the other servesas his lieutenant;filesfor both are availableon the
database.
Ultimately,theres good news and bad news about the Medellin.The good news 1sthat they're pretty
localized;they can be foundwhere the cocainemarketis, and not muchof anywhereelse. The bad newsis that
becausethey don't reallycompetewithanyof the other criminalcartels, there's not muchchanceof themgoing
to war with, say, the Nakato. They stick to the cocainebusinessbecause it's hugelyprofitablefor them, and
they're in tum guarded by not only their own novaenforcers, but their layers of contacts. They makemore
moneythan they can easilyspend; as a result, a lot of their fundsare tied up in variousCaribbeanbanks. This
"investment"has giventhema lot of alliesamongthe appropriatenations, to say nothingof the vanousCentral
and SouthAmericangovernmentsthey have in their pockets.
So as youcan see, they're a real problem for us. Wecan't go in after themgunsblazing,becausethey have
too manyalliesthat mightget us in legaltrouble. We can't easilyset them against rivalsyndicates,because
they're not in competition.That's whyit's one of our primaryobiecttvesto continueour goodwillefforts m the
Americas;every fieldwe terraformor powerplantwe set up makesus looka littlebetter to the governmental
high-ups. lf we can convincethe variousheadsof state that Project Utopia1sa better and morevaluablefriend
to have than the Medellin,then maybewe'llget the sanctioningand help we need to removethese parasites
once and for all.
Untilthen, it's goingto be very tenuousgomg. So if you windup crossinga Medell(nin the courseof your
duties,holdback and playit safe.Let us know. We can stilloppose them,but we haveto be carefulabout 1t.

96
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 101
CHAPTER ONE: SYSTEMS 106
CHAPTERTWO: CHARACTER 112
CHAPTERTHREE:TRAITS 127
CHAPTER FOUR: MEGA-ATTRIBUTES
& ENHANCEMENTS 154
CHAPTER FIVE: QUANTUM POWERS 177
CHAPTER SIX: DRAMA 233
CHAPTER SEVEN: STORYTELLING 258
APPENDIX 274
 INTRODUCTION
The Basics strict the action. The rules provide the basic mechanics
for play·beyondthat, the game'sfocus is on the story.
Aberrant 1sa game focusingon the lives and ex- Designed for cinematic storytelling, Aberrantis
ploits of paranormal humans. Set 10years after radia- muchlikea movie. The game works best when focusing
tion from an explodingsatellite triggered bizarre pow- on only a few maincharacters; thus, a group of only a
ers in a fragment of Earth's population, Aberrant half-dozenor so players 1srecommended. Muchof the
chroniclesthe struggles of these "novas,' or 'new hu- game'sintensityandexcitementis lostwithlargergroups,
mans,' and their quest to fit into - or forever change in whichplayersmust compete for attention.
- humansociety.
Aberrantis, at its foundation,a game, but a game
The Sto ry teller
about tellingstories. If you've played other roleplaying Aberrant has more in commonwithplaysthan with
games,you should already be familiarwith the idea. If card or board games. Most notably, one player, called
not, this section explainswhat it all means. the Storyteller, is a "director" of sorts. In fact, the Sto-
ryteller acts as a combinationdirector, narrator and ref-
Storytelling eree, creating the dramathroughwhichthe playerstake
their characters.
Tellingstories is a part of our heritage. The oral
As a Storyteller, you create the environment in
tradition is the oldest method of communicatinginfor-
whichthe characters are placed. Whileplayersand Sto-
mation and entertainment. As society progressed and
ryteller shape events together, you are responsiblefor
became more diverse and sophisticated, so too did
tying the story's disparate threads together and making
storytelling.Unfortunately,it alsobecamemore passive.
sure that the gameruns smoothly.Yourmostusefultools
Whereour ancestorstook turns tellingone another tales,
in balancingstory and game are your imaginationand
we now watchstories on television.
the rules systems. StorytellingAberrant 1schallenging,
Yetthere are stillstorytellers amongus. The film-
but this bookmakesit a simplerand moreenjoyablepro-
makers who create moviesand the writers who create
cess. It's a formidableJOb, but ,t can be incrediblyre-
novelsand comicbooksare just a fewof those whomain-
warding- after all, the reward is the story itself.
tain this ancientart. Aberrantis all about tellingstories,
The Storyteller's role is exploredin detail in Chap-
not just listeningto them. It's an opportunity to create
ter Seven:Storytelling.
new legends- not to merelywatchas old legendsare
recycledon screen. The Players
Most of the people playingAberrantassume the
Roleplaying roles of the story's protagonists. While the Storyteller
Aberrant is a roleplayinggame; playersassumethe sets the stage for the game, it is the playerswho take
roles of central characters in an ongoingstory. lt s much the stage and create the action there. Being a player
likeimprovisational actingwitha dash of "CopsandRob- demandseffort and preparation, but these elementsadd
bers." The make-believeyou playedas a child- imag- richnessand depth to the story.
iningyourselfas a knight in shiningarmor or a brightly Asa playerof Aberran t, youcreate a character with
clad superhero - was roleplaying.Aberrant is simplya incrediblepowers - a nova. Youdecide the character's
more sophisticatedversionof those childhoodgames. actionsover the course of a story as if you were playing
Still,Aberrant needsa fewmorerulesthanthe play- a protagonistin a novelor film. Everythingyou haveyour
grounddid; "Got you!" Didnot!" "Didtoo!" is too sim- character say and do has an impactin the Aberran t uni-
plistic for this sort of game. Aberrant' s rules set the verse. Yourgoal is to help the protagonistovercomethe
story's parameters, allowingthe Storytellerto detennine obstacles facingher, thereby achievingher objectives.
each character's abilitiesand limits.Rulesguidethe story After you describe "your" action, the Storyteller
eliminatingconflict over whether or not a character's willoccasionallydemandthat you rolldice to see if your
actions are plausible- but rules don't dictate or re- charactersucceedsinthe attempt.Beyondthat, youneed
 ABERRANT

only thinkbackto whenyouplayedmake-believe- it's Abemintworldand our own. The first is the presence
that simple. of superhumans.These beingsare referred to as "new
humans,"or "novas." Novashavea pieceof geneticcod-
Characters ing enablingthem to control the fundamentalforces of
To playAben-ant youcreate a roleandbecomethat the universe,thus grantingthem vast powerover their
person withinthe context of the game. Just as actors surroundings.Althoughthere are only6,000 or so no-
playcharacterson stage, playersare the protagonistsin vas in the worldas of 2008, their cominghas had a tre-
an improvisational story. mendousimpacton culture,politicsandscientifictheory.
Whilea playwright'scharacters have a predeter- The second importantdifferenceis the presence
minedexistence,the Aberrant characteryoucreate de- of a powerful global organization, Project Utopia.
velopsaccordingto yourdesires.The charactercreation Founded in 1998 by members of the Aeon Society,
process is relativelysimple;it takes onlya half-houror Project Utopia'smissionis to foster harmoniousrela-
so to workout the Traits and ratings that designatethe tions between humansand novas whilebettering the
character's capabilities.Evenso, a character is nothing worldas a whole. In its 10-year history,the Project has
but a collectionof numberson a pieceof paper untilyou hadgreat success,savingcountlesslives,curingdiseases,
breathe lifeinto it. and endingfaminein vast areas of the world. So impor-
Character aeationisccmredinChapter Two:Character. tant has the Project becomethat Utopianowoccupies

The Game an advisoryseat on the UNSecurityCouncil .

The "official"beginningof the Aberrantchronicle
There are no "winners"or "losers" in Aberrant. is July2008, a coupleof monthsafter a very important
The idea is not to "beat" the other players,as having event in the Aberrant world'shistory. Recently,the im-
everyone'scharacterscooperateisoftenessentialto your mensely popular nova Jennifer "Slider" Landers was
own character's survival.Nor is the goalto "beat" the murdered.Evidencecurrentlypoints to Landers' erst-
Storyteller,since the Storytellerand players work t.o- whilefriend, maverickex-teammateAndreCorbin.When
gether to create the best story possible.In the end, the Corbinfled the site of Landers' funeraland went into
idea is to rise to the challenge,striving to overcome hiding,suspicionsseemed confirmedbeyondall doubt.
Herculeanodds withyour powers,wit.s and courage. However,Corbinhasapparentlyfoundedor joineda ren-
Althoughthis setting's mainfocus is the struggle egade groupof novascallingthemselvesAberrants,and
for power amongthe superhumaninhabitantsof Earth, this grouphas disseminatedinformationsuggestingthat
Aben-ant is designedfor playersto pursue any number it wasProject UtopiawhomurderedSlider.The fugitive
of goals. Youcan exploreany conceptsthat interestyou. faction allegesthat Sliderdiscoveredincriminatingin-
Yourseries of stories maydeal with matters as epic as formationaboutthe Projectandwassummarilysilenced.
savingthe entire planet, or as personalas findingtrue Utopiapubliclyscoffsat theseaccusations,labelingthem
love. It's allup to you and your Storyteller. the desperate defenseof a fugitivemurderer. Nonethe-
Aberrant's "victory conditions"are less tangible less, the Sliderscandalhas shakennovas'confidencein
than being the only player who isn't bankrupt,or cor- the benevolentProjectUtopia,andfalloutfromthe event
neringyour opponent in checkmate. Success in Aber- is polarizingnovasworldwide . The balanceof powerbe-
rantmaycomeaboutfor a numberof reasons:defeating tween individualnovasand novafactionsis shifting,and
foes in the course of the story, achievingstatus within any nova can make the difference between absolute
an organization,developinga previou.slyuntappedpower, powerand destruction.
uncoveringa world-threateningplot or simplyenjoying As a nova you are one of the most importantbe-
the experienceof playingin the game. ings in the world.Possessedof enoughquantumpower
There is no official"end" to a storytellinggame, to changethe fate of entire nations,youcannothelpbut
merely breaks between game sessions. Each time the leave an impacton the worldaroundyou. Willyou join
playersgather,the story picksup again,just likeanother the Aberrantsin an attempt to uncoverthe truth about
episodein an ongoingTV series or another chapter in a Utopia,or willyouaidthe Projectagainstthe rogueswho
novel. wouldtarnishits goodname'?Willyouignorethe coming
The World of Aberrant struggle,or even exploitit for your own gain'?History
Fundamentally, the worldof Abemintis muchlikeour beckons,and you alonecan makethe choicesthat could
own. Thoughit is set in the near future, the worldas a affect millions.
wholeis stilllargelyrecognizable.Peoplestilllookand The Future
act muchas they do now,mostof the countriesand
Abemintis a prequelgameto WhiteWolf'sTrin-
politicaldivisionsremaintrue to their current
ity sciencefictionroleplayinggame,a far-futuresetting
parameters,and technologyhas not advancedbeyond
featuring evolved humansknown as psions. As such,
what we can presentlyconceive.
events in the Aberrant storylineinfluenceandare influ-
There are two importantdifferencesbetweenthe
enced by the Trinitystoryline.Accordingto the Trinity

JO) IN!ROl)lJC ll<)N

 ABERRANT
timeline,relationsbetweenhumansand novaswillgradu- roomor makinga speech before millions,you are physi-
ally worsen, culminatingin the great Aberrant War of cally involvedin the action. Imaginationis still impor-
2049-2061. Certaincharacters introducedin this book tant and the Storytellermaystillinterrupt events to de-
willhave a greater or lesser impact on the events that scribe objects and special situations.
lead to - and follow- the Aberrant War. No dice are used in live-action games; alternate
That havingbeen said, playersand Storytellersare rules (like those in White Wolf's Mind'sEye Theatre
free to includeas much- or as little - of the "offi- game products, or simplythe result of the Storyteller's
cial" Aberrant-Trinity metastory as they like. Aberrant judgment}, replace dice. The method of adjudicating
can easilybe playedas a stand-alonegamewithoutneed actions itself isn't important as long as it's consistent,
of Trinity, or the characters' actions may forever alter fair and fun for everyone.
the Trinity timeframeto come. It's all up t.o the players Rulesof Live-Act.ion
and the Storyteller. Youmustfollowa few essentialrules to ensure that
live-actionroleplaying issafe and enjoyablefor all. These
rules must be obeyed in any live-actionactivity; safety
is alwaysthe primaryconcern.
Creating Aberrants in • Don'tTouch:Players may never actuallystrike
Trinity or grapple one another. No combatshouldever be per-
ThoughAberTw1t 1sdesignedas a prequel to formed - that's what the "dice" are for. If anyonegets
Trinity, it's relativelysimpleto use this book to too rambunctious, the Storytellershouldcallfor a timeout
generate the monstrousaberrants of the Trinity and remind everyone of the rules. Repeat offenders
era. The fundamentaldifference between the novas should be askedto leave, or the action shouldbe returned
of 2008 and the aberrants of 2121is the amountof to a tabletop roleplayforum.
Taint accumulated.For Trinity-era aberrants, each • NoWeapons:No props can be used if they must
dot of Quantumtranslates to one point of initial touch another player to be effective. No real weapons
Taint.Trinity-eraaberrants cannot save costs on or realistic-lookingprops (like guns or swords) of any
Traits by buyingthem tainted, but neither are they sort are allowedat any time duringlive-action sessions.
takenout of playwhenTaint equals 10. • RespectPeopleWhoAren'tPlaying: Play in a
Moreover,beginningTrinity-era aberrants private area where only the players are around (your
start witha Quantumrating of 3, and mayraise house, a reserved room on campus or a rented hall).
starting Quantumscores as highas 7. Never perform live roleplay if passersby may be con-
fused or frightened by the event. If nonplayers are
around,understandthat they probablyhaveno ideawhat
you're doing. Be discrete and considerate; respect their
space and don't force them to participate (pausing to
Playing Aids explainthat you're playinga game is also a good idea).
Aberrantis designed Forplay around a table. You • KnowWhen to Stop:Remember: It's just a game.
need little besides this book, some 10-sided dice (also When anyonecalls for a timeout, all action must cease
called"dl0s"), photocopiesof the character sheet, pen- immediately . If the game gets too intense for someone,
cils and paper for taking notes - and, of course, your it's time to stop.
imagination.
Still,other props can makethe roleplayingexperi- Glossary
ence more vivid. Moodlighting,music, scribblednotes The followingis a numberof terms used in the rules
or sketches;all can serve to makethe gameseem more that new players may not be familiarwith. Each is de-
real. Remember,though, that props are JUStthat; it's the scribed in more detail elsewherein this book.
story that matters.
Character Terms
Live-Action • Aberration : An odd or detrimental physicalor
Live-actionroleplayingis a naturaloutgrowthof the mentalquirk gainedas a side effect of excessiveTaint.
• tabletop" storytellingdescribed above. Live-action is • Ability:A Trait describing learning, knowledge
even more like improvisational theater; the actors (the or appliedexperienceina givenarea. Abilities are added
players)literallyact throughthe scenes. This can create to Attributes to determineyour character's skilltotals.
a very intenseand immediatestorytellingexperience. • Allegiance:The order, governmentor organiza-
In live-actionroleplaying, you don't just describe tion to whichyour character belongs.
your character's actions;you 'are" that character. You • Attribute:ATrait that describes your characters
actuallydo what the character does (within reason - basic characteristics; a reflection of raw, natural capa-
obviously,you shouldn't try to simulateflyingor lifting a bility.
Mack truck). Whether that's simply walkingacross a • Enhancement: A specializationof a Mega-At-

INTRODUCTION 103
 ABERRANT
tribute that enablesyou to performcertain superhuman
feats.
• Experience Points:Pointsawarded by the Sto-
ryteller as "reward" for achievingthe story's objective
or playinga character well. Experiencepoints can be
spent to add newTraits or raise existingones.
• Extras:I) SpecialTraits that can be added to
quantumpowersto enhancetheir efficiency.2) Thechar-
acters (created and playedbythe Storyteller)withwhom
the team interacts, fromsimplepassersbyand bit char-
acters to t.rusted alliesand dangerousenemies.
• Group: The players who adopt the personas of
characters involvedin the stories told.
• Mega-Attribute: A Traitthat allowsa character's
normalAttributeto extend into the superhumanrange.
• Nature:Yourcharacter's core being, her emo-
tionalpersonality.
• Quality:A remarkableaspect of one or more of
your character's Attributes.
• Quantum: A measure of your character's power
over the fundamentalforces of the universe.
• Quantum Points:Points representing residual
quantumenergy, whicha novaexpends to activate her
powers.
• Quantum Pool:The maximumnumberof quan-
tumpointsa novacan store undernormalcircumstances.
• Quantan Power. A specialmanifestationof Quan-
tum your character can generate; for example,flying,
generatinggravityfields, and projectingforce bolts are
allconsideredquantumpowers.
• SkillTotal:The combinedratingof an Abilityand
its base Attribute. Skilltotal determinesthe numberof
dice you roll(calleda "dice pool") whenyour character
performsan action.
• Soak:Yourcharacter's abilityto withstanddam-
age and physicaltrauma.
• Specialty: An area of expertise withinan Ability.
• Storyteller: The person whocreates and guides
the gamebyassumingthe rolesof allcharactersnot taken
by the players,andthe personwhodeterminesallevents
beyondthe players• control.
• Taint:A score indicatingthe degree of change
wroughton a nova's mindand bodyby the channelingof
quantumenergies.
• Team:Specificallyrefers to the characters within
the game, not the individuals playingthem.
• Trait: AnyAttribute, Ability,Advantageor other
indexwitha rating.
• Willpower: Yourcharacter'sself-confidenceand
moralcenter.
Rules Terms
• Action, also DiceAction:Performinga task (a
consciouslywilledactivity). When you announce that
your character is doing something,she's takingan ac-
tion. This is also calleda "dice action" whenyou must
rolldice (knownasa "dice pool") to determinewhether
10 ,1 l~Jlk ODllCW)N
or not your character succeeds in an action. Most ac-
tions are "standard actions"; see below.
• Action,Difficult:A task more challenging than
normal.See Difficulty .
• Action,Multiple: Taking more than one action in
a turn. The first action'sdice pool is reduced by a num-
ber of diceequalto the totalnumberof actionsyourchar-
acter willtake in the turn. Eachfollowingactionlosesan
additionaldie (cumulative) .
• Action, Resisted: An action that two or more
characters take againstone another. Rollsare made For
each against Traits designated by the Storyteller,and
the character with the mostsuccesseswins.
• Action,Standanl:An action with no difficulty
modifiers. Yousimplyroll your Dice Pooland tally any
successes. Alltasks your character performsare stan-
dard actions unless the Storyteller declares otherwise
(by applyinga difficulty,notingmultipleactionsor stat-
ing that the action is resisted).
• Botch: A notableand oftendramaticfailurewhen
attemptingan action.
• DicePool:The total numberof dice availableto
you for a givenaction. Yourdice poolis equalto the skill
total mostapplicableto the action taken. If yourcharac-
ter doesn't havean Abilityratingin a task, youdefaultto
the base Attribute involvedand use its score insteadof a
SkillTotal.
• Difficulty:Short for the "difficultyof the roll," a
difficultynotes the added challengeinvolvedin accom-
plishinga task. Youmust roll the standard base of one
success plus the additionaldifficultyindicated(usually
by the Storyteller)to accomplisha difficult action.
• Dots:The methodused to indicaterating values.
Eachdot equals a die that may be used to perform ac-
tions.
• Max:To channelextra raw Quantuminto a par-
ticularpower,thereby increasingthe powers potency.
• Rating:A numberedTrait value; usuallya range
fromOto 5, thoughsometimesfromOto 10(often noted
in numbersof "dots").
• Success:A die that rollsequal to or higherthan
the target numberof 7. Most actions require only one
success; more challengingactions demand more suc-
cesses.
• Success,Extra:Any successes you roll beyond
the minimum requiredto accomplishan action. Extrasuc-
cesses maybe used to makea standardsuccesstruly in-
spired.
• Success,Standanl:Rollingexactly the number
of successesrequired to accomplishan action.
• System:A specificset of game mechanicsused
in a certain situation; rules to help guide dice-rolling
resolutionsto simulatedramaticactions.
• TargetNumber: The standard rating of 7 over
whichyou must roll Foryour character to succeed in a
dice action.
 ABERRANT
World Terms
• Aberrant: (capitalized)Anorganizationdedicated
to uncoveringan alleged"conspiracy" in Project Utopia;
(lower-cased)a derogatoryepithet used to refer to no-
vas.
• Aeon Society:A philanthropic organization
founded in the early 20th century; founder of Project
Utopia.
• Anima:A quantum energy field many novas
project whenusingtheir powers.
• AmpRoom,the:Private Ibizanightclubwhose
membershipis open onlyto novas.
• Baseline: "Normal," non-novahuman.
• Blacktech (shadowtech): Technologythat is far
ahead of the standardindustrycurveand is typicallyde-
velopedthroughstudiesof novas. Mostblacktechispres-
ently bannedby Project Utopia's Science and Technol-
ogy Department.
• Churchof the Immanent Escheaton: Popular
Western religion that upholdsnovas as highlyevolved
spiritual beings;similar to the Scientologyand theoso-
phist movementsof the 20 th century.
• DeVriesAgency:A private firm specializing in
the contracting of nova operatives, elites and bounty
hunters. A sort of "sports agency" for novas.
• Directive,the:A multinational espionageandpo-
liceagencydedicated t.o neutralizingthreats to world(and
particularlyFirst World)security.
• Dormdown: To internalizeand shut downone's
quantumsignature, thus appearingas a normalbaseline
human.
• Elite:A nova who uses her powers to act as a
mercenary.
• Equatorial Wars: A series of resource conflicts
foughtin Africain the early 21st century. The Equatorial
Wars mark the first use of nova elites in brushfire ac-
tions.
• Eufiber: A substance secreted by nova fashion
designer AnibalBuendia, as wellas synthetic derivates
of that substance.
• Franchise: A novawhoacceptsan establishedpo-
sition of employmentwith a city, corporation or other
body; alternatively,the "identity" of the position itself,
independentof the novafillingit. For example, any nova
whoaccepts the HoustonTornadofranchise assumesthe
personaof the HoustonTornado.
• Inert: A derogatory term used by certain novas
to describea nonlatentbaseline, one withoutthe genetic
capabilityto becomenova.
INTRODUCTION
• Kamisama Budcliism: Ahybridof Shintoand Bud-
dhist beliefsespousingnovasas incarnatespirits.
• Mascara: Spanish for "mask"; also, a synonym
for "elite," particularlyin LatinAmerica.
• Mazain-Rashoud (M-R)node:Glandin a nova's
forebrainthat allowsthe novato channelquantumener-
gies.
• N!:A highlyrated televisionchanneldevotedex-
clusivelyto coverageof novas.
• Nova:A humanwiththe genetic capability to de-
velopthe Mazarin-Rashoudnode and channelquantum
energies.
• NoveltyConsulting: A private HongKongcor-
poration specializing in consultation and problem-solv-
ing.
• NullManifesto:A statement by nova DivisMal
that counters the ZurichAccord, declaringnovasto be
intrinsicallyseparate frombaselinehumans.
• OpNet: An advanced communicationsnetwork
derivedfromstudies of Buendiaeufiber.
• ProjectProteus:A secret division withinProject
Utopiawhoseostensiblegoal is to support Utopia's ef-
forts throughclandestineactions.
• ProjectUtopia: A private foundationwhosegoals
are to better the qualityof life on Earth for all humans,
often throughuse of novaabilities.
• Quantum energies:The four fundamentalforces
of the universe- gravity, electromagnetism , strongand
weak nuclearforces - as wellas nova-derivedand -
channeledenergies transmutedfrom those forces.
• Saisho: "The NewBeginning"; early21,t-century
Japanese economicpolicy.
• TearnTomorrow (f2M):The nova-ledpublicre-
lations and defensivearm of Project Utopia.
• Teragen:Philosophy/movement foundedby nova
DivisMalwhoseprimarypreceptsare the inherentsepa-
rateness of baselines and novasand the implicit assump-
tion that novas are more highlyevolved beings than
baselinehumans.
• ViaSoft: 21"-century conglomeratecreated by
the merger of 20th-century corporations Viacom and
Microsoft.
• XWF(Xtreme W.-fareFederation): 21"-century
sports entertainment enterprise featuring contests of
nova-poweredshootfighting.
• Zarich Accord: UNresolutiondeclaringnovasto
be humanbeings.
I 05
 CHAPTERONE:
SYSTEMS
The systemsin this chapter providea structure by Actions
whichmatters of chance are resolved in the Aberrant Characters take lots of actionsin the course of a
setting. These rules are quite simple,but even then, you
story. Players may act out conversationsor simplyde-
shouldn'tfeel constrainedby them. Be flexiblewithyour
scribe actions to the Storyteller.An action can be any-
adjustments,and be consistent whenyou makechanges. thing from havinga discussionto blastinga buildingto
smithereens.
Some actions, such as talking,walkingand other
The Golden Rule simplephysicaldeeds, are automatic,not requiringdice
Theprimaryruleof Abemntis simple: If you don't rolls. Other maneuvers,mostlythose related to combat
like it, changeit. The story 1smore importantthan any are called dice actions,and they demand that you roll
rule. If the systems get in the way, ignore or change dice to determine the outcome.
them. These rules are merelyguidelines;feel free to See "Complications,"p. 108, for informationre-
use, alter or disregard them as you see fit. After all,ifs gardingspecific types of actions.
yourstory. Note that the Storyteller1sthe finalarbiter
of any rules question.
Dice
Aberrant
requires 10-sideddice, whichyou can
Time find in any game store. Sharingdice between players
Time is a fundamentalelementof Aberrant.There is perfectly acceptable,but it can slowthingsdownat
are fourdistinctwaysto describedivisionsof timewithin times. If you prefer your owndice, you'llwant around
the game, progressing from the smallestto the largest 10. The Storytellerwillmore than likelywant her own
unit. dice.
• Turn - The smallestunit of time in the game,
consideredlong enoughto take one action.A turnis de-
fined as about three seconds in combat situations, al- Movement
thougha tum of up to three minutesis acceptablein less Yourcharacter's actions may depend on how far
dramaticcircumstances. she can move. These rules keep formulasto a minimum .
• Scene - One compact period of action and A walkingcharacter movesfive meters. A runningchar-
roleplayingthat takes place in a singlelocation.A scene acter movesher Dexterityrating +12meters. A sprint-
is comparableto a scene in a movie. It takes as few or as ingcharacter moves(3 x Dexterity)+20 meters. Char-
manyturns to resolveevents as are necessary. acters with Traits such as Mega-Dexterity, Flight or
• Episode - One independentpart of a series, Hypermovementcan move much faster, though; see
often playedin one gamesessionand madeup of scenes ChaptersFourand Fivefor specifics.
connected by downtime. Movementis often an automaticaction,but a char-
• Series- A completetale, with an introduction, acter can take no other action that tum if she movesthe
buildupand climax, that often takes several episodes to entire distance that she's able to. A character maytypi-
complete. Yourseriesisthe continuingnarrativethat your callymovehalf her runningdistance and still perform a
cast creates. Alsocalledthe story. dice action. Moving under hazardousconditions(com-
Besidesthese four active time divisions,Aberrant bat, roughterrain, buffetingupdrafts) mayalsocallfor a
stories sometimesinclude: die roll.
• Downtime- Timebetweenscenes or episodes
that characters mayspend resting, recuperatingor pos- Trait Ratings
siblylearningnew talents. Any time that characters are A character's Tra,ts- innate and learned capa-
not activelyparticipatingin a story is considereddown- bilities,calledAttributes,Abilitiesand quantumpowers
time.
 ABERRANT
- are defined by a number of dots. Most Traits are
rated fromone to fivedots; • indicatesa poor or begin-
ner levelof skill,while • • • • • indicates the absolute
Option: Cross-Matching
peak of humancapability. Trait ratings are recorded by Attributes and Abilities
fillingin the appropriate dots on the character sheet. Abenwit:'s Attribute/Ab1l1ty combinationsmatch
x Abysmal/Untrained up the most appropriate Attribute to a givenAbility,
• Poor/Novice whichhelpsgreatlyinstreamlininggameplay. Still,the
•• Average Storyteller may decide that certain unusualcircum-
••• Good stances callfor a more appropriate Attribute/ Ability
•••• Exceptional match.
••••• Humanmaximum On these rare occasions,the Storytellermayask
Because of their powers, novas often exceed hu- for a cross-matched roll simplyby declaringthe At-
mancapabilitiesin variousTraits. tribute and Ab1l1ty combinationhe feels 1smost suit-
able (this 1sthe only time that the Storyteller need
Rolling Dice and Dice callfor the Attributeas wellas the Ab1l1ty to be used).
Youthen take each Attributerating and Abilityrating
Pools (not skill total) and add them together; this 1syour
When your character takes a dice action, you roll dice pool for that roll.
one die for each dot you havein the Traits mostsuited to For Example: KendoHayashifaces off against a
that task. The Storyteller decides whichTraits are ap- nova enforcer in the service of the Nakato Gum1 .
propriate by choosingthe Abilitythat best covers the Hayashidecides to evaluatehis foe's style by observ-
action beingattempted. ing the opponent's stance and katas. The Storyteller
Attributes(innatecapabilities)and Abilities(things thinksMartialArts 1sappropriate, but such a feat re-
you knowand have learned) have individualratings but ally calls for an Intelligencetest. Instead of usinghis
they are added together to determinea skilltotal. lf your normalMartial Arts SkillTotal [Dexterity + Martial
character has a 3 Perception and you put two dots in Arts], Hayash1 's playercombinesthe characters 3 ln-
Awareness,your Awarenessskill total is 5. Whenever telhgenceand 5 MartialArts for a total of eight dice.
your character performs an Awareness-relatedaction,
you roll five dice.
This system holds for novas' quantumpowers, as
well. For example,if a nova has a Dexterityof 4 and a Personali ty Tra its
QuantumBolt rating of 2, and she tries to blast a heli- Three Traits have no Abil1t1es
related to them -
copter out of the sky, the nova's player rollssix dice. Willpower, Taintand Quantum . Additionally,Willpower
This skilltotal (alsocalleda dicepoo◊ is recorded and Tainthaveboth permanentand currentratings. The
on the character sheet in the square with each Ability. permanent rating (designatedby dots on the character
The dice pool is the total number of dice you roll for a sheet) usuallystays the same. However, the characters
single action. Characters usuallyperform only one ac- current rating (noted by the squares under the perma-
tion in a tum, althoughyou may wish to try more than nent rating) can fluctuate during an episode. Dice ac-
one (see "MultipleActions'), and some novascan per- tions usingWillpowerare based on the character's per-
form manyactions in a tum. manent score (the dots), not the current rating (the
Eachdice pool derives from a singleskilltotal and squares).
defaultsto the appropriateAttributeif the character has PersonalityTraits are discussed in more detail in
no rating in an Ability.DicepoolsfiguredfromPersonal- ChapterThree: Traits, pp. 144-153.
ity Traits are the onlyexceptions(seep . 144).
Default Traits Success and Failure
On occasionyour character may not have a rating Whenyou rollyour dice pool, you want each die to
in an Abilitythat the Storyteller designates. lf so, you match or exceed the target number. Unlessspecifically
defaultto the Attributeon whichthe Abilityis based. So indicated otherwise , thetargetnumber isalways7. So
if the Storytellercallsfor an Awarenessroll,but you put each die that comesup an 7, 8, 9 or O(10)is considered
no points in that Ability,you simplyuse your character's a success- a favorableresolution. Conversely,if allthe
rating in Perception. This system reflects the idea that dice you rollcome up less than 7, your action fails.
someone who improves upon her natural capability Allyou haveto knowwhenyou roll 1sthe numberof
throughtrainingwillgenerallyperformbetter thansome- successesyouneed;ifyouget at least the minimumquan-
one whotries to get by on raw talent alone. tity, you achieveyour goal.The standard numberof suc-
cesses necessary for any task 1salwaysone (unlessthe
Storytellersays otherwise). Extrasuccessesbeyondthe

CHAPTERONE SYSTEMS l 07
 ABERRANT
minimumcan sometimesgenerate additionaleffects (at
the very least, extra successesmeanyour character ac-
complishesthe action ina superiorand notablefashion).
See"Complications"for informationregardingeasierand
more difficultactions.
Tot.al SuccessesRolled Degree of Success
One Standard
Two Superior
Three Remarkable
Four Astonishing
Five Phenomenal
ForExample: MeganSensationnoticesanunknown spend,they're not easy to earn.Onlyone Willpowerpoint
novaeyeingher at the Amp Room.Not wishingto con- maybe spent per turn to gaina free success.
front the nova or attract undue attention to herself,
Megantries to slip out unobtrusivelyduringa particu- stressfulsituations,particularlyin combat.
larly crowded moment. The Storyteller has Megan's
playerrollStealth;Megan'sDexterityis 5 andherStealth
is 2, so the playerrollsseven dice. She scores I, 'l, 7, 7, Actions
4, I and 10 - four successes. Meganmanagesto slip
easilyintoa throngof dancersandmakeher wayto the successto completean action. How-
exit.
Complications
It isn't difficultto get at least one
success,evenwithonlya coupleof dice.
If your group is heavilyinto roleplaying,the
simplerollsdescribedabovemovethe gamealong
witha minimumof distraction.The followingoptions
serve to accent the game's action and cinematicquali-
ties with an added levelof complexity,but they are still
designedfor smoothgameplay.
Botches
Normallyif noneof yourdice comesup 7 or higher,
yourcharacter simply fails. If anydie on sucha failedroll
comesup "1,"you'vebotched.A botch is an unfortunate
result; not onlydoes your character fail the action, but
she does so rather significantly. However,as longasyou
rollat leastone success,you ignoreany ls.
The specificcircumstancesof a botchare up to the
Storyteller, but they should affect the character ad-
verselyand relate to the action beingattempted.
For&ample:Outof the Amp Room,Meganheads
for the beach. The Storytellerasks for an Awareness
roll. Megan'splayerdidn'tput anypointsinAwareness,
so she defaultsto her 5 Perception. Rollingfive dice,
herplayergets I, 3, 4, 6 and6: a botch. The Storyteller
decidesMeganis sopleasedwithher exit Fromthe Amp
Room that she not only Failsto see a jacked-up Mitoid
in the street, but she runsrightinto the thug!
Automatic Successes
Yourcharacter maybe so skilledin a certain task
that you need not roll for it. Such is often the case for
novas,whoperform"impossible" feats withease. At the
I 08 CHAPTERONE SYSTEMS
Storyteller'sdiscretion,yourcharacterhas an automatic
successif her skilltotal for an action is at least equal to
the target numberof 7. So ifyouhaveeightdiceor more,
yourcharactersucceedsautomatically- youdon't even
needto roll.Still,it's merelya standard success;youmight
want to rollanywayto achieveextra successes.
Youmay also spend a Willpowerpoint to earn an
automaticsuccess. This "free" success is in additionto
any successesgainedby rollingdice, but the Willpower
point mustbe spent prior to your roll. Youwon'twantto
do so too often. While Willpowerpoints are easy to
The automaticsuccessruleshouldneverbe used in
Difficulty and Difficult
Mostof the timeyouneed onlyone
ever,sometasks, likeperforming
a trick shot or
disablingan encrypted lock, can be more challenging .
The Storytellermakesthat distinctionwhen appropri-
ate, designatinga certain numberof successesthat you
need to rollfor your characterto completethe task.The
difficultyto a roll is alwayslistedas a numberof addi-
tionalsuccessesneeded beyondthe standardone. So a
"difficultypenaltyof two" (or " +2to difficulty")means
you mustget a total of threesuccesses. The harder the
actionbeingattempted,the moresuccessesare required.
Anyextra successesyou get beyondthe difficultyindi-
cate that your character does an even moreoutstanding
job than required.
DifficultyRating Degreeof Difficulty
Zero Standard
+1 Tough
+2 Challenging
+3 Difficult
+4 Critical
For&ample:Meganruns towardthe Ibizabeach,
the Mitoidhot on herheels. A motorcycleturnsthe cor-
ner casually . Hopingfor a Fastgetaway,Meganjumps
Forthe cycle. The Storytellerdecidesthat landingon a
movingbikeis trickyandincreasesthe difficultyby two.
Meganhas an 8 Athletics, so her player needs to get
three
successes on
eightdice. Sherolls:2, 3, 7,
'?,6, 7, 8 and '?. With five sue-
cesses,Meganlandssquarelyon •
the cycle,grabbingthe surprised
driveraroundhis waist.
Extended Actions
Sometasksrequiremultiplesuccesses
to complete. These extend~dactionsoften
take more than one turn to complete. The
additional successesare cumulative,reflecting
that sustainedeffort is neededto accomplishthe
action. Youcan keep tryingto obtainsuccessesun-
tilyougatherthe requiredamountor untilyoubotch.
1fyoubotch duringan extendedaction,the Story-
teller may decide that you lose a "saved" success
Foreach botch, or that you lose them all and must
start againfromscratch- or eventhat youmessed
up so badlythat you can't try again.
Extendedactionsare more complicatedthan
standard actions, and they
should seldom be em-
ployedin the middle

of intenseroleplaying.
The action in the game
shouldreflect what types
of rollsare needed, not the
other wayaround.
 ABERRANT
ForExample : Noticing the commotionMeganis
causing,the thugposted outsideher flat takes advan-
tage of the d,stract,onand breaksmto Megan'sapart-
ment. Smee he's hired muscle,not a burglar,the thug
decidesto breakdownthe door. The Storytellerfigures
the thugmustget a totalof foursuccessesinanextended
actionto snapa solidlock. The enforcerhasa 10Might,
so hisplayerrolls/0 dice. Hegets an abysmalI, I, 2, 2,
2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and '?;the doorbucklesslightlybut doesn't
give. Onh,s next turn,the playerrollsI, 3, 3, 5, 6, 6, 7,
8, '?and 10. The four successesthis turnplus the one
from the previous turn are more than enoughto send
the doorcrashingback on its hinges.
Multiple Actions
Yourcharacter can alsoperfonn multipleactionsin
a turn. The total numberof actions the character takes
determineshowmanydice are subtractedfrom the first
task attempted in that turn. Each action after the first
losesan additional(cumulative) die beyondthat amount.
So if your character tries to perform three actions in a
turn, you subtract three dice from the first task's dice
pool, four fromthe secondand five fromthe third. If the
total actions bring your dice pool for any one task to
zero that action cannot be attempted.
lf a novaattemptinga multipleactionhas a relevant
Mega-Attribute,dice lost fromthe multipleactioncome
from the character's normaldice pool first; the Mega-
Attribute dice are not lost until the character's normal
skilltotal drops belowzero.
ForExample: Back on the street, Megan's having
troublegetting the ,rate cycle driver to flee the scene
whilethe Mitoidsimultaneouslytakes aimat them with
an SMG. Short on time, Meganperforms two actions:
shootinga QuantumBolt at the enforcerandintimidat-
ing the driver. With two actions,Megan's player sub-
tracts two fromher base8 QuantumBolt[Dextenty 5 +
QuantumBolt3Jskilltotal(rollingsixdice for: 2, 2, 5, 5,
6 and 6) and three fromher 8 Intimidation(rollingf,ve
dice for: 2, 4, 7, 7, 0). Megan's shot misses the thug,
but the weapon'sscreamcombinedwithMegan'sshout-
ing startles the driver. He cranks the throttle, and the
cycle tears off downa side alley.
Resisted Actions
Sometimes your character's efforts oppose
another's, just like in a tug of war. Duringresisted ac-
tions,opposingplayersrollusingthe appropriateTraits.
If you score more successes than your opponent does,
your character succeeds at her action before the other
character does. Yourtotal successes are then reduced
by the amountthat your opponentrolled;the successes
remainingthenapplyto the actionitself. ln thisway, even
if your opponent can't beat you, she can diminishyour
efforts.
Examples of Rolls
The followingare a fewexamplesof howto usethese
rules. Remembereach of the Abilitiesmentionedties di-
rectly to a spec1f1c Attnbute; unlessstated otherwise,you
can alwaysdefaultto that Attribute1fyou don't havethe
appropriateAb1l1ty. The entire listof AttnbutesandAbili-
ties 1sdetailed in ChapterThree: Traits, p. 134.
• An electricalconduitblowsnearby.RollAthletics
or MartialArts to dodge out of the way.
• Sneaking through the Nakato warehouse, you
stumbleacross a guard. Youboth rollInitiativeto see who
reacts first.
• The power 1s out and the warehouse door is
Jammed. RollMightat a difficultypenalty of two to pry
the doors open.
• You've been drivingacross the MidwestForthe
past 10hoursstraight. hopingto reach Chicagoby dawn.
RollEnduranceto avoidnoddingoff.
• Two overlycurious soldiers question you about
your "borrowed" officer's uniform. Youcouldroll either
Commandto order themawayor try Savvyto offer them
a bribe.
• No matter what you do you can't get the young
girlto tell you what's wrong. RollRapport to get a sense
of what's troublingher.
• Youneed to Jumpacross the service bay to the
exit whileavoidingOverkilla's QuantumBolt.RollAthlet-
ics at +2 difficulty.
• Susp1c1ous customsofficialsdon"t ltkethe lookof
your briefcase. RollSubterfuge,at+ 1difficulty,to assure
them that everythmg's cool.
• Youspeak Mandarin,but your Cantoneseis very
rusty.RollLingu1st1cs at +2to difficultyto figureout what
the shopkeeper1syellingabout.
• Despiteyour best efforts, 1tlooksas thoughthis
M1to1d won't listen to reason. RollBrawlor MartialArts
to showh,mthe back of your hand.
• The gangbangersoutnumberyou five to one and
they don't look likethey're m the moodto talk. Rollln-
t1m1dation at +3 to d,ff1cultyto impressupon them that
this willhurt them more than it'llhurt you.
• Youburst into the cockpitto discoverthat the pi-
lot ,s deadandthe plane1shurtlingdirectlytowarda moun-
tain. RollPilotto steer out of hann's way.
• Thistechcan't havebeenapprovedbyUtopiaS&T.
RollEngineeringat +1to d1ff1culty to determineits origin.
• A pair of Jet fightersscreamsout frombehindthe
cloudbank. RollFirearmsto fire your 50mmcannonright
back at them.
• It'syourfirst t,meat thisUtopiabranch,andyou've
forgottenyoursecuritycode.Makea straightIntelligence
rollto recall,t.
• Youcould reallyuse that fellow'splatinumcard.
RollStreetwise at +I to difficultyto lift the walletfrom
his breast pocket.
• What'sthatchiming noise?RoiAwareness to fndOlL
 ABERRANT
ForExample: The cyclist'ssurpriselasts onlyfor a
moment,andhe tries to bringthe bike to a stop. Megan
reachesforwardandtightensher gripover the driver's,
hopingto forcethe throttlebackup. TheStorytellercalls
for bothplayersto makeMightrolls. Thecharactersare
evenly matchedwith no MightAbilityand 4 Strength
ratings.TheStorytellerrollsfor the driver,getting2,3,
5 and 8. Megan'splayerrolls4, 4, 8 and </ . Whilethe
driverresists her, Meganhasjust enoughleverageto
goose the bike's speed backup.
Someactions are both extended andresisted. One
opponent must collect a certain numberof successes in
order to win. Allsuccesses rolledabove the opponent's
total numberof successes in a singletum are added to-
gether. The first opponent to collecta designatednum-
ber of successeswinsthe contest.
ForExample: Megan'simpromptuchauffeurloses
his temper and tries throwingMeganoff the bike. The
Storytellerstatesthatwhoevergets threesuccessesfirst
on resisted Mightrollsstays on the hovercycle,while
the losingcharactergets tossed to the ground.In the
first turn,the Storytellerrollsfor the driverandgets 3,
4, 5 and</;Megan's playercomesup with I, 2, 4 and6.
Inthe secondturn,the Storyteller's rollis 3, 4, 7 and8;
Megan's playergets 5, 5, 5 and 8. At the start of the
thirdturn,the cycledriveris up by two successeswith
the Storytellerrollingagainfor 5, 6, </and O;Megan's
player, astoundedby the Storyteller'ssuccesses,rolls1,
3, 3 and 7. With a total of three successes,the driver
shovesMeganoff the backof the careeningcycle. Add-
ing injury to insult,the Storytellerimposestwo health
levelsof bashingdamageonMeganas she slamsinto the
unforgiving cobblestones . Meganliftsherheadinstunned
disbeliefas the cyclespeedsaway.
Teamwork
Characterscan combinesuccesses, generallydur-
ing an extended action. At the Storyteller's discretion,
two or more players can roll separately and total their
successes. Whileteamworkis effective in repairingde-
vices, collectinginformationor combat, the tag-team
approachcan be confusingin socialsituations.
ForExample: Since the enforcer in the street had
no chanceto catchup to Megan,he goes insideher flat
to help his partner. The two thugs ransackthe place,
CflAPHR Qr~[
tryingto find the notes thatMegantookof her lastcon-
versationwithCount0rzaiz. TheStorytellerdecidesthat
the enforcers willneed to get three successes to find
Megan'ssafe sinceit's hiddenbehinda falsepanel. The
first enforcerhas a 5 Investigationand hisplayerrolls
5, 5, 6, </and 0. The secondthugmust defaultto his 3
Perception,hisplayergetting I, 3 and8. The enforcers
discoverthe smallsafe; nowallthey need to do is finda
way to open it.
Second Chances
Failureis frustrating. If you're havingtrouble with
your computerand can't figureout why,you're in for an
evening of increasingfrustration and decreasing pro-
ductivity. Aberrant reflects this "frustration with fail-
ure" byallowingthe Storytellerto increasethe successes
needed for any action that you try againafter an initial
failure. So if a first attempt at pickinga simplemanual
lockfails,a character's frustrationwithher failurecould
make her try too hard the second time. To reflect this
overcompensation,the Storyteller asks for two suc-
cesses. Of course if the character failsyet again, things
willcontinueto escalate....
The Storyteller shouldn't invoke this rule in in-
stances such as combat. Missinga target isn't terribly
surprisingunder such circumstances,consideringthat
everyone is dodgingabout, duckingfor cover and gen-
erallynot beingpolite enoughto stand still.
Powe r Use
Novasemploymanypowers. The Traits represent-
ingthese powerstypicallyrate from 1to 5. A nova'sdice
pool for power use typicallyconsists of the sum of an
Attribute (listed with the power) and her rating in the
power itself.
ForExample : Embarrassedby her fall,Meganno-
tices an opportunisticshutterbugracingher way,cam-
erainhand. Topreserveherpublicimage(suchas it is),
she decidesto deter the photographerwitha Quantum
Bolt. Megan'splayerspendstwoquantumpointsandrolls
her Dexterity(5) plusher QuantumBoltrating(3), gen-
eratinga resultof 1, 3, 5, 5, 7, </,0 and0. Theuncannily
accurate Bolt blows the camera out of the
photographer's hand,andthe mandecidesto reconsider
his front-pageexclusivefor now.
SYS!f MS 11 I
CHAPTERTWO:
CHARACTER
Before you enter the Aberrant universe,you must
create a character. However,the character creationpro-
cess involvesmore than iust saying,"I want to be a..."
Youneed to know who your character is and what she
has the potentialto do, her likesand dislikes,her back-
groundand more. This chapter providesa step-by-step
plan for discoveringthese facets of your character,giv-
ingyou the chance to create a uniquenovayou willenjoy
playing.
Charactercreation starts witha basicconcept.Af-
ter decidingon that, you assign the character's normal
and novaTrails to determinewhatshe can do, then fillin
the detailsof her personalityand life. Youshouldcreate
a character who is interestingfor you to play, for your
friends' characters to interact with and for your Story-
teller to incorporate into the story. Althoughyour nova
will indeed be one of the most powerfulbeings m the
world, the goal is not to make the ultimatesuperbeing,
capable of destroyingcities witha thought;if you easily
trounce everyone you meet, your series is likelyto be
extremely dull. Indeed, novas with weaknessesare far
more interesting; vast power 1sall the more poignant
whencontrasted with humanfoibles.
Role of the Storyteller
The Storytellershouldguidethe playersthrough
character creation. It helps move the process along
witha minimumof timeand fuss if the Storytelleris on
hand to offer assistance.
First, pass out the character sheets and give the
playersa few minutesto lookthemover and ask ques-
tions. Then go throughthe character creation process,
helpingthe playerscreate well-balancedcharacters.
Sometimescharacter creation can take an entire
gamesession,whichis fine. The playersshouldn'tfeel
rushed, and they should take the time to create be-
lievablecharacters. If you want to cut down on time
spent.encourageyourplayersto havetheir ideasready
beforehand.
Onceyou'redonewiththe practicaldetailsof cre-
atingcharacters, youcan spend the rest of the session
runningprologues.These serve as introductorysto-
ries, allowingboth you and your playersto get to know
the characters and the Aberrant setting.
Character creation is not a random process; you
buildyour character Fromthe ground up to your own
specifications. YouassignTraits and choose everything
about your character.That way,you're certain to playa
character you find entertaining.
Aberran t's primary theme concerns the abilityof
the individualto impact her world, and your character
should choose and uphold personal goals accordingly.
Nonetheless,it is vital to consider how wellyour char-
acter willinteract with the rest of the group. The Aber-
rantmilieuis a dangerous place; a team has enough to
worry about without dealingwith internalstrife. It also
helps to figure out why the membersof your team are
together. Cultural, ethicalor personalties are just a few
reasons whynovasmightwork together. If your charac-
ter doesn't fit in with the rest of the group,you mayfind
yourselfeither sitting out of a lot of the action or splin-
tering the group.
Character
Creation
Allthe steps of charactercreationare detailedhere.
You'llcreate a character in less than an hour by following
this process. This chapter deals primarilywith the me-
chanicsof allocatingpoints for Traits and with fillingin
the blanksof other areas of your character.
Becausenovasare born as normalhumanswhothen
"erupt" intotheir fullpotentialat a later pointinlife(typi-
callybetweenthe ages of 16and 36), character creation
actuallytakes place in two phases. In Phase One, you
buildyour character as a normalperson, allocatingAt-
tributes, Abilitiesand quantumpotentials.Oncethe "nor-
mal' part of your character is established,you take the
character throughPhase Two, the origin.Phase Two is
whereyou transformyour character fromnormalhuman
to nova givingher the awesomequantumpowers that
forever differentiate her fromother mortals.
Chapters Three, Fourand flve give expandedand
detailed informationon each of the followingsections.
 ABERRANT

• Scholar : Learning is its own reward (professor,

Phase One: theorist, scientist).
• Warrior:Conflictdraws you (vigilante, soldier,
Human crusader).
Hereyou decidewhatyourcharacter waslike prior ForExample: Rob decides to create an Aben-ant
to his eruption. Forallintentsand purposes, you are cre- character.AlthoughRob likescomicsand bustin'heads
ating a normalhumanbeing,just like any one of us, with as muchas the next guy, he decidesthathe doesn't want
talents,skillsand aptitudesappropriateto hisbackground to play another tedious ass-kicker or mercenary. In-
and profession. Don't worry, you'll get to add plenty of stead, he wantsto playsomeonewhosepowersaremore
powersduringPhaseTwo. For now, though, decide what subtle, used to furtherthe character's whimsandindul-
your nova was like before the change. After all, a fea- gences. Hedecidesthathis characteris a "p/aya"-type:
tureless menuof powers isn't any fun to play. The best smooth, charming in a shallowway and alwaysup to
heroes, antiheroesand even villains are people first and somethingnot quitegood. Robdecides to makethe char-
"supers" second. acter Americanand male;however, tired of gun-flicks
andbadrapvideosthatpresentthestereotypicalghetto-
Step One: Concept dwellin' New Jizack Hust/a, Rob decides that his char-
acteris of Asiandescent; a childof a two-parentnuclear
Youbegin by formulatinga basic concept for your
Familywhosimplywentshadysomewherealongthe way.
character. Youdon't need to knowall the details of her
Rob settles on the Gamblerconcept, and he namesthe
life at this point; you just need to havea generalfeel for
characterPhilipLong.
whoshe is. Youcan add specificslater on in the process;
right nowyou're just interested in the basics. Nature
You need to determine two thingsat this stage: who As living icons, novas often shape their quantum
you are, and what you're like. gifts into the embodimentsof themselvesor of concepts
dear to them. Accordingly, you should choose your
Concept character's Nature, a personality archetype that best
Novasdon't spring fullyformed into the Aberrant
suits her true personality. This self-perception guides
universe. Yourcharacter had a life before she erupted.
howyour characterinteractswiththe universe (see "Na-
Youmust decide what she did, how she livedand what
ture," in ChapterThree, for detailed information).
was unique about her. This concept may describe her
ForExample: Rob has to pick Philip's Nature. This
profession, her personalityor her interests. The follow-
one's pretty easy:Althoughthe Gallant andConniverAr-
ingconceptsare merelysuggestions; if noneof them fits
chetypes might work, Hedoniststands out as the obvi-
the idea you havein mindfor your character, feel free to
ous choice. Philip lives for the good times, and he does
create your own.
whathe has to do to keep the money coming.
• Affluent :Connoisseurof finethings(idle rich,ex-
ecutive, dilettante). Allegiance
• Artist:A creativepersonality(writer, dancer, ac- In the worldof 2008 , novasoften act at very high
tor, painter). levels of geopolitical power. Accordingly, many novas
• Gambler : Life is a game (thrill-seeker, irrever- have an allegiance to one or more important organiza-
ent, daredevil). tions. Youmay pick your allegiance at this time, though
• Herm it:Castadrift in the universe (vagabond, re- you certainlydon't haveto haveone; shouldyou have no
cluse, scarred veteran). allegiance, simplywrite "Independent" in the space pro-
• Nobody :Just an average, everyday person (stu- vided.
dent, working stiff, grunt). ForExample: Lookingover thepossibleallegiances ,
• Outsider: Fallen through society's cracks Rob tries to imaginewhatPhilipwouldthinkaboutjoin-
(slummer,dispossessed,neurotic). inganyof them, andhe comesup witha resounding"Hell,
• Philosophe r: Yours is a world of potentials no!" Philip, like many novas, willbe his own person at
(dreamer, student, idealist). the beginning of the chronicle,althoughhe couldpossi-
• Pioneer: The universe isa wonderfulmystery(re- bly shift towardthe side of the Aberrantsor even the
searcher, trailblazer, environmentalist). Teragenas his characterdevelops. Fornow, Rob writes
• Protector:Onewhocares for others (police, doc- "Independent" on Philip 's sheet. As a side note, Rob
tor, missionary,teacher). decidesthat Philipentered one of Utopia's Rashoudfa-
• Rebel: Shaking up the status quo (criminal, gang cilities uponfirst erupting; the experiencewasstraight
member, politician). out of One Flewover the Cuckoo's Nest, and Philiphas
• Saint: Youfollowa higher purpose (priest, vi- hadquiteenoughof Utopia's rathercloyingpresence in
sionary,theologian). his life, thankyou very much.

CHAPTER TWO CHARACTER I I3

 ABERRANT

Step Two: Choosing lation.

Rob makesPhysicalPhilip'ssecondaryAt-
Attributes tributecategory. Althoughhisearlyyears were
The nine Attributes are innate potentials repre- spent at home, Philiphad a troubledadoles-
sented by numericalratings. AllhumanshaveAttributes, cence andranawayyoung;as such,he's been
though novas often enhance their Attributes to super- inhisshareof roughsituations.Then,too, he's
humanlevels. These Traits are the basis for all of your too narcissisticto be out of shape....
character's capabilities. Eachcharacter's Attributesare Of the five points availableto secondary
rated on a scale of one to five and represented by dots: Attributes, Rob allocatestwo to Dexterity, one to
• is poor, • • is average and • • • • • is the peak of Staminaand the last two to Strength, givingPhilipa 3
humanpotential(though,for a nova,a • • • • • maybe Strength,3 Dexterityand 2 Stamina. Philipis naturally
quite... mediocre). Novasstart with a rating of one dot graceful,andhe worksout to keep himselflookingfine
in each of the nine Attributes, whichmay then be im- Forthe ladies, but he's lazy and prone to beer-and-
proved uponby spendingAttribute points on a one-for- cigarettebreakfasts.
one basis. Rob makes MentalAttributes the remaining,
Attributes are divided into three areas: Physical, tertiary category. Philipis impulsiveandprefers to
Mentaland Social(see "Attributes,"pp. 133-135,for de- solve problems throughnegotiationrather than
tailed information). Youmust prioritizethese three At- analysis·he's not dumb but he's no egghead.
tribute categories, determiningone area in whichyour With only three points to spend, Rob goes
character is particularlyadept (primary), one in which For the average,assigningone dot to all catego-
she's fairlyaverage (secondary) and one in whichshe's ries. Philip'snot stupid or weak in any area,just
w~ak(tertiary). Youspend sevenAttributepointsinyour not particularlysharp,either.
primary area, five Attribute points in your secondary
area and threeAttributepoints inyour tertiary area. Al- Step Three: Choos-
locate the points withineach group howeveryou see fit.
If an Attributeends up lowerthanyou'd like don't worry.
ing Abilities
As Attributes are your character's
Youmay improveit later with bonus points or experi-
innatequalities,Abilitiesare the skillsand
enc~,and ifyousupplementyour Attributewitha Mega-
talents that she has developedin her life
Attribute (p. 164) during Phase Two, you'll have tran-
(see "Abilities,' p. 136, for specifics).
scended the humannorm anyway.
Abilitiesare rated from • (rudimentary)
Anyelementof your character's concept maysug-
to • • • • • (superior). Abilitiesbegin with rat-
gest the placementof Attributepoints. A crusadingjour-
ingsof zero,not 1as Attributesdo. Youhave23 pointsto
nalistor scientificprodigymighthavestrong MentalAt-
spend on Abilitiesas you choose. Youmay distribute
tributes whilea schemingcon man probably has high
Abilitypoints on a one-for-one basis howeveryou see
SocialAttributes.
fit, althoughindividualAbilityratings cannot be higher
If any of your character's Attributes are rated at
than 3 during this phase of character creation. Bonus
four dots or higher, you need to choose a quality for it.
pointsmaybe spent here, as they can be withAttributes.
See "Qualities,' p. 134,for specifics.
Conceptis important when decidingwhere to as-
ForExampl e: Rob determines Philip'sAttribute
signAbilitypoints. A street thug probablywon't be very
categoriesas follows:
skilledat minglingin highsociety, whilea marine biolo-
Socialis primary. Philip's alwayshad a charming ,
gist won't likelyknowmuchabout heavy weaponry. On
connivingairabouthimandcanseamlesslyinsinuatehim-
the other hand, choosing seeminglyodd Abilitiescan
self into any group or situation. He alwaysknowsjust
enhanceyour character concept; for example,the street
the right thingto say,just the rightclothesto wearand
thug mightbe a runawayfrom a rich family,or the ma-
just the right time to get out of town.
rine biologistmighthave served in the Navy for years
.Robsplitsthe sevenpointsavailableto theprimary
and knowplentyabout heavy weapons. Youmaychoose
Attribute groupas follows:three in Appearance,three
an area of specializationwithinan Ability;see "Special-
in Manipulationand one in Charisma . Rob adds these
ties," p. 136,for more information.
points to the one free point that novasreceive Foreach
Rememberthat, as a nova, you automaticallystart
Attribute,puttingPhilipat Appearance4, Manipulation
with three free dots in Enduranceand Resistance· see
4 and Charisma2. Philipis a ladies' man, no question,
the Mega-StaminaMega-Attribute(p. 160) for details.
and he can con an Eskimointo buyingan igloo,but he's
better a~leadinga girl into his bedroomthanleadinga Skill Totals
platoonmto battle. SincePhiliphas two Attributes of 4, As Attributesare raw capabilitiesand Abilitiesare
Rob must choosea qualityForeach.Hepicks "Smooth" learnedtalents, the twocombineto formyourcharacter's
for Philip'sAppearance,and "Hustler"for his Manipu-

l 14 CHAPTER TWO CHARACTER

 ABERRANT
skill totals. To calculatea skilltotal, take the base
Attribute,add the relevantAbilityand write the
total after the Abilityrating on your character
sheet (in the boxafter the row of five dots).
Wheneveryou make a roll, your dice pool
equals the skilltotal in that box.
For Example : Rob has 23 points to
spendon whatPhilipknows, plushisau-
tomatic3 minimain Enduranceand
Resistance.Hespendsthreepoints
each on Style, Streetwise and
Subterfuge; twopoints on Ath-
letics, Intimidationand
Rapport; and one
point on M,ght,
Drive, Fire-
arms, Martial
Arts, Stealth,
Awareness ,
Linguistics
(Cantonese)
andEtiquette.

Step
Four:
Back-
grounds
Backgrounds measure
your"place• inthe Aberrant uni-
verse. They represent whomyou
know, who knows you and what
resources you can draw on in times
of need. Youhave seven points to allo-
cate amongyourcharacter's Backgrounds .
Yourchoices should reflect your character
concept (see "Backgrounds,' p. 139,for de-
tails).
ForExample : Rob has seven points to spend
onPhilip's Backgrounds . Philip's the
kindof characterfor whomBack-
groundswillbe very important,
so Robgives this sectiona fair
bit of thought.
Philiphas allkindsof ca-
sual, shallowacquaintances , so
Robassignsthreepointsto Con-
tacts. Likeit ornot, Philip's tightlyknit
familystillcaresabouttheirwaywardson,so Robputs a
dot m Allies.Philiplovesthe fastfife, buthe spendsmoney
as fast as he gets ,t, so Rob assignsa singlepoint to Re-
sources(impressiveclothes,equallyimpressivecreditors).
A littlerawpowercan't hurt,so RobdropsapointinNode,

CHAPTERTWO CHARACTER l 15
 ABERRANT

to givePhilipa second-instarMazarin-Rashoud nodepo- (Dexterityx 3) +20 meters. As with Initiative, certain

tential.Finally,Philip'sallaboutthe sty/in' threadsso Rob nova powers enable a character to travel much, much
spendshis last Backgroundpoint on Eufiber(a Buendia faster than the humannorm.
original, cute littletagandall, baby).
Quantum Pool
Step Five: Finishing A nova'sQuantumPoolis the totalamountof "juice"
or energy a novauses to power her abilities. Quantum
Touches Poolbeginsat 20 + (Quantumx 2), and it can be raised
Phase One's about over. Allthat's left to do is to fill with nova points in PhaseTwoof character creation.
out or developthe last elementsof the character. These Quantumpoints are spent from the QuantumPool
final details are as important as any other element of whenusing novaabilities; the character starts the series
bringingyour character to life. with a fullQuantumPool.
Willpower Bonus Points
Willpowermeasures the powerof convictions and Bonuspoints are used to fill in the blanks left on
self-control. The circleson your character sheet reflect the charactersheet duringbasiccharactercreation. You
your character's maximumor permanentWillpowerrat- have 15 bonus points, and you mayspend them on any
ing (also calledthe score), whichis the theoreticallimit Attributes, Abilit ies, Backgrounds,Quantumor Will-
of determination. The squares track your character's power. However,Traitcosts vary(see the CharacterCre-
momentaryforceof will; this currentrating(also referred ationTable). At this time,you mayraise Abilities to 4 or
to as points) drops as willis exerted (by spending Will- aboveif youwish, thoughyoushouldhavea goodreason
power points) and grows as your character reinforces for doing so (your character is a renownedscientist,
her belief in herself (by acting true to her Nature) - championprizefighteror other prodigy).
see "Willpower," p. 144, for further details. For Exam ple: Before spendingbonuspoints, Rob
PermanentWillpowerbeginsat a base rating of 3, notes that Philip'sQuantumratingis 1,his Willpoweris
and bonus points maybe spent to raise it to a maximum 3, his QuantumPoolis 22 andhis Initiativeis 5.
of 10. CurrentWillpowerstarts equalto your character's NowRobgets to spendhisbonuspoints. Hespends
permanentscore. seven points to raise Philip'sQuantumto 2 (doingso
also raises his QuantumPool to 24). Rob spends five
Quantum morepoints to raisePhilip'sWits to 3 (he's too smooth
Novasare novasbecause theycan manipulatequan- to be caughtoff guardvery much). With the last three
tum energies, the fundamentalforces of the universe. points, Rob addsa dot in Followers(a rotatingposse of
With sufficient control of these energies, they can do equallydissolutesycophantsand hangers- on whohang
anythingfrom hyperevolvingtheir basic capabilities to out withPhilipnow that he's a nova)and raises Philip's
creating miniatureblackholes. The measureof a nova's Willpowerto 4.
control over Quantumis the QuantumTrait. This Trait,
morethananyother statistic, is a measureof a character's
'"'power." Phase Two:
Novas-to-bestart with Quantumratingsof I, though
you mayuse bonuspoints to increase it in PhaseOne,as Nova
wellas novapoints to improvethe Trait in PhaseTwo. ln
Now you know what your character is like. Or
any event, no novamaybegin the game with a Quantum
rather, what she waslike before her Mazarin-Rashoud
Trait above 5.
node changedher from humanto nova. ln this phase of
Initiative character creation, you take the manor womanyou've
Initiativeis used wheneverthere is a question as to created and turn him or her into a demigod.
whichcharacterperformsan action beforeanotherchar-
acter. Initiativeis the total of your character's Dexterity Step One: Eruption
and Wits. As with other advantages, you mayraise this The definingmomentof a nova's existence is her
score with bonuspoints; certain novapowersallowposi- eruption- the momentat whichher M-R node "turns
tivelyobscene Initiative ratings as well. itself on" in response to a stimulus. The circumstances
surroundingeruptiongenerallydictate the basic param-
Movement eters of the character's powers. Before continuing, the
Movement indicates the distance your character playershoulddecide on the general events surrounding
maytravel in one action. Yourcharacter may walkseven eruption: what triggered it, why and what powers it
meters, run her Dexterity rating + 12 meters and sprint prompted.

I 16 CHAPTER TWO CHARACTER

 ABERRANT
One thing to keep in mindis that quantumcontrol
often manifestsitself accordingto the nova's conscious
and subconscious desires, fantasiesand needs. As such,
playersshouldthinkaboutspendingat leastsomeof their
novapoints on theircharacters' normalTraitsand Mega-
Attributes. 1fyourcharacterhadbeen a pudgywallflower
up until the time of eruption, it makes more sense to
spend nova points on Charismaand Appearance(per-
hapseventhe appropriate Mega-Attributes) thanto jack
up QuantumBolt and Force Fieldto obscene levels. If
your character has alwayswanted to be the greatest
musician in creation, raise that Arts Ability before buy-
ingthe world-wreckingstuff.
Here is a list of possibletriggers for a novaerup-
tion:
• Accident:The node erupts while the nova is
caughtin a dangerousaccident: a fire, a flood, whatever.
Some novashave erupted after taking enoughdamage
to killthem; a clinicallydead character suddenlyrising
Osiris-like from his coma.
• Deliberate:Thoughrare, this eruption happens
whena latent novasuspects herself of harboringan M-
R node and takes steps to activate it. Mostsuch people,
of course, end up injured, crippledor dead, but it's been
knownto workin a few cases.
• Emotional Trauma: The character erupts after a
particularlytraumatic experience. This traumacouldbe
sudden (intense torture, watching a lovedone in peril)
or gradual(a runawayteenager who's been starvingand
cold on the streets for days).
• Excitement: The charactererupted duringa sud-
den surge of passion - excitement over winning the
lottery, a sexualencounteror a suddendiscovery.
• Expostre to QuantumPowers:It has been docu-
mentedthat exposing latentnovasto active novas' quan-
tum energies occasionallycauses the latents to erupt.
Perhapsyourcharacterwasan innocentbystanderinthe
midst of a nova-levelconflict; the chargedquantumen-
ergies activatedher own M-R node.
• Revelation: The novajust realized she could"do
things." (This type of eruption is usuallyaccompanied
by days of splitting headaches, as the node swellsin the
forebrain.)
• Threatening Situation: Similarin some ways to
an accident, a threatening situation involvesthe nova
eruptingduring a mugging, war, animalattack or similar
event.
Of course, no two novas erupt in quite the same
ways; feel free to makeup any eruptionthat suits your
fancy(subject to the Storyteller's approval).
For Example: Rob wantsPhilipto be a somewhat
sleazy character, so he decides that Philip 's M-R node
manifestedin a somewhatsordidfashion.Philip's erup-
tion, Robdecides, occuredin responsetoanattack from
someonewhomPhilip had crossedearlier: perhapsone
CHAPTER TWO CHARACTER
of Philip's shady creditors; perhapsa jealous husband
or loverwhomPhiliphadcuckolded.In the end,Rob de-
cides that, in fact, Philip seduced the lover of the mob
racketeer to whomhe owed an overdueloan, givingthe
crook two reasons to kill him. Philip's powers enabled
himto survive the gangster's assault, implying thatPhilip
willhave somesort of specialdefenses, at least enough
to survive street-levelsmall-armsfire. Coupledwith the
superhuman presenceandcharmthatRob alreadywants
Philipto have, these powers shouldmake for a pretty
toughcharacter.
Step Two: Nova Points
Nowthat you've establishedthe circumstancesbe-
hind your character's eruption, pick the powers most
suited to her. ChaptersFourand Five list a wide variety
of Mega-Attributes, enhancementsand quantumpow-
ers to choose from; characters mayincreasesome nor-
malTraits during this stage as well, by means of nova
points. Beginning characters get 30 nova points, which
they can use to increaseQuantumor QuantumPool, buy
Attributes, Abilities, Backgrounds, Mega-Attributes,
enhancements and quantum powers. As with bonus
points, different Traits and powers cost different
amounts of nova points (see the Character Creation
Table, p. 120).
Notethat mostMega-Attributesand quantumpow-
ers have a QuantumTrait minimumto purchase; before
you buythat power, you mustraise your Quantumto the
appropriatelevel, witheither bonusor novapoints.
When buying novaTraits, you can purchase them
more cheaplyby designatingcertain Traits as tainted. A
taintedpower is purchasedat halfcost (roundedup); how-
ever, for eachdot of powerso purchased,the novabegins
the gamewithone pointof permanentTaint (p. 148).
Remember,as well, that no novamaybeginthe game
witha QuantumTrait above5. Furthermore, if you raise
your character's QuantumTrait to 5, he gains an addi-
tionaldot of permanentTaint.
ForExample: Rob decidesthat Philip's powers in-
volvea heightening of his own naturalcharm,as wellas
a measureof controlover the Forcesof chaosandprob-
ability. First of all, he spends five novapoints to raise
Philip's Quantumrating to 3 (whichin turn bumps his
QuantumPoolto 26). He now spends 12points to buy
Mega-Manipulation at • • ( withthe Tricksterenhance-
ment), Mega-Appearanceat • (with the Seductive
Looks enhancement)and Mega-Staminaat • (with the
Regenerationenhancement) . Philipisextraordinarily
re-
silient, fascinatingandpersuasive.
With 13points left, Rob has to select Philip's re-
maining powers carefully. He decides that Philip's the
sort who can stand a little Taint, so he buys a point of
tainted Quantumforhalfcost (threeratherthanfive nova
points), raisingPhilip's totalQuantumto 4 (hisQuantum
1l /
 ABERRANT
Poolis now28). A Quantumthishighenableshimto pur-
chasetheEntropyControlquantumpower,andRobagain
decidesto save quantumpoints by addingTaint. Philip
purchasestwo tainted dots of EntropyControlat half
cost (or three nova points per dot rather than five),
spendingsix dots on the power. SinceEntropyControl
providesa suiteof techniques,andsincePhilipmayse-
lect one techniqueper dot in the power, Rob selects
BioentropyStorm (agood all-purposeareaattack) and
EntropicShield(a useful defense - Philip'stoughby
humanstandards,butnowhereneartoughenoughto suck
up a seriousnovaattack). Philipcanuse the other tech-
niquesin the EntropyControlsuite, but they'llcost six
quantumpoints to activateratherthan three, and they
activateat + 1difficulty,sincehe hasn'tmasteredthem
yet .
Robhas fourremainingnovapointsto spend Even
withMega-Stamina andEntropicShield,he's not entirely
comfortablewith Philip's defenses, so he spends two
pointsaddthe Resiliencyenhancementto Philip'sMega-
Stamina(this allowsPhilip'sMega-Staminato soak two
levelsof bashingandlethaldamageratherthanone).Rob
spendshislasttwonovapointsto addsix dots to Philip's
normalAttributes;he raisesPhilip's Charismato 3, Ma-
nipulationto 5, Appearanceto 5, Dexterity to 4 and
Staminato 4.
Step Three: Finishing Touches
Here's where you have to do a little bookkeeping.
Yourcharacter begins with one permanentTaint point
for eachtaintedMega-Attributedot, quantumpowerdot,
Quantumdot or enhancementpurchased.Rememberthat
if your Quantumis 5, you gainan extra Taintdot on top
of any other Taint accumulated.lf doingso drivesyour
Taintabove3, you gainone aberration(p. 151)per addi-
tionalTaint point.
Youshouldfillin your speeds for walking,running
and sprinting,as wellas speeds Forany other Formsof
locomotion(for example,Flightor Hypermovement) .The
character sheet has space for youto write inextra move-
ment speeds.
Finally,add together all soak gainedfrom Stamina,
Mega-Staminaand Armor,then calculateyour soak to-
tals for bashingand lethaldamage. Extra space on the
sheet lets youwriteinsituationalsoak(for example,from
a Force Field, Invulnerabilityor an ElementalMastery
technique).
ForExample: Philiphas three Taintpoints, which
Rob dutifullyrecordsin the Taintsectionof the charac-
ter sheet. A Taintthishighdoesnot imposeanyaberra-
tions- yet - but Philipis nonethelessfairlydiscern-
ibleas a nova.
I 18 CHAPTER TWO CHARACTER
Philipdoes not have any specialmovementpow-
ers,so he gets aroundthe sameasanybaseline.Hiswalk
rate is five meters, his run rate is 16 meters (12+ his
Dexterityof 4) and his sprint rate is 32 meters (20 +
three timeshis Dexterityof 4).
Now Rob calculatesPhilip'sstartingsoak scores.
Philip'sStaminaof 4 giveshimfoursoak versusbashing
damageandtwosoakversuslethaldamage;to thisbase,
his Resiliency-enhanced Mega-Staminaadds two soak
versusbashingandlethal,for a totalof six soak versus
bashingdamageand four soak versus lethal damage.
Philip'sincrediblytough by humanstandards,but he
probablyshouldstay out of seriousnova-levelcombat,
and his EntropicShieldand Regenerationabilitieswill
doubtlesssee a fairbit of use.
Onemoredetailneeds to be taken care of: Since
Philipraisedhis normalDexterityandStaminato 4, he
may select qualitiesfor these Traits.He chooses "Run
Like Hell"for Dexterity and "Functionon Almost No
Sleep" for Stamina.
Spark of Life
Nowthat you have the dots and Traits out of the
way,you can personalizeyour creation and make her
uniquelyyours. The moredetailsyou workout, the more
depthyourcharacterhas. Whiletheyhaveno direct rules
impact,these detailsmakeit easier for bothyouandyour
Storytellerto knowwhoyour character is and howshe
fits into the series.
• Howoldareyoo?Mostnovasare relativelyyoung,
between16and36 years of age at eruption,thoughthere
are exceptions. Alsothinkabout whateventstook place
duringyour character's life. Experiences have as much
impacton howold you feel as your physical age does.
• Whatdoyoulooklike'?Whilethe Appearance
Trait indicateshowattractiveyouare, it doesn'tsay what
it is that makesyou att.ractive, nor anythingelse about
your physicalidentity. Consideryour other Traits, in-
cludingNature and Backgrounds . Also rememberthat,
unless the Storyteller specifies otherwise, you can be
fromanyculture,of any religion,race or sexualorienta-
tion.
Whileyou're thinkingabout your character's ap-
pearance, decide exactly how your quantum powers
manifest.Evennovaswith lowor no Tainttypicallylook
somewhatdifferent fromthe humannorm. Doyour eyes
glowwhenyou activateyour Force Field;do flamesroar
fromyour mouthwhenyou fire your QuantumBolt?
• Didyou ever noticeyou were different? The
trauma of eruption merelyunlocksa previouslylatent
quantumpotential.Manylatents experience brief, un-
controlledflashes of power prior to eruption, whether
they realizeit or not. You mayhavealreadybeen aware
 ABERRANT
of your potentialbefore eruption,or you mayhavebeen
baffled and confused by the tremendous energies you
unleashed. Perhapsyou have livedblissfullyunawareof
your nature.
• HowwereyoudiscoverecP.Manyeruptingnovas
are approachedby Project Utopiapsychologistsand en-
couragedto enter trainingat the nearest Rashoudfacil-
ity. Others find themselvessought out by government
agencies, corporationsor other groups, thoughmanyuse
their newfoundpowersimplyto slip awayand avoidde-
tection by potential exploiters.
• Whatareyourquirks'?Everyonehas interesting
personal idiosyncrasies; what are yours'? They can be
anything from alwayswearinga fedora to havinga mor-
bid sense of humor. Good quirks help define your per-
sonality and alsogive the Storytellermore to work with
for character interactions and story hooks.
• Whois importan t in YOU" life'?Howdo you feel
about your Family(or do you even have one)'?Are your
friends close or merely casual acquaintances? Do you
even keep in touchwith your lovedones nowthat you're
a nova, or did eruption sever ties between yourselfand
your baseline compatriots? Just becauseyou've become
a novadoesn't meanyou lose your previous ties - al-
though it maycertainly change how people feel toward
you and vice versa.
• Whatdoyou own'?This consideration is usually
an afterthought,but a littleattention to it is useful. Mun-
dane things like an apartment or clothes are considered
to be covered by the ResourcesBackground.However,
certain weapons, vehicles or unusualitems are covered
in the Appendix.
• Howdoyouperceive otherpeople'? Are you tol-
erant of other cultures and lifestyles'?Doyou envyother
novas? Doyou yearn for your old life? Doyou consider
yourself superior to baselines, perhaps condescending
to or even bullying them? Doyou remain amongbaseline
society or prefer the companyof other novas?
• How did you meetthe rest of YOU" team'? The
"team" refers to the other players' characters. Whilethe
team itself can take manyforms, you still need to figure
out howyou allcame together. Whether it's a willingal-
lianceor a marriage of convenience, be sure that there
is some levelof trust betweenyourselfand the others.
• What areYOU" motivations'? No one lives with-
out somesort of motivation.Whatare your goals? What
do you fear? What gives you strength'?Alsoask yourself
"why?" regarding these questions. Motivations can be
vague (a desire to improvethe world) or very specific
(you have swornvengeanceon the Directiveagent who
murdered your family). Youunderstandwho you are in
fleshing out your ambitionsand priorities.
CHAPTER TWO CHARACTER
For Example : Rob wants to establishsome more
detailsaboutPhilip'spriorities, originandrelationships
with others. The Storytellerwantsto keep the general
detailsa little vague, but Rob fillsin some basicinfor-
mation.
As farasphysicalappearancegoes,Philipisa stun-
ningAsianmaleof 23, withlongblackhair in a ponytail,
a wiry buildand a sharklikesmile. He's alwaysdressed
to the nines, he favorsflashyjewelry andhe takes spe-
cialpride in his Buendiaeufiber suit. AlthoughPhilip
hasn't manifestedany aberrations, his Taint is pretty
highfor a beginningcharacter; Rob decidesthat harm-
less but eer ie black sparks occasionallycrackle from
Philip's eyes andacrosshisbody, flaringstrongestwhen
PhilipuseshisEntropyControlpowersor soaksdamage
with his Resiliency.
Philip's basicdisposition is pretty naileddown, but
Rob thinks that some more work couldbe done in this
area. HedecidesPhilip is theyoungestson of a Fam ily of
hard-working Chineseimmigrants(whichis, of course,
wherehe learnedto speak Cantonese).The familywas
poor and lived in a bad neighborhood; early on, the
clashesbetween the valuesof Philip's frugalparentsand
those of his street-rat friendspulledPhilipaway from
his Familyand onto the streets. Mixingwith the wrong
crowd, Philipbecamea gambler, small-timehustlerand
occasionalpimp; these activitiescombinedto get him
into some troublewith a localbranchof the Camparelli-
Zukhovmegasyndicate, and his powers activated while
defendinghimself from a pissed-off mobgoon.
Earlyon, Philipentered a Rashoudfacilityto con-
trol his powers; Utopia's nauseating,PC feel-goodism
and authority-with-a-smile didn't sit well with him at
all, and he left the facility on less thanequitableterms.
He's sure that the Project is monitoring himas a poten-
tial threat, and this suspicionhasgnawedat him to the
point of paranoia.
Philipcurrentlylivesina smalldowntownapartment,
buthe is on the cuspof doingbiggerandbetter (well, big-
ger) things.He's alreadyattracteda crew of hangers-on
and "best buddies'; for now, he's living the highlife, im-
pressing(and occasionallyfreakingout) the ladiesand
spendingmoneyas fastas he makesit. The syndicatearm
thathadpreviouslybeenthreatening himhas"generously"
droppedallof hisowedgamblingdebtsandiscajolinghim
into working for them,but Philiphasbiggerdreamsthan
beinga small-time syndicateboss . His familystill cares
abouthim and wantshim to use hispowersresponsibly,
but Philiphasambiguousfeelingsaboutthem. More than
anything , hewantsto avoidUtopias scrotiny,andthispara-
noiaconflictswithhisdesiresfor wealth,Fameandatten-
tion. Perhapsif he couldhookup withothersof his kind...
I IY
 Character Creation Table:
Phase One: Human Phase Two: Nova
This cheat-sheet covers the character- Thissectiontellshowto changeyour char-
creation process in short form; refer to the acter from normalhumanto nova.
appropriate sections for details. Available • StepOne:Origin
points are listedwhere relevant. Choose the circumstances of your
• StepOne:Concept character's transformation.
CnooseConcept,Natureand Allegiance(p. StepTwo:NovaPoints
127) Spend30 novapointson Mega-Attributes;
• StepTwo:SelectAttributes (p.133) enhancements; quantum powers; Quantum;
Prioritizethe three areas:Physical,Men- Quantum Pool ; or extra Attributes,Abilitiesand
tal and Social Backgrounds.
ChooseprimaryAttributes (7 points) Quantumcannot be raised higher than 5;
ChoosesecondaryAttributes(5 points) if Quantum is 5, the character gains+ 1perma-
Cnoosetertiary Attributes(3 points) nent Taint.
• StepThree:SelectAbilities (p. 136) • StepThree:PhaseTwoFinishing Touches
Choosedesired Abilities(23 points) Record Taint and aberrations (if any)
No Abilityhigher than 3 at this time. changes to skilltotals (if any), changesto Ini-
Calculateskilltotals tiative and movement(if any); bashingand le-
• Step Four:SelectBackgrounds thalsoak;decideon any physicalchangesmade
ChooseBackgrounds(p. 139)(7 points) by eruption.
• Step Five:PhaseOneFinishing
Touches
RecordinitialWillpower(3) Quantum(1),
Initiative (Dexterity+ Wits), Movement(walk Nova Points
7 m run Dex+12 m, sprint [Dexx 3] +20 m) Trait NovaPoint
Spendbonus points (15 points) Cost
Mega-Attribute 3
Enhancement 3
Quantum 5
Bonus Points QuantumPower(Level I) I
Trait Cost per dot QuantumPower(Level2) 3
Attribute 5 QuantumPower(Level3) 5
Ability 2 QuantumPool 1/2
Specialty(max.tine perAbility)1 3 Attributedots I
Background 1 6 Abilitydots I
Willpower 2 5 Backgrounddots I
Quantum 7 Willpowerdot I
Initiative 1 Italicizeditemscan be boughtas taintedpow-
ers; tainted powerscost half the normalcost
per dot (roundup), but they imposeone point
of permanentTaint per dot so purchased. A
taintedLevelI powercosts one novapointper
two dots purchased.
Addingan Extra to a Level I or 2 quantum
powerincreasesthe levelof the powerby one
for purposes of purchasingthe power. So, a
Level2 powerpurchasedwith an Extra costs
fivenovapoints(or three novapointsifbought
tainted) per dot.
 . ABERRANT
The Team
The majorityof novasin 2008 are solitary,focus-
ingon their ownlivesandgoals. Sure, theycometogether
to socialize,and novas titanic egos often lead to highly
publicized(and ratings-drawing) clashes, but by and
large, each novais an islandunto herself. Therefore, the
team that your characters are to form is a rarity, one
sure to turn heads in governments,corporationsand in-
ternationalorganizationsalike.
Because novas are so individualistic , a functional
team of them is an entity of great power. It is thus highly
desirablethat the characters basicallytrust and support
each other. Muchlikea family,the team may not always
get along - individualscouldeven have distinctlyop-
posing philosophies- but there remainsa foundation
of respect and relianceon one another that can weather
almostany storm.
Creating a Team
The type of team _the characters comprise has a
tremendousbearingon whatthe series willbe like.If the
Storyteller plans to run a series steeped in intrigueand
geopoliticalmachinationshe shouldmakesure the play-
ers knowthis before they create a groupof combat-hun-
gry elites. In the end the story revolvesaroundthe team
(and,therefore, the characters);understandingwhatthe
team is about helps both players and the Storyteller to
immersethemselvesin the Aberrant milieu.
The followingare a few questions that shouldbe
consideredaboutthe teamduringcharactercreationand
(hopefully)answeredby the end of the prologue.
• Where is the team based'?The answer to this
questiondepends on where the Storytellersets his se-
ries. Knowingthat the team operates out of T2M Addis
Ababa,DeVriescorporateoffices,a NewYorkpenthouse
or someone'sflat givesa good basis for both Storyteller
and players.
• How do the team members interact'?A team's
internal dynamics can give everyone a wealth of
roleplayingopportunitiesand story hooks. Are the mem-
bers all close friends'? Is the team a businessor enter-
tainmentventure'?Are there jealousiesor rivalriesamong
members'?Are there anysecrets kept fromcertain mem-
bers'?What's the levelof trust and camaraderie'?
• Whatis theteam'spurpose'? A team's purpose
usuallyties closely with the type of series the Story-
teller runs. The team may have a specificcharter given
to it by backers (containand control rogue novas, act as
PR reps and specialagents for their corporations),or it
may have its own agenda (expose Utopia's hidden ac-
tivities,subjugatethe humanrace). The team's focusmay
be on combator intrigue,and the Storyteller shouldbe
sure that missionsare geared accordingly. However, it
alwayshelps to mix things up a bit (havinga cadre of
maskedelites escort a high-rankingdiplomatto an in-
ternational symposiumcan make for some interesting
roleplaying).
• Istherea teamleader'? Decisions must be made
somehow.Doesyour team go by militaryrank or corpo-
rate structure'? Is it a democraticgroup? Are the mem-
bers well-disciplinedand respectful of others' sugges-
tions, or do they tend toward petty squabbling'?
• Whatis the team'sallegiance '?Dependingon
Backgrounds,your characters may work for (or found/
own) Utopia, a powerfulcorporation or a government
agency. A group with the support of an agency or gov-
ernment can draw upon this resource for finances, gear
and backup - althoughusuallyat the cost of restric-
tions on the members' freedomsand responsibilities.A
team that goes it alonecan call its ownshots, but it op-
erates withouta safety net.
• Who are the team's enemies'?The team might
consciouslychoose to defy a specificgroup. What does
that group planto do about the characters' considerable
threat'?Are there other agenciesoperatingcontrary to
the team'sgoals'?Is the teamawareof theseforces'?What
do these enemiesintend?
• Whydoestheteam exist?This is perhaps the
most importantquestionof all. There's a reason whythe
characters got together and remain together. Did they
have a friend in common'? Are they all on the run from
Utopiaor some other group'?Were they drawn together
by similargoals or philosophies,or 1s1tsimplya mar-
riage of convenience'?
Prologue
The prologueisyourcharacters introductionto the
worldand story. It combinesback history, personalde-
tailsand transformationintoa nova. The prologueis usu-
ally a short, one-on-one roleplaying session between
playerand Storytellerthat introducesyou andyourchar-
acter to the Aberrant universe.
Fine Tuning
Theprologueletsyoutest yourcharacter,mak-
ingsure she can do the things you want her to. It's
not unusualto discoverthat an Abilityfunctionsdif-
ferently than you thought, or that a higher (or
lower!)Trait makesmore sense for your character.
After the prologue,you maymodifyyour character
(with the Storyteller's superv1s1on),adjusting her
to better fit your concept and the series. Youdon't
get any moredevelopmentpoints,but you mayshift
existing points around as appropriate. Once you
begin the regular series, any further modifications
must be made with experience points.
 ABERRANT

Mostgoodroleplayersbeginwithideas for the char-

acters they want to play, customizethose ideas during
creation, then get a real feel for those personalities
throughprologues. These first roleplayingopportunities
are criticalto character development,providingyouwith
the chance to get inside your character's head and react
to things as she would. This is a crucial time for setting
uprelationshipswithimportantpeople,placesand things,
making it easier and more natural for your
Storyteller to work those factors into the
series. It's also important to depict your
character's Backgroundsduringthe pro-
logue. Usingroleplayingto introduce the
nova's alliesor patrons to relate the mo-
ment whenher M-R node activatedand to
describeher wealthenhancesyour human
character's depth. and typically
culminatesin the
Storyteller: event that triggered
Areas of the character's erup-
Focus tion. Onlythen, after the
Although player has a sense of who
eruptionleavesa her character was like as a
person forever person, should the Storyteller
altered, allowPhase Twoof character cre-
openingnew ation to take place.
vistas of Describingthe eruption event as it
perception
and possi-
.w.--.~ • '-..,•
""'
•=- .,..,
...,
happensis muchmoredramaticthan say-
..~ . ing "Okay, youerupt. Nowyou're a nova."

bility it No one, even Divis Malhimself, fullyun-

does not derstandsthe processof eruption,or why
change certain events trigger certain people;
who she using that mystique underlines the
changesthat happento the character.
Followingup eruption with a
under- sketch of how the character first
stand the masters her newfound powers
character ' s serves a numberof functions, de-
existence as a pendingon the prologue's direction.
nova, the player ls the novatakenunder the wingof
must know what the character an organization like
was like before she was trig- Utopia, or must she
gered. Brieflyroleplayingher life master her powers
"de-
up to that point,highlighting on her own? Does
fining moments" and important she go public,
people,is an excellentwayto es-
tablish the character and to be
entertained at the same time. In-
deed, we recommend going
through Phase One of character
creation, then playingthrough a
short one-on-one prologue be-
tween the player and the Story-
teller. This prologuesketches out
the character's life as a normal
 ABERRANT

or does :,hetry to hidefromintrusivegovernmentagents, experiencepoint.No character shouldever fulfillevery

Utopiarecruiters and mediabarracudas?Whateverthe single category at one time, althoughmultiplecharac-
specificfocusof a prologue, the key is'to givethe play- ters mayqualifyfor the same award.
ers a taste of the universe,thus makingeach character • Automa tic - Eachcharacterreceivesone point
and the setting all the more real and dynamicin subse- at the end of every story.
quent sessions. • Discovery- The character understandssome-
Eachcharacter's prologueshouldultimatelyset the thingnewand significantabout himself, his fellownovas
scene for the team as a whole. This introductioncould or the universe.
culminateinthe characters uniting, or couldset thingsin • Excep tionalRoleplay - The playerroleplayed
motion to bringthemtogether inthe first episode. What- his character particularlywell.This behaviorshouldbe
ever the case, the Storyteller shouldensure that indi- appropriate to the character; points should not be
vidualprologuesreinforce, howeversubtly, the goals to awarded for outlandish,out-of-character antics.
whichthe team willdedicate itself. • Heroism- The characterriskedlifeand limbto
save the day. Onlythe most dramaticsituationsqualify
Character for this award - stupiditydoes not count.
• Wisdom- The character discovereda wayout
Development of a trap or learnedthe truth behinda mystery.The group
often deduces solutionstogether, in whichcase every-
During a story, your character learns manythings one shouldbe awarded. However,if one characterpieces
abouthimself,hisabilitiesandhisareas for improvement . everythingtogether by himself, onlyhe gets the award.
Success and failure combineto teach you about your • Creativity- This point is reserved for players
character's limitationsand potential. Your character will whoadd to the story'senjoymentwithoutdetractingfrom
makemistakes, gain insight,practice and hopefullynot the game. This includes,but is not limitedto, well-de-
repeat past errors. Allof these thingsare measuredin a velopedbackgrounds,character journalsor introducing
gamethroughexperiencepoints. new story elements. This bonus is highlydiscretionary
and shouldbe awardedinfrequently.
Experience • Cohesion - The characters workedexception-
The Storytellerhas the responsibilityof quantify- ally well together, defeatingtheir opponents or strate-
ing each character's experiences. Whilethe knowledge gically investigating all avenuesof information.
you gainconcerningplotlines,supportingcharactersand
your team cannot be measured, your character'sexpe- Roleplaying
rience can. Experiencepoints are an artificialmeasure
of success or accomplishmentthat translate into en-
Development
Skilldoesn't develop spontaneously.The dots on
hancedpowerand capability.The dramatic situationsin
your character sheet are easy to fill in, but improving
whichAberrant characters often find themselvespro-
suchcapabilitiesin real lifetakes time, practice and ap-
mote fast learningas a meansof survival.
plication.Aberran t characters, likereal people,can im-
Awarding Experience Points proveonlyTraits that they exercise.There are three key
The Storytellershouldawardexperiencepointsat waysto justify increasingyour character's capabilities:
the end of every story. Allcharacters typicallyget the application,researchand training.Assuch, youcanspend
samenumber, althoughparticularlyoutstanding accom- experiencepointson a particularTrait only if yourchar-
plishmentsor roleplayingcan earn an individualbonus acter has used that skill,performed thoroughresearch
experience. The amountof experience points givende- or receivedadditionaltraining.
pends on a numberof factors. It is vital, whatever method of developmentthat
Keepin mindthat a story mightcontinuefor more you follow, that the growthbe roleplayed. Whether that
thanone gamesession, althoughwithholdingexperience meansseekingout your mentor for formalizedtraining
points for too long can frustrate players. Generally,if or swappingtips of the trade with others, development
the Storytellersees a particularstory arc continuingfor mustbe part of the story. Takingan entire gamesession
more than three sessions, she should give experience to roll dice and increase your character's BrawlAbility
about halfway(or even a third of the way) throughthe isn't the point.The Storytellerand playershouldagree
story. upon the circumstancesand time necessary to improve
The categoriesbelowdescribeareas inwhichchar- a Trait. Skillimprovementneed not be the focus of the
acters can winexperience. Eachcategory is worth one story, but it shouldderivelogicallyfrom the plot.

CHAPTER TWO CHARACTER 123

 ABERRANT
Youcan increase knowledge-relatedTraits at low
levelswith in-depth research. At higher ratings, how-
Exper ien ce Costs ever, you must combinestudy with application.
Once experience1sdoledout. playerscan spend Research materialfor raisingTraits can be found
it m any of the followmgareas. Costsvary dependmg almost anywhere. Websites,educationalprogramming,
on the Trait mvolved.Also, mcreasmgTraits or buy- printedbooksor evenscientificexperimentationcan in-
mgnew ones mustbe roleplayedbefore spendmgany crease your character's knowledgebase. New material
pomts (it's the roleplaymgthat's important). appropriate to a Trait must be studied each time you
Trait Increase Cost wishto increase that Trait.
Attribute current ratmg x 4 Training
Ab1l1ty current ratmg x 2 If yourcharacterisn'texposedto situationsinwhich
Background current ratmg x 2 her Abilitiesimprove naturally,she can seek training.
Mega-Attribute current ratmg x 5 Formalizedtrainingfocuseson improvinga certain Trait
QuantunPower(Level I) current rating x 3
throughrigorousrepetition in a controlledenvironment.
QuantunPower(Level2) current rating x 5 Any Trait can be improved through training, although
QuantunPower(Level3) current rating x 7 some skillsdevelopbetter through "real-world" appli-
Willpower current ratmg cation.
Quantum current ratmg x 8 Yourcharacter can seek training from numerous
QuantumPool 3 per dot sources. Gymspromote physicalfitness, schools edu-
Initiative current rating cate and variousprogramsare designed to improveso-
NewTrait Cost cial skills. Also,the AeonSocietyoffers its Rashoudfa-
Ability 3 cilities, throughProject Utopia,for novas who wish to
Specialty(max.!treeperAbdity) I better their quantum powers (so long as the novas in
Background 2 question are on the Project's good side of course...).
Enhancement 5 Attendingmostof these traininginstitutionscosts money
Mega-Attribute 6 and time. The Storyteller shouldattach an appropriate
QuantumPower(LevelI) 3 price tag and training time, in addition to the experi-
QuantumPower(Level2) 6 ence-point cost.
QuantumPower(Level3) 9 Findingand indulging in trainingis more than a way
Note:A levelof Quantum,Mega-Attribute,en- to improveTraits. A resourcefulStorytellercan tie train-
hancementor quantumpower can be bought tamted ingsessionsinto the series, plumbingnewdepths inyour
for half cost (roundedup); however,the nova 1mme- character's identity and in the story.
d1atelyacquires a permanentTamt pomt, alongwith
all the associatednegativeeffects. Increasing Attributes
Eachof the Attribute groups demandsa different
focus for improvement.PhysicalAttributes can be im-
proved through rigorous training or exercise. Combat
experience manuallabor or athletic pursuitscan all im-
App licatio n prove your character's physicalprowess. Mental At-
Usmga Trait repeatedly 1sthe primaryway to ex- tributes developmostlythroughdiscipline and constant
ercise 1t.Ab1l1tiesthat you use regularlyare perfect to exposure to new material.A stagnant mind never im-
spend experienceon. Such"trainingin the f1eldtt is suit- proves, whilean activeone can overcomeany limitation.
able for virtuallyallTraits. The major componentof improvingSocialAttributes is
Even1fyou fail in a task, related Traits still qualify humaninteraction. Practiceand some trainingwithoth-
as practiced or applied. Sometimeswe learn more from ers can help moldsocialskills.
our mistakesthan from our successes. The Storyteller
shouldallowyou to spend experienceon Traits used in- Increasing Abilities
effectivelyas wellas on those used effectively. Aberrant characters possessa wide range of Abili-
ties, whichimprovereadily with the proper focus. Any
Resea rch Abilitycan be increasedgiventhe proper training. While
Research1susefulfor improvingknowledge-related such improvementis rapid at low levels, the cost in-
Traits. Simplestudy, however,does not complete the creases dramaticallyas yourcharacter'sexpertisegrows.
process. Real-worldapplicationcements such mforma- Evenamongnovas, only the most dedicated individuals
t1on, givingyour character a solid foundationof knowl- can master their fields.
edge and practicalexperience.

124 CHAPTERTWO CHARACTER

 ABERRANT
An Abilityin whichyour character has a specialty
increasesjust likeany other. Whenthe specializedAbil-
ity raises to the next dot, your character's specialtyau-
tomaticallygoes up as well,remainingone dot higherthan
the Abilityitself. This increase worksthe same for allof
the specialtiesthat your character has in that Ability(re-
memberthat your character is limitedto a maximumof
three Specialtiesin each Ability).
Say your character currently has two dots in Fire-
arms, and you had previouslypurchased the Targeting
specialty(givingyour character an extra die whenaim-
ing). Raisingthe FirearmsAbilityto 3 costs eight expe-
rience points, and you stillkeep the extra die for target-
ing(givingyour character a 4 Firearmsratingwhenaim-
ing).
Increasing Nova Powers
The meansfor increasingnovapowersare as indi-
vidualas novasthemselves, thougha Fewcommonalties
havepresented themselves.Tappinginto quantumpow-
ers typicallyinvolvessomedegree of lightmeditationor
disciplinaryexercises, though the techniquesvary de-
pendingon the powers invokedand, of course, the indi-
vidualnova herself. Project Utopia'sRashoudfacilities
offer opportunitiesfor training·mostcountriesand many
major cities host at. least one Rashoudfacility.However,
the individualityof novas' powersmeansthat one nova's
trainingtechniquesdo not necessarilyapplyto another;
a novawhospecializesin Mega-Strengthmighthavelittle
to offer a student seekingto masteran ElementalAnima.
Furthermore,novas are still exceedinglyrare; an "ap-
pointment"to be tutored mightneed to be set up months
inadvance. Ultimately,manynovasmusttrain themselves,
throughtrialand(sometimesdangerous)error. Ona more
dubiousnote, the Terageneagerlyassistsany novaswho
ask but only in exchangefor favorsor future service.
Developingnew powers is typicallya touch-and-
go process, and accompaniedby searing headaches to
boot, as the M-R node channelsenergies in new ways.
Accordingly,for the first story or two after developing
new powers, all uses of those powers are made at a
greater difficulty- typically+I or +2. This penalty is
offset if the nova takes adrenocilin(see the Appendix,
p. 281).
Increasing Backgrounds
Backgroundscan be improvedonly throughactual
roleplay. New contacts cannot be studied, nor can you
practice increasingyour number of close alliesor your
mentor's power and influence. Backgrounds develop
strictly over the course of a story. The Storyteller can
introducea new contact, but if you botch the connec-
tion, the contact mightnever call back. Likewise,your
character may activelyseek to gain more influenceby
manipulatingpoliticians and local authorities. Back-
grounds developed through roleplaythen cost experi-
CHAPTERTWO CHARACTER
Development and
Backgrounds
CertainBackgroundscan reduce the costs of im-
provinga Tra1t.Mostnotably,the MentorBackground
providesyou withdirect access to trainingor research
materials. Althoughthe mentor acts as an advisorand
confidant. she also can provide your character with
the means to improvehimself. The Storyteller should
decide what Abilitiesyour patron mighthave (deter-
mined by the Background'srating and the mentor's
nature). Mentors aren·t automatons that simplyrm-
prove your character's capabilitywith a snap of their
fingers. Yourcharacter still has to work at the Tnut
and mayeven owe his mentor a favor or two.
Contacts,alhes and even followersmay possess
superiorskillincertain areas. These peoplemayprove
more d1ff1cultto tap for educationand training than
goingto a mentor,but they are stillexcellentresources.
Contactsusuallycharge fees (favors,money,informa-
tion), and they certainly aren't as helpful as a real
teacher. However,your character may haveaccess to
a wide range of trainingthrough contacts. Alliesare
often very helpful,and they can present a widearray
of ab1l1t1es
. Still,socialor familyobligationsbetween
you and your alliescan interfere with training. Follow-
ers mayfeel obligatedto teach you, althoughthey may
resent the new respons1b1hty, depending on the na-
ture of the bond.
Overall,your character's Backgroundsprovidea
vastrange of potentialeducationalopportunities. The
ease of drawingupon these resources depends on the
nature of the relat1onsh1p, the backgroundcharacter's
capabilityand your character's own in1tiat1ve.
ence points to raise. To makethe new rating an intrinsic
part of yourcharacter, a keyelementof hisongoingstory,
you mustspend the appropriate experience.
New Backgroundsdevelop in muchthe same way.
They're introducedinto the story by you or the Story-
teller. They are then made permanent by spendingex-
perience points.
This is not to say that your character can have
friends,resourcesor gear only1fshe buysthemas Back-
grounds. If she stumblesacross a case fullof moneyor
lucksonto an armored Jumpsuit, you needn't spend ex-
perience to keep it.
Backgroundsrepresent special relat1onsh1psthat
you feel create an importantdynamicfor your charac-
ter. Friends, moneyandconnectionsthat aren't purchased
as Backgroundsstill exist but they don't have the same
strong ties to your character as those bought as Back-
grounds do. Youneed to spend experience only on the
125
 ABERRANT

Backgroundsthat you want to be a central part of the Changingthe course of these personalityinfluencescan
story,a sort of "supportingcast" of yourvery own. Back- be impossible as the childreaches maturity.
groundsgive yourcharacterspecialbenefitsandshouldn't For the purposes of Aberrant , your character's
be treated frivolously(by either playeror Storyteller). Nature should rarely shift. It might change only after
long-terminfluencefromoutsideforces, in-depth "soul
Losing Traits searching• or after a particularlytraumaticevent.
Generally,Attributes, Abilitiesand powerscan be If youwishto changeyour character's Nature,dis-
reduced only due to extreme injury,loss of a limbor a cuss it with the Storyteller so the adjustment may be
similarcondition.If your charactersuffers an injurysuf- tied into the game. Whateverthe specificcircumstance,
ficient to impairher, the Storyteller must decide what the changeshouldbe a dramaticstory element.
impact the accident has on her Traits. Yourcharacter's Changing Allegiance
Traits shouldbe reducedonlyin the mostextremecases.
Allegiancecan be changed as the story warrants
Backgrounds,unlikemostTraits,can actuallylower
(an Individualistnova seduced by the Teragen, a Pro-
in ratingovertime. Contacts,mentorsandalliesmaycease
teus novabetrayingthe agencyto Utopia,etc.). Though
assistingyou (whether due to poor treatment by your
switchingallegiancecan havegraveconsequencesin the
character, disappearingor even dying),while influence
story - and betrayinga geopolitical power is almost
can end with the next election or coup. Backgrounds
certain to make manyenemies for the character - a
shouldbe reduced onlyif you abuse them (assaultingal-
changeof allegiancecosts no experiencepointsto imple-
lies,squanderingresources) or if the reductionfurthers
ment.
the plot - in whichcase the Storytellershouldrestore
or replace the Backgroundat a later date. Increasing Willpower
The Storytellershouldmakesure any changesto a Willpower is a quantified Trait that may be in-
character's Backgrounds are justified through the creased with experience points. However,this Trait
character's ownactionsor that they contributeproduc- shouldnot increasewithoutsomelogicalreason. Forex-
tivelyand significantlyto the story. Followersdon't exist ample, a traumaticevent may harden your character's
for the Storytellerto snuff; they're just as mucha part heart, strengthening her resolve. Focusand meditation
of the character as her Attributesand Abilities,and they couldlead to an improved understandingof her core be-
shouldbe giventhe same consideration. ing. Inshort, eventsduringthe story havea direct effect
on Willpower , muchas they do on any other Trait. The
Personality Develop- maindifference between Willpowerand other Traits is
ment that Willpowercannotbe researchedor taught.Increases
in Willpowershouldnever be approvedcasuallyby the
Yourcharacter's personalitycan change radically Storyteller.
over time. Innocentyouthscan becomehardenedveter-
ans, whilecynicscan learnto believeintrulygoodcauses. Increasing Quantum and
These changescannot be mappedon a character sheet. Quantum Pool
They developthrough roleplayingand interactionwith More than any other Trait, Quantumis a measure
other characters. Certain Traits, however,define your of a character's potential for power. Accordingly , Quan-
character's personality. Nature describes true person- tum can be increased only by continuouslypracticing
ality, Allegiance reflects loyalties, Willpower rates one's powers and exploringone's novanature. Charac-
strength of willand Quantumassesses ability to interact ters who routinelypush the limitsof their power (for
with the fundamentalforces of the universe. example,spendingWillpowerto maxpowersor attempt-
Changing Nature inghigh-difficultyactions)mightbe eligiblefor a rise in
Naturedefinesa personality'soverridingfocus.The Quantumor QuantumPool.(Note that, after game play
forces that shapea childintoan adultmoldthe basicfab- begins,an increase in Quantumdoes not dictate an au-
ric of her personality. These influences(parents,siblings, tomaticincrease in QuantumPool;the two Traits must
friends, enemies) cannot be denied. Even if you reject be raised separately.)
the tenets these influencesuphold,they still alter your Asalways,the Storytellerhas finalsayas to whether
perception and compel you to accept an alternative. spending experiencepoints in this area has been justi-
fied in the game.

126 CHAPTER TWO CHARACTER

 HAPTERTHREE:
TRAITS
Traits register your character's capabilities,
strengths and weaknesses. Whilelittle more than marks
on paper, Traits enableyou to translate a complexper-
sonalityinto the stnctures of game reality. This frame-
workgivesyouthe generalparametersof whatyourchar-
acter can accomplish, but your imagination and
roleplayingshape whatshe actuallydoes. AberrantTraits
are designedto be broad; this gameis about characters,
not statistics.
The previouschapter outlinedthe character cre-
ation and developmentprocess; this chapter contains
manyof the Traits you maychoose from to designyour
character. Mega-Attributes and quantum powers are
detailedm ChaptersFourand Five,respectively.
Analyst:Youapproach the universe as a riddle to
be answered. Youliveby logicand deduction;any prob-
lem can be solved in a rational manner. Yourgoal is to
uncoverthe truth, to understandeverything.However,
your intenseinterest in findingthe answersto questions
can be distracting,since you get caught up by minutiae
and may lose sight of the larger issue.
GainWillpower whena rational,scientificapproach
helpssolve a situation.
Architect : Youare dnven to create somethmgof
lastingvalue for those who come after you, whether it
be a new socialorder, a company,an art or some other
legacy. Disorderand decay are your enemies;you hope
to bring about order and progress throughyour efforts.
lf you becomefixated on your goal,you may Forceyour

Nature dream on others.

GainWillpowerwhenyou accomplisha significant
Nature 1s a basic description of your character's goal.
self-perception; no character fits any Nature exactly, Bravo:There are winnersand losers inlife,and you
but one usuallydescribes his concept wellenough. Na- are definitelya winner. Youreinforceyour self-worthby
ture isn t all that a character is about. Rather it serves dominatingsituations,whether throughphysicalbrawls
as a basic guide to your character's perspective on the or politicalintrigues. You mightterrorize or protect the
Aberrantuniverseand how to act in and react to that weak, but such weaknessis not somethingyou tolerate
universe. inyourself. Youdon't knowthe meaningof fear, and fail-
While Nature helps describe who your character ure is not an option. Then again, you're not sure what
reallyis on the inside,this maynot be the facade he pre- discretionmeans, either, and compromiseisn't on your
sents to the world. However,a person's mood and de- list of choices.
meanor can change dependingon whomhe's with and GainWillpowerwheneveryou makesomeoneelse
whatsituationhe's in. Yourcharacter's outwardperson- backdown.
alityis handledentirelythroughroleplaying(althoughhis Bureaucrat : Lawswere created for a reason, and
Nature shouldaccent his general disposition). your primaryconcern is to followthem. No matter what
In game terms, Nature is importantbecause it en- the crisis, you followthe proper procedure. lf people
ables the character to regain Willpower points. E.ach don't obey the System,chaos willrun rampant.Youtake
Nature archetype lists the criteria necessary to regain comfortinestablishedprocesses,confidentthat they are
Willpower. "See Willpower,"p. 144, For specifics on the key to victory.Strict adherence to policymay blind
spendingand recoveringWillpower . Additionally,novas' you to better options.
quantumpowers are often shaped by their Nature; an GainWillpowerwhen a crisis is resolved by fol-
E.xplorermightwellgainMega-Perception,whilea Bravo lowingcorrectprocedures.
mightexpresshispotentialviaMega-Strengthor a Quan- Caregiver: Youalways try to make a difference,
tum Bolt. helpingthose around you - and they depend on you
The archetypes listed here are a smallsample of for it. You'renot blindto the flawsof others; 1fanything,
the manyfaces of humanity;feel free to create newNa- that makesyour desire to aid them stronger. Yougain
tures. strength fromknowingthat you makea difference, that
 ABERRANT
you ease the suffering in the world. Yet you have no-
where to turn for support.
GainWillpowerwhenyou receive tangibleproof
thatyou have helpedanother.
Conniver: Whybreakyour ownback whenyou can
talk someoneelse into breakinghis for you?Youalways
try to manipulateothers before applyingyourself. You
advanceyourcauseby coordinatingyourfriends'efforts
and sowingdissent amongyour enemies. Youfear that
others maybe doingexactlythe samethingto you,mak-
ing it difficultfor you to trust anyone.
GainWillpowerwhenyou trick someoneinto do-
ing whatyou want.
Critic:Youfindpurposeinrevealingweaknessesand
faults,whether in artwork,an organizationor a person's
habits. Youstrive to perfect others by pointingout their
shortcomings. Youdo this for their own good, whether
they wantyour helpor not. Youcan do yourjob too well,
convincingsomeonethat he isn't just Aawedbut worth-
less, perhaps drivingawayeven those closest to you.
GainWillpowerwhenyou point out a significant
flaw that wouldhave been harmfulhad it been over-
looked.
Explorer:The prospect of finding new places,
peopleand things- whetherit's a newnaturalresource,
an untappedpoweror a musicalstyle - givesyour life
meaning.Discoveriesare your passion,andyou devotea
great deal of time and effort to keepingup withcurrent
events. The routine and commonplacebores you, and
learningof someoneelse's discoveryfillsyou withenvy.
Youconstantlyset your sightson the horizon, sometimes
at the expense of the here and now.
GainWillpowerwheneveryou make a significant
discovery.
Follower: Leaders need followers,and you await
yourorders.Takingchargeisn'tyourstyle. It isn't inyour
nature to rebel. In fact, your strength comes fromyour
abilityto cooperate with a variety of personalitiesto-
ward a commoncause. Yet,while you mightfollowyour
commanderinto the sun, you tend to lack the self-es-
teem to question sucha suicidalact.
GainWillpowerif you help the team succeedbe-
causeyou carryoutyour assignedduty.
Gallant: Youare one of the noticeableones, and
others hadbetter damnwellrecognizeit!Yourego thrives
on recognitionandthe admirationof others (thoughyou'll
settle for lessdesirablesorts of attention). Youlovebe-
ing in the publiceye, and nothingbeats performingbe-
fore an awestruckcrowd. Whileyou are certainlyAam-
boyantand fullof vivacity,others often see the potential
inyour overconfidentapproachto leadyou to disastrous
misjudgments . altruism. Thoughyou aspire to be a role model,you are
GainWillpowerwheneveryour deeds areparticu-
larly impressive, awe-inspiringor likely to landyou
smackin the center of attention.
128 CHAPTERTHREE TRAITS
Hedonist: Lifeis too importantto waste,so haveas
good a time as possible.Youonlygo aroundonce, after
all. Youdon't minda little hard work as longas a good
time awaitsyou at the end of it. Pleasureis its own re-
ward, and you pity those who take life too seriouslyto
realizeit. Evenso, your pursuitof a good time can take
you too far.
GainWillpowerwheneveryou have a truly good
time (andbringothersalongfor the ride).
Jester:The only sane defense against an insane
universeis to laughat it all. Sorrow and pain are your
enemies,and humoris your weapon. Youact the foolto
take others' mindsoff gloomand despair. Inyour pursuit
to spread smiles,you maycross the line,distractingand
irritatingthose whomyou meanto entertain.
GainWillpowerwheneveryou canlightenthe mood
or ease a tense situation.
Judge: Youseek to solvethe problemsof others by
actingas a mediator,arbitratoror evena friend. Youpride
yourselfon your clear judgmentand abilityto findcom-
promises. Conflictand dissentare abhorrent to you;you
knowthere is alwaysan option on whicheveryonecan
agree. Yourgreatest fear is that youmayuse poor judg-
ment, andthinkingthis waymakesyouquestioneventhe
mostobviousof choices.
GainWillpowerany timeyou leadothersto anami-
cableresolution.
Leader: You'remeant to be in charge.Youexcelat
organizing,andothers lookto youfor direction. Youtrust
your own judgment implicitly,and you have no qualms
about takingover a project and shapingit the wayyou
see fit.There are two waysto do a job: yourwayand the
wrongway. Whileyou maybe a master of direction,ig-
noringothers' suggestionscouldbe your downfall.
GainWillpowerwhen others followyou without
disputingyour decisions.
Martyr: You'reready to put yourselfat risk so that
another person or a causesucceeds,even whenthe sac-
rificeisn't necessary. Youdriveyourselftwiceas hard as
anyoneelse does, expectingno rewardother than rec-
ognitionof your efforts. Despitethis suffering, you en-
dure, clingingfirmlyto the beliefthat youmakea differ-
ence. In your blind desire to throw yourself into the
breach,you couldsacrificeyourselffor nothing.
GainWillpowerwheneveryou sacrificeyourselfor
somethingof yours to a highergoal.
Paragon: Youhave lofty and concrete idealsabout
what is right and noble in humannature, and you strive
to embodythose ideals.Youconsideryourpowersa great
gift and a tremendousresponsibility,and you feel duty-
bound to use them in the pursuit of righteousnessand
not a Gallant- publicdisplayis not as importantas the
knowledgeof gooddeeds accomplished . Somemightsee
you as self-righteous,but you are your ownworst critic.
 ABERRANT
Youare completelyintolerantof humanfoibles (espe-
ciallyyour own},and this lackof acceptance mightwell
driveyou over the edge one day.
GainWillpowerwheneveryou accomplisha signifi-
cant task for the greatergood.
Rebel:You'rethe ultimatefree-thinker. Whether
youchampiona causeor simplyfeelcontrary,youchoose
your own path. Others are welcometo join your march
to a different drummer,but only if their beat matches
yours. Youdefy authority in principleand deed, even if
you havesimilarviews.
GainWillpowerwheneveryou defy an established
authority. , her boundsto say,"This series is abouta cadre of Team
Survivor:Youcan endure nearlyanycircumstance.
No matter what happens, you alwayspersevere. Never
say die and never giveup - ever. Youhave no time for
those whocrumbleat the first signof adversity. In fact,
to be safe, youavoidformingcloseties withothers. You'll
pullthroughwhateverthe odds, even if it meanssacri-
ficingothers.
GainWillpowerwheneveryou survive a difficult
situationthroughyour own cunningandperseverance.
Thrillseeker: Youdon't do things for the ends, but
for the rush that the meansprovides. Riskgivesyour life
meaning,and boredomis death. The stakes are neverso
highthat they can't be madehigher. As longas there's a
thrillin it, you'rewillingto payalmostanyprice. Paybacks
are a bitch, though, and you willget in over your head
sooner or later.
GainWillpowerevery time you put yourself in a
life-threateningsituation,then escapeit.
Traditionalist: Youbelievethe solutionsfor today's
problemscan be foundby applyingthe methodsof the
past. Constantchangedestroys instead of creates. You
wrap yourself in tradition, resisting innovationsand
breakthroughs. Not all changeis bad, though;in holding
too tightlyto old ways, you can misssomethingbetter.
Gain Willpowerwhen a tried-and-true method
proves effective.
Visionivy:Youhave a goal that onlyyou can see,
somethingto whichyou'vededicatedyour life. Youmay
be a spiritualist,philosopheror inventor,but whatever
you are, yousearch for somethingmore. Youcreate new
possibilitiesby seeingbeyondthe boundsof conventional
imagination . Thoughyou are fullof newideas,your head
is often amongthe stars.
GainWillpowerwheneveryou takea concretestep
towardrealizingyour goal.
Allegiance
Ultimately,each novastands alone. In the worldof
2008, novasare amongthe primemoversand shakers;
each is of potentiallyglobalsignificance.There are few
CHAPTERTHREE TRAITS
"organizationmen"amongtheirranks;novasare courted
as alliesrather than recruited as minions.
Nonetheless,certain globalorganizationsdealwith
novasmore than the ruck and run of humanity,and no-
vas have accordinglycongregated to groups with the
power and resources to playat somethingapproximat-
ingthe novas'ownlevel.At the Storyteller's option,each
nova character shouldselect an allegiancefor herself.
Thisallegiance(supplementedby BackgroundTraits like
Backingand Allies}definesthe organizationor philoso-
phy to whichthe nova adheres, if any. The Storyteller
has a hand in this; for example,she is perfectly within
Tomorrowmembers, so allcharactershaveallegianceto
Utopia,"or "The characters are all part of a nova per-
formingact, so all characters are Individualistswith no
ties to anybody."
Manyof these allegiancescan suggestor even dic-
tate Backgroundexpenditures. For example,rank in or-
ganizationssuch as Utopiarequires the BackingBack-
ground;a memberof TeamTomorrowwillhavehighrat-
ingsin Backing,Allies,Resourcesand Influence(and his
playerwilllikelyhaveto spend somebonuspointsto get
the levelshe needs). Fordouble-agentsor fugitives,the
CipherBackgroundis absolutelyessential.
Thoughmanyseries willrequire all characters to
have the same allegiance, it is entirelypossibleto run a
series with mixedallegiances. An "all-Utopian"group
couldconsistof one true Utopian, an Aberrantmasquer-
adingas a Utopian, an Individualistwho's workingwith
Utopiaon a case-by-case basis,and a Teragenmember
masqueradingas an Aberrant masqueradingas a Uto-
pian! Likewise,an Aberrant series could feature two
Aberrants, two Individualists(friendsof the Aberrants
whoare not convincedof the Utopiaconspiracy,though
they are standingby their pals for now) and a Teragen
member(helpingout her fellownovas against Utopia's
duplicityin an effort to recruit the Aberrants to the
Teragencause). lt is even possibleto have Utopianand
Aberrant membersin the same series; after all, many
Aberrantsformerlybelongedto Utopia,and two friends
or lovers maymaintaintheir relationship, each refusing
to betray the other whiletrying to talk some sense into
their "misguided"companion.
Asa player, you do not haveto broadcastyour t.rue
allegiancepublicly,or evento the other players. Indeed,
all Proteus novas,and manyTeragen,Aberrant and Di-
rective novas, do not openly acknowledgetheir alle-
giance. ln theory, a charactercan havemanyallegiances,
open and secret. For example, some Utopiansare actu-
allymolesfor Project Proteus, makingsure that Utopia
remainsfocusedon what it needs to be doing. A Direc-
tive agent couldbe a spy for the Teragen, or vice versa.
Some novas mightbe triple or even quadrupleagents,
thoughthese characters playa dangerousgame indeed.
I 29
 ABERRANT
Here are the most commonallegiancesin the Ab-
errant world:
• Aberrants:The Aberrants are a very new fac-
tion havingappeared only in the last coupleof months
(as of May 2008); the name is an ironicadoption of a
commonanti-novaepithet. As of the game's beginning,
there are only a few dozen Aberrants in the
entire world; mostworkindividually , though
a few cells of three or more exist. Most
Aberrants do not publiclyidentifythem-
selves as such, since the group's
founders, Andre Corbin and Sophia
Rousseau,are beingsoughtby Utopia
and worldauthorities. Indeed, many
Aberrantsare stillpubliclyaffiliated
withProject Utopia. These "closet
Aberrants" attempt to find out
the truth behindUtopias agenda
whileavoidingthe revelationof
their true allegiance.
The Aberrants firmly
believe that Project Utopia
has been corruptedbya conspiracy;this conspiracy,they
are certain,intendsto enslaveor destroy novas and pos-
sibly the humanrace as well,througha variety of sub-
versiveoperations. The Aberrants' primarygoals,then,
are to root out and expose the corruptionin the organi-
zation and to recruit other novas
to their banner. However, most
Aberrants are aware of Utopia's
manygoodworksand wouldrather
fix the problemthan destroy Uto-
pia outright. The Aberrants also
realize that blatantly exposing
Utopia's agenda would lead to
worldwide panic. Accordingly,
Aberrantsare reluctantto go pub-
lic with what they have learned,
even if they thought it would be
safe to do so (whichthey do not).
The Aberrants are aware of
the existence of Project Proteus,
though they have yet to uncover
much of its true membership or
agendas. The Aberrantsare trying
to convinceas manyUtopiansand
lnd1v1dualists as possiblethat Uto-
pia has been compromised,though
their uncertainty as to the extent
of Utopia's networkforces them to
do so furtively . Although the
Aberrantsrealizethat the Teragen
also hates Utopia,they have not yet formed an alliance
with it; most Aberrants consider the Teragen to be a
dangerousband of radicalsand terrorists, possiblyeven
130 CHAPTER THREE TRAITS
the root behindthe corruptioninUtopia. MostAberrants
are aware of a shadowyagencycalledthe Directive, but
they knowlittleof its nature; the Aberrantstance is that
the Directivecould simplybe a front for ProJect Pro-
teus.
Suggested Backgrounds: Allies, Cipher,Contacts.
Dormancyis usefulto hide from pursuers.
• Project Utopia: Manynovas are af-
filiatedwith this AeonSociety-foundedin-
ternationalorganizationin a varietyof ca-
pacities, ranging from the luminariesof
Tearn Tomorrowto the support mem-
bers who handleUtopia's less glamor-
ous and more pragmatic concerns.
MostnovasexperienceUtopia's hos-
pitality at least once 1ntheir lives,
as they are invited to one of
Utopia's Rashoud facilities and
tutored inthe rudimentsof con-
trolling their powers. Many
novas elect to remain with
Utopia followingtheir initial
eruption, and manymore retain some ties to the group.
After all, all Rashoudfacilitiesare open to any novaso
longas that nova is registered with the ProJect and not
considereda threat.
Utopia'sstated goalis to employnovas•vast power
to better the world for nova and
baselinealike. Less overtly,Utopia
also takes great pains to cultivate
a good publicimagefor novasas a
whole. The typical Utopian nova
knowsnothingof ProJectProteus'
existenceandviewsthe Aberrants•
claims of a "shadow proJect"
withinUtopiaas so muchsed1t1ous
propaganda. Most Utopians are
highly disturbed by the recent
'Sliderscandal"and the nse of the
Aberrants, viewingthe Aberrants
as traitors, murderersand danger-
ous subversivespossiblyalliedwith
the Teragen. For its part, Utopia
loathes the Teragen, seeing the
movementas a bandof selfishand
destructiveradicals.Notonlyis the
Teragen the ant1thes1sof every-
thingUtopiastands for, but its ac-
tions could well turn the tide of
publicopinionagainstnovas. Thus,
Utopia does everything in its
powerto monitorTeragensympa-
thizers(andtake themdownwhennecessary). Fromwhat
little Utopiaknowsof the Directive's existence, it con-
siders the agencya hostile. reactionarycabalcombining
 ABERRANT
the worst aspects of J.Edgar Hoover and the Illuminati.
Utopiatakes a benevolentpublicstance toward unaffili-
ated novas. In practice it makesan attempt to monitor
and otherwise keep tabs on nova elements not directly
tied to it; novas whose "selfish agendas" threaten the
"cultivationof globalharmony" are often approachedand
reasoned with, subtlyor otherwise.
SuggestedBackgrounds:Allies, Backing, Contacts,
lnAuence,Mentor(experiencednovas), Resources.Team
TomorrowMembersmust take Backing, lnAuence and
Resourcesat 4 or greater, which mayrequire an appro-
priate bonus-pointexpenditure.
• Project Proteus: Proteus is a true shadoworga-
nization.It existsso deep withinthe heart of ProJect Uto-
pia that mostUtopiansare unawareof it. Fewrecords of
its presenceexist, and those that do are highlyencrypted
and classified. Indeed mostProteus "members" are un-
aware of their allegiance; Proteus tends to use
mercenaryelites, Utopians or other unaf-
filiatedindividuals, sendingthem on mis-
sions that advance the project's goals
withoutever lettingthe agents in ques-
tion know for whom they're really
working.Proteusis absolutelycommit-
ted to secrecy, and it willdo anything
to maintainit, includingterminating
agents or entire branches.
Those Proteus novas who are
aware of their affiliation believe that
Proteus is a necessary adjunct to ad-
vance Utopia's less telegenic goals.
They see Utopiaas a good organiza-
tion, necessary to continued harmony
between humansand novas; their role,
then, is that of the gardener, subtly
pruningthe Project wherenecessary,
pullingup any weeds that surface
and spraying destructive pests if
need be. Most Proteus ops believe the
Aberrants to be traitors, perhaps dupes of the Teragen,
and they scoff at the Aberrants' claimsof anti-novasen-
timentpermeatingUtopia. A~er all, mostProteus agents
are themselvesnovas.
ManyProteusnovashold 'official" positionsinUto-
pia, or even TeamTomorrow; some maintaincovers as
internationalcelebrities or act as spies in government
and corporate enterprises. No Proteusop ever admitsto
beinga Proteus op except in absolutesecrecy (and often
not eventhen). As far as the worldis concerned, Project
Proteus does not exist, and Proteus' directors intendto
do everythingin their power to keep it that way.
SuggestedBackgrounds:Cipher, Resources. "Offi-
cial" Proteus ops have Alliesand Backing. Other Back-
groundsdepend on the operatives cover identity.
CHAPTERTHREE TRAITS
• The Teragen: The Teragen movementis a phi-
losophy particular to a few radicalmembersof novaso-
ciety. Thoughthe movementwasbrought into the fore-
front by the shadowynova, Divis Mal, the Teragenclaims
that Malis not its leader, onlyits inspiration.The Teragen
ascribes to the credo that novasare a separate species
from the rest of humanity, and thus the laws, conven-
tions, history and moralityof Homosapiensdo not ap-
ply to them. The Teragen's stated goalsare to "liberate"
novas worldwideand help them realize their potential
"by any means necessary."
Though the Teragen does not specificallycall For
separation from or aggression toward the rest of hu-
manity, manyof its membersdisplaya supremacistcon-
tempt toward baseline humans,and acts of revolution-
ary vio- lenceagainst • baselinefascism" are not un-
known. Some members have also displayed
a capricious callousness toward
baseline "playthings,' tarnishing
the movement'simageinthe process.
Since the Teragen claimsnot to be an
organizationas such, but merelya col-
lectionof like-mindedindividuals , radi-
cal acts by one sympathizercannot be
directly linked to other members;
thus, for now,the Teragenas a whole
has avoided massive retaliation .
Nonetheless, the Teragenmaintainsa
great deal of secrecy, and it is ru-
mored to have hidden members and
bases of operations worldwide.
The typical Teragen member
hatesProjectUtopiawitha passionand
activelyseeks the Project'sdestruction,
believingthe Project to have the worst
of intentions for novas. The Tera gen
knowsabout the defectionof the Aberrants,
and has heard rumorsof the existenceof Project
Proteus, but the groupas a wholehas not adopted a uni-
fied stance toward the Aberrants (not that the Teragen
enacts "policy" anyway). Most Teragen feel that, with
time, the Aberrantswillcometo them. The Teragenviews
the Directive with similarloathing, as a baselineagency
attempting to suppress novas' rightful destiny. The
Teragen takes a helpful, sometimesnurturingstance to-
wardcorporate, governmentand individualistnovas,at-
tempting to emancipatethem from slavery to baseline
concerns and help them realize their true place in the
worldto come.
Suggested Backgrounds: Allies (other Teragen),
Cipher, Mentor, Node. The Teragen has no real struc-
ture or chain of command, so membersdo not need to
take Backing. Likewise, manyTeragenspurn humanso-
ciety and the Influenceand Followersthat come with it
(thoughthere are exceptions, such as CountOrzaiz).
131
 ABERRANT
• The Directive:The Directiveis an mternational
security, police and espionage agency founded by the
United States, the UK, the RussianConfederationand
Japan. Most membersare baseline,but novaoperatives
fillout its ranks. The Directive'sgoalsare to advanceits
membernations' interests and to act as a check against
Utopias growmgpower. Althoughthe Directivehas an
"official" paper trail its organizationalstructure and
agenda are classified,and 1t takes pams to stay out of
the publiceye. Thus, most people do not knowof it ex-
cept as a name, and its activities and purpose are
Wheels Within Wheels
At heart, Aberrant 1sa game of mystery and
conspiracyplayedat the highest levelsof geopoli-
tics. Part of the fun of the game 1snot knowmgev-
erythmg that's gomgon. Ideally.the secrets of the
variousnovasand allegianceswillrevealthemselves
over years of playand decades of game time,as the
hmelme ticks down toward the Aberrant War to
come
Accordingly, we're keepingour cards a bit close
to our chest withregard to who the "real" goodand
bad guys are. The Aberrants bel,eve that Utopia1s
corrupt...but then again,mostUtopiansbelievethat
Aberrantsharbor a sinisteragendaand that its lead-
ers are murderers. Utopians and Aberrants alike
suspect the D1rect1veof d1ssemblmg,and the 01-
rect1ve in turn trusts no one. Nobody trusts the
Teragen, and almost no one's even heard of Pro-
teus.
That havmgbeen said,the Aberrant ttmeframe
w1lllmkup with the Trinity t1meframe,and certam
"official"events willlead to the gradualschismbe-
tween baselmeand nova,the nse of the ps1ons,and
the devastation of the Aberrant War. lf you
absottvely,pos1lutelymustdo things"by the book,"
we'llhave plenty of "officialcanon" support mate-
rial for your (hopeful)enJoyment.
The thingabout"official"and 'canon,"though,
1sthat frankly.we don't put a lot of stock in 'emour-
selves, and the needs of your series are more im-
portant thanWhat ls Writtenon pageXX,paragraph
YaddaYaddaYadda.Not onlydo we not require you
to adhere to our v1s1onof the 21stcentury, we en-
courage you to ignore it. Want Utopia to be a
squeaky-clean,four-color NewDealfor the world,
withTeamTomorrowas the Justice League?Gofor
1t. Want the Teragen to be blatant, snarling
superv1llains'? Hey,it's your game. Wantto ditch the
entire concept of the Aberrant War and have the
novaslead the humanrace to the stars? Makeit so.
132 CHAPTERTHREE TRAITS
shrouded in rumor.
The typical Directive agent heartily distrusts
Project Utopiaand is very interested in the recent tur-
moilwithinthe Project's ranks. The Directivealso po-
licespotentiallydangerousinternationalsituations(ter-
rorist factions, overly aggressive dictators, powerful
novas), and it keeps a careful watch over China's large
novapopulace.The DirectivesharesUtopia'sopinionthat
the Teragenis a very dangerousmovement,thoughmany
Directiveagents suspect that the Teragen and Utopia
are secretly in cahoots, only staging an enmity for the
cameras.A few Directivehigher-upshaveheard rumors
of a "shadowcabal"withinUtopia;certainly,sucha group
wouldexplainmanyunusualoccurrences over the past
decade. The Directiveknowsthat certain former mem-
bers of Utopiahavedefected fromthe group,and agents
are authorizedto seek out and learnwhatthey can about
this situation, in hopes of findingout "the truth" about
Utopia.
SuggestedBackgrounds : Backing,Cipher,Contacts,
Resources.
• Corporat e/Other.Novasare certainlyindemand,
and there is no shortage of employers,sponsors and
other backers all too willingto have a nova sign on the
dotted line. ln the UnitedStates, some large cities fran-
chise one or more novasas PR reps and "publicdefend-
ers"; residents hold these novas in the same reverence
that they once held their 20th-century sports teams.
Severalcorporations,includingthe DeVriesAgency,the
HongKong-basedNoveltyconsultingfirm,Exxon-Mobil,
the N! network, ViaSoft,Third MillenniumMotors and
various Japanese technologicalfirms, employ novas in
variouscapacities. lt is rumoredthat the globalcriminal
cartels also retain one or more novasas "specialists."
Novaswho work for a governmentor corporation
by and large adopt their backers' viewson globalissues.
MostnovasviewUtopiawith equalparts fascinationand
suspicion.While manynovas utilizedUtopia'sRashoud
facilities upon first erupting, many corporations hate
Utopia's UN-granted authority to regulate potentia!ly
dangeroustechnology,viewingit as too powerfulfor its
own good. Mostgovernmentand corporate novasknow
littleof the Teragenbeyondgossipamongnovasand what
they view in the media;only a few have even heard of
the Aberrant.s, and none of them knowsabout Project
Proteus. Novas workingfor a governmentor criminal
cartel have likelyheard of the Directive,but they know
only spotty informationabout it; corporate novas may
or may not knowabout the Directive.
SuggestedBackgrounds:Allies,Backing, Influence,
Resources.
• Individualist: Most novas have no defined alle-
gianceto anythingsave their owngoalsand ends.A nova
with Individualist allegiance"is primarilymotivatedby
self-interest, tempered with the agenda of whatever
 cause
0 or organization
•i.
., I
she's currentlyespousing.Individualists
from media icons and youth-culture heroes to
range

1 mercenaryelites and would-beThird Worlddicta-

tors. If a generalizationmust be made, Individualist
nova.s typicallytake a tolerantbut waryviewtowardUto-
• pia, regard the Aberrant movementwithburgeoningin-

""' terest (if they've heardof it at all)andregardthe Teragen

as simultaneouslydisturbingand intriguing. Most Indi-
vidualistnovashavenever heard of Project Proteus; if
they knowof the Directive, it is throughrumor. An In-
dividualistmay,of course, become involvedwith any
or all of these groups duringthe course of play.
SuggestedBackgrounds: Any.

Attributes
Attributesare your character's essential quali-
ties, translated into numerical ratings. In the real
world,nobodyhas Charisma4 or Intelligence2. We
havecapabilitiesand potentials,not statistics. How-
ever, such facultiesmustbe translated into num-
bers Forthe sake of the game; the trick is not to
let the statistics get inthe wayof the story. After
all, a character with four dots in Charismamay
bevivacious,charming,magneticor suave.Traits
mayshowwhatyourcharacter can do, but they
don't indicate what your character is like.

~
at's what roleplayingis allabout.
, \ Ordinaryhumans' Attributes typi-
callyrange fromone to four dots, with
--~ • ~ two being average. Evenbefore the
..
~~, c-,
0
eruption of their Mazarin-Rashoud
node, novas are often extraordinary
~

l£/f 0 • people;as a result,novas' Attributescan

-....:>
0fjf,5 be as highas 5.
 ABERRANT

Many novas have Mega-Attributes;a Mega-At- Dexterity

tribute essentiallyincreasesthe effectivenessof a nor-
mal Attribute by an exponentialamount, allowingthe
character to transcendthe limitationsof normalhumans.
Even characters with Mega-Attributes, however,still
retain their nonnal Attribute ratings, and these ratings
indicatea character's capabilitywithinthe range of the
Mega-Attribute.Forexample,a characterwitha Strength
of 1whopurchasesthe Mega-Strength Attributeat 1can
lift a ton or so of weight, but little more, whereas a
character with a Mega-Strength of 1 and a normal
Strengthof 4 can pushher liftingcapacityto two, three
or even more tons.
For more information on Mega-Attributes, see
ChapterFour.
Qualities
Youmayselecta qualityfor eachof yourcharacter's
Attributesrated 4 or higher. A qualityreflects a Trail's
aspectinwhicha personis remarkable,likeFlexible(Dex-
terity), Suave(Charisma)or Discerning(Intelligence).
ln game terms, a quality allowsyou to reroll any
"10s" you roll for actions when that qualitycomes into
play(likewrigglingout of bindingsfor Flexible,impress-
ingothers for Suaveor notingthe relativeworthof gems
for Discerning).Anysuccessesgainedon the additional
rollsare addedto yourtotal(includingthe original"10s").
Andifyou rollanother "10~ on a reroll,youkeep rolling!
Onlyone qualitymaybe chosenper Attribute.
Physical Attributes
Physical Attributes indicate a character's raw
strength, build,agilityand sturdiness.Charactersadept
at physicalcombator athleticactivitieshavehighPhysi-
cal Attributes.
Strength
Strengthrates physicalpower,includingthe capac-
ity to lift objects and cause damage. This Attribute is
used to resolvejumps,leapsand other actionsthat draw
on rawphysicalpower. Strengthalsodetenninesthe base
numberof damagedicerolledfor successfulphysicalat-
tacks.
Of course, novaswith Mega-Strength(p. 156) far
exceedthe capabilitiesof even the strongestnonnalhu-
man. Still,a character with a 4 or 5 Strength is very im-
pressiveby the standards of ordinarypeople.
Qualities:Athletic,Brutish, Rugged,Stout, Well-
built,Wiry
• Poor: Weakling(dead lift 15kg).
•• Average:That about says it all
(dead lift 45 kg).
••• Good:Professionalmover(dead lift
100 kg).
•••• Exceptional : Linebacker(dead lift
165 kg).
••••• Superb:Olympicweightlifter(dead
lift 240 kg).
Dexteritymeasuresboth agilityand hand-eye co-
ordination. lt describes how fast a character runs, how
preciselyhe aims at a target and everythingelse that
relates to speed, grace and control. Dexterityalso de-
termines the base number of dice rolled to determine
accuracyincombat,and it is combinedwithWits to cal-
culate Initiative.
Qualities:Coordinated, Delicate, Fast, Flexible,
Nimble,Steady
• Poor:Klutz.
•• Average: Youcan dance without
steppingon your partner's toes.
••• Good: Youhavea good deal of
naturalathletic potential.
•••• Exceptional : Youcan juggleknives
with flair.
••••• Superb: Olympicgymnast.
Stamina
Staminaindicatesyourcharacter'shealth,tolerance
for pain and how long she can maintain physicalexer-
tion. It encompassesendurance,physicalwillto liveand
sheer toughness. Stamina determines the character's
base soak pool. Most novas develop reasonably high
Staminaduringeruption,as a side effect of channeling
quantumenergies.
Qualities:Detennined, Enduring, Energetic, Resil-
ient, Tenacious,Unflagging
• Poor:Youcatch coldsas a matter
of course (1bashingsoak, 0 lethal
soak).
•• Average: Youstay in moderately
good health (2 bashingsoak,
I lethalsoak).
••• Good: Youseldomget sick,andyou
heal quickly(3 bashingsoak,
I lethalsoak).
•••• Exceptional : Marathonfront-run-
ner (4 bashingsoak, 2 lethalsoak).
••••• Superb: Youcan shrugoff a strong
man'spunch(5 bashingsoak,
2 lethalsoak).
Mental Attributes
MentalTraitscovera character'sperception,men-
tal capacity,imagination and quickwits.Creativeand in-
tellectualindividualshavehighMentalAttributes.
Perception
Perceptioncoversalertness and comprehension.It
detenninesnot onlyyourcharacter'sattentivenessto the
worldaroundhim,but howclearlyhe interpretsit as well.
Qualities:Astute, Insightful, Intuitive, Nitpicky,
Observant,Patient

I 34 CHAPTER THREE TRAITS

 ABERRANT
• Poor: Youmisplaceyour keys
routinely.
•• Average: Youkeep abreast of
generalgoings-on.
••• Good:Youpickup on subtlesubtext
in books and conversations.
•••• Exceptional:Yourkeeneye can pick
out even the most minuteof flaws.
••••• Superb:SherlockHolmes was an
amateurcomparedto you.
Intelligence
Intelligence measures raw mental processes -
memory,retention, judgment,reasoningand imagination,
as well as your character's ability to find connections
between seeminglyunrelated pieces of informationor
analyzecomplexideas. This Attribute is not a measure
of howfast your character thinks,but of howclearlyhe
thinks.
Qualities:Bookworm,Bright, Clear-headed, Dis-
cerning,Pragmatic, Rational
• Poor: You're not the sharpest knife ers. Thisabilityrepresentsan aggressivepersuasiveness,
in the drawer (IQ 80) .
•• Average: Yourememberfamily
birthdays(IQ 100).
••• Good:Yourfriendsdescribeyouas
"bright" (IQ 130).
•••• Exceptional:You'renot just bright,
you're downrightbrilliant(IQ160).
••••• Superb: Genius (IQ 180+).
Wits
Witsrankshowquicklyyourcharacterreacts to new
situationsand indicatesgeneral "grace under fire." This
Attributedescribesinherentcommonsenseand howwell
your character thinks on the fly. Wits combineswith
Dexterityto determine base Initiative.
Qualities:Clever, Creative, Cunning,Ingenious, Charisma
Level-headed, Shrewd
• Poor: Pullmy finger.
•• Average: Youknowto quit while
you're ahead.
••• Good: Youkeep your cool in a
firefight.
•••• Exceptional : Youalwayshave the
perfect comeback.
••••• Superb:Youreact almostbeforethe
other guyacts.
Social Attributes
SocialTraits describea character's influence,force
of personalityand looks. They often define interactions
withothers, fromfirst impressionsto leadershipto deal-
ingwith people in general.
CHAPTER THREE rnAITS
Appearance
Appearanceis a combinationof physicalattractive-
ness and innate appeal. Callit animalmagnetismor at-
tractiveness,Appearanceis your character's abilityto
makea good first impression or simplyto generate an
instinctiveresponse in others.
Qualities:Alluring,Exotic, Imposing,Luminous,
Pleasant,Sensual
• Poor: Peoplesuppress a cringe
whenthey see you.
• • Average:Just that - another face
in the crowd.
••• Good: Youturn heads whenyou
enter a room.
• • • • Exceptional:Youcould be a model
- or maybeyou are.
••••• Superb: The "It Girl/Guy"of your
generation.
Manipulation
Manipulationmeasuresyourabilityto influenceoth-
and it can be subtle or blatant.Manipulationcovers ev-
erythingfrom leadingothers to trickingthem, frombe-
ingsly to dominating.No one likesbeingfooled, though,
so failinga Manipulationrollhas risks.
Qualities:Authoritative,Cunning,Devious,Domi-
neering,Persuasive, Witty
• Poor: Yourarelyget whatyouwant.
•• Average: Youfoolsome of the
peoplesome of the time.
• • • Good : You'd makea good lawyer.
•••• Exceptional: Politiciansenvyyour
devious nature.
• • • • • Superb: Machiavelli had nothingon
you.
Charismais used to charmothers and to gain trust
throughnaturalappeal;your character's "force of per-
sonality,"if you will.It reflects an air of confidenceor
socialgrace whendealingwithpeople. Charismadefines
howlikableyour character is to others and whetherthey
activelyseek her company.
Qualities:Charming,Cool,Eloquent,Genial,Polite,
Suave
• Poor: Peopledrift awaywhenyou
approach.
•• Average: You'relikableenough.
••• Good: You'rethe life of the party.
•••• Exceptional:Evenyour enemies
respect you.
••••• Superb: Youcouldlead a nation.
135
 ABERRANT
Abilities
Skillstarts with raw potential(represented by an
Attribute), combinedwith trainingor education(desig-
nated by an Ability). Abilitiesare groupedunderthe At-
tributesto whichtheyrelatemostclosely.Whenyouper-
forman action,your dice poolis the combinationof the
appropriate base Attributeand the Abilitymost suited
to the task (there maybe exceptionsto this process on
occasion; see the "Cross-MatchingAttributesand Abili-
ties" sidebar in Chapter One). This combinedrating is
calledthe skilltotal.
Abilitiesare rated from • to • • • • • , and they are
added to your character's Attributes. This combination
can result in skilltotals up to 10.Evenone dot in an Abil-
ity impliesat leastbasicproficiency.Althougheach Abil-
ity functionsdifferently, allfollowa similarscaleof mas-
tery.
x Unskilled : No trainingin the
Ability;rely on naturaltalent (de
fault to related Attribute).
• Novice:A basic grasp of the
Ability;suitablefor hobbies.
•• Practiced:Generalfamiliaritywith
the Ability'sapplications;adequate
professionaltraining.
••• Competent:Detailedcomprehen-
sion of the Ability's potential;
skilledprofessionalcapacity.
•••• Expert: Profoundunderstandingof
virtuallyallof the Ability'saspects;
peak talent in the field.
••••• Master:Utter commandof every
possibleway in whichthe Ability
couldbe used; peerless masteryof
the subject.
Specialties
EachAbilityrepresentsa fairlybroadarea of knowl-
edge; it's unlikelythat an individualwouldbe equally
skilledin allaspects of an entire category. To reflect this
variety of specialization,Abilitieshave specialties, or
areas of expertise. Specialtiesdifferfromqualitiesinthat
the former are areas of specialtraining,whilethe latter
are simplyinnateaspects of the individual .
Playersbuy specialtieswithbonusand/ or experi-
ence points. Youmaypurchasea maximumof three spe-
cialties for each Ability. Refer to Chapter Two, p. 120,
124, for bonus point and experience costs. lf you buy
yourcharactera specialty,simplywrite it after the Ability
on your character sheet.
Once purchased, a specialty gives your character
an extra die on allrollsrelated to that distinctqualifica-
tion. A characterwithDrive2 (InclementWeather)adds
two dice to his Dexterity for drivingrolls, but since he's
136 CHAPTER THREE TRAITS
specialized in driving in bad conditions,he adds three
dice t.o his Dexteritywhenmakingmaneuversin rain or
snow.
Strength Abilities
Brawl : This skillcovers styles of unarmedcombat
that rely moreon powerthan on speed; they range from
professionalboxingto street fightingto wrestling.Brawl
inflictsbashingdamage,so whileit isn't immediatelyfa-
tal, it can inflicta fair amountof pain.
Specialties:Blind Fighting,Combinations,Dirty
Maneuvers, MultipleOpponents, Fighting in Flight
Migit: This Abilityencompassesphysical fitness
and feats of focusedmusclepower. It rates lifting,climb-
ing,jumpingand throwingcompetence.Whilesuchtasks
can be accomplishedwith brute force, Mighthelpsyour
character use his physicalpowerto maximumeffect.
Specialties:Climb,DeadLift, Leap, Throw
Dexterity Abilities
Athletics:A measure of fitness, this Abilitycon-
centrates on skillsrequiringbalance, coordinationand
good reflexes. Athleticstraining can cover skillin vari-
ous sports activities,knowinghowto dodge and tumble
or beingableto maneuverin a microgravityenvironment.
Specialties:Acrobatics,Dodge,Gymnastics,Spe-
cific Sports, Tumbling
Drive:Most people are familiarwith the basics of
driving. This Abilitygivesyou a detailedunderstanding
of a vehicle's operation,includingperformingtrickyma-
neuvers,drivingat highspeeds and engagingin pursuits.
Driveis used to steer allformsof commercialland-based
vehicles,from cars to motorcyclesto t.rucks.
Specialties: Bootlegger's Reverse, Inclement
Weather,Traffic
Firearms: ThisAbilitycoversweaponoperationand
basic maintenance,from personal sidearms to assault
carbines to vehicle-mountedartillery. Weaponshandle
differentlybased on size, caliber and ammunition type.
ln the end, though,it stillcomes downto basic coordi-
nationand aim.
Specialties:BlindFire, Cover Fire, MultipleFire,
MultipleTargets, Targeting
Legerdemain: This Ability describes skill with
sleightof hand. Legerdemainis very usefulfor perform-
ing parlor magic, card tricks, filchingsmall objects,
switchingitemsand even pickingpockets. Legerdemain
rollsare often madeas resistedactionsagainsta target's
Awareness.
Specialties:CardTricks,PalmObject,ParlorMagic,
PickPockets,SwitchObject
Mart ialArts:This fightingAbilitycovershand-to-
hand styles such as aikido, capoeira,judo, karate, kung
Fu,tae kwondo, muaythai and more. MartialArts styles
inflictbashingdamage. Whileit encouragesspeed over
power,this Abilityis as dangerousas any Brawlstyle.
 ABERRANT

Specialties.Blind Fighting,Combinations,Dirty
Maneuvers,MultipleOpponents
Intelligence Abilities
Melee:A broad term for understandingthe proper Academics: Schoolingreflects educationin a given
use of hand-to-handarmedcombatand the proper care ar~a of -~nowledge,such as history, law or philosophy .
of weapons. Meleeweaponsrange from knivesto clubs ThisAbilityrates yourcharacter'sdegreeof understand-
to bottles. ingof the topic, as wellas her status in the field.
. Specialties-.Ax, Chain,Club,ImprovisedWeapon, Specialties.Anthropology , Culture,CurrentEvents,
Knife, Nunchaku,Staff, Sword,Automobile(novasonly) Geography,History,Law,Organization,Philosophy,Poli-
Pilot:This Abilityimpartsskillin pilotingairborne tics, Religion
andsubmersiblevehicles.Pilotcoversnot onlybasiccon- Bureaucracy: This rating measuresa person's un-
trol, but complicatedmaneuversand combattechniques derstandingof general administrationand the bureau-
as well.Handlinga craft in an atmospherediffers from cratic process. It enableyourcharacterto utilizethe sys-
maneuveringunderwater,but allinvolvesimilarrudimen- tem beyondsimpleorganizationalskillsto best achieve
tary pilotingfunctions. his own ends (and to prevent others from achieving
Specialties.Fighter,Frigate,Rotor,Submersible theirs).
Stealth:Stealthcovers the capabilityto avoidno- Specialties.Administration,Procedures, Regula-
tice, move quietly,trail someone and generallyevade tions, Requisition,Rumors,UN
detection.Stealth rollsare usuallymade as resisted ac- Computer: In the 21stcentury,mostpeoplehaveat
tions againstanother character's Awareness. least a rudimentarygrasp of computersand the OpNet.
Specialties.Ambush,CamouAage,Hidingin Shad- However,this Abilityallowsmuchmore than rudimen-
ows, Sneak,Trail tary expertise. A trained computeroperator can access
all sorts of data in the blinkof an eye and even create
Stamina Abilities complexprograms.ThisAbilityfunctionsfor OpNetand
Internet protocols.
Endtrance: This talent describes the capabilityto
Specialties.DataRetrieval,Hacking,Programming ,
endure long-term exposure to severe conditions. This
the OpNet
Abilitydiffers from Resistancein that Endurancesus-
. Engineering: Engineeringrates your comprehen-
tains your character's energy levelover longperiods of
sionof electronicand mechanicaldevices. Yourcharac-
time. All novas start with at least three (free) dots in
ter not only understandshowcomputers,vehicles, ro-
Endurance; see "Mega-Stamina" (p. 160).
bots_and other machinesoperate, but she can repair,
Specialties-.Fasting,Holding Breath,Long-Distance
mod1~yand construct them. Certainnovas with Mega-
Exertion,Sleep Loss
Intelligenceand this Abilityare beginningto changethe
Resistance : Resistance allowsyour character to
very face of technology.
temporarilycombatthe effectsof physicalpainor chemi-
Specialties.Armaments,Computers,Construction,
cals. This Ability can be used to restore dice lost due to
Electronics,EnergySources,Mechanics,Telecommuni-
injury and resist interrogation. All novas start with at
cations, Vehicles
least three (free) dots in Resistance; see "Mega-
. Intrusion:Intrusionindicatesknowledgeof andabil-
Stamina"(p. 160).
ity to set up or avoidvarioussecurity systems, and to
Specialties.Ignore Pain, Resist Disease, Resist
set infiltrationmeasuresand countermeasuresas well.
Drugs,ResistInterrogation
Such understandingranges from basic lock pickingto
Perception Abilities advancedelectronicsystems.
Specialties.Countermeasures,ElectronicInfiltra-
Awareness: This Abilityindicateshow muchyour tion, LockPicking,SecurityProcedures
character noticesabouther surroundings.It's a measure Linguistics: An indicationof the languagesthat your
of knowingwhat'sphysicallynearby,coveringinput from character knows. Linguisticsalso imparts a basic un-
allfivesenses.Awarenessis usefulfor pickingout a face der~tandingof languagesystems. Dueto the truly stag-
ina crowdor for anticipatingsurprisesthat waitaround gering numberof languagesthat exist, specializationin
a comer. Linguisticsoperates differentlythan do the specialties
Specialties.Acute Hearing,KeepingWatch,Sharp of other Abilities.Yourcharacter does not automatically
Sight,Smell,Spot Ambush,Track understandall languages.Dots indicatean understand-
lnvestigation: Investigationis the skillof searching ingof language"families"beyondnativetongue. Youmust
for relevant clues or information,whether at a crime choosea language"family," andyourcharactermaycom-
scene, in a libraryor throughspeakingto witnesses.This prehen~tongueswithinthat specific• family"(e.g., while
Abilityis vitalto reconstruct(or uncover)events to gain Mandarin,Cantoneseand Wu are different languages,
insightinto what reallyhappenedat a scene. they allbelongto the Chineselanguage"family").
Specialties.Analysis, ConcealedObjects, Deduc-
tion, Interviews, QuickSearch, Research

CHAPTERTHREE TRAITS 137

 ABERRANT
Yourcharacter knowsan additionallanguagefam-
ilyfor each dot in this Ability(so at • • • • • , he knows
five languagefamiliesin additionto his native tongue).
Rollsare needed onlyto understandcomplexwritingor
speech, althougha highLinguisticsrating shouldreduce
this necessity. The Specialties listed indicatemost ma-
jor languagefamilies.
Specialties:Arabic, Bengali,Cambodian,Chinese,
English,French,German,Hebrew,Hindi,Italian,Korean,
Japanese, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish,
Swahili,Turkish
Medicine:This Abilitydetails how wellyour char-
acter knowshowthe humanbody works,as wellas how
to repair it in case of injury. Medicine also includesan
understanding of drugs and their use, alongwiththe di-
agnosisand treatment of diseases and injuries.
Suchknowledgecan be usedto harmas wellas heal.
Characters may use Medicineto take advantage of an
opponent's injury, to apply harmfuldrugs (or helpful
drugs in lethaldoses) or to encouragea greater degree
of illnessin a subject due to impropertreatment. Such
attempts shouldbe attended closelyby the Storyteller.
Specialties.Emergency,FirstAid,Novas,Pharmacy,
SpecializedFields(Neurology,Oncology, etc.), Surgery
Science:Beyond an understanding of scientific
theory, this Abilitymeasures how wellyour character
can put such knowledgeto practicaluse. Sciencecan be
used to investigateadvancedconcepts or to cobble to-
gether a pipe bombout of householdchemicals.
Specialties:Astronomy,Biology,Botany,Chemis-
try, Geology,Mathematics,Physics,QuantumTheory,
Zoology
Su-vival: ThisAbility is extremelyusefulto explor-
ers and biologists.It enablesyour character to subsist in
wildernessenvironments. He knowshow to set traps,
forage for food and water, buildfires and separate dan-
gerousAoraand faunafrombeneficialones. WithProject
Utopia'srecent environmentalcleanups,this Abilityis
becomingin vogueonce more....
Specialties-.
Fire-Building,Forage, Hunt, Navigation ,
Set Traps, Track
Wits Abilities
Arts:Arts rates levelof talent in the visualor cre-
ative arts, from drawing to writing to sculpture. This
Abilityalso impartsknowledgeof the cultureand soci-
ety of a particularart form. Combinedwith highskillin
one or more novapowers, Arts enablesa novato create
artworksin mediaas diverseas light,flameor pure quan-
tum energy.
Specialties:Composition , Design,Drawing, Paint-
ing, Poetry, Sculpture,Writing
Biz:Yourcharacter knowsthe insand outs of busi-
ness and finance,frommarketingto licensingto balanc-
ingbooks. Morecommercial-orientednovastend to have
138 CHAPffR lHRl~
at least rudimentaryskillin this Ability;it's fun to figure
out the royaltieson licensedtoys or T-shirts.
Specialties-:
Controller,DownMarket,Merchandis-
ing,Positioning,Stocks& Bonds
Rapport:Rapport is used to sense and understand
peoples' feelings.ThisAbilityis not a novapower;it uses
your character's own understandingof emotions and
peopleto get an accuratereadingof whatothersare feel-
ing.
Specialties-:Discern Motivation, Discern Truth,
EmotionalState, Intent
Appearance Abilit ies
Intimidation: This Abilityenables you to coerce
another into doing your will, whether through subtle
menaceor an outrightthreat. Whether you planto fol-
low through on your threat is not importantas longas
your subject truly believesthat you will.
For the more vulgarformsof physicalintimidation,
use Strengthinsteadof Appearanceto calculatethe skill
total.
Specialties:ImpliedThreat, Overt Display, Silent
Urging
Style:First impressionsare important,and theyare
usuallybased on physicalappearance.Styleis morethan
simplypresentingoneself to best effect. Beyondrelat-
ing an awareness of proper fashions (clothing, hair,
makeup,accessories)andhowto accentuateappearance,
Style can also be used to alter appearance usingthose
same tools - even to the point of disguisingoneselfas
someoneelse.
Specialties:Disguise,Fashion,Makeup,Seduction
Manipulation Abilities
Interrogation: Interrogationcovers ways to draw
informationfroma subjectby manipulation , force,drugs
or torture. Sometechniquesare moreeffectivethanoth-
ers at breakinga subject's resolve,but they may leave
himpermanentlydisabledor dead.
Specialties-:Drugs, Misdirection,Threats, Torture
Streetwise: Streetwiserates a character's knowl-
edge of (and skillin interactingwith) society's under-
belly. This art involvesknowingwhat is needed,whohas
it and the waysthat it can be acquired. Streetwisehelps
yourcharacter fit intoan unfamiliarcity or country,giv-
ingher an understandingof attitudes and customscom-
monin the underworld.
Specialties.BlackMarket,Customs,Fence,Infor-
mation, Scrounge,Street Trade
Subterfuge: This Abilityrates howwellyour char-
acter bendsthe truth anddisguisesher motives. Subter-
fuge alsohelpsto sense whenothers are doingthe same.
Subterfugecan be used to separate gossip from truth
and to discoverif a person is lying.
Specialties.Con, Deception,Gossip,Lying, Seduc-
tion
lRAITS
 ABERRANT
Charisma Abilities
Command:
Commandis not only the abilityto lead
others, but alsoan indicationof howwillinglythey follow
your character. The better the abilityto command,the
moreamenablepeopleare to your character's decisions
(even in extreme situations). Commandsmay be polite
requests, written directivesor strict orders.
Specialties.CrowdControl,Discipline,Field Com-
mand,PoliticalLeadership,Tactics
Etiquette:This Abilitymeasuresunderstandingof
the nuancesand dynamicsof polite society in a myriad
of social circumstances. Etiquette combinesgrace and
manners,and it is usefulduringdiplomaticengagements,
formalgatheringsand inother encounterswith"cultured
society.~
Specialties.Diplomacy,Negotiation,SocialGraces,
SoundBites,Tact
Perform: Performcovers the gamutof liveartistic
expression,frompublicspeakingto dancingto acting(in-
cludingimpersonatingsomeoneelse). This Abilityalso
impartsknowledgeof the societysurroundinga particular
art form,as wellas howwellyour character fits in it.
Specialties.Acting,Dance,Impersonation,Oration,
Singing,SpecificInstrument
Backgrounds
Backgroundsare not associateddirectlywithyour
character's inherent capabilities,but they are key ele-
ments of who she is nonetheless. They help define her
historyand current circumstances.
Backgroundstie closelyto character concept.You
mustgiveeach Backgroundsomesort of context beyond
just a dot rating. After all, allies,contacts and mentors
have their own lives,gear and resources don't just ap-
pear magically , and influenceand status aren't handed
out withoutreason.
YourStorytellershouldhaveinputintoyourchoices.
If your series begins before your character undergoes
eruption,Mentoror Statusmaybe inappropriate.Alter-
natively,if the characters fonn an elite squad, they may
need a fewdots ineachof these Backgrounds.Ultimately,
Backgroundshelp the Storytellerensure that the char-
acters fit the series and complementone another.
Youmayoccasionallyneed to rollfor a task relating
to a Background(say, to see if alliescan come to your
character's aid, or if he can afford a newpiece of equip-
ment). In such instances, the Storyteller chooses the
Abilitythat he feels best suits the task (Command,In-
timidation,Etiquetteor Subterfugemaybe appropriate
for the first example,dependingon howyour character
presents herself; Bureaucracy,Streetwiseor Computer
are goodoptionsfor the second).Alternatively,the Sto-
ryteller mayhaveyou rollyour character's Background
rating (Alliesor Resources, to continuethe examples).
CHAPTERTHREE TRAITS
Allies
Almosteveryonehas at least one close friend.Al-
lies are people with whomyour character has intimate
ties: friends,lovedones or simplysomeonewith similar
interests to whomshe can turn for assistanceand sup-
port. Alliesrepresent truly dedicated individualswith
whomyourcharacterhas closebonds. Alliesare not other
membersof the team; relationshipswith other players'
characters are roleplayed.
Alliesare people in their own right, with lives as
involvedas your character's. Friendshipis a two-way
street, and if your character takes but doesn't give,Al-
lies are likelyto desert her. Alliesdo what they can to
helpyou,but they don't throw their livesawayfor noth-
ing, nor are they on call to bailyou out of trouble 24-7.
Theymayalsogrowwearyof repeated demandson their
time and resources. Of course,alliescan alsocallForas-
sistance.
Eachdot represents one ally(insteadof signifying
multipleallies,highratingscouldrepresent a more pow-
erful ally).An allymaybe a fellownova,detective, poli-
tician, soldier,philanthropistor oldcollegepal.Youshould
workwiththe Storytellerto detailthe ally;as mostread-
ers of comicsare wellaware,a properly developedsup-
portingcast makesfor rich roleplaying.
x None;you skulk about, havingno
one close to turn to.
• One allyof moderateability
(equivalentto that of a starting
character).
•• Twoallies,or one significantone.
••• Three allies, or feweralliesof cor-
respondinglyhighpower.
•••• Fourallies, or fewer ones of great
capability.
••••• Fiveallies(popular,aren't you'?),or
fewer ones of immensepower.
Attunement
Generallyspeaking,a nova's quantumpowers af-
fect onlyher ownbody. NovaswiththisBackgroundhave
learnedthe trickof chargingobjectswiththeirownquan-
tum signatures,thereby permittingthe objects to sur-
vive the rigors of the nova'spowersso longas they re-
mainincontactwiththe nova's body. Attunementis most
commonlyused to prevent a nova's clothingand small
personal effects from being damagedor destroyed by
her transformations . For example, a nova with
AttunementI could"charge" her clothing,allowingit to
remainundamagedeven if she activatespowerslikeIm-
molate, Growth, Density Decrease, Bodymorph or
Shapeshifting.Attunementcosts one quantumpoint per
sceneand confersabsolutelyno protectionagainstother
novas' quantumpowers.
I 39
 ABERRANT
Oiarged objects maybe organicor inorganic.Dots
in Attunementgovern the maximumamountof weight
affected by Attunement:
• 2 kg (a set of clothes)
•• 5 kg (a briefcase)
••• 10 kg (a householdappliance)
•••• 25 kg (a piece of light furniture)
••••• 100 kg (another person)
Backing
ThisTrait reAectsstandinginan organization(Uto-
pia, Proteus, a government, a corporation or the Direc-
tive). This Backgroundis less a measureof actualcapa-
bilityor achievementthan it is of perceivedinfluenceor
rank. At the Storyteller'sdiscretion,youmaytake Back-
ingmultipletimesfor rankin differentorganizations. With
this rankcomesresponsibility;if yourcharacter has high
Backing,she is likelyto be responsiblefor decisions in-
volvinggreat numbersof people and resources.
x None;you're a typicalgrunt.
• A low-ranking position of little
authority, but a fair amountof
(usuallydulland unpleasant)
responsibility.
•• A good post with mostof the dis-
agreeableduties pawnedoff on un
derlings.
••• Midlevelrank, usuallywith ill-
defined authorityand responsibil
ity (such leewaycan be both a
blessingand a curse).
•••• A position of some direction and
privilege. Youhaveaccess to large
resources and are trusted by the
elite.
••••• You'vereached the upper ranks; a
leader in your ownright. Youhold
significantpowerand respect.
Cipher
The worldof Aberrant is a realmof secret.s, covert
conflicts and double-agents. Suchbeingthe case, many that depends on the request. Of course, the more con-
novaswishto maintainprivatelivesawayfromthe bustle tacts your character has, the more peopleyour charac-
of fame. The CipherBackgroundcan represent a num- ter can go to if one doesn't come through.
ber of things - an aptitude for hidingsecrets, lack of
registrationwithgovernmentsor credit bureaus,possi-
bly even one or more alternate identities. Cipher is par-
ticularlyprizedby the blackops of Project Proteus and
the mask-wearing elite caste of novas, as both of these
groups prefer to hide their true faces and names from
publicscrutiny.
For each dot you possess in Cipher,the Storyteller
adds an additionallevelof difficultyto any investiga-
tions into your character. This Backgroundmayfluctu-
ate if you don't maintain a certain levelof secrecy. The
Storyteller shoulddetermine if there's a risk that new
1.10 CHAPTER THREE TRAITS
informationdevelops in the wake of your character's
activities.
X Normal; just likeeverybodyelse,
anybodycan read your life story.
• A coupleof your secrets are well
hidden.
•• Yourdata trails are hard to follow.
••• Youproject the identity you wish
to project.
•••• Evenyou have trouble remember
ing.
••••• Yoursecrets are completelysafe.
Contacts
More casual than allies, contacts are people with
whomyour character has developeda mutuallybenefi-
cial arrangement.Contactsuse their talents, information
or resourcesto helpyour character, but they alwaysex-
pect somefavor in return.This favorcouldbe a service,
trade or evenpayment,but it generallymatchesthe value
of the contact's assistance. These associatesdon't risk
themselvesas far as a followeror even an allywill (al-
thougha well- cultivatedcontact couldgrow into one or
the other over the course of the series).
Each dot represents major and minor contacts.
Majorcontacts are individualswith whomyour charac-
ter interacts frequently. Majorcontacts knowhimper-
sonallyandare fromanywalkof life, of anyfieldof study,
with access to a variety of informationand resources,
and they are willingto cut a deal. A contact couldbe a
data-retrievalspecialistat the locallibrary, a fence spe-
cializing in vehiclesor a Project Utopia field agent. Mi-
nor contacts specialize in fields of influence, like their
major counterparts. They aren't as knowledgeableor
resourceful, though. They mayknowof your character
by nothingmore than reputationor rumor, but they may
be willingto workout an arrangement.
Tracking downa majorcontact doesn't usuallyre-
quire a die roll, but findinga minor contact does (typi-
callyBureaucracy,Streetwiseor Etiquette). Whetheror
not a contact feels inclinedto help is another story, one
x No usefulcontacts; you haveto do
your ownlegwork.
• One majorcontact (withwhomyou
likelyhave a special arrangement)
and a few minorones.
•• Twomajor contacts in different
areas and a smatteringof minor
contacts.
••• Three majorcontacts and a
respectablenumberof minorones.
•••• Fourmajor contacts in different
areas (althoughyou maydoubleup
in a givenfield) and a largenumber
of minor contacts.
 ABERRANT
••••• Fivemajor contacts and a minor
contactvirtuallyanywhereyoucare
to look.
Dormancy
Generallyspeaking,most novasare readilyidenti-
fiableas such. Not onlyare their physiquestoo perfect,
their bodies tailored to handle energies beyond human
comprehension, but many "bleed" trace amounts of
quantumenergies into the environment.This effect is
relativelyharmless(except inthe cases of novaswithhigh
amountsof Taint), but it makesthe novastand out. Even
shapeshifters and novas with Mega-Appearance en-
hancementssuch as Copycatharbor large amounts of
internalquantumenergy;whiletheir powersenablethem
to avoidcasualdetection, concentrated scans by novas
lookingfor traces of quantum might reveal their true
nature.
Novaswith the DormancyBackground,though,are
able to "power down" and avoid detection as novas.
"Dorm'ingdown" takes a turn of concent.ration, after
whichall quantumenergies are completelyinternalized
and shut down.
Whiledormant, the nova has no access to any of
her nova characteristics, Mega-Attributesor quantum
powers untilshe takes a turn of concentrationto power
up once more. Her appetite also reduces to something
like a normalhumanlevel.Althoughshe retains her basic
nova characteristics (increased Enduranceand Resis-
tance, extended lifespan, etc.), she recovers quantum
points at the reduced rate of one point per day.
However,each dot of Dormancyallowsthe player
to roll one die in a resisted roll against any attempts to
detect the dormant nova for what she is. Additionally,
each dot of Dormancyallowsa novato suppress one dot
of Taint, alongwith any accompanyingaberrations, for
as longas the character is dormant.
Novaswith Dormancyratings of 4 or 5 maychoose
to have a "humanform" and "nova form," transforming
between one and the other. At Dormancy4, the nova
form looksdifferent, but it has certain basic features in
commonwiththe humanform(fingerprints,retinas,blood
type); at 5, the humanand nova forms are completely
different. However,novas who choose to switch forms
haveno access to any of their novacharacteristicswhile
in humanform.
• one die to resist detectionattempts
•• two dice to resist detection
attempts
••• three dice to resist detection
attempts
•••• four dice to resist detection
attempts
••••• fivedice to resist detection
attempts
CHAPTERTHREE TRAITS
Eufiber
The comingof novashas ushered in manytechno-
logicaladvances,but few so universalas the bizarresub-
stance known as eufiber. This organic polymer-esque
substancewas originallysecreted fromthe epidermisof
CostaRicannovaAnibalBuendia;a syntheticversionwas
later created from livingcolonies of the fiber. Eufiber
and its derivativeshave proved to have manyindustrial
uses; OpNet cables and a considerable percentage of
the world'sclothingare made froma syntheticalloyde-
rived from Buendia's creation. True, living eufiber,
though,is even more prizedby novas.
The Eufiber Backgroundrepresents a colony of
Buendia-secreted, living eufiber. The colony is most
commonly"woven"intoa garmentof somesort. Eufiber
shaped in this fashioncan be worn by baselines,but it is
mostusefulto novas,as its genetic and quantumpattern
conforms to the nova's own. This property allowsthe
colonyto store a certain numberof extra quantumpoints
in its cellstructure, givingthe novaa quantum-pointre-
serve; the novacan transfer a numberof quantumpoints
to the colonyup to the Eufiberrating. The novarecov-
ers the quantumpointsnormally,whilethe eufibercolony
stores them untilthe novadecides to use them.
While the eufiber is charged with quantum, the
colonycan use the stored quantumas an automaticde-
fense for itself and its owner; this innate defense pro-
videsthe novawithan amountof extrasoak(versusbash-
ingand lethaldamage)equal to the numberof quantum
points currentlystored in the colony.
As well,the colonyadapts to the nova'sownquan-
tum powers, allowingit to remain intact and unharmed
even while the nova uses body-altering powers like
Bodymorph,Growthand Immolate. Perfect for the fash-
ionablenovawhodoesn't want to run around naked ev-
ery timehe turns on the juice (thoughsuchan outfit pro-
vides absolutelyno defense against other novas' quan-
tum powers).
A eufiberoutfitcan adapt its shape,colorand other
parameters to the nova's whim,shifting at his mental
command.Eufiberfashionshowsare often wondrousand
freakish affairs, as nova "supermodels" parade down
runwaysattired in gravity-defying,shimmering,trans-
lucent, bioluminescent,scintillatingor otherwise eye-
catchingconstructs.
If a nova'seufiber colonyis taken from himby an-
other nova, that novacan attune the eufiber to herself
by spendinga quantumpoint.The colonyis nowattuned
to the newnova'squantumsignature.However,onlyone
eufiber colonycan be worn at a time.
• one-point capacity
•• two-point capacity
••• three-point capacity
•••• four-point capacity
••••• five-pointcapacity
14 I
 ABERRANT
Followers
Yourcharacter has one or more assistants,stead-
fast companionsin her journeys. These disciples are
drawnto her for anynumberof reasons.Perhapsthey're
awestruckgroupiesor evenworshippers;perhapsthey're
highlypaidagents,managersandstaff; perhapstheysim-
ply loveyour character.
Followershave some useful trade or skill(though
not to the extent that alliesor contacts do), and they are
loyalto a fault.Suchindividualscan thinkfor themselves
but they chooseto stand byyourcharacterthroughthick
and thin. Evenso, poor treatment tests the patience of
even the mostdevotedindividual . A followerwhois con-
stantly sent to check for ambushesis boundto moveon
to a less abusive relationship(if he doesn't die first).
Conversely,one treated with care and respect goes to
tremendouslengthsfor your character.
Followersshouldnot be novas,but they can be hu-
mansof any origin. They shouldbe as flawedand as real
as anycharacter. Sinceplayerand Storytelleressentially
share the duty of playinga follower,both mustagree on
the individual'shistory, personalityand relationshipwith
the nova. No followershouldever be the perfect assis-
tant, nor shouldhe constantlysave the day; he's meant
to add flavorto the series, not take center stage.
x None;you haven'tinspiredanyone
to rallyto your banner.
• One followerof averagecapability
(equivalentto a typicalextra).
•• Twofollowersor a notableone.
••• Three followersor fewer disciples
of significantability.
•••• Fourfollowersor feweronesof high
power.
••••• Fivefollowersor fewer ones of
great ability.
Influence
IFnothingelse, novasare certainlypersons
of importance;peopleworldwidewatch,look
up to, emulateor (in the worstcases) fear
them. The InfluenceBackgroundre- ~ ticularorganization,or may simplyshow up in time
fleetsyour character'spullandsta- ~ 'Ji
tus insociety. Thisstatus mayde- i.\l
rive from politicaloffice, running
a business,being an entertainer or
evenbeinga religiousfigure. What-
ever your character's specific cre-
dentials peoplepayattentionto his
wordsand deeds.
Influencemaybe used to gamer
specialfavorsfromothers, to promote
a personal agenda in public or to
simplyget a good seat at the the-
ater. Additionally,influencemay
be drawnon to networkand to makeimportantconnec-
tions - or even to draw more people under your
character's sway. Most novas eventuallygarner some
degree of influence,if they don't start with it.
This Backgrounddoesn't coverstandingor swayin
a privateorganization;that's handledby Backing.
x None;your 15minutesof famehas
yet to begin.
• Moderatelyinfluential;you're a
localcelebrity.
•• Well-connected;you're a familiar
face in the city, state or province.
••• lnAuential;you are very important
to one or moresubcultures(funda-
mentalists,scientists,novoxfans)
and knownto manyothers.
• ••• Broadpersonalpower;your words
carry weightthroughoutthe nation.
••••• Vastlyinfluential;you're a global
mediaicon.
Mentor
A mentor is many things: a patron, teacher, de-
fender and friend. Yourcharacter's relationshipwithher
mentor is quite different from any relationshipwith an
ally,contact or follower. Whilea mentor won't always
respondto your character's requests for help,he always
acts in her best interests (or what he considersbest). A
mentor-studentrelationshipis a complex and personal
associationthat entailsresponsibilitieson both sides. lt
shouldbe the subject of involvedroleplaying.
A mentormaybe a powerfulnova,an organization
as a whole(Project Utopiais happy to tutor any novas
whopass the organization'sbackgroundchecks, though
there is alwaysa reciprocal price), or even someone
seeminglyunrelatedto her circumstanceswhohas taken
a specialinterest in her development.Dependingon his
capabilitiesand means,a mentormayteach Abilities,
makeinformationor resourcesavailable,or even in-
struct in use of quantum powers. He mayalso serve
as your character's advocate in dealingwith a par-
to pullher out of a tight spot. It's advisablenot to
demandthis sort of thing from a mentor too of-
ten, though.
The ratingof thisBackgroundreAects
a mentor's helpfulness.A minorpa-
tron is better than none(usu-
ally); a more significant
mentor has a corre-
spondinglyhigher rat-
ing. Even so, a low-
rankingmentor can be
a powerfulinfluencein
yourcharacter'sgrowth.
 ABERRANT
X None;you haven'tcaught anyone's For example, a
attention or you haven't founda character with a fifth-
patron worthyof your attention. instar Node (Node 4)
• Likean older sibling,your mentor gains two points of Taint.Aber-
is just a bit more worldlyand wise rations associated with the Node Back-
than you are. He has a few connec- groundare typicallymentalor psychologicalones.
tions. As the node grows, it presses upon other parts of the
•• A figureof some note, or a true brain. In some cases it even causes the nova's forehead
power who has little time for you. to bulgeslightly.This pressure on the brain can result in
••• A seasoned individual,your men- mentalproblemsfor the nova. The larger the M-R node,
tor is wise and moderatelyinAuen the more likelythat problemswilloccur, and the more
tial. extensivethose problemsare likelyto be. By the time
•••• Cannyand respected, your mentor the node reaches the fourth instar, a problemof some
has significant(perhaps even glo- sort is guaranteed.The humanbodyandbrain,evenwh n
bal) clout. augmentedby quantumpowers, are simplytoo fragileto
••••• Yourmentor is potentiallyworld- handle the awesome energies coursing through them
shaking,and he takes a great inter- withoutbeingchanged in some way.
est inyourwelfare. Beware, though: Other effects of havinga highlydeveloped Node
Sucha mentor's enemiesare now include:
yours. Quantum
Recovery
Node As mentionedunder Quantum,a nova with Node
recovers spent quantumpoints more quicklythan one
It isn't muchto look at. It's just a lumpof grayish
without, adding her Node rating to her normalrate of
Aeshabout the size of a marble. It can grow bigger -
quantum-pointrecovery. Manynovasthinkof the Node
somehavebeen recorded whichwere the sizeof an apple
as a recharger that juices up their quantumbatteries
or baseball- but it's still just a mass of tissue with a
quickly.
few bloodvessels, nerve endingsand tendrilsextending
QuantumDetection
from it. Yet it holds the key to the powers of the uni-
As a receptacle for quantumenergies a Mazarin-
verse.
Rashoudnode also enables a nova to detect sources or
The Mazarin-Rashoudnode is what gives novas
conduits of quantumenergies. Typically,these sources
their power. It providesthem with the abilityto channel
are other novas though nuclear reactors, cyclotrons,
quantumenergies. Butat the sametimeit can affect their
generators or other large power sources mightalso be
psychesand their bodies in strange, often deadly,ways.
detected.
A character with this Backgroundhas a well-de-
To detect a quantumsource, the nova takes a full
velopedMazarin-Rashoudnode. Note the words "well-
turn to concentrate, then the playerrollsher Node rat-
developed." Allnovas,eventhose withoutthisTrait, have
ing as a dice pool.Rangeof the attempt is 10meters per
a Mazarin-Rashoudnode. Mostnovasdon't take the Node
dot in Node. Difficultyis typicallystandard, though the
Background;they get by with the basic M-R node that
Storytellercan increase it in the case of trace amounts
all novashave. Node as a Backgroundsignifiesthat the
of quantumenergies. Successindicatesthe novadetects
nova's M-R is better developed or channels quantum
a source of quantumenergy in the area. Succeedingon
energies better, than the typicalnode. Thus, a novawith
this rolldoes not let a novapinpointan invisibleor hid-
Node tends to be more powerfulthan others of his kind.
den character , but it does enable her to detect a
He can use more quantumpoints per turn, can recover shapeshift d or ~dormeddown" novafor what it is.
them quicker and possesses certain other powers. In
The player of a nova with the DormancyBack-
general terms, he is more efficient at processingquan-
ground may roll his Backgroundrating in a resisted roll
tumenergies than other novas. However,he is also more
againstany attempt at quantumdetection;successes on
likelyto suffer fromTaint.
this roll cancel out the scanningnova's successes on a
one-for-one basis.

Dots QmnbanExpendibn Taint

X ()st instar) Canspend6 quantumpoints/hnl.
• (2nd instar) Canspend 8 quantumpoints/hnl .
• • (3rd instar) Canspend 10quantumpoints/hnl .
••• (4thinstr) Canspend12quantumpoints/hrn . One
• • • • (5thinstr) Canspend15quantumpoints/hrn . Two
• • • • • (6thinstr) Canspend20 qia,tut, points/hrn. Three
Resources
Resourcesare a general indicationof financialas-
sets, but they are more than monetary wealth. Money
can be gained and lost; this Backgroundincludessuch
thingsas property, clothingand basicequipment,as well
as how easily your character can acquire more. While
resources are not entirelyliquidassets, possessionscan
be sold to gain money(thoughdoingso maytake some
time dependingon what is for sale).
EachResourcedot conveysa standard incomebe-
yondanygear or wealthyourcharactergainsduringplay.
The source of this stipend must be detailed (contract
work,employment,royalties,investments),since it may
be increased,reduced or cut off entirelydependingon
events in the series. Wealthis listedin Americandollars;
the actual currency may differ depending on your
character's origin.
As with influence,most novashave few problems
acquiringresources - throughone meansor another.
x None:Youare homelessand broke.
• Smallsavings:Youhavea tinyapart
ment and maybean old used car. If
you liquidatedallyour possessions,
you'd haveabout S2,500.
•• Comfortable:Youhave a respect
able flat and probablya reliable
auto. If liquidated,your belongings
wouldyieldapproximately
Willpower
$50,000 . The WillpowerTrait measuresdriveand emotional
stability. A high score reflects a confident, self-moti-
••• Affluent:Youowna house, yachtor
vatedindividual, whilea lowscore indicatessomeonewith
other sizableequity.If liquidated,
these itemswould yieldaround little confidenceor perseverance.
S250,000. Willpowerhas a permanentrating, also called the
score,that reflect your character's total strength in the
•••• Wealthy: Youowna significant
Trait (noted by the circles on the character sheet).
amountof property (a mansion,
apartmentbuilding,officetoweror Whenevera rolliscalledfor,the dicepoolisalwaysbased
similarstructure). You'dhaveat on permanentscore. Willpoweralso has a current rat-
least $1,000,000 if you liquidated ing, calledpoints,that indicateyour character's present
everything. reserves. "Spendingpoints" refers to removingpoints
from the current rating (noted by the squares on the
••••• Amazinglyrich:Youhave more
character sheet). Current rating can fluctuate greatly
moneythan you knowwhat to do
with. If you liquidatedeverything, duringa story.
you'd haveat least $10,000,000 . • Weak
•• Timid
••• Hesitant
Willpower, •••• Diffident
••••• Certain
Quantum and ••••••
•••••••
Confident
Determined
Taint ••••••••
•••••••••
Secure
Iron-willed
The Willpower,QuantumandTaintTraitsare at the ••••••••••
core of your character's being,and they indicatewhohe
is as muchas his originor Nature does. ~4
I
ABERRANT
Using Willpower
Youspend Willpowerwhenyour character pushes
himselfbeyondhisnormallimitsinan attemptto do some-
thing extraordinary. Youcan spend onlyone Willpower
point in a turn, unlessotherwisestated.
• Free success: Youcan spend a Willpowerpoint
to earn an automaticsuccess. This free success is
separate fromanythat you roll,but it countstoward
your success in an action. Youmust declare that
you're spendingWillpowerin this fashionprior to
rollingfor the action. Onlynovas may use Will-
powerin this way.
• Resis t instinctualresponse: Sometimesthe
Storytellermayhave your character react to some-
thing out of instinct - whether fear of a monstrous
,.._,.__, aberrant, revulsionat the sightof a gruesomecorpse or
lust for a stunningindividual . Your character can resist
this urge withthe expenditureof a Willpowerpoint (al-
thoughthe urge may return depending on the circum-
stances, callingfor further expenditures).
• ResistTaint: When a Taint-induced
mentaldisorder causesyour charac-
\' . ter to do somethingshe would
\\ \ rather not do, you may
spend a Will-
power point to
resist .
.._
·---.
5T_~-
·"-
""/
However,you must do so each time you make such an
attempt.
• Resistmentalpowers: Yourcharacter can resist
the effects of some mentalpowerswiththe expenditure
of a Willpowerpoint,or upona successfulWillpowerroll.
The specificsdepend on the powerbeingused; refer to
ChapterFive:Powers for details.
• Maxquantu mpower:A nova's playercan spend
a Willpowerpoint to "max" a quantumpower,enabling
the novato enhancethe effects of the power. Seep. 147
for detailson this process.
Compulsion
Once all of your Willpowerpoints are gone, your
character is subject to a compulsion
. HisinnermostNa-
ture comesto the forefront of his personality,dictating
histhoughtsandactions. Compulsions are the weaknesses
mentionedat the end of each Nature'sdescription(see
"Natures," p. 127). AnAnalystbecomesdistractedeven
by the most mundaneof puzzles. A Bravoacts without
thinking,usingbrute force and bluster.
Actingat extremes can be very liberating,but it
can also cause seriousproblems.Whilethe likelihoodof
regainingWillpowerincreases(sinceyour characterbe-
havestrue to his Nature},operatingunder a compulsion
can makeyour character ignore importantinformation,
disregardotherwiseobviouswarningsor be manipulated
easily.When at least one Willpowerpoint is regained,
your character shakes off the compulsion, reas-
sertinghisself-
will.
Recov-
ering
Willpower
Willpowerpoints are
regained whenever your
character gets a chance
to rest or restore his
self-confidence. The
Storyteller is always
the final arbiter of
whenand howWill-
poweris regained.
The following
methods are
. entirely op-
tional, and
 ABERRANT
they shouldencourageroleplaying .The Willpowergained
shouldserve as a reward for playingyour character well
in the story - it shouldnot be the goal itself.
• For simplicity'ssake, one point may be recov-
ered every morningupon awakening- a fresh start
each morning,as it were. lf nothingelse, this pointguar-
antees someWillpower . (Thisruleshouldbe ignoreddur-
ingdowntime.)
• If yourcharacter performsan actionthat affirms
her Nature,she mayregainbetweenone and three Will-
powerpoints.The exact amountis up to the Storyteller.
He maydeny your request if he feels the logicbehindit
is Aimsy,or if it appears that your character performs
certain actionssolelyto regainWillpower.
• Youmayreceive a point (or more) if your char-
acter achievessomespecialsuccess,likerescuinga friend
or discoveringa significantplot point,or if yourcharac-
ter affirmshis capabilitiesin some way.
• Youget points equal to your character's Will-
power score at the end of a series (not a single game
session).The Storytellermaymodifythis return some-
what if significantstory elementsremainunresolved.
Quantum
QuantumenergiesAowthroughoutthe universeand
all thingswithinit. These energiesbindmatter together
and throw it apart, harmonizeenergy and disrupt it, and
affect all livingthings every day of their existence.As
mystic,even arcane,as this sounds,quantumenergiesin
fact derivefromscientificprinciples- albeitscientific
principlesof whichhumanshave little understandingat
present.
A nova'sabilityto controland manipulatequantum
energies - and thus, in general, his "power" - is
measured by his Quantum Trait. Quantum rates a
character'sabilityto drawon anduse the universe'squan-
tum energies. This Trait is the primarydistinctionbe-
tweennovasandordinaryhumans.Acharacterwitheven
a lowQuantumis pretty powerful;one witha highQuan-
tum - say, 4 or more - can wieldpowerspreviously
unknownbeyondthe pagesof outrageousfiction.
Everynovacharact.erstarts the gamewitha Quan-
tum rating of 1.Quantumcan be increased with bonus
and novapoints. ThoughQuantumcan theoreticallyreach
as high as 10, no character may begin the series with
morethan a 5 Quantum,tainted or not. So far, onlya few
shadowy(and perhaps deeply twisted and warped) in-
dividualshave displayedabilitiesthat might transcend
the levelof 5 Quantum.
Characters automaticallyacquire a point of Taint
when their Quantumreaches 5. See p. 148 for further
informationon Taint.
146 CHAPTER THREE TRAITS
A character's Quantumrating has severaldifferent
effects and providescertain benefits,as follows:
Appearance
The more Quantuma novahas, whethertainted or
not, the less humanhe looks. HisQuantummaymakehim
grotesque, or it may make him impossiblyperfect and
beautiful,but observers can tell he isn't a baseline. The
exact effects of Quantumupona character'sappearance
depend upon the character's powers, the player's de-
sires and the Storyteller'swhim.
RawPower
Mostpowers' effects are based, at least in part, on
a nova's Quantumrating. For example,a QuantumBolt
has a rangeequalto [15meters x (dots+ Quantum)]and
inAicts[Quantumx 3] levelsplus(powerratingx 4) dice
of bashing damage - or [Quantumx 2] levels plus
(powerrating x 4) dice of lethaldamage.
Similarly,some powers have Quantumminima-
they workonlyfor novaswhohaveQuantumratingsof a
certain levelor higher.A novawhoseQuantumis not that
highcannot purchaseor use those powers. To the strong
go the spoils.
Quantum Pool
Another importanteffect of Quantumis that it al-
lowsa novato access the energyneeded to fuelhispow-
ers. This energy is referred to as his QuantumPool,and
the points in that poolare quantumpoints. Eachuse of a
power costs a certain numberof quantumpoints from
the quantumpool. For example, a QuantumBolt costs
two quantumpoints to fire.
A character's starting quantumpool is equal to 20
plus(Quantumx 2). Thus, a novawithQuantum3 has a
base QuantumPoolof 26 (20 + [3 x 2]).The Quantum
Pool'scapacitycan be expanded,at the rate of two ad-
ditionalquantumpoints per novapoint expendedon the
QuantumPool.Capacitycan also be improvedwith ex-
perience points, at the rate of three experiencepoints
per quantumpoint. Once purchased,the QuantumPool
dictates the maximumnumberof quantumpointsthat a
nova'sbody can containunder normalcircumstances.
1fa character losesallquantumpoints,she maynot
use anyof her novapowersexcept for powersthat don't
require quantumpoints to use. She is depleted, spent
and all too normaluntilshe recovers quantum.She may
sacrifice healthlevelsfor quantumpoints, as noted on p.
147.
Recharging Pool
Quantum
Allnovasare naturalcollectorsand receptaclesof
quantum energy. Accordingly, quantum points, once
spent, graduallyreturn to a character, in the same way
that a tired person regainsenergy by resting for a while.
lf a novais at ease but not completely relaxing(for ex-
ample, going for a walk, doing some easy paperwork,
 ABERRANT
watchingtelevision,talking with friends), he recovers
quantumpointsat the rate of two per hour. If he is com-
pletelyrelaxed(sleeping, just sitting arounddoing noth-
ing), he recovers quantumpoints at the rate of four per
hour.
Novascan recover quantumpointsmore quicklyin
severalways. First, if the novahas the NodeBackground,
he adds his Noderating to the numberof quantumpoints
he recovers per hour when at ease or relaxing. For ex-
ample, a nova with Node 2 wouldrecover six quantum
pointsper hourof relaxation.Second,somepowers,such
as QuantumRegeneration,allowa character to recover
quantumpoints very quickly. Third, it is rumored that
somedrugs or foods allowa novato boost himselfback
up to fullQuantumPoollevelmuchFasterthan normal.
DyingforPower
There are times when a nova'sQuantumPooljust
isn't fullenoughto get the effect she wants. In this case,
a novamaytrade health levelsfor a temporary boost to
quantum points. The novas literallyburns out her life
force to ensure that she accomplishessome task or de-
feats some enemy. For each health levelsacrificed,the
charactergainsan additionaltwo quantumpoints. Doing
so allowsa novatemporarilyto increaseher quantumpool
above its normal maximumcapacity. However, these
pointsremainfor onlythree turns,so the charactershould
use them quicklyor her sacrificewillbe in vain. Health
levelstraded for quantumpoints are considered to be
lethaldamage(p. 253).
LooktheLook
A nova'sappearancedepends,inpart, on her Quan-
tum Pool.When the QuantumPool is fullor close to it,
the novaseems charged - vibrant, excited,vigorous.
She may even crackle with energy, glowor otherwise
display visiblesigns of her power. Conversely,a nova
whoseQuantumPoolis empty or lowseems fatiguedor
drained. Shemaylookcompletelyhealthy,but something
about her suggeststhat she's runningout of steam.
Maxing Powers and Special
Maneuvers
Quantumpowersare impressiveenough.However,
whena novareallyputs her heart into channelingquan-
tum energies, the effects can be t.rulyawe-inspiring.By
spendinga pointof Willpower,a novacan "max"a quan-
tum power,enhancingits effects to far beyond normal
levels. Onlyone power may be maxedat a time, and a
novamaymaxa poweronlyonce per scene.
To maxa power,the nova's playerspends a point
of Willpowerand a variablenumberof quantumpoints,
then spends a fullturn in concentration. For each dot of
Quantumthe novahas, the playercan rollone die, but he
mustpayone quantumpointper die rolled. Eachsuccess
on the rollmaybe "spent" to boost the nova'snext use
of quantumpower,whichhappenson the followingturn.
CHAPTER THREE TRAITS
(Note:The maxsuccessesmustbe usedon the nextturn;
they may not be "stored for later" or "built up" over
severalturns.)
Successeson this roll can be "spent" on the fol-
lowingoptions:
Damage/Successes : Each success spent adds one
die (if an attack power) or success (if a mentalpower,
powerlikeMatter Creation).
Soak: Each success spent adds one to the
character's soakversusbashingand lethaldamage. Note
that this option can be employedeven if the character
does not have any particulardefensivepowers (a last-
ditch survivalmechanismcommonto all novas),though
the effects last for onlyone turn in any event.
Area: Each success spent doubles the area of an
Area or Explosivepower.
Range/Speed: Each success doublesthe range or
speed of a power.
Duration:Eachsuccessspent doublesthe duration
of a power.
Extras: A player mayspend two successes to add
the Area or ExplosiveExtra to an attack that does not
havethat Extra.
Each success enhances only one parameter, but
multiplesuccessescan be appliedto different columns.
For example,the playerof a novawith Quantum5
aimsa QuantumBoltat her foe,spendsa Willpowerpoint,
a full turn, and seven quantumpoints (five to activate
her QuantumTrait, two to power the QuantumBolt),
then rollsher fullQuantumTrait as a dice pool. She rolls
four Quantumsuccesses. She assigns two successes to
the "Damage" columnand two successesto the "Area/
Extras" column. Her next QuantumBolt inflicts+2 dice
of damage; furthermore,even thoughthe novadoes not
havethe "Area"Extra, the shot willbe an Area attack.
A maxedpower(commonlyknownas a "specialma-
neuver," "special"or "stunt") lasts for one turn or use,
unlesssuccesses are used to increase its duration. For
example,increasedarea, range or speed all last for one
tum, decreasingto normalparameters on the following
turn.Furthermore,activatingand usinga specialmaneu-
ver is the onlyaction the character can take that turn.
These special maneuversare highlypersonal ex-
pressions of quantumpower, and players are encour-
aged to designand namespecificspecialmaneuvers.For
example,Core alwaysdoes more damage (and over a
greater area) whenactivatinghis Core Meltdown,while
JinshuShanuses her Quantumto makeherself virtually
indestructibleby shapingher Force Field into the Iron
Chariotstance.
Example: Lotus Infinitehas Quantum4 and Quan-
tum Blast 3. Harriedby a rivalelite, she says "To hell
withthe contract!"andactivatesher devastatingInfin-
ity Justifier specialmaneuver. Lotus Infinite's player,
Dana,spendsa point of Willpower,two quantumpoints
147
 ABERRANT
(to activateQuantumBolt)and fourmorepoints(to ac- dependingon the shortcuts they take duringcharacter
tivateher maximumnumberof Quantumdice), for a to- creation.
tal of six quantumpoints.
As Lotus Infinitespends a full turn in concentra-
Gaining Permanent Taint
tion, Danarollsfour dice, gainingthree successes. She Unfortunately for novas,
then spends two successesto turn her QuantumBlast there are manyways
intoanAreaeffect andher thirdsuccessinto the "Dam-
age"columnto adda die of damage.Next turn,on her
Initiativerating,the InfinityJustifierblossomsout- ~ ~ ;<
wardfrom Lotus Infinitein coruscatingwaves of ~ J
·
pure quantumdeath. ·
Ultimately,maxingquantumpoweris a highly
volatileand individualactivity,and cannotbe con-
finedto a rigidset of rules. Particularlywhenmany
successes are scored on the Quantumroll, the ef-
fects can be whateveris cinematicallyappropriate,
and can quite possiblyaffect the area for milesaround
the nova. Storytellers should keep this in mind, using
power maxesto enhance the setting and providespec-
tacular scenes. Does the plot demandthat the charac-
ters catch up to that space shuttle, blowthat buildingto
smithereens,or lift that mountain?Ifso, and if the power
maxroll is good enough,let 'em do it.
lt shouldbe noted, however,that botchinga maxed
poweris deadly. Botchingeither the Quantumrollor the
dice pool roll for the quantumpower leads to the nova for them
gainingone or more points of temporaryTaint. to acquire
Taint.They walka
Taint razor's edge between
powerand insanity,mightand
Quantumenergies are powerfuland, when chan-
destructive force. Ways in which
neled by the humanmindvia the M-R node, often un-
to acquire permanentTaint include:
predictable as well.Even when novas think they have
Too MuchQuanhmor Node
those energiesunder fullcontrol,often they do not. The
Quantumrepresents a basic measure of a
growth of an entire new gland - the M-R node -
nova'spower,and the more powera novahas, the more
coupled with quantum energies seething through the
tainted he becomes.Whena nova'sQuantumreaches 5,
body works changes on even the strongest nova. And
he acquires one point of Taint.Each point of Quantum
the more powerfula nova gets, the more changed he
gained thereafter adds another
becomes.
point of Taint. Power defi-
This effect on a nova is represented by a Trait
nitelyhas its price.
knownas Taint.Allcharacters start the character-cre-
Similarly, a
ationprocess withTaintratingsof zero. The morepoints
nova whose
of Tainta character accumulates,the stranger and more
inhumanhe becomes, until he becomes an unplayable
god/ monsterand fallsunder the Storyteller'scontrol.
As with Willpower,Taint ranges from zero to 10
t:\\:L __.........___
~~:m:
large
0

(in .., r -:•·

:"·x:- .. '1\:~~
.. ;ell ---..
.,
game terms,
and has a temporary and permanenttrack. UnlikeWill-
whose Node
power,temporary Taint is not spent - it is gainedas
rating is 3 or
the character mishandleshis power or tries to channel
higher) ac-
too muchenergy. PermanentTaintis a result of the nova's
quires Taint.
body and mind warpingbeyond humanken, the tragic
The exact amount
side effect of channelingenergies humanbeings were
of Taint, and some notes
not designedto handle.
on the possibleeffectsof that Taint,are
Characters begin the game with zero temporary
discussedunder the Node Background.
Taint,but mayhavea numberof permanentTaintpoints,
BuyingTainted Quantum or Powers
A playercan voluntarilychooseto givehis be-

148 CHAPTFR THREE TRAITS

 ABERRANT
ginningcharacter someTaint by buying tainted powers.
Doing so makes them cheaper (half normalcost), but
imposespermanent Taint, and possibly the side effects
of aberrations, on the character from the very start of
the series. Eachdot of tainted Quantum,Mega-Att.r ibute
or quantumpower imposes one point of
permanentTainton the character.
iveTemporwyTaint
Excess
If a nova gains 10
temporary Taint
points, she im-
mediate I y
trades in
those
for a point of permanentTaint. HertemporaryTainttrack
is reset to zero, but she now has an extra point of per-
manentTaint, as wellas any aberration that accompa-
nies it.
Gaining Temporary Taint
A nova's body can be harmed by excessivechan-
nelingof quantumenergies. Any of the followingmis-
haps can net a character from one to three points of
temporary Taint. Characters .,;..hogain three or more
points of temporary Taint in one "s.itting" mightmani-
fest one or moretemporaryaberrationsla.stingfor about
(15- Stamina/Mega-Stamina) days.
Rememberthat whentemporaryTaintreaches 10,
alltemporaryTaint pointsare traded in for one point of
permanentTaint.
Power Strain
Usingvast amountsof quantumpowersometimes
backfireson a nova. Something goes wrong - her
concentrationslips, she"is attacked at a crucial mo-
ment, or the energy warps out of her control -
and the energy "feeds back" into her, creating
Taint. This feedback is most likelyto occur
when a nova is exerting her willto draw on
greater power or better manipulate the
power~hehas.
In game terms, whenevera nova's
playerspends a point of Willpowerto
max a power in some way, then
botches a roll associated with the
use of that maxedpower, the nova
earns a point of temporary
Taint.At the Storyteller's dis-
cretion, the nova might ac-
quire more than one point
of Taint, thoughthree is
the absolute maximum
(and a nova should
gainthree points of
Taint only from a
truly spectacular
failure).
 ABERRANT

Visually,what typicallyhappens is that the power a Willpowerpoint and roll the character's Willpowerat
the novais callingforth "explodes" insideher, or lashes the end of the story or downtime.The Willpowerrollis
back to hit her and not the target she wasaimingat. Oc- made at +I difficultyfor each point of temporaryTaint
casionally,the nova'sbodyvisiblywarps,twists,mutates stored over the first. Successon the rollbleeds off one
or otherwisealters itself. ln some instances,particularlypoint of Taint; three or more successes bleed off two
when mentalpowers such as Telepathyare beingused, pointsof temporaryTaint.Failureindicatesthat noTaint
the Taintmanifestsitselfpsychically.inthe formof mad- can be bled off during that time period; a botch adds
ness and delusions. another point of permanentTaint.
Rap idRecovery PermanentTaint, once acquired, is just that: per-
Quantumis a naturalforce of energy,meant to re- manent.No reliablemeansof reducingpermanentTaint
turn to a nova naturally . That's why a nova's quantum are knownas of 2008 . It is rumoredin the novaunder-
points return at a set rate, based on howthoroughlythe ground that the Teragen has more effective means of
nova is resting and the strength of his Node. When a bleedingoff temporary, and perhaps even permanent,
novatries to enhancethis rate of return, he runsthe risk Taint,but the specificsof this are unknown.
of acquiringTaint.
If a nova wishesto improvethe rate at whichher
Effects of Taint
quantumpoints return, her playermust makea Stamina The Taint Trait represents how inhumana nova
seemsto be.Taintmanifestsas physicalor psychicdraw-
+ Noderollat a difficultypenaltyof one for every quan-
tum pointshe is trying to recoveraboveher nonnalrate backs, whichare knownas aberrations.A mentalaber-
of recovery.If the rollis successful,the novaregainsthe ration can unbalancea nova'spsyche,causingneuroses,
quantumpoints withoutany problem. If it is failed,she psychosesor other mentaldisordersand derangements.
acquires one point of temporary Taint. If the player Utopia'spsychologistshave begun referring to this ef-
botchesthe roll, the novaacquirestwo pointsof tempo- fect as "QuantumBacklashDisorder,"even thoughthe
rary Taint.Thus,a grievousfailure whentryingto boost effectscan actuallybeclassifiedas one of dozensof other
the rate of recoverycanleavea novaa warped,deranged mental disorderscommonto baselinehumans.
wreck. With physicalaberrations, a nova acquiresan in-
For Example: VeldrisKarimneeds to recover the human feature of some sort - an energy glow or dis-
pointsinhis QuantumPoofquicklybefore the next wave charge; thickmetalplates in placeof skin; possiblyeven
of Mite-crazedthugsattacks him. Inhis desperationhe horns or claws. The possibilitiesare, literally.endless.In
tries to boost his rate of recovery whilehe is at ease. some cases, an aberration even manifestsas inhuman
The Storytellercallsfor a Stamina+ Noderoll. Karim's perfection - the novais impossiblybeautiful, athletic,
Staminais 4, he hasno NodeBackground , andhe wants muscular, you name it. This abnormalitycan be as dis-
to recoverfive quantumpointsinsteadof the usualtwo. concerting as extreme ugliness;superhumanbeauty is
Sincethisreturnequalsthree extra quantumpoints, the as difficult for normal people to cope with as the dis-
difficultyof hisplayer'srollincreasesby three. The roll turbingmutationsmore often associatedwithTaint.
nets a resultof 4, 6, 7 and 7 - failure. Karimnot only A novasuffers one detectableaberrationwhenhis
failsto recoverany quantumpoints,he acquiresa point permanent Taintscore rises above 3. Thus, he acquires
of temporaryTaintas well. hisfirst tangi ble manifestationsof Taint whenhe "earns"
Mental Disorders his fourth pennanent Taint point, and he earns one for
Some mentaldisorders, rather than being the re- each point thereafter. Though relativelyfewnovasmani-
sult of Taint, actuallyimposetemporary Taint upon a fest overt aberrations as of 2008, recent researchsug-
nova. Accordingto recent (and Utopia-censored)psy- gests that it might not take long for a powerfulnova,or
chologicalresearch, the mental instabilityaffects the one whoabuses her gifts, to becomea twistedmockery
nova's quantumprocesses, gainingstrength from them of humanity.
and makingthe nova more inhumanthan ever. For fur- Regardless of what form a nova's Taint takes,
ther details on mentaldisorders, see the sidebar on p. baseline humanscansense it.At first, thissensationmani-
153. fests only as a slightsense of unease or eerieness; in-
deed, as of 2008, few novasinspireeven this extremea
Losing Temporary Taint reaction. With time and additional Taint points,though,
TemporaryTaintcan be forcibly"bledoff," though a nova may provokedisgust, revulsionor even hatred.
this process is difficult. If the character undergoes an The result, in game tenns, is an increaseddifficultyto
entire story or monthof downtimeeither dorm'eddown Socialrollswhena novatries to interact witha baseline
or utilizingallquantumpowersand Mega-Attributesat a human.The novasuffersa+1difficulty on suchrollswhen
maximumof half normalstrength, and does not botch his permanentTaint rating reaches 4; thereafter, every
any powerrollsin the process, the playermayrollspend two fullpoints of Taint inflictan additional+I difficulty.

150 CHAPTER THREE TRAITS

I ABERRANT
Needlessto say, there maycome a point at whichpow-
erful, and thus almostcertainlytainted, novasstop try-
Possible Aberrations
ing to relate to normalhumansin any sort of typical, The higher a nova's permanent Taint score, the
healthyway. moreobviouslyinhumanshe is. A list of suggestedaber-
Secondly,permanentTaintaffects a nova's ability rations a Storytellermayinflictupona novafollows,or-
to use his Willpowerin certain circumstances- spe- ganizedinto low-, medium-and high-levelaberrations
cifically,when he is trying to resist succumbingto the (though even the low- and medium-levelaberrations
effects of mentaldisorders. For each point of perma- typicallybecomemoreextremeat higherlevelsofTaint).
nent Taint a novahas, the playermust subtract one die Of course, players and Storytellers are alwaysfree to
from his Willpowerdice pool when rollingto resist the makeup their ownaberrationsif none of the ones listed
effects of mentaldisorders (to a minimumof one die). here is suitable. In that case, use the listed aberrations
Sooneror later a nova's mindsimplycannot resist a de- as guidelinesfor the possibleeffects and levelsof power
scent (whethersteep or slow)into insanity. involved.
Whena nova's permanentTaintreaches 10,he has One important thing to remember when creating
become too inhumanto act as a player character. The aberrationsis that theyshouldneverbe completelyben-
Storyteller takes over the character; the player, if he eficialto a nova. Someof them mayoffer an advantage
wishesto continueplaying,mustcreate a newcharacter. here or there, or providesomeother benefit, but by and
large, they should be disadvantageous. An aberration
Buying Tainted Powers doesn't necessarilyhave to be disadvantageousin com-
A nova may buy Quantumdots, Mega-Attributes bat - an aberration that makeseverydaylife difficult
or quantumpowersas tainted, in order to save pointson for a novais often as effective as (or moreso than) one
them. In effect he is takingthe left-hand path to power, that inhibits his combatabilities.
gettingthere quicklybut sacrificinga part of his human-
ity in the process.
Low-Level Aberrations
Quantumnormallycosts fivenovapointsper dot. A These aberrationsare appropriate for novas with
dot of Quantumthat is bought tainted costs only three four to five points of permanentTaint.
nova points, but the character automaticallygains one • Aberran t Eyes:Something's strange about the
pointof permanentTaintper Quantumdot boughtinthis nova's eyes. They maybe a very weirdcolor - glowing
fashion. red, pure white , jet black - or they maydisplaysome
Similarly, the cost for a tainted Mega-Attributedot sort of picture or pattern. ln general, the more Taint a
or enhancementis two insteadof three novapoints,but nova has, the more inhumanhis eyes become. At lower
at a price of one permanentTaint point per dot or en- levelsthey may simply be an unusualcolor or have an
hancementpurchased. odd pattern - perhaps they appear to be coveredwith
A novamaybuytwodots ina Level 1quantumpower blood-redspiderwebs,havea matrixpattern overlaidon
for one novapoint,but doingso givesthe novaone per- them, or are reflectiveor translucent(windowsto the
manentTaintpointper novapointspent. A tainted Level soul, indeed). At mediumlevelsthey mayappear inhu-
2 or 3 powerdot is onlyhalf of what the powernormally man,lookinginstead likecat's eyes or somethingof the
costs (roundedup), but the character acquiresone per- sort. At higher levelsthey mayactuallychange physical
manentTaint point per dot so bought.A power with a form.
fixed cost, such as Body Modification , may be bought • AnimaBanner: The nova's anima visiblymani-
for halfcost at the price of one permanentTaint point. fests around her when she usesher powers,or evenwhen
Differinglevelsof the same power maybe bought she doesn't. This anima is a holographic,audialor tele-
with or withoutTaint; for example, a player maybuy a pathic manifestationof some object or symbolimpor-
tainted dot of Mega-Strengthfor two novapoints, then tant to the character's subconscious ; for example,a char-
pay fullcost for the next dot inorder not to accrueextra acter who identified with a certain card inthe Tarotmight
Taint.If there is somequestionaboutthe cost of a power, visiblymanifest that symbol when she activatesher quan-
consultthe Storyteller. tumabilities.The animahas no tangibleeffect;it is merely
When buyingpowers with experience points, the a displayof quantumenergies.
character can acquirea new Mega-Attribute/enhance- • Bulging Muscles: The nova'smusclesbulgeinhu-
ment/ quantumpoweror the nextlevelof a power/Mega- manly, making him appear likea bodybuilderon steroids.
Attribute/ Quantumfor half cost (rounded up) if he He isn't necessarily any stronger than he is normally,he
chooses to gain a point of permanentTaint in the pro- just looks likea modem-day Hercules. Observers may
cess. wonderhowhe can keep hisbalancewithsuchhugearms
and chest and relativelytiny legs. This aberration may
inhibithis abilityto fit into crampedspaces.

CHAPTER 1HRH- lRAITS I 'i I

 ABERRANT
• ColoredSkin:The nova's skin turns an unusual,
not necessarily unattractive, color - golden, bright
cobalt blue, green, scarlet, silver or whatever else the
Storytellercanthinkof. A particularlywickedStoryteller
mayeven have the novabecomesplotchedwith differ-
ent colors, or striped likea zebra or tiger. Whether the
nova's hair or eyes also changecolor is up to the player
Storyteller.
• Feeding Requirement: The novadevelopsa de-
pendenceon/addictionto somefood, substanceor Form
of energy, whichshe must ingest to fuel her powers. At
lowlevelsof Taint, thisdependenceshouldapplyto some
relativelyordinary food or substance, such as silver. At
mediumand higher levels, the demands become more
extreme. The novaeither requiresenormousamountsof
the substance, or her desire mutates. A high-Taint nova,
for example, might need to consumeblood, plutonium,
or human flesh.
• Glow:This Taint is similar to EnergyEmission.
The novais so filledwithquantumenergiesthat he can't
completelyholdthem in. He intermittentlyemits them in
a soft glowof somekind, or perhapscracklingsparks or
some similarphenomenon.The color and nature of this
effect usuallydepend on the type of powers the nova
has manifested,as wellas the Storyteller's fiendishimagi-
nation; it mayor maynot be attractive. ln the dark, the
difficultyto hit the nova with an attack is reduced by
one.
• Unearthly Beauty:The nova is the paragon of
handsomeness(or beauty, as the case maybe). His hair
is alwaysperfect, his musclesshowjust the right amount
of definition, his teeth are straight and white, his eyes a
fascinating color, his build perfect, and it seems as if
there's not an ounce of fat on him. ln fact, he's just too
perfect - it's eerie and disturbing. Evenother "beau-
tiful people" seem uneasy around him, sometimes ex-
pressing their unease through vicious jealousy, envy,
barbed humoror the like.
Medium-Level Aberrations
These aberrations are appropriate for novas with
six to seven points of permanentTaint.
• AllergicReaction: The novalosesdice fromdice
pools, or possiblyeven takes damage, fromexposureto
a particular substance or phenomenon harmless to
baselines. Examplesinclude specific elements or sub-
stances, sunlight (or its absence)or certain types of en-
ergy fields. The Storytellerdetermines howmuchdam-
age the novatakes(and whattype of damageit is) based
uponthe amount, purity and/ or powerof the substance.
• Energy Emission: The nova's ability to control
the awesomeenergies coursingthroughhis bodyhasbeen
compromised. He constantlygives off small"sparks" of
energy, whichmaypose a danger to people and objects
around him. The nature of the emissions depends upon
152 CHAPTER THREE TRAITS
the nova's powers. Forexample,a novawithflamepow-
ers might emit tiny sparks of fire from his pores, or la-
valikebloodmaydrip downhis body.
• Hormonal Imbalance (Lust):Membersof the pre-
ferred sex, especiallythose whoare in any wayattrac-
tive, tend to inspire unabidingdesire in the nova. More
honorablenovaswilldo their best to resist this unnatural
attraction, but those of darkeror moreevilbent are per-
fectly capable of engagingin acts up to and including
rape to get what they want.
• Hormonal Imbalance (Rage):The novabecomes
proneto fits of blinding,destructiverage. Whenangered,
she tends to attack without regard for her owndefense,
her surroundings or the situation; she simplylashesout
at whatever has infuriated or annoyedher. Unlessthe
playersucceeds ina Willpowerroll, the novawilluse any
and all powerat her commandin this sort of attack -
usuallywith fatal results for the target. Onceshe is ber-
serk, the nova's player must make a Willpowerroll at
difficulty+1 to "snap out of it"; at the Storyteller's op-
tion, the difficulty may be reduced if a friend talks to
her soothingly, splasheswater on her or uses a mental
powerto try to calmher down.
• MentalDisorders: This aberration is the most
commonform of mentalTaint, and it is especiallycom-
mon in novas with mental powers or high-instar M-R
nodes.The novadevelopsa mentaldisorderof somesort;
the more tainted she becomes, the more the disorder
affectsher behavior(or she maydevelopadditional, even
stranger, psychoses).
• TwistedLimbs: The nova's armsand/ or legs are
bent, twisted and warped. Theymaybe unnaturallylong,
oddly slender (yet lacking nothing in strength), have
joints which bend at disturbing anglesor even an extra
joint or two.
• Vulnerability: The nova's body becomes so
changed that he takes extra damage from a particular
type of attack (such as fire, electricity or Disintegra-
tion). The effect of any attack or power based on that
type of attack is increasedby three dice.
High-Level Aberrations
These aberrations are appropriate for novaswith
eight or more points of permanentTaint.
• Contagious: The nova'saltered bodyexudesa vi-
rus that is harmfulto baselines. This does not affect the
characteror other novas, but for baselines,the novamay
wellbe a walking Typhoid Maryor BlackDeath.
• Hardened Skin:The nova's skin can no longer
reallybe describedas "skin." Instead, it's hardenedinto
chitin, metal, horn, wood, scales, shell, sharklike"sand-
paper skin" or something similar. lt's obviouslynot nor-
mal to the touch or the eye. Unless the Storytellerde-
cides otherwise, this Taint does not provide any sort of
armor or protection. lt may interfere with the nova's
 ABERRANT
sense of touch or abilityto manipulatefine objects. At
the Storyteller's option, it maybe covered with horns,
spikes,barbs, ridges or similarfeatures.
• Megalomania: The nova developsa "god com-
plex." She truly believes herselfto be the loftiest,mighti-
est, most powerbeingin the world - of course,with a
nova, this beliefisn't so far-fetched. She requires abso-
luteobedience (perhapsevenworship) from her lessers.
Megalomaniais a particularlydangerous aberration, be-
causethe novawillwishto acquire morepower as quickly
as possible, whichoften meansacquiringtainted quan-
tum powers.
• Oozing Skin: The nova'sskinis covered withslime,
mucusor a similarloathsomesubstance.lt mayooze out
of hisporesat a constantslowrate, or maybeit just some-
how remainson himall the time - but regardless,it's
disgusting to look at and worse to touch. At the
Storyteller'soption, the slimemay be mildly poisonous
or acidic.
• Permanent Power:Oneof the nova'spowersbe-
comes permanent unable to be suppressed. This per-
manencehasthe advantagethat the power costs no quan-
tum pointsto use; however, the powermightmakeit ex-
ceedinglydifficultfor a novato interact with the rest of
her environment.Examplesof powersthat might become
permanent include Density Control, Immolate and
Bodymorph.
• Radioactive : The nova cannot fully control her
quantumemissions.Sheemitssoft, or possiblyevenhard,
radiation(see "Radiation,"p. 257). The amount of ra-
diationshe emitsincreasesas she spendsadditionalquan-
tum points.
• SecondSelf:Oneor moreother bodiesbeginsto
sprout from the nova'sbody. Often the 'extra" bodies
are limitedto just faces - a face on the side of the
nova'shead, in his chest, in his stomachor on his thigh.
But in somecases morebodyparts, such as shoulders or
limbs, emerge. This aberration seems to be more com-
monamongnovaswithpowerssuchas Telepathy though
no one has offered a convincingexplanationas to why.
• SheerHideousness : The nova is too horrifying
for description. He is somehowwarped, twisted, de-
formedor otherwiselooks likehe was brokenand then
put back together by someonewho didn't know what a
person shouldlook like. He resemblessomethingyou'd
see in your worst nightmare. HisAppearanceAttribute
drops to zero, and he gains a permanentversionof the
Faceof Terror Mega-Appearanceenhancement(p. 172).
CHAPTERTHREE TRAITS
• Sloughed Flesh: The nova's skin and Resh no
longer sit righton hisbones. Helooksas if he were made
of wax and left too close to the fire - he seemsslightly
melted or askew with skinand Reshbunchedup where
it should be thin, and paper-thin where it should rest
thick on the skeleton.
• VestigialLimbs: The nova has some extra, but
functionallyuseless, limbs. These maybe tiny withered
arms, flightless wings(leathery or feathered) growing
out of his back, a lifelesstail, or a set of tentaclesbelow
his arms or sprouting from his chest. The most any of
these limbscan do is weaklyhold on to very light ob-
jects, such as empty plasticcups.
Mental Disorders
• Amn.ia:Youforget a significantsegmentof
your past due to physicaltrauma or mental scarring .
Thisaffildion can beso acute as to erase allmemories
or simplycause you to forget a few hours of time.
• Delusions: Yourmindplaystricks on itself. You
see andhearthingsthat don't actuallyextSt. Mild cases
can bedistracting,whilepotent delusionscan cause a
completedetachmentfrom reality.
• Multiple Personality Disorder: Trauma can
causea singlepersonalityto splinterintodistinctshards.
Eachpersonalitypossessesits ownNatureandbehaves
differentlyFromthe others.
• Obsessive/Compulsive Disorder: Youare un-
able to resist a certain urge. This urge maycause you
to performludicroustasks or to seekabsoluteperfec-
tion in every detail.
• Polar/Bipolw Disorder: Alsoknownas depres-
sion,polardisordercauseslethargy,depressionandan
inabilityto functionin normalsociety for monthsat a
time. Mame-depressives sufferthe samesymptoms,but
their boutsare interspersedwith energetic btnts.
• Schizopnwlia: ThlSaFAiction causesa complete
detachment from reality. Acute cases of paranoid
sch1zophrema are accompaniedby severe delusions of
persecutionand elaborateparanoidtheories.
153
 CHAPTER
FOUR.
MEGA-ATTRIBUT
& ENHANCEMEN
Mega-Attributes
All novas have the same nine standard Attributes
- Strength, Dexterity,Stamina,Appearance,Manipu-
lation, Oiarisma, Perception, Intelligenceand Wits -
that any other humanhas. However,novas' mastery of
quantumenergies enablestheir Attributesto go beyond
those of mortal men into the realm of the superhuman.
These enhanced Attributes are known as Mega-At-
tributes.
Buying Mega-Attributes
LikenormalAttributes,Mega-Attributesare rated
from 1to 5. Eachlevelof a Mega-Attributeincreasesthe
effectiveness of the base Attribute by an exponential
amount.A novamust have a QuantumTrait equal to the
levelof Mega-Attributethe playerwishesto buy, minus
one.
Mega-Attributessupplement,not replace, normal
Attributes,anda nova'snormalAttributelevelmustmatch
his Mega-Attributelevel.For example,if a novawants to
,,
buy Mega-Strength3, he must have Strength 3 first; if
his Strength is only2, his Mega-Strengthcannot exceed
2, either. Of course,the normalAttributecan exceed the
Mega-Attributeif the playerdesires.
Tainted Mega-Attributes
With the Storyteller's permission,characters can
buy tainted Mega-Attributesat a reduced cost per dot.
However,doing so causes the character to acquire one
pointof Taintfor each Mega-Attributedot so purchased.
lf necessary, the Storyteller shouldchoose an aberra-
tion appropriate to the Mega-Attribute. For example, a
character withTaintedMega-StrengthmighthaveBulg-
ing Musclesor a Hunchback;one with Mega-Appear-
ance might have UnearthlyBeauty or Sheer Hideous-
ness· one with a MentalMega-Attributemightbecome
megalomaniacalor otherwise mentallyunstable.
Mega-Attribute
Advantages
Possessinga Mega-Attributegives a nova certain
benefits. The first and foremost advantage to having
Mega-Attributesis that they makeAttributerollseasier.
The player of a nova with Mega-Perceptionuses her
CHAPTERFOUR MEGAATTRIBUTES
& ENHANCEMENTS
normalPerception Attribute when makingany roll in-
volvingPerception. However,she may applyher Mega-
Attributedots to the roll in one of two ways:
1) She may apply an additionalnumber of Mega-
Attribute dice to the roll, up to a limitof her Mega-At-
tribute rating. These Mega-Attributedice are rolled in
additionto the character's normaldice pool. Likeother
dice, Mega-Attributedice need to roll a 7 or higher to
be considered a success. However, if one of these dice
scores a 7 or higher, the character gains not one, but
two additionalsuccesses; and if a Mega-Attributedie
comesup "10,' the character gainsthree additionalsuc-
cesses.
2) She maysubtract one fromthe difficultiesof any
rolls involvingthat Attribute up to a limitof her;Mega-
Attribute rating. Thus, a character with Mega-Dexter-
ity 4 attemptinga CriticalAthleticsfeat (+4 difficulty)
may assign all of her Mega-dots to reducingthe diffi-
culty. Havingdone so, she rollsonlyher normalAthletics
skilltotal,but makesthe rollas thoughthe task is of stan-
dard difficulty!This allocationcannot reduce any diffi-
cultybelowstandarddifficulty(+O),but it makesit much
easier for superhumancharactersto accomplisheventhe
most heroic feats.
The player may designate some of her Mega-At-
tribute dots as extra dice and others as difficultyreduc-
tions. Shemayalsochangethe allocationof the dots from
turn to turn and action to action. Moreover,assigned
Mega-Attributedots applyto allactionswithinthe tum,
includingmultipleactions. So, a player who assignsher
Mega-Dexteritydots as dice gets those dice on allDex-
terity actions for the tum, losing them only when her
normalskilltotal drops belowzero.
ForExample : Toshiakilizumi,with Dexterity 4,
Athletics3 andMega-Dexterity3, is attemptingto leap
onto a speedingcar. The Storytellerjudges this to be a
CriticalAthleticsFeat( +4to difficulty).However,lizumi
choosesto applyone of his Mega-Attributedots to re-
ducingthe difficulty, makingit Difficult(+3).
lizumi'splayer,Linda,makesthe roll,needingfour
successes. First, the player rollslizum,'s Athletics skill
total of 7. The dice come up 6, 9, I, I, 3, 5 and 6. Nor-
mally, thisresult wouldbe a Failure, as only one success
wasscored.However,Lindanow rollslizumi'stwo re-
mainingMega-Dexteritydice. The dice come up 7 and
10!lizumigainsfive extra successes - two Fromthe
 ABERRANT
"7" die and three from the "10" die - for six total
successes. Not onlycan lizumilandon the speedingcar,
he canlandexactlywherehe wantsandeven do ajig on
the roof.
Finally, each Mega-Attributehas certain special
Traits, calledenhancements,associatedwith it. When a
novabuysa Mega-Attribute,he mayselect one of those
enhancementsfor free. If he wants to have additional
enhancements(or additionallevelsof the sameenhance-
ment), he can purchase them at the costs listed on p.
124.A novamaynot buy enhancementsfor a Mega-At-
tribute he does not possess.
Mega-Attributes themselves cost no quantum
points to use. However,most enhancementscost one or
more quantumpoints wheneverthey are used. Unless
stated otherwise, assume an enhancement costs one
quantumpoint to activate.
Competing
Mega-Attributes
Sometimes two novas with the same Mega-At-
tribute use their commonMega-Attributeto competein
a direct, head-to-head resisted roll (such as a grapple
involvingMega-Strengthor a puzzlecontest requiring
Mega-Intelligence).If they have the Mega-Attributeat
differinglevels(say, one has Mega-Strength2 and the
other has Mega-Strength 3), or if one character has a
Mega-Attribute whileanother has an unenhancedAt-
tribute, the character with the higher Mega-Attribute
alwayswins. The only exceptionoccurs if the weaker
character expendsa pointof Willpowerto pushher lim-
its for the durationof the contest.In this case, the char-
acters roll their Mega-Attribute, and only Mega-At-
tribute, dice in a resisted roll. For example, two super-
strong novascompetein an arm-wrestlingcontest. One
novahas Mega-Strength4, whilehisopponenthas Mega-
Strength 2. In most cases, the nova with the Mega-
Strength4 winsautomatically . However,the weakernova
spends a point of Willpower,grits his teeth and twists
for all he's worth. The contest now becomesa resisted
roll, with the stronger novarollingfour dice versus the
weakernova's two dice. The stronger novastillhas the
edge, but the weakernovaat least has a chance.
Characters without a Mega-Attribute (including
baselinehumans)mayalsoattempt to competeagainsta
character with a Mega-Attribute;doing so is..however,
phenomenally difficult.The characterseekingto best the
novamust have a naturalAttribute of 5; any lowerand
the Mega-Attributeautomatically dominates. If the char-
acter has a naturalAttributeof 5, he mayspend a point
of Willpowerevery turnof the contest; by doingso, he
gains one die to roll against the nova in a resisted roll.
This die lasts for only one turn; subsequently, the
unenhancedcharacter mustspend additionalWillpower
or get beaten automatically .
CHAPTERFOUR MEGA ATTRIBUTES
& ENHANCEMENTS
If competingcharacters have the same Mega-At-
tribute at the same level(both have Mega-Strength 3,
for example),thenMega-Attributesandthe bonusesthey
provideare not used. In effect, they canceleach other
out. Instead, make any rolls using only the characters'
normalAttribute (Strength, in this example). In short,
don't thinkthat just becauseyou've got Mega-Strength
1, youcansettle for a punyStrengthof I. Ifyoudo, sooner
or later someother Mega-Strongnovawillprobablykick
your ass aroundthe block.
Notethat these rulesapplyonlyin situationswhere
one novadirectlyopposesanother ina resistedroll.They
do not apply in situationswith a large numberof vari-
ables, such as combat.Just because a novahas a higher
Mega-Dexterity than her opponent does not mean she
willhit the opponentevery time; manyother factors can
come into play. Moreover, these rules are best used in
direct Attribute-to-Attributeconflict, sansAbilities or
other factors. A nova may wellhave Mega-Intelligence
5, for example,but if the supergeniushas no trainingin
Computer, he is unlikelyto out-hack a character with
lesser Intelligencebut greater knowledgeof the subject
matter (e.g., the ComputerAbility).
Exceptionally Normal
One of the benefits of Mega-Attributes1sthat
they allowplayersto buildcharacters whohaveminor
abilitiesinstead of the planet-bustingquantumpow-
ers that manynovasdisplay. A character withseveral
Mega-Attributesat a lowlevel(typicallylevel1or 2,
rarely higher) is definitelysuperhuman,but not no-
ticeablyso - you mightcallhima ..stealth nova."
WhenlowMega-Attributescombinewithhealthy
levelsinnormalAttributes,a generoushelpingof Abili-
ties and Backgroundsand the latest technologyand
gear, you'vegot you~lf a subtlypowerfuland highly
intriguingcharacter to play. Instead of thinkingSu-
perman,thinkBatman.Batmanmaynotbe ableto toss
buildingsaround or fly faster than a speedingbullet,
but becauseof his unmatchedintellect(Mega-Intelli-
gence and Mega-Wits)and his abilityto apply what
power he does have exactly where and when it's
needed, he's JUStas effective as the guy from Kryp-
ton.
155
 ABERRANT
Physical
Mega -Attributes
Mega -Strength
Mega-Strengthis perhaps the best knownof the
Mega-Attributes. It's certainly the least subtle. Novas
withMega-Strengthusuallyhaveenormousmusclesand
a loveof showingoff whattheycando withthem. In nova
circlesit'scommonplace to see themtossingcars around,
smashingthroughbuildings,pickingup shipsand crush-
ingguns into paperweights.
In fact, manyof the feats that novaswith Mega-
Strengthperformdefy the lawsof science. Forexample,
Mega-Strongnovashavebeenobservedpickingup ships
withouthavingthembreak - even thoughthe object's
sheer weightshouldcause it to fallapart (not to mention
the difficultyof getting a good grip on somethingthat
big). Expertson quantumpowersspeculatethat a Mega-
Strong nova unconsciouslyemits quantumenergies to
help keep the object together whilehe lifts it, but this
hypothesishas not been provenconclusively.
Unlikeother Mega-Attributes,Mega-Strength pro-
vides no extra dice or reductionsto difficulties:,when
makingStrength rolls,the character stillrollsher base,
unenhancedStrength,Brawlor Mightskilltotal.Thus,a
super-strongcombatantstillrollsher normalStrength+
Brawlskilltotal to hit an opponent.However,each level
of Mega-Strengthprovidesa numberof extra automatic
successesthat add to manyStrengthor Mightrolls:for
example,to inflictdamagewitha punchor smashthrough
a vaultdoor. Moreover,each dot of Mega-Strengthpro-
vides an automaticminimumamountof weightthe nova
can lift: for example,a nova with Mega-Strength1can
lift an object of 1000 kg (about one ton) without the
necessityof a rollat all!
When Mega-Strength is used to lift something
heavy,consultthe table belowto determinethe nova's
base liftingability(suchas 1000 kg for Mega-Strength
1). Then roll Mightas normal(withoutaddingthe extra
automaticsuccesses). Eachsuccesson the rollincreases
the amountthe novacan lift by 20%. Thus, a novawith
Mega-Strength1 and three successeson his roll could
lift 1600 kg, or about 1.76tons.
156 CHAPltR fOUR MfGAAllRIBUHS&
When hurling objects, characters with Mega-
Strength may throw anythingthat weighsless than or
equalto their baseliftingcapacity,usingthe normalrules
for throwing(p. 236). However,whenthrowingan ob-
ject of a mass is less than half their base liftingability,
Mega-Strongnovasmaymultiplytheir normalthrowing
distancetimestheir automaticsuccesses.
Mega-Strengthis particularlyeffectiveinpersonal
combat.The followingtable indicatesautomaticdamage
successesappliedto any closecombatattack madeby a
character with Mega-Strength. When resisting,main-
tainingor breakingout of disarms,clinchesand holds,
use the rules for "CompetingMega-Attributes"; thus,
most Mega-Strongcombatantsare deadlyin grappling
contests.
For each dot in Mega-Strength,a novacan carry
up to 100kilogramsof weightwithoutbeingencumbered.
At higherlevels,the Storytellermaywishto increasethis
capacityeven further.
Mega-Strong novas almost always have Mega-
Staminaas well.
• Stupendous:Olympicweightlifters
lookat you in awe. Youdeadlift
1000 kg (one ton) and gain[5]
automaticsuccessesto Strength/
Mightrollsand closecombatdam-
age dice pools.
•• Amazing:Whenyour movingtruck
breaksdown,youjust pickit upand
carry it to your newhome.You
deadlift10,000 kg (10 tons) and
gain[10] automaticsuccessesto
Strength/ Mightrollsand close
combatdamagedice pools.
••• Incredible:Youcan toss automo-
bilesfor blocks. Youdeadlift
25,000 kg(25 tons) and gain[15]
automaticsuccessesto Strength/
Mightrollsand closecombatdam-
age dice pools.
•••• Spectacular:Youcan juggletanks.
Youdeadlift50,000 kg (50 tons)
and gain[20] automaticsuccesses
to Strength/ Mightrollsand close
combatdamagedice pools.
••••• Godlike:Evenother novasare im-
pressedbyyourphysicalmight.You
deadlift100,000 kg(100 tons)and
gain[25] automaticsuccessesto
Strength/ Mightrollsand close
combatdamagedice pools.
fNHANCEM[NlS
 ABERRANT

Mega -Strength Enhance- ample, a novawhospends four quantumpointson Lifter

can carry 16 times his normalweightlimit(!).However,
ments the character does not inflict any extra damage with
Enhancementsthat characterswithMega-Strength
punchesor similarattacks. At the Storyteller's discre-
maylearn or purchaseinclude:
tion, the character's abilityto throw heavyobjects may
Crush be increasedin a similarfashion, but onlyto throwthem
Mega-Strengthis, by itself,enoughto causedeadly for distance, not damage(for example,to throw a tank
damageto many people - most normalhumanscan't intoorbit, but not to throwanother character intoa wall
surviveblowsfrom someonestrong enough to pick up and hurt him).
and throw cars. However,novas with this power have Thisenhancementstaysactivefor one sceneor one
refined their abilityto use Mega-Strengthto kill.They "feat of strength," whichevercomesfirst.
are adept at grabbingand crushing people, delivering Quantum Leap
punches powerfuland focusedenoughto go througha
The character's legmusclesare prodigiouslystrong
body, and so on.
- so muchso that she can leap enormousdistances.
System:Strengthdamageis normallybashingdam- Faster than the subwayand twice as fun.
age. A nova with this ability inAictsBrawland Martial
System:A character with this enhancementcovers
Arts damage(modifiedby his Mega-Strength,as usual)
far more distance in a leap than the usual two meters
as lethaldamagewhen he takes a fulltum to focus his
per successon a Jumpingroll.Instead,each successon a
attack and spends a quantumpoint.The Crushattack is
Jumpingrollallowsthe novato leapup to two kilometers
made the followingturn, on the nova's Initiative. This
horizontally, or halfa kilometervertically,timesher num-
enhancementlasts for one strike, but it can be reacti-
ber of dots inMega-Strength(of course, she can choose
vated as often as the nova likes, so longas she has the
to leap less far than this if she so desires). Thus, a nova
quantumpoints.
with Mega-Strength3 and QuantumLeap could cover
Shockwave six kilometershorizontally , or one and a half kilometers
Whoneeds the SanAndreasFault'?A Mega-strong vertically, for each success.
novawith this abilitycan generate his own little earth- Don'tforget that suchprodigiousjumpsare essen-
quakes. Allhe does is stomp his foot or smashhis fists tially an uncontrolled form of movement. Once she
againstthe ground, causingwavesof force and pressure launchesherself, a nova can't deviate from her line of
to radiate out awayfrom himthroughthe earth. "flight," do muchto dodge attacks or avoidobstacles.
System:When a nova uses this enhancement, he Unless she has a power that allowsher to see for many
may roll his Mega-Strengthdice as a bashingdamage kilometers,she won't know where she's going to land
dice poolto mosttargets withina radiusequalto (Mega- until it comesintosight - and it won't necessarilybe a
Strengthx 10 meters). Any target on the groundis af- pleasant landingspot.
fected; targets above the ground are not. Anyoneaf- The character may also use this enhancementto
fected fallsto the groundunlesshe makesa Strengthroll makea normalDodgerollagainst area and explosiveat-
(at difficulty+3) to keep his feet. Targets maytake ex- tacks, provided she spends the quantumpoint and takes
tra damageif other objects (such as fallingcrockery or a defensiveaction.
collapsing tunnels) fall on them. Additionally, the sur- This enhancementstays active for one leap.
face the nova is hitting also suffers damageas though Thunderclap
the nova had made a normalMega-Strengthstrike -
Whenthe novaclapshis handstogether,a tremen-
so it isn't a very good idea for a character to use this
dous burst of sound and air pressure cracks forth. The
maneuverwhen he is on things like aircraft, bridges or
force of the effect is enoughto hurt people,break win-
boats.
dowsand causesimilardamageor harmina nearbyarea.
This enhancementstays active for a singleattack,
System: When a nova uses this enhancement, he
and the novamaymakeonlyone Shockwaveattack per
may roll his Mega-Strength dice as a bashingdamage
turn. dice poolto mosttargets withina radiusequalto (Mega-
Lifter Strengthx 10 meters). However,"hard" targets - such
A Mega-Strongnovawith this enhancementis re- as mostwalls,vehiclesor metalobjects- andextremely
al(ystrong- he makeseven other Mega-Strongnovas "soft" targets- suchas cloth- are not affected. Only
look puny. He's the guy to call whenyou need to move livingcreatures and relativelybrittle or fragile things,
somethinglike,say, a mountain. such as glass, take the damage.
System:The novacan double the amountof weight This enhancementstays active for a singleattack,
he can carry for each quantumpoint he spends. For ex- and the novamaymakeonlyoneThunderclapattack per
turn.

CHAPTERFOUR MEGA ATTRIBUTES

& ENHANCEMENTS I Sl
 ABERRANT
Mega-Dexterity
Mega-Dexterityis one of the morecommonMega-
Attributes.A Mega-dexterousnovais faster, more agile
and stealthierthan normal, and he often has a better re-
action time.Mega-Dexterityis especiallyusefulfor no-
vas whosepowersare not quite so overt or "Aashy"as
most.
The Mega-Dexterity rating is added to the
character'sInitiative,run andsprint scores. furthermore,
when a novawith Mega-Dexterityis in combatand an-
other character tries to use a delayedactionto interrupt
the nova'saction, the interruptionis not automatic. In-
stead, bothcharactersmustmakeDexterityrolls;the one
withthe mostsuccessesgoes first. If a novawith Mega-
Dexterityand a characterwithoutit act at the sametime,
the Mega-Dexterouscharacter is automaticallyconsid-
ered to havethe higherInitiative,and thus,he gets to go
first. If both characters have Mega-Dexterityand the
EnhancedInitiativeenhancement(see"Mega-Wits"),the
standard rule applies.
• Stupendous: Youcan juggleknives
in zero-g - withyour feet. You
maymakeDodgerollsagainstbul-
lets or other ranged attacks with
out seekingcover or hittingthe
ground.
•• Amazing:Yourreactionsare so fast
that even a martial-arts master
cannot matchthem.
••• Incredible:Wheneveryou run by
someone,they can barelysee you
- all they feel is the wind.
•••• Spectacular:Youcan do your
chores injust a fewseconds. At this
level or higher,you maypluckbul-
lets out of the air by makinga
normalBlockroll.
••••• Godlike:Youcan performacts of
manualdexterity so precise that
even machinescannot duplicate
them.
l 58 CHAPTERFOUR MEGA ATTRIBUTES
& ENHANCEMENTS
Mega-Dexterity
Enhancements
Enhancementsthat characters withMega-Dexter-
ity maylearn or purchaseinclude:
Accuracy
SomeMega-Dexterousnovashavean uncannyabil-
ity to aimattacks andjudge howto place their blowsfor
best effect. Certainnovasclaimthat this enhancementis
the ultimateinhand-eyecoordination,whileothersspeak
of "mysticforces" guidingthem. Whateverthe reason,
anyonewho'sseen them in combatcan't helpbut admire
their ability.
System:In additionto any other bonusesprovided
for havinga Mega-Attribute,the characterreceivesthree
more dice to rollwhenattemptingto hit anytarget with
any attack (whether close combat or ranged combat).
The character must take a turn to aim the attack. This
bonus appliesonly to firearms, martialarts, melee and
quantum-powerattacks; attacks involvingBrawldo not
get the bonus(since they depend on raw powerand fe-
rocity, not precise aim).
This enhancement stays active for a singleattack
{hitor miss).
Enhanced Movement
You'refast - reallyfast. Youcan run faster than
the proverbialspeedinglocomotiveat times. Yourreac-
tion time isn't any quickerthan the normalMega-Dex-
terous nova,but whenyou've got to cover the milesto
get somewhere,you can cover them quickerthan any-
one else.
System: The character's pace when walking,run-
ning,sprintingor swimmingis multipliedby (1 + Mega-
Dexterity)for one tum (if the playerspends one quan-
tum point) or one scene (if the character spends three
quantumpoints). Thus, a character with Mega-Dexter-
ity 2 couldspend a quantumpoint to triple her move-
ment {1+ Mega-Dexterity2) for one turn.
The effects of EnhancedMovementare cumulative
with those of Hypermovement(p. 203). Applythe En-
hanced Movement multiplier after determining the
character's movementrate with Hypermovement.
Fast Tasks
When it's time to clean out the house,strip down
and rebuildan engineor knit a sweater, your friendscall
you. Youcan do it muchfaster than they can - some-
times literallyin the blinkof an eye.
System:Thisabilityallowsa novato performtasks
at extremelyrapid speeds withoutsacrificingany care
or workmanship . Dependinguponthe natureof the task,
the novacan do it in less than halfthe time it wouldtake
 ABERRANT
a normalperson;simpletasks may,as the precedingde- Novaswith this ability(and indeed, nova.s in gen-
scription indicates,take no more than a second or so. eral) have been banned from athletic competitionwith
Forexample,a novawithFastTaskscouldpainta typical baselines, since they have an obviousunfairadvantage.
interiorhousewallinjust a secondor two; he couldtake However,they can (and often do) compete with other
apart and rebuilda reasonablycomplexmachine(likean novason "supersports" pay-per-views.
automobileengine)insomethinglikehalf an hour. At the System:In additionto any other dice received for
Storyteller'soption,FastTasksmaytum certainextended Mega-Dexterity,the characterreceivesthree extra suc-
rolls{p. 109) into simplerolls. cesses whenmakingany rollinvolvingAthletics,Perfor-
The character mustbe able to perform the task in mance (Dance) or similarskills. This bonus shouldnot
question; Fast Tasks does not grant any new or addi- beappliedto dodgedicepools,nor to skillssuchas Brawl,
tional skills.For example,a nova who wants to repair Firearms,MartialArts, Meleeor Stealth. If there is any
enginesat superspeedsmustknowthe EngineeringAbil- doubt as to whether the bonus applies,the Storyteller
ity. Furthermore,the playermustmakethe standardrolls must decide which Abilitiesare affected by Physical
required to accomplishthe work - FastTasksdoesn't Prodigy. The effects last for a scene.
make the job any easier, it just gets it over with more
quickly.
Catfooted
In a dangerousworld,sometimesit's the unobtru-
This enhancementstays active for one scene.
sive person who survivesthe longest - and gets the
Flexibility most accomplished. A nova with this Mega-Dexterity
Dexterityisn'tallspeed andreactiontimeand things abilityis the stealthiest of the stealthy,able to walkon
like that. Sometimesit reAects a character's abilityto dead leaveswithoutmakinga soundor run throughsand
contort his body or reach into places ordinarycharac- withoutleavingfootprints.
ters cannot. That's certainly the ca.se, at least in part, System:In additionto any other dice received for
for novaswhohavethis enhancement.In effect they can Mega-Dexterity,the characterreceivesthree extra suc-
make their bodies sufficiently flexible or rubbery to cesses whenmakingany rollinvolvingStealthor similar
stretch their armsfor short distancesor squeezethrough skills. Furthermore,if the character makesa Dexterity
narrowopenings. They are often master contortionists roll, he can avoid leavingany tracks or similarmarks
and escape artists. showingwhere he walked. The difficultyof this roll in-
System:The character has the limitedability to creases by two if the character is runningand three if he
contort andstretch hisbody. Whenhe wantsthemto be, is sprinting. The effects last for a scene.
his fleshand bones becomeextremelyflexibleand mal-
leable. This flexibilityconfers no protection from dam-
Rapid Strike
A novawiththis enhancementcan delivera blurof
age or harm, but it does allowthe character to fit into
rapid-fire punchesor kicksto a singletarget. Whilethe
places inaccessibleto normalhumanbodies. The char-
individualblowsare not any more powerfulthan an or-
acter maystretch his limbsup to two meters per dot of
dinarystrike,they strike so fast and furiousthat the cu-
Mega-Dexterity . HecanalsocontortandreshapehisAex-
mulativeeffect is muchmore powerful.
ible form to fit throughany openingbig enoughfor his
fist to pass through. The Storyteller is the finalarbiter System:For each dot he has in Mega-Dexterity,a
on whichopeningsthe character can squeeze through. nova using this enhancementadds one to his punch or
kickdamagedice pools;the effects last for one turn.
A player may select this enhancement multiple
times.Eachadditionalselectiondoublesthe distancethe
character maystretch his limbsand body. The enhance-
ment stays activefor one scene.
Physical Prodigy
A nova with this ability possesses a certain "ge-
nius" for all physicalactivities, such as sports or run-
ning. Somehowhe knowsinstinctivelyhow to act, what
to do and howto positionhimselffor the best results in
any givenathleticendeavor. It's as if he had the greatest
coachesin worldhistorywhisperingin his ear and giving
himtips.

CHAPTER FOUR MEGA ATTRIBUTE:S

& ENHANCf:-MFNTS 159

Mega-Stam ina
A novawithMega-Staminaishardier,moredurable
and more resistantto injurythanyour averagenova. Al-
thoughnot alwaysas resilientas novaswhoactuallybuy
defensivepowerssuchas ForceField,novaswithMega-
Staminaare still mightytough. Furthermore,they tend
to havea great deal of endurance;it's almostimpossible
to tire them out. Some of them displaylittle need for
sleep, stayingup for days at a time.
Perhapsmost importantlyof all, a novawithMega-
Staminafeels very little pain. Regardlessof the source
- injury, disease, accident - a nova with Mega-
Staminacan shrugoff the pain and keep on going. Un-
confirmedrumorsspeak of novaswhowere so resistant
to pain that they didn't feel the effects of injury until
their wounds killed them. In game terms, novas with
Mega-Staminasuffer reduceddice poolpenaltiesbased
on their health level,as indicatedin the followingtable.
x Normalnovametabolism:You're
stillpretty tough.Yousoak bashing
and lethal damageas normalfor
yourStamina,but yourhealingrates
are doubled. BaseResistanceand
Enduranceratingsequal3 each (be
fore allocatingany dots into
Abilities).Lifespan150+years.
• Stupendous: Youcan go for weeks
withoutsleep, and your healing
rates are tripled. BaseResistance
and Enduranceratings of 3 each.
Lifespan150+years. Dicepoolpen-
alties due t.o injuriesand pain are
reduced by one. The character re-
ceivesone extra soak againstbash
ing damageand one extra soak
againstlethaldamage.
•• Amazing:Torturers despair of
breakingyou. Yourhealingrates are
four times faster than a baseline's.
BaseResistanceand Endurance
ratings equal 3 apiece. Lifespan
150+years. Dicepoolpenaltiesdue
to injuriesand pain reduce by two.
The character receives two extra
soak againstbashingdamageand
160 CHAPTERFOUR MEGA ATTRIBUTES
& ENHANCEMENTS
one extra soak againstlethaldam-
age, as wellas one extra "Bruised"
health level.
••• Incredible: Participatingin a few
triathlons in a row doesn't even
phase you. Yourhealingrates are
five times those of a normal
human, and your base Resistance
and Enduranceratings beginat 4
each. Lifespan180+years. Dice
pool penaltiesdue to injuriesand
pain reduce by three. The charac
ter receivesthree extra soak
againstbashingdamageand two
extra soakagainstlethaldamage,as
wellas one extra "Bruised"health
level.
•••• Spectacular: Bulletspractically
bounceoff your chest, and your
healingrates are six timesthat of a
baseline. Base Resistanceand En-
duranceratings equal 4 each.
Lifespan200+ years. Dicepool
penaltiesdue to injuriesand pain
reduce by four. The character re-
ceivesfour extra soak againstbash
ingdamageand two extra soak
againstlethaldamage,as wellas two
extra "Bruised" healthlevels.
••••• Godlike:Missilespracticallybounce
off your chest. Yourhealingrates
are seven times better than any
normalhuman's. Yourbase Resis-
tance and Enduranceratings equal
5 each. Lifespan250+ years. Dice
pool penaltiesdue ti>injuriesand
pain reduce by five. The character
receives five extra soak against
bashingdamageand three extra
soak againstlethaldamage,as well
as three extra "Bruised"health
levels.
Mega -Stamina Enhance-
ments
Enhancementsthat characters withMega-Stamina
maylearn or purchase include:
Adaptability
Thisenhancementallowsthe novato survivenearly
anyadverseenvironmentalcondition. ln effect, the nova
uses ambientquantumenergiesto evolveandbolsterher
body's naturaldefenses, thus allowingher to survivein
environmentsnormallyhostileto humanlife,suchas the
vacuumof outer space or underwater. Adaptabilityalso
allowsthe character to do withoutfood, sleep or other
necessitiesof life. Often, a novawithAdaptabilityspon-
 ABERRANT

taneouslymanifests gills, toughenedskin or whatever System:A novawiththis enhancementmayspend

feature is needed. quantumpointsto instantlyhealbashingand lethaldam-
System: The character is able to sustainherself in- age, at the rate of one quantumpoint per health level
definitelyon residualquantumenergies, so longas she healed. Doingso is an automaticaction,but the novamay
has at least one quantumpoint in her body. She does not heal a maximumnumberof health levelsper tum equal
need to eat, sleep or breathe, and can survive indefi- to her Mega-Staminarating.Additionally, this enhance-
nitely in conditionsas hostileas Death Valley,Antarc- ment allowsa novato regrow severed limbsor organs,
tica, or outer space. She is automaticallyimmuneto most but doingso takes a very long time (weeks or months,
poisons,gases, diseases and drugs; against particularly typically).Regenerationdoes not healaggravateddam-
virulentdiseases or nova-derivedpoisons,she gains an age.
extra six soak or Resistance dice. Moreover, the
character'slifespanis increasedbycenturies,if not more.
Resiliency
Toughenedby the rigors of channelingquantum
Adaptability is normallyan automaticenhancement
energies,the nova's frameisevenmoreresistantto dam-
and requiresno quantumpointexpenditure. However,in
age than are most Mega-Stamina novas'bodies.
particularlyhostileenvironments(the vacuumof space,
the bottomof the MarianaTrench,a conflagration),the
System:The soak bonusesprovidedby the nova's
Mega-Staminarating are doubled. Thus, a nova with
charactermightneedto spenda quantumpointper scene,
Mega-Stamina3 and the Resiliencyenhancementre-
or even tum, of exposure. The Storyteller makes this
ceives +6 soak against bashing,+4 against lethaldam-
decision.
age, rather than the +3/+2 bonuses availableto other
Adaptabilitydoes not confer protection against
novaswithan equivalentlevelof Mega-Stamina.
weaponryor nova attacks such as flame blasts or the
This enhancementis "built in" and costs no quan-
like,onlyagainstnaturalenvironmentalconditions.
tum points to activate.
Durability
The novais toughas nails. Althoughshe's not nec-
essarilycapableof ignoringattacks outright,she instinc-
Mental
tivelychannelsdeadlykineticenergyawayfromher body,
rollswithotherwiselethalblows,or is otherwisecapable Mega-Attributes
of reducingan instant-kill attack to a "Gee, that stung"
levelof injury.
System:Whenever the character is hit with a ki-
netic attack inAictinglethaldamage(bullet, knife, mis-
sile, etc.), she may spend a quantumpoint and roll her
Mega-Staminadice againsta Standarddifficulty. If she
succeeds, the incomingdamageis convertedto ba.shing
damage, whichshe maysoakwithher bashingsoakscore.
The charactermaynot convertenergyattacks(fire, elec-
tricity,QuantumBolt.s, etc.) in this manner,nor mayshe
use this enhancementagainst bashingdamage applied
after she is Incapacitated.
Mega-Perception
Hardbody Scientists theorize that normalhumansuse only a
This enhancementoffers protectionof a differentfraction of their abilityto observe things. Ask a normal
sort from Resiliency . Althoughit doesn't help defend a
personto describewhathe just walkedpast., and he prob-
character againstordinarydamage,it allowshimto soak ablywon'tbe ableto tellyoutoo manydetailsabout it, if
certain forms of damage against which he ordinarily any. That's not true of novaswithMega-Perception . They
wouldhaveno protectionat all. take it a//in - every detail, every nuance,every little
System:A nova with Hardbodymay use his lethal fact. They may not remember them very long(that's a
soak total to soak aggravated damage. This cost.s one
functionof Intelligence),but they don't overlookthings.
quantumpoint, but the novamayactivate the enhance- They make excellentsentinels, guards, detectives and
ment as an automaticfeat. This enhancementstays in trackers.
effect for one turn. NovaswithMega-Perception almostalwayshavea
Regeneration high Awarenessskill. They often have high ratings in
other "observational" skills,such as Investigation,but
Allnovasheal more quicklythan the humannorm,
such is not alwaysthe case.
but a novawiththisenhancementhealsevenquickerthan
most novas. Sometimesher woundsliterallyclose right
before your eyes!

CHAPTE:RmuR MEGA ATTRIBUTES

& ENHANCEMENTS 16 I
 ABERRANT

• Stupendous: Yourememberthe li- by touch alone. This abilitycan be extremelyuseful if

cense-plate numbersof allthe cars the charactercannotsee. It also providesbonusesinsitu-
you just walkedpast in the parking ationswhere an acute sense of feel wouldbe helpful-
lot. suchas lockpickingor trying to figureout the combina-
•• Amazing : Eventhe tiniestdetailsare tion to a safe by feelingthe tumblersfall into place. The
likeinformationbeacons to you. character receives a minimumof three extra dice when
••• Incredible:Youcan tell whata per- makinganyPerceptionrollbasedon touch. Furthermore,
son is thinkingby the waythe the character'sskinis so sensitivethat he can sense faint
nerves in her face twitch. air currents, whichadds two dice to Awarenessskillto-
•••• Spectacular: Youcan locatea single tals when attemptingto detect stealthy opponents like
personinan auditoriumby her body invisiblenovas.
odor or perfume. This enhancementis alwayson and costs no quan-
••••• Godlike:Youcan hear woolgrow- tum points t.o use.
ingon the backsof sheep.
Blindfighting
Mega-Perception Enhance- Most people are helplesswhen blind - particu-
ments larlyin combat - but not this character. Thanksto his
Enhancementsthat characterswithMega-Percep- enhancedsenses,he can perceivewherehisfoesare even
tion maylearnor purchaseinclude: when he cannot see them. SomeAsian(or Asian-influ-
enced) novassnidelyrefer to this enhancementas "Zen
Analytic Taste/Touch fighting."
There are plenty of gourmets out there who can System:The character is not subject to the diffi-
figure out what spices were used in a particulardishby culty penalty for fightingblind. In some situations,such
tasting it. A novawith this powercan go them one bet- as those with bad or glaringlighting,he mighteven be
ter: Hecan detect everythingin the food. Givehima cas- better off to shut his eyes and fight without using his
serole, and he'll tellyou every ingredientin it, as wellas sight.Similarly,if an opponentis usingthe powerInvis-
how muchof each was used. Givehima pretzel, and he ibilityto escape detection,a novawithBlindfightingcan
can tell youhowmanygrainsof salt there are on it. Give determineexactlywhere his invisibleenemyis by mak-
himpoisonedfood,and he willdetect the poisonas soon ing an Awarenessroll(opponentresists withher Invis-
as he touches it with his tongue, then spit the food out ibility+ Stealthdice pool).
immediatelybefore the poisoncan affect him. This enhancementcosts one quantum point and
The character's sense of touch is also enhanced. lasts for a scene.
Everyoneknowswhat a dollarbillfeels like- it's got a
uniquefeelinglikeno other type of paper. Mix a dollar Bloodhound
up with a bunchof pieces of newspaperand other pa- Likethe animalfor whichit is named,thisenhance-
pers, and someone can still find it by touch alone. But ment allowsa novato track a person by scent.
onlya novawithAnalyticTouchcan tellyouwithoutlook- System:The charactermaymakean Awarenessroll
ingwhether it's a twenty or a c-note. to followsomeoneby scent alone. If the scent is particu-
A character with this enhancement may use both larlystrong (for example,the person hasn't bathed in a
functions. week), reduce the difficultyby one. If the person being
System:WithAnalyticTaste, the character'ssense trackedpasses throughan area witha lot of other scents
of taste is so heightenedthat he can determinethe com- (likea crowdedcity street), walksthrougha stream or
positionand nature of food he eats, as describedprevi- does anythingelse that mightconfuseor maskhisscent,
ously.Thisenhancementis mostusefulfor detectingpoi- the nova must make another roll at an increaseddiffi-
son or other tampering,but it has other uses as well. If culty (+2 or more, usually).
the Storyteller decides that a particular substance is If the novais exposedto a particularlystrong odor
present in only trace quantities,he mayrequire a Per- - such as havingpepper thrown in her face - her
ception or Awarenessroll to allowthe character to de- Bloodhound abilityis temporarily"blinded." Until she can
tect it.Buteveninsuchsituations,the characterreceives get that scent out of her nose, whichcould take any-
a minimumof three extra dice whenmakingany Percep- where from a tum to an hour dependingon the circum-
tion roll based on taste. Furthermore, by flicking his stances, she won't be able to followany scents.
tongue in and out of his mouthin the mannerof a snake, This enhancementis alwayson and costs no quan-
the character can halveany penalties relating to dark- tum points to use.
ness, as the character literally"tastes" vibrationsin the Electromagnetic Vision
air. By processingand amplifyingwavesin the middle
WithAnalyticTouch,the character'ssense of touch end of the electromagneticspectrum (infrared, visible
is so heightenedthat he can differentiatemanyobjects

16? ( Hi\f'H Rf OUR Mf G/1. /1.llRIBUTLS & ENH/1.NUMENTS

 ABERRANT

light,ultraviolet),the character providesherself with a

numberof sensory abilities.
System: The character spends a quantumpoint to
activatethe powerfor (Perception+ Mega-Perception)
turns. Whiledoingso, the character gains an additional
three diceon anyAwarenessrollrelated to vision. Addi-
tionally,thisenhancementprovidesa numberof benefits:
• Ultraviolet vision:The character can see in the
ultraviolet("UV")spectrum,allowingher to see clearly
and withoutpenalty wheneverUVillumination(such as
fromthe sun,moonor stars) is present.Likea cat, she is
able to see in conditionsof very little light.The charac-
ter can see as wellin darkness as in daylight,provided
that there is at least some light (even faint starlight is
enough). If she is in total blackness(suchas an unlitun-
dergroundroom), she cannot see.
• Infraredvision: The character is able to see in
the infrared("JR") spectrum.Not onlycan she see any-
thingilluminated by an JRlight,she can see the heat given
off by living things and hot objects. Hot things appear
"bright," cool things"dark."
• Visible lightattuner: The character can magnify
objects in her line of sight, as thoughshe were a high-
poweredtelescopicscope or electron microscope.Usu-
ally,novasuse thisabilityto viewtinyobjectswhichwould
ordinarilybe beyondthe character's rangeof vision,but
it can also helpsee objects at a distance. The character
can alsosee distant objects as if they were close up. For
each dot of Mega-Perception,the character can mag-
nify distant or tiny imagesby a factor of 10 (xl00 at
Mega-Perception2, xl000 at Mega-Perception3, etc.).
Useof thisenhancementnegatesrange penalties,as well
as difficultypenaltiessuffered whenstrikingat charac-
ters withthe powerof Sizemorph(Shrinking).
High-End Electromagnetic
Scan
The charactercan transmitand receivewavesfrom
the gamma-and x-ray end of the electromagneticspec-
trum. This allowshimto "see" throughsolidobjects,at a
range equal to (Perception + Mega-Perception)x 20
meters.
System: By spendinga quantumpoint, taking an
action and makinga Perceptionroll, the character may
see throughsolidobjects. The Storytellermayincrease
the difficultyto scan throughparticularlydense objects.
Extras : None
Hyperenhanced Hearing
A novawith this enhancementcan hear and trans-
mit soundsthat are too high-pitchedor low-pitchedto
be audibleto the normalhumanear, suchas dogwhistles,
radio waves,or security devices that utilizeultrasonic
sound.
System.: The character spends a quantumpoint to
activatethe powerfor (Perception+Mega-Perception)
turns. Whiledoingso, the character gains an additional

CHAPTERFOUR MEGA ATTRIBUTES

& ENHANCEMENTS 163
 ABERRANT
three dice on any Awareness,Intrusionor other appro- Ultraperipheral Perception
priate rollrelated to hearing. Additionally,this enhance- Sometimesyou'llhear someonedescribed as "hav-
ment providesa numberof benefits: ing eyes in the back of his head." A novawith this en-
• Infra/ultrason ic hearing: Most characters can- hancementjust about meets that description. He can
not hear infrasonic or ultrasonic soundat all. A novawith sense allaroundhimselfmoreor less as readily as he can
this enhancementcan, though the Storyteller may re- lookstraight ahead.
quire an Awarenessrollif the soundis extremelysoft or System:A character with UltraperipheralPercep-
distant - just likehe wouldwith anynormalwhisper or tion can perceive things in a 360-degree circle around
distant sound. himselfwithout turning his head. This enhancementpre-
• Sonar: Likea bat, the novacan emit sonar waves vents a character frombeingsurprised by peoplesneak-
whichtravel awayfrom her, hit objects and "bounce" ing up on him from behind. Attackers do not gain flank
backto their source. This sense tellsthe characterwhere or rear attack bonuses to hit him. It also allowshimto
things are, how big they are and other gross physical keep track of everythingsurroundinghim.
qualities. On the other hand,sonar does not revealfiner This effect costs a quantumpoint and lasts for a
details or visualdetails, suchas the numberof fingerson scene.
a hand,color,finetextureor print. Sonarworksina 360-
degree radiusaroundthe character and are sufficiently
accurate to allowthe character to launchattacks with-
out any lossof dice or other penalties. Sonarcan be de-
tected with RadioScan.
• Radioscan:The nameof this techniqueis slightly
misleading,since it actuallyallowsthe character to per-
ceiveallbroadcastwaves, includingradio, televisionand
cellulartelephonetransmissions. The character mayalso
t.ransmit alongsuch wavelengths, thoughhe can trans-
mit voiceonly.
The character mayvoluntarily"shut off ' the sense
(to keep frombeing inundatedwith signals). Hecan also
edit out specific frequencies so that he hears onlya spe-
cific radio broadcast rather than all radio broadcasts,
television, and other broadcasts.
Mega-Intelligence
Intelligence, according to some, is the ultimate
Quantum Attunement weapon. If that's the case, a nova with this Mega-At-
The charactercansensethe ebbsandAowsof quan- tribute is ready to fight in any war.
tum energies in her vicinity . This gives her a A character with Mega-Intelligence is intelligent
hyperenhancedperception, allowingher to sense her beyondthe dreamsof even mostgeniuses. His abilityto
surroundingson the molecularlevel,even if her other makedeductive "leaps" from unrelatedfacts to a con-
senses havebeen incapacitated. The character muststill clusion,to solvedifficult problemsand to analyzesitua-
face in the generaldirectionof whatshe wishes to per- tions is nearly unparalleled. In some cases, novas with
ceive. highMega-Intelligence ratings have put powerfulcom-
System: By spending one quantumpoint per turn, puters to shame. In fact, even one dot of Mega-Intelli-
the character can attune herself to quantumenergies in gence effectively indicates that the humanIQ scale can
the area. Amongother things, this allowsthe character no longerbe appliedto the Mega-intelligentnova.
to makean Awarenessrollto senseher surroundingseven Like Intelligenceitself, Mega-Intelligencemainly
if completelydeprivedof one or moresenses. The char- representsthe qualityof a character'sthinkingprocesses
acter can also scan other novas by making a Medicine - howclearlyand preciselyhe can put facts together
roll; this allowsthe character to sense the roughlevelof and draw conclusions from them. However , unlikeIntel-
Quantum,Node and TaintTraits possessedby the other ligence, to a certain extent it also measuresthe speed at
nova. Withthree or moresuccesses, the charactermight whicha character can analyzefacts and performcalcu-
be able to guess at the other nova's powers,thoughthe lations. Characterswith highIntelligencesolveproblems
Storyteller should describe this in narrative terms, as quickly, but a novawith even Mega-Intelligence1makes
eddies and shifts in the localquantumflow(e.g., "Your them looklike mental tortoises. Whenit comesto react-
foe clencheshis fists, and quantumforces begin seeth- ing fast under pressure, though, Wits and Mega-Wits
ingaroundhis outstretched hands" as opposedto "He's stillrule the day.
going to throw a QuantumBolt"; "When she stretches,
nuclear forces scream and hiss around her frame," as
opposedto "She's got Mega-Strength 4.").

164 CHAPTERFOUR MEGA ATTRIBUTES

& ENHANCEMENTS
 ABERRANT

• Stupendous:Youdo advancedcal- If a novasucceeds in analyzingthe weaknessesin

culusproblemsin your sleep. largerobjects,suchas buildings,vehiclesor bridges,she
•• Amazing:Supergeniuseslookon knowswhere the cracks,weaknessesand/ or stresses in
you with envy. the object are. This analysisallowsher to place explo-
••• Incredible:An auditoriumfullof siveswhere they willbe the mosteffective,or to effect
professorsdoesn't have as much repairs as quicklyand efficientlyas possible. For each
brainpoweras you. success the character achieveson his Intelligenceroll,
•••• Spectacular: Yourmemoryfor even she receives an extra die (or sometimesmore) for re-
the most trivialdetails never fails lated Abilityrolls to affect the object in some way. For
you. example,if the nova's player achievesthree successes
••••• Godlike:Youmakesupercomputers on her AnalyzeWeaknessrollwhenexamininga space-
lookslowand stupid. craft, she receivesthree extra dice for Engineeringrolls
to fixor modifythe craft - or three extra dice for rolls
Mega-Intelligence Enhance- to destroy the ship with a bomb,since she knowsjust
ments where to put the bombfor maximumeffect.
Enhancementsthat characters with Mega-Intelli- If the novasucceeds in analyzinga systemor pro-
gence maylearn or purcha.se include: cedure - suchas a securitysystemor program,a plan
Analyze Weakness of attack, a tactical situation or a bureaucraticsystem
- she knowswhataspects of it are not as goodas they
Virtuallyeverything- every object, every sys-
could be; what parts of it are Aawed,weak or ineffi-
tem, every procedure - has flaws, weaknessesand
cient; and how the system or procedure could be im-
vulnerablepoints. In manyinstancesthese problemsare
proved.For each successthe playerachieveson her In-
so minoras to be unnoticeableto the averageperson. A
telligenceroll,she receivesone die (or sometimesmore)
novawith this ability,however,is not the "average per-
for related Abilityrollsto affect the object in someway.
son." Bydint of her vast intellectand analyticalprowess,
Forexample,if the nova'splayerachievestwo successes
she is able to detect where these weaknessesare, and
when analyzingthe guard patrols and other security
she knowshowto exploitthem to her advantage.
measures protecting a mercenary base in Africa, she
System:A nova with this enhancementis able to
gainstwo extra dice for Intrusionrollsto sneak intothat
detect weaknessesin objects, systemsand procedures.
base. If she were trying to get informationout of the
Sometimesthis Aawis physical(a place wherea crack is
federal court system,she wouldreceive two extra dice
likelyto develop) and sometimesa less tangibleweak-
for her Bureaucracyroll.
ness (a part of a security net where protection is light-
est). but ineither case, the novacan locate the problem. Eidetic Memory
Tofindandanalyzea weakness,the novamustspend AnynovawithMega-Intelligence has a well-devel-
an action lookingat and consideringan object or sys- oped memory.A nova with this enhancement,though,
tem. Then she spends a quantumpoint and makesan In- has a memorythat's virtuallyfoolproof. He can remem-
telligenceroll.The Storytellercan increasethe difficulty ber in precise detail just about anythingthat has hap-
of the roll if the nova is examininga particularlywell- pened to him. Anythinghe takes the time to study re-
madeor relativelyAawlessobject or if the systemor pro- mainslodgedin his mind. However,just because he can
cedurebeinganalyzedis so efficientthat it generallylacks store a particularfact in his memorydoes not mean he
any vulnerabilities.If the roll fails, the object or proce- can recall it instantly. Sometimesa character with Ei-
dure is withoutweaknessesor workingat peak efficiency detic Memoryhas to stop and thinkfor severalseconds
as far as the novacan tell. A novacan try to analyzethe or minutes,slowlyreadingdowna mentalpageor through
weaknessesin a particularobject or system only once a mentalfile untilhe retrieves the fact he wants.
per scene; if she failsit willbe a whilebefore she can try System:A character with Eidetic Memoryis as-
again. sumedto haveperfect, and nearlyinstantaneous,recol-
If the rollsucceeds, there are severalpossibleef- lection of anythingthat has happened to him. For ex-
fects. If the novais analyzinga physicalobject, such as ample,suppose that the characters have spent an hour
body armor or a wall,the soak valueof any armor pro- workingtheir waythroughthe labyrinthinehallsof some
vided by the object (both bashingand lethal)is reduced Teragen base. After the climacticencounter,the char-
by one per success. This effect can be applied t.o any- acters realize,to their dismay,that they cannot remem-
thing that offers physicalprotection, such as another ber how to get out again. Fortunately,one of them has
nova'sForceField,eventhoughit is not literallya "physi- EideticMemory,and he can leadthemback the waythey
cal object." came in withoutany problem.

CHAPTERFOUR MEGA ATTRIBUTES

& ENHANCEMENTS 165
 ABERRANT
Rememberingstudiedinformation worksa little dif-
ferently. Theoretically, the character has perfect recall
of anything he has studied, from the phone book to ad-
vancedquantumphysics textbooks. However,the prob-
lem with this in game terms is that it can provide the
characterwithmanyAbilities for free - a situation that
isn't fair to the other characters. Therefore, the Story-
teller needs to restrict this aspect of Eidetic Memoryin
a couple of ways. First, Eidetic Memoryprovides only
academicknowledge. It doesn't teach a character how
to do anything. The character might havememorized an
entire book on plumbing, but since he's never actually
put wrenchto pipe in his life, he can't fix plumbing sys-
tems. He'd be qualified to advisea character whodoes
havesuch skills, though.
Second, a character may not be able to recall a
memorized fact quickly, as stated previously. Whenever
the character wants to use his EideticMemory, the Sto-
ryteller shouldrequire an Intelligenceroll. The Story-
teller mayincreasethe difficultyfor particularlyobscure
facts. The Storytellershouldalsoset a base timerequired
for the novato recall the fact; this base time can range
from instantly,to one tum, to a minuteor more. Each
additionalsuccessachieved on the Intelligencerollcuts
the recalltime in half.
Characterswith Eidetic Memoryshouldbe encour-
aged to spend experiencepoints to buy Abilities related
to facts they havememorized. Thus, this enhancementis
an excellentjustificationfor characters to buy all sorts
of unusualand fun Abilities.
This enhancementis alwaysin effect and costs no
quantumpoints to activate.
Enhanced Memory
A novawiththis enhancementlacksthe long-term
brainpowerthat a nova with EideticMemoryhas, but
what he lacks in long-termmemoryhe makesup for in
short-term recall. Hecan study a subject and, for a brief
period, remembereverythinghe studiedalmostexactly.
Althoughthis informationfades quicklyafter that pe-
riod expires, it's there long enough for a character to
makeuse of it - say, on a mission. EnhancedMemory
is perfect for memorizingthings like floor plans. guard
patrol schedulesand personalinformationabout a tar-
get - just the sort of facts that come in handyon many
m1ss1ons .
System:The character chooses a particular sub-
ject or collectionof data to memorize. The subject must
not be too extensive- he can't choosethe entire works
of Shakespeare,for example. However,a completemis-
sion briefing, or one or two textbooks,or the ability to
speaka languageenoughto carry on a basic conversa-
166 CHAPTERFOUR MEGA ATTRIBUTES
& ENHANCEMENTS
lion, are all possible.
The player mustspend a quantumpoint and make
an Intelligence rollat + 1difficultyto memorizethe cho-
sen information successfully . Once memorized, the in-
formation remainsin the character's short-term memory
for a period equal to one day per dot of Mega-Intelli-
gence. After that period has passed, the information
beginsto fade at the rate of about 25% per day untilthe
character's recollection of it is virtuallygone.
Characters may, if they wish, use their Enhanced
Memoryas a justification for buyinga particularAbility,
which reflects permanentrecollection of a memorized
subject.
Mathematical Savant
Calculator'? Computer'? Who needs them'? A nova
withthis abilitycan run numbersin his head so fast that
reachingfor an electroniccalculatoris usuallya wasteof
time.
System:A novawith the MathematicalSavanten-
hancementcan performcomplexmathematicalequations
in his head almostinstantly. Multiplication and division,
even involvingfour- to eight-digitnumbers, takesonlya
secondor two. Morecomplexalgebra, trigonometryor
calculusproblemsmay take up to a minute. Extremely
complexmathematicaloperations such as all the calcu-
lationsnecessaryto launcha rocket to Jupiter, maytake
up to an hour.
Wheneverthe character is using a skillor Ability
involvingmath, such as trying to decode an encrypted
message, the Storytellershouldallowthe player to make
an Intelligenceroll. Eachsuccess bestowsan additional
die for any related Ability rolls.
This enhancementis alwaysin effect, and it costs
no quantumpoints to activate.
Linguistic Genius
Que/leheureet ii?
t Hablaespaiiol,senor?
Bomdia!
Sprechensie deutsch?
These phrasesare allas goodas hisnativelanguage
to a novawith this enhancement.A character with Lin-
guistic Geniusis, literally,a genius at linguistics and lan-
guage interpretation. He can usuallyspeak a lot of lan-
guages Auently,but more than that, he has an intuitive
understanding of the structure and nature of language.
Evenif he has never heard a particularlanguagebefore,
if he listens to someonespeakingit for a little while, he
willbe able to determine what the person is saying. He
won't necessarilybe able to speak the languagehimself,
so he mightnot be able to respond or participate in a
 ABERRANT
conversation,but he willknowwhat's beingsaid to him,
and sometimesthat's enoughto solveany problems.
System : Acharacterwiththisenhancementreceives
fiveautomaticsuccesseswhenthe playermakesLinguis-
tics rolls. Furthermore,the numberof languagefamilies
withwhichhe is familiaris quadrupled.Thus,a novawith
Linguistics5 andLinguisticGeniuswouldbe familiarwith
20 languagefamilies.
Evenbetter, the character has a limitedabilityto
comprehendspeech in languageswith whichhe is not
familiar.When he hears a languagehe does not know,
the playermaymakean Intelligenceroll. The Storyteller
shouldadd a difficultymodifierfor especiallycomplex
languages,situationswhere the character has difficulty
hearingthe languagebeingspokenor when the charac-
ter is not able to listen to the languagefor very long.
This enhancement is alwaysin effect and costs no
quantumpointsto activate.
Mental Prodigy
This broad enhancementis actuallyseveraldiffer-
ent enhancementsgrouped under a commonheading.
Eachof themrepresents a novawhohas an innatetalent
for,"feel for" or skillat a particulartype of Intelligence-
based (or -related) ability. The character must select a
specificcategory of this enhancement.
When a character spends a quantumpoint to acti-
vate thisenhancement,the effects and bonusesreceived
last for a minimumof an hour,and possiblylongerat the
Storyteller'sdiscretion.
Catergoriesinclude:
• Engineeri ng: AnEngineeringProdigyis a certifi-
ablegeniuswhenit comesto workingwithelectronicand
mechanicaldevices. He has an innate understandingof
howsuch devices work,howto repair or improvethem
and the synergiesthat result whenparticulartechnolo-
giesare combined.Hecan makeintuitiveleapsthat leave
ordinaryengineersscratchingtheir headsin puzzlement.
System: Wheneverthe character workswithelec-
tronic or mechanicaldevices, the player may make an
Intelligenceroll. For each success he achieves,he may
roll one extra die when makingEngineeringrollsor re-
lated rolls (it is the Storyteller's discretionas to what
constitutesa "related" roll,based on the situation).
• Financial: Economicsisn'tsucha "dismalscience"
to a novawiththis ability. Hehas a naturalunderstanding
of economicsand economicsystems,highFinance,mar-
ket manipulationand moneyin general.Givehima few
dollarsto investand he'llsoon turn them into a fortune.
Givehiman economyto manageand it willsoonbe hum-
mingalongefficientlyand productively.Let himanalyze
the stock marketfor you, and you willbe able to chart a
productiveinvestmentstrategy for years to come.
CHAPTER FOUR MEGA ATTRIBUTES& ENHANCEMENTS
System:Wheneverthe character is involvedwith
situations or problems concerning economicsand fi-
nance,the playermaymakean Intelligenceroll.Foreach
successachieved,the playergainsan additionaldie when
makingrollsrelated to such subjects.
• Investigative: SherlockHolmeshas nothingon a
novawith this ability. The character is a deductiveand
investigativegenius,able to read volumesof informa-
tion from the smallestclues. Althoughhe does not nec-
essarilyhaveany knowledgeof forensicscience,he has
an intuitiveability to figure out what clues mean. This
abilitymakeshima matchless detective - or a nearly
uncatchablecriminal.
System:Wheneverthe character is investigatinga
crime,interrogatingsomeone,or trying to solvea mys-
tery or puzzle,the playermaymakean Intelligenceroll.
For each successachieved,he mayrollan additionaldie
whenmakingInvestigationrolls,Interrogationrolls,Sci-
ence rollsfor specialtiessuch as Criminology, Medicine
rollsfor the specialtyForensicPathologyor related rolls
(it is the Storyteller'sdiscretionas to whatconstitutesa
"related" roll,based on the situation).
• Medical:MarcusWelby,eat your heart out -
and if you do, this character mightjust be able to patch
you back up. A nova with this enhancementis able to
diagnosediseases,treat injuriesand heal the sick as well
as an experienced physician.If he actuallyhas formal
medicaltraining (i.e., the MedicineAbility),he's even
better.
System:Wheneverthe character is involvedwith
situationsor problemsconcerningmedicine,healingin-
juries, fightingoff illnessesand diagnosingdiseases,the
player may make an Intelligenceroll. For each success
achieved, he may roll an additional die when making
Medicinerollsand any other rollsrelated to those tasks.
• Scientific:A ScientificProdigyis to generalsci-
ence what an EngineeringProdigy is to workingwith
technologicaldevices.Hehas an intuitiveunderstanding
of scientificsubjects in general,includingthe interrela-
tionshipsof various scientificspecialties and the best
waysto performexperimentsor analyzescientificdata.
System:Wheneverthe character is involvedwith
situationsor problems concerningscience or scientific
subjects (but excludingsubjects covered by Engineer-
ing Prodigyor MedicalProdigy,unless the Storyteller
rules otherwise), the player may make an Intelligence
roll.Foreach successachieved, he mayrollan additional
die whenmakingSciencerolls.
• Tactical:A novawith this enhancementis a ge-
niuswhen it comes to analyzingtactical and battlefield
situations,evaluatingresourcesanddeterminingthe best
wayto applythose resources to achievevictory in that
situation.Hisabilityto pullvictoryfrom the jaws of de-
167
feat, beat numericallysuperiorenemiesandconcoctbril-
liantstrategicand tacticalplansis nothingless than phe-
nomenal.And this abilityoften worksjust as wellwhen
applied to less dangerous,but no less violent,"battle-
fields" - such as the cutthroat corporate arena.
System:Wheneverthe character is involvedwith
situations or problemsconcerningtactics, strategy or
warfare (includingsuch things as corporate economic
warfareor politicalcampaigns),the playermaymakean
Intelligenceroll.For each success achieved,he mayroll
an additionaldie whenmakingrollsrelated to such sub-
jects. The character alsogainsa permanent+3to Initia-
Mega-Wits
tive. Mega-Wits is the flip side of Mega-Dexterity.
Mega-Dexterityreflects how quicklysome novas can
Speed Reading moveand react physically . Mega-Witsis howfast some
A nova with this enhancementis able to process novas can act and react mentally.As with Mega-Dex-
writtenand textualinformationfar faster than the aver- terity, each dot of Mega-Witsadds one to Initiativerat-
age reader. Whenhe's studyingsomething,sit back and ings.
watchthe pages fly past. Mega-Witsis one of the mostdisturbingMega-At-
System:The characteris ableto read text (whether tributesfor normalhumansto deal with. Watchinga nova
in a book,on a computerscreen or in anyother medium) pickup a truck or outrace bulletsjust seemssort of sur-
four timesas fast as the averagehighlyeducatedperson real after a while. But to see someone standing there
withoutany loss of comprehension:Additionally , when- calmlyin the middleof a firefight or workinga social
ever he is usinghisSpeed Readingability,the playermay situationlikea grandmasterwhocansee 20 movesahead
makean Intelligenceroll;each success adds one to the isdisconcerting.It's strangeto see suchlevel-headedness
speed multiplier for his reading (one success meanshe in the face of terrifying(to a normalhuman)danger or
is readingfivetimesas fast, twosuccessesmeansixtimes the applicationof superpowersin such "ordinary"situ-
as fast and so on). ations.
Thisenhancementis permanentandcosts no quan- • Stupendous:Evenwhenbulletsare
tum points to use. whizzingpastyourhead,youremain
Taint Resistance calmand collected.
•• Amazing:Everyonearoundyou
Thisnovais ableto makeamazinglyefficientuse of
hangson your witty words.
his brain cells, squeezingevery last drop out of the old
••• Incredible:Nothingsurprisesyou
gray matter.Asa result,the novasuffers less frommen-
- andevenif somethingdid.you'd
tal aberrationsbroughton byexpansionof the M-Rnode
never showit.
and tends to be more stable mentally.
•••• Spectacular:Foolingyou is aboutas
easy as fittingan elephantthrough
System:WhencalculatingpermanentTaintfromthe
a doorway.
NodeBackground,subtractthe character'sdots inMega-
••••• Godlike:Nothingon Earth can dis-
lnt.elligencefromthe Nodelevel. Thus,a novawithNode
turb your savoir-faire.
3 and Mega-Intelligence1withTaintResistancegets no
Taint from the Node Background,and wouldget only Mega -W its Enhancements
one point of Taint if she increasedher Node to 4. Enhancementsthat characterswithMega-Witsmay
learn or purchaseinclude:
Additionally,whenthe novagainsa mentalaberra-
tion, subtract the nova'sdots in Mega-Intelligencefrom Artistic Genius
the character's Taint to determine the severity of the A nova with this abilitypossesses an intuitivear-
aberration. This willnot eliminatean aberration that is tistic sense andskill. Heknowswhat"works"artistically,
only mild,but willlessen the effect of higher Taint on what doesn't, whichcolors complementeach other and
mentalaberrations, allowingthe nova to Functionwith how to knock a chip off a sculpturehere and there to
less impairmentas his brain reroutes around damaged turn a pedestrian piece into a masterwork. He mayalso
areas. be a skilledwriter,ableto express witha singlesentence
Thisenhancementis permanentandcosts no quan- or paragraph what it takes others pages and pages to
tum points to use. say. Novaswhoare ArtisticGeniusesare often the dar-
lingsof the highbrowart scene.

168 CHAPTERFOUR MEGA ATTRIBUTES

& ENHANCEMENTS
 ABERRANT

System: Wheneverthe character is attempting to System: The player of a nova with this enhance-
create or analyzeart, literature,cinemaor similarworks ment maymakea Wits rollat a difficulty penalty of one
or subjects, the player may make a Wits roll. For each wheneverhe decides to performmultipleactions(seep .
success achieved, he receives one automatic success 110).If he succeeds,the multipleactionpenalty(the num-
whenmakingArts rollsand related rolls. ber of dice subtractedfromhisdice pool,inother words)
This enhancementis alwaysin effect, and it costs is halved, rounding in favor of the character. Thus, a
no quantumpoints to activate. Multitaskingnovawhodecides to performthree actions
in a tum subtracts one die fromthe first task's dice pool,
Enhanced Initiative two dice from the second task's dice pool and two dice
Reacting in combat isn't just a matter of physical from the third task's dice pool (as opposed to the stan-
reAexes- it's a matter of quick thinking and mental dard dice penalties).
reaction time as well.Someonewho is able to compre- This power costs one quantumpoint per turn of
hend and analyzea combatsituationquickly- such as activation.
a novawith this enhanc~ment- has a definite advan-
tage over combatantswho react more slowly. Natural Empath
System:The playerof a novawith EnhancedInitia- Despite their inhumanity (or, as some wouldsay,
tive mayadd fivepoints to his Initiativerating whenever transcendenceof humanity),somenovasare very skilled
he pays the standard one quantumpoint cost. This bo- at figuringout what people are feeling. They have an
nus lasts Foronlyone turn; if the novawants the bonus instinctiveabilityto gaugeemotionsandemotionalstates.
to continue,he mustpayanotherquantumpointnext tum. Morehonorablenovasuse this poweras a wayto relate
A novamaypurchasethis enhancementmore than once, to {andoffer comfort to) normal people; selfish novas
thus gaining+10Initiative, +15Initiativeand so on. use it as a tool to manipulate,harass or degrade humans.
Additionally,if a nova with this enhancementde- System:Wheneverhischaracteris within10 meters
layshis actionand then acts at the same time as another of a normal human, the playermaymakea Wits roll. If he
character with a delayed action, the nova automatically succeeds, the nova has a general idea of the current
goes first without havingto roll. However, if the other emotionalstate of the person - happy,depressed, an-
character also has EnhancedInitiative or Mega-Dexter- gry, lustfuland so on. The more successes he achieves,
ity, the two players must roll in the usualfashionto de- the more accurate his assessmentof the person's emo-
terminewhoacts first. tions. In the right circumstances, the novamighteven be
able to determinewhat is causing the person to feel that
Lie Detector way, and what to do to change his emotionalstate (if
No polygraphis needed whena novawith this en- necessary).
hancementis around. Whenshe listensto a person talk- At distances greater than 10 meters, the novacan
ing and concentrates on what he is saying,she can in- still try to determine what emotionsa person is feeling,
stantly detect whether he is lyingor not. but it is harder. Out to 20 meters the difficulty increases
System: A novawith this Mega-Witsenhancement by one; 30 meters, by two; 50 meters, by three. The
needs only concentrate on what someone is saying to powercannot work beyond50 meters.
determine(withouta roll) if he is telling the truth or not. Regardless of the distanceto the "target," the nova
However,this ability does not reveal the truth per se, must be able to see himclearly. In some cases it maybe
onlythat someoneis tellinga falsehood. Furthermore, it necessaryto observehimfor severalminutesin order to
does not indicatethat a character is lyingif that charac- analyzehis emotionalstate correctly.
ter believesthat what he is sayingis the truth, even if it Players of novas with Natural Empathgain three
turns out to be wrong. If a "target" is particularlyskilled extra dice whenmakingRapport rolls. These dice come
at hidingthe truth (for example, he has high Manipula- in addition to any bonuses received simply for having
tion or Subterfuge Traits, or is a pathologicalliar), the Mega-Wits.
Storyteller may require the nova to makea Wits roll to This enhancementcosts a quantumpoint to acti-
determinewhether a lie is beingtold. vate and lasts for an entire scene.
One quantumpoint activates this power for an en-
tire scene. Quickness
Similarto both EnhancedInitiativeand Multitasking,
Multitasking this enhancementallowsa nova to take extra actions in
Novaswho wish for two heads and four hands so
combat. A nova with multiplelevels of this ability be-
that they can get everythingdone appreciate this en- comes a whirlwindof carnage and destruction in com-
hancement.It allowsa novato perform multipleactions bat, incapacitatinghis enemiesbefore they can even re-
with much more ease than the typical person. Indeed, act.
some novas make taking multipleactions seem almost
effort.less.

CHAPTERFOUR MEGA ATTRIBUTES

& ENHANCEMENTS 169
 ABERRANT
System:By spending a quantum point, the nova
gains an extra physical action during the current combat
tum. This action incursno dice poolpenalty- the nova
mayuse his fulldice poolswith both of his actions. How-
ever, this act ion comes two places later than the
character's Initiative rating for the turn.
A nova may purchase this enhancement multiple
times, thus gaining the ability to act three, four or more
times ina singlecombatturn with no dice pool penalties.
However,each extra action costs an additionalquantum
point and incurs an additional -2 Initiative penalty. Ac-
tions takenmustbe physicalactions; mostquantumpow-
ers, even "physical" ones likeQuantumBolt, maynot be
activatedmultiple times, thoughsuper-strength punches
or dodges maybe. The effects of Quickness last onlyfor
the turn of activation.
Synergy
A novawiththis enhancementworksand playswell
with others. He has an instinctiveability to figure out
what other people he is workingwith are going to do
and what he can do to assist them or complementtheir
efforts. Hebecomesthe oil that keepsthe machine work-
ing at peak efficiency.
System:Wheneverthe novaperforms a task with
other players' characters in such a way that they com-
binesuccessesto achieve a comn;iongoal, typicallyas an
ext.ended action(see p. 109), the nova'splayermaymake
a Wits roll. Everyonein the group receivesan additional
die for each success the nova's player achieves on his
roll.This die applies to whateverrollsany givenmember
of the group is making to advance the group's goal or
complete their task. The die bonus applies to all rolls
madefor aboutan hour or untilthe job is finished,which-
ever comes sooner. The player may not make multiple
Wits rollsto get multiplebonuses; onlyone Synergybo-
nus can apply to a givengroup during a giventime pe-
riod.
170 CHAPTERFOUR MEGA ATTRIBUTES
& ENHANCEMENTS
Social
Mega-Attributes
Mega-Appearance
Mega-Attributesrepresent the extremes of nova
nature (and thus, some wouldsay, of humannature as
well). Nowhere is this more apparent than Mega-Ap-
pearance. It shows, in the mostobviousand up-front way
possible, just howmuchbetter - and howmuchworse
- novascan be than humans.
Typically, Mega-Appearancerepresentsa novawho
is extraordinarily handsomeor beautiful.In this case the
nova shouldhave a standard Appearancescore of 3 or
higher,and 5 is not uncommon.Unlikethe "Unearthly
Beauty" aberration, the goodlooksderivingfromMega-
Appearance generallyare not especially unnervingto
normalhumans. They may inspire many emotions -
love, lust, envy, worship,you name it - but they usu-
ally do not give rise to the feelingsof unease, disquiet
and even disgust that UnearthlyBeauty does. Indeed,
Mega-beautifuland - handsome novas are among the
most popular of the "new humans," and they are fre-
quentlyfeatured on television, in advertisingcampaigns
and other mediaoutlets.
Eachdot of Mega-Appearancerepresentinggood
looks grants an additional die on all Style rolls. The
character's beauty or handsomenessis such that he is
ableto makeeventhe worstclotheslookgood(not fash-
ionable, maybe, but good). Similarly, the character usu-
allymakesa good first impression on looksalone.
In somerare instancesMega-Appearancecan rep-
resent the opposite extreme, signifyinga nova whose
looksare Mega-ugly,evenMega-horrifying. In this case
the nova'sstandard Appearanceratingcannot be higher
than I withoutspecialStoryteller permission (perhaps a
half-beautiful, halfterrifyinglyuglycharactercouldhave
a high Appearance and high "ugliness"Mega-Appear-
ance, for example). Mega-uglycharacters typicallyhave
high Taint ratings, and they often become as mentally
twisted as their bodies are physicallytwisted - anti-
socialand cruel, and alltoo ready to destroy any beauty
 ABERRANT
whichconfronts them. A Mega-uglycharacter is an ex-
ception to the rule that Mega-Attributescannot tran-
scend their normalhumanAttributeanalogs;a character
can have an Appearanceof I and Mega-Appearance of
any levelso longas it is definedas Mega-ugliness.
Mega-uglycharacters do not receive bonus Style
dice. However,they receive a likeamountof bonusdice
to any Intimidationrolls.
• Stupendous:Missor Mister
Americalooksplainnext to you.You
receive one extra die for all Style
rolls(in additionto your Mega-
Attributedice).
•• Amazing:A face that can launchat
least a hundredships, if not more.
Youreceive two extra dice for all
Style rolls.
••• Incredible:Okay,at least 500 ships.
Youreceive three extra dice for all
Style rolls.
•••• Spectacular:Helenof Troy,Adonis.
Youreceive four extra dice for all
Style rolls.
••••• Godlike:Aphrodite,Freya. Youre-
ceive five extra dice for all Style
rolls.
Mega-Appearance Enhance-
ments
Enhancementsthat characters withMega-Appear-
ance maypurchase include:
Appearance Alteration
Don'tlikeyour looks'?lf you're a novawith this en-
hancement,you can do somethingabout them.
AppearanceAlterationallowsa nova to make mi-
nor changesto his or her appearance. This can be done
simplyon a whim,or for fun. However,one of its main
uses for novaswhorely heavilyon their good looks is to
makesure they liveup to a particularperson'sor culture's
idea of what is ' beautiful." Someonewho is beautifulin,
say, America may not meet the standards for beauty
amongcertain ThirdWorldtribes; great beauty in China
may be uglinessin Argentina. Even more importantly,
individuals' ideas of what is beautifuldiffer wildly.One
guy is a "leg man," another goes wild for womenwith
red hair. Some womenlike men with "tight," muscular
bodies, others look at the eyes or some other feature
insteadof the figure.
A novawith AppearanceAlterationcan satisfy all
of these people. He can make minor changes or subtly
remoldhisbodyto conformto the desiresof those around
him. "Minorchanges" include: changinghair,eye or skin
color; gainingor losingup to about 50 pounds;gaining
or losingup to about four inchesof heightand increasing
CHAPTER FOUR MEGA ATTRIBUTES& ENHANGMENTS
or decreasingany particularaspect of figureor appear-
ance by no more than 20% or so.
System:The novacan makechangesinhis appear-
ance withinthe aforementionedguidelines,either con-
sciouslyor unconsciously . Anychangesother than those
listed require the Storyteller's permission.In no event
can the character reshape his bodyto growclaws,wings
or eyestalks, for example.Onlyoutwardphysicalappear-
ance can change. Sincethis enhancementdepends upon
the perceptionsand tastes of those observingthe char-
acter, it cannot functionas a disguiseor to conceal the
character's identity.
To change his appearance consciously,the nova
need onlypaythe one quantumpointand willthe changes
intoeffect.To changeappearance t.o matchwhat a par-
ticularpersonor groupof peoplefinddesirable,the nova
must pay the quantumpoint and be in that person or
persons' presence for a minuteor two. Duringthat time
the changes willslowly but surely take place. The nova
can draw the changesout over a period of up to a day if
he prefers, whichis sometimesdoneto keep fromfright-
eningpeople whoare not used to nova powers.
A novacannot use AppearanceAlterationto make
himselfresemblea specificother individual;that requires
the Copycatenhancement.Nor can he use it to hide par-
ticularly grotesque aberrations unless the Storyteller
specificallypermits it. For example,some forms of Ab-
errant EyesmightbeaffectedbyAppearanceAlteration;
VestigialLimbscouldnever be hiddenthis way.
The powerlasts for one scene.
Awe -Inspiring
Many myths tell of gods and demons whose vis-
ages are too "awful"(awe-inspiring)for mortalsto gaze
upondirectly. A novawith this enhancementhas taken a
page from that book, for his appearance, too, inspires
awe.
A nova with the Awe-Inspiringenhancementhas
looksthat, for whateverreason, giverise to awe, admi-
ration and even worship. Normal humans often have
trouble dealing with him in a straightforward manner.
Weak-willedpeoplefeelmoreinclinedto edge awayner-
vouslyor be worshipful;evenstronger-willedpeoplefeel
intimidated,inadequateand cowed. It's not uncommon
for an Awe-Inspiringnova to be surrounded by an en-
tourage of fawning,adoringlackeyswherever he goes.
System:This effect works only when the people
are in the nova'spresence and lookingat him; whenthey
are awayfrom himor not lookingat himAwe-Inspiring
cannot affect them. Of course, they maycome to wor-
ship and revere him anyway,even if they are not near
him, but that depends upon the individualsin question.
Awe-Inspiringis not Domination;it's far weaker than
that, and it shouldn'tbe playedthat way.
I/ I
 ABERRANT
For each dot the playerof a novawithAwe-Inspir-
inghas in Mega-Appearance,he receivesone automatic
success whenmakingIntimidation, Commandand Inter-
rogationrolls(inadditionto the standardMega-Attribute
bonuses for Mega-Appearance). He shouldget similar
bonuses to any roll related to persuadingor inspiring
people. This enhancementis one of manyreasons why
governmentofficialsare terrified of the idea of novas
becomingheavilyinvolvedin politics or religion.
Awe-Inspiringis affected negativelyby Taint.For
each aberration the novahas, reduce the Awe-Inspiring
automatic successesby one. If the nova's aberrationsever
exceed his dots in Mega-Appearance,his Awe-Inspir-
ing enhancement no longer has any effect on people.
Similarly, a characterwithAwe-Inspiring generallyshould
not be Mega-ugly; that does little to inspire worshipin
anyone.
This enhancementcosts one quantumpoint to ac-
tivate and lasts for a scene. Evenwhen it isn't actively
"on," the novais still phenomenallycaptivating,and the
Storytellershouldkeep this in mind(servers are defer-
ential, groupiesthrow themselvesat the nova,etc.).
Copycat
Beingyourselfgets kind of boring sometimes. Why
not be a famousmodelor actor'?Or the President'?
Copycatwilllet a novado just that, at least as far as
outwardappearancegoes. After studyingthe subject to
be imitated(either in personor froma goodphotograph),
the novacan makehimselflooklikethat person - even
a personof the oppositegender. However,these changes
are purely cosmetic;no changes to internalorgans oc-
cur.
System:Copycatallowsa novato shape himselfinto
an exact duplicateof another person. Makingthe change
does not require a roll. However,the novamustbe in the
presence of the person to be duplicated, or havea high-
qualityvisual representationof himor her to work from.
It takes about one minuteto makethe changes;the nova
can cut this time in half by makingan Appearanceroll.
Copycatcosts one quantum point to activate, and the
changeslast for a scene.
Copycatdoes not allowthe character to add to or
removeanythingfromhis physicalform. He can't growa
tail, lose his VestigialLimbs, create a sixth finger on his
left hand, changehis fingerprintsor retina prints, or do
anythingsimilar.
Face of Terror
A novawith this enhancementcan resemblesome-
thingout of a horror movie. Hisappearance becomesso
terrifying that few people can stand to spend any time
withhim. Instead,theyrun screamingin fear; if prevented
from Aeeing,they maygibber in terror, faint or suffer a
heart attack.
172 CHAPTERFOUR MEGA ATTRIBUTES
& ENHANCEMENTS
System:Face of Terror allowsa nova to assumea
ter rifying appearance. This ability is most common
amongnovaswhoare Mega-ugly,but it is not restricted
to them. Sometimesit is even more horrifyingto see a
Formof great beauty slowlywarp itself into something
terrifyinglyhideous.
To use this power, the novasimplyspends a quan-
tum point.If he is ordinarilyugly,the terrifyingchanges
to his appearance maybe slight,or evennonexistent-
but somethingabout his appearance becomes not just
bad-looking,but very frightening. It's as if an aura of
fear surroundshim.If the character is normallybeautiful
(or at least not ugly), the changesto his appearance will
bemuchmoreextreme.Theywilltake placeover no more
than a minute, and sometimes, it happens much more
quicklythan that.
ln either case, the nova's appearance remainster-
rifying for a scene; this time limitcan be extended by
spendingmore quantumpoints. Whilethis enhancement
is in effect, the playerreceivesthree automaticsuccesses
when makingIntimidation rolls or other rolls based on
fear or disgust.This bonusincludesany poweror ability
that allowsthe character to inspire those emotions in
others.
To a certain extent, this power depends upon the
psycheof the person(s) looking at the nova. Uglinessand
horror, likebeauty, are often in the eye of the beholder,
so the nova's Faceof Terror maylookdifferent whenhe
confronts, say, a group of Asiansinstead of Americans.
First Impression
First impressionsare just as importantas everyone
says. A character witha highAppearancerating is typi-
cally quite good at makingthem; one with Mega-Ap-
pearance even more so. However,a nova with this en-
hancementbeats them both. Unlesshe deliberatelytries
to offend or annoysomeonewhomhe is meeting, he al-
ways makesjust the right impression. Dependingupon
what the person he meets is seeking,he mayseem to be
an enjoyable,likableperson; someonewho can get the
job done; a potentialmate; you name it. Whatever the
other person is seeking, she willfind it in the nova.
System:When meetingsomeonefor the first time
(or perhapsafter a longtimeapart), the novamayspend
one quantumpoint to activate this enhancement.lf he
does so, the other person automaticallygainsa goodfirst
impressionof him. He maydeliberatelysay or do some-
thing to negate this effect, but even an accidentalfaux
pas or unthinkinglytactless remarkwillnot be enoughto
shakethe good impressionhe makes. That good impres-
sionwillremainwiththe other personuntilthe novadoes
somethingto ruin it (whether in the person's presence
or not; bad reports about the novain the media, for ex-
ample, mayruin manyuses of First Impression)or other
 ABERRANT
people convincethe target of First Impressionthat he those attributes that the target finds most desirous or
has the novaall wrong. Of course, even a good first im- arousing, and the nova'sappearance subtly changes to
pressionmaynot get the novawhathe wants- making matchthat perception. The changesfade as soon as the
a good impressionon the guards at the White House target isno longerin the nova's presence; activatingthem
doesn't meanthey'll let you in. again requires another quantumpoint.
Furthermore,this effect also makesthe novaseem While this enhancementis active, the novareceives
like just whatthe other person is looking For. 1fthe novathree automaticsuccesseson any rollto seduceor per-
ison a job interview, FirstImpression willmakehimseem suade the target. If there is any question, it is the
to be perfectlysuited for the job. Ina singlesbar or night-
Storyteller's discretion as to whetherthe bonusapplies.
club,it willmakehimseem likethe perfect date, poten- Playersand Storytellersshouldrememberthat this
tial spouseor one-night stand (dependinguponwhatthe enhancement is based entirely uponthe nova's appear-
other person is there For). ance. lt does nothingto change his habits, attitude, or
personality- as sexy as he looks, he maystillturn the
Mr. Nobody target off. However,Seductive Looks, and the bonuses
ln some ways, this paradoxical power is the oppo- it provides, can be used in conjunction with the Seduc-
site of Mega-Appearance,since it allowsa novato make tive enhancementfor Mega-Charisma.Usedtogether, the
himselflook completelynormal. The otherwise beauti- two enhancementsmakethe novaboth lookandact like
ful,handsomeor uglynovais able to converthis features
the target's ultimatesexualfantasy.
into the unobtrusive ones of Joe or Jane Average. The The effects of the power last Fora scene.
bright side to this anonymityis that it becomeseasy to
pass for a normalhuman.
System:By spending a quantumpoint, the nova is
able to maskhis Mega-Appearance. For all intents and
purposes he has an Appearancescore of 2 - average.
He looksjust like the everydayman on the street. Al-
thoughhe cannot hide the fact that he radiatesquantum
energy (which other novascan often detect), to the av-
erage person he willseem likejust another averageper-
son. Alternatively , the charactercansimplyspenda quan-
tum point to become completely unobtrusive("I'm not
the droid you're looking for.").
However, a character with this enhancementstill
mayhavedifficulties passing for normalifhe hasacquired
any aberrations. Mr. Nobodymaskstwo point of Taint,
plus one extra point per dot of the character's Mega-
Mega-Manipulation
Appearance. Additionalpoints of Taint still affect the A Mega-Manipulative novahas the worldwrapped
nova's ability to interact withbaselineswithout disturb- around his little finger. He is a master at influencing
people in many different ways, from subtle methods
ing them. Furthermore, Mr. Nobody willnot hide gro-
tesque physical aberrations such as Vestigial Limbsor (persuasion, personalcharm,bribery) to more in-your-
face tactics (intimidation,blackmail, devious trickery).
SloughedFlesh; it will, however, cover up Unearthly
The fact that the nova is able to see through at-
Beauty.
The effects of this powerlast for a scene. tempts to deceive or influencehimis equallyas impor-
tant. Mega-Manipulative novasare so good at perceiv-
Seductive Looks ingwaysto affect others' opinions that theycan tellwhen
A nova with this enhancementhas the ultimate in someoneelse is trying to do it to them.To simulatethis
sex appeal. He looksjust likethe man (or woman)of the effect, each level of Mega-Manipulationadds bonusdice
target's most lustfuldreams. lf the target is aroused by (inaddition to the standardbonusMega-Attributedice)
leggywomen,for example,a femalenovawiththis power to detect or resist beingmanipulatedor tricked.
wouldseem to the target to be a bit taller and leggier • Stupendous: Experiencedcon men
than she might reallybe - she'd be "just right" as far regard your skillswith reverence.
as the target is concerned. Youreceiveoneextradie on anyroll
System: By spending a quantum point, the nova to detect or resist attempts to ma-
makeshimselfseemextremelysexyand seductiveto the nipulateor trick you.
target. (Notethat the target need not be of the opposite
gender as the nova.) The target perceiveshim as having

CHAPTERFOUR MEGA ATTRIBUTES

& fNHANCEMfNTS 173
 ABERRANT
•• Amazing:Evenlawyerscan't twist Persuader
facts and persuade others as well A novawiththisenhancementis an expert at bring-
as you can. Youreceive two extra ingpeople aroundto his point of view. He has an innate
dice on any rollto detect or resist talent for knowingwhat people are thinkingand subtly
attemptsto manipulateor trickyou. manipulating their opinionsuntilthey are thinkingwhat
••• Incredible:Peoplewillfollowyouto he want them to think. He's a spin doctor supreme.
the ends of the Earth if you ask System:Whenever the nova wishes to persuade
them to. Youreceive three extra someoneto change their opinion,perform a particular
dice on any rollto detect or resist task, or the like, the player receives bonus successes.
attemptsto manipulateor trickyou. The exact numberof successesdependsuponwhathe is
•••• Spectacular: Odysseuswouldad- trying to persuade the target to do. lf the request is
mireyourcunning.Youreceivefour somethingnormal,relativelyinnocuousor harmless,the
extra dice on any rollto detect or novagets three automaticsuccesses. Requeststhat in-
resist attempts to manipulateor volvechangingstrong opinionsor expose the character
trick you. to minordanger,embarrassmentor troubleget two au-
••••• Godlike:LokiandAnansiregardyou tomatic successes. Requests which are dangerous or
as an equal.Youreceivefive extra could get the target in extreme trouble get one auto-
dice on any rollto detect or resist maticsuccess(and the target normallyhas somekindof
attempt.s to manipulateor trickyou. Willpoweror other resisted roll).
Mega-Man ipu lat ion Enhance- The novamustspend a quantumpoint;the effects
last for one request or series of related requests.
men ts
Enhancementsthat characterswithMega-Manipu- Trickster
lationmaylearn or purchaseinclude: UnlikeP. T.Barnum,you can fool all of the people
all of the time. Trickery,treachery, deceit and sneaki-
Hypnotic Gaze ness are your stock in trade.
A novawith this enhancementpossesseslow-level A novawith this enhancementpossessesan intui-
hypnoticabilities. Althoughnot as effectiveas the Hyp- tivetalent for trickingand foolingpeople. Shecouldtrick
nosisor Dominationpowers,it's stilla usefulabilitywhen Arabs into buyingsand or Eskimosinto buyingrefrig-
the character wants to persuade someoneto do some- erators. Somehowshe can sense a person's vulnerabili-
thing. ties and "soft" spots and use themagainsthim. Noone is
System: The nova must be withinthree meters of safe from a Trickster's wiles.
the personto be hypnotized,andshe mustmakeeyecon- System: Wheneverthe nova tries to trick, fool or
tact with him. lf they are separated or eye contact is deceive another character, the player receives three
blocked,the attempt to hypnotizethe target automati- automaticsuccesses on any roll necessary to the task.
callyfails. Usually,this rollinvolvesSubterfuge,but other Abilities
An attempt to hypnotizetakes a little while- at maybe involveddependingon the situation.
least 10seconds,and usuallya minuteor longer. The tar- The nova spends a quantumpoint to activate the
get must be willingto undertake (or at least not com- enhancement,and the effects lastfor the durationof the
pletely adverse to) what the nova is suggesting;Hyp- situationthat the novais seekingto tum to her advan-
notic Gazecannot be used to makesomeonedo some- tage.
thing she is opposed to doing. However,the attempt to
hypnotizethe subjectdoes not haveto be obvious;it can, The Voice
for example,be workedinto normalconversationif the Just talkingto a novawiththis enhancementcanbe
novais clever. lf necessary,the Storytellercan havethe dangerous. She is ableto pitchher voiceso that she uses
target makea Manipulationor Perceptionroll to figure infrasoundand subharmonics,mixedin with her normal
out what the nova is trying to do. talk,to givenearlyirresistiblesuggestionsandcommands
Oncethe novameetsallthese conditions,the player to whomeverher speech is directed at. Additionally, her
needs onlyspend a quantumpointand makea Manipula- voice is, in general,pleasantto listento; her singingcan
tion roll. lf the roll succeeds, the target is hypnotized be absolutelydivine.
and willdo as instructed. A posthypnoticsuggestioncan System:The nova exerts a subtle mental control
alsobe implantedto makethe target do something(such effect through her voice. Only one person can be af-
as go to sleep or scream) whenhe experiencesa certain fectedby thisabilityat a time.The subjectmustbe within
outsidestimulus.A posthypnoticsuggestionlasts for one 20 metersof the nova,andmustbe ableto hear the nova
day per dot of Manipulationand Mega-Manipulation the - deafnesson the part of the subject, or other noises
novahas; thereafter it loses alleffect. that drown out the nova's speech, prevent The Voice

174 CHAPTERFOUR MEGA ATTRIBUTES

& f:NHANCl:Mf:NTS
 ABERRANT
frombeingused successfully . The other majorlimitation
on this abilityis that any order givenmust be one that
can be perfonned in one turn - "Drop the knife!" or
"Untieme!", for example, but not "Playcomputergames
until I tellyouto stop" or "Tortureyour friendto death."
Any orders or suggestionsthat wouldtake longer than
one tum to perfonnare automaticallyignoredby the tar-
get.
To use The Voice, the playermakesa Manipulation
roll. If he·scores evenone success, the attempt succeeds
- but the target may stop himselffrom followingthe
order or suggestion.The target makesa Wits roll to re-
sist the command;each successhe rollscounteractsone
of the novaplayer'ssuccesses. lf the net result is zeroor
less, the commandfails. The target mayalso spend one
or more points of Willpowerto cancelsuccessesat a 1:1
rate.
The playerof a novawithThe Voicemayapplyher
Mega-Manipulation bonusdice to any Arts (Singing) or
Perform(Singing)rollsshe makes.
Mega-Charisma
Mega-Charismarepresents the ultimatein personal major, or the like - the Storyteller may reduce the
chann and appeal.A novawith this Mega-Attributeex- bonusfor the power, at his discretion, or give the target
udessuchself-confidence,poiseand chann that she can a bonuson any rollshe makesto resist the order.
win over just about anybody. Other people wantto like
and to pleaseher, and they do.
Characters with Mega-Charismaare naturallyat
homein socialsituations. They carry themselvesso well
that they are the life of any party. They are bon vivants Char ismatic novas use that phenomenonto their advan-
par exce/fence; even if they don't reallyfeel likebeingat
a party, they're able to masktheir feelingsand seemex-
tremelyamicableto one and all.
• Stupendous:Evenyour worst en-
emies findyou likable.
•• Amazing: Youcould spillfood and
drinkalloveryourself andstillseem cess achieved subtracts one success from the victim's
elegant.
••• Incredible: Not even a tornado can
ruffle your feathers; even in the
most trying situationsyou are
poisedand channing.
CHAPTER FOUR MEGA ATTRIBUTFS & l NHANCfMrNTS
•••• Spectacular: Bitter, lifelong
enemieswillmakepeace just to be
able to spend time withyou.
••••• Godlike: Evenalienraces find you
fascinating and personable.
Mega-Charisma Enhance-
ments
Enhancementsthat characterswith Mega-Charisma
maylearn or purchase include:
Commanding Presence
A nova with this enhancement is a born leader.
Whenhe givesan order, people obeyright away- even
if it exposes them to harm. Even when they are away
fromhim, peoplerememberhis wordsand try their best
to fulfillhis orders and liveup to his example.
System:The nova's playerreceivesthree automatic
successeson any roll that involvescommandingpeople
or givingorders. Thisbonusdoes not apply to attempts
to persuadesomeonethroughreason or logic, appealto
peopleon a personallevel, or the like; it worksonlywhen
the character gives commands. The target of this en-
hancementmay makewhateverrolls he nonnallycould
to resist the order, or spend a Willpowerpointto refuse
the order.
A novawith Commanding Presence does not nec-
essarilyhave to be fonnallyauthorizedto giveorders to
someonefor this enhancementto work - he does not
have to be the person's boss, commanding officer or
parent. He can simplygive orders and wait for them to
be obeyed - that's what this powerlets himdo. How-
ever, if he is notably"beneath" the person - an ordi-
nary citizentrying to order a high-rankinggovernmen-
tal official around, a corporal givinginstructions to a
Dreadful Mien
When you reallylike someone, their anger or dis-
appointment can come as a crushing blow. SomeMega-
tage. Their use their charmas a weapon- evenincom-
bat, enemieswantto likethem, and that, combinedwith
the force of the nova's displeasure, makesit difficult for
the enemyto attack.
System: The nova focuses his displeasureon one
enemy, and the playermakesa Charismaroll.Eachsuc-
roll to hit the nova. If this cancellationresults in no net
successes for the attacker, he misses the nova, having
flinched and pulledhis attack aside rather thanrisk hurt-
ing such a likablefellow.A novausingthis enhancement
I /'J
 ABERRANT

whotakes any violentor threateningactions toward the Seductive

target (as perceivedby the target) whileusingit auto- This enhancementis the behavioralcomplementto
maticallynegates its effects. The nova may attack the SeductiveLooks. A novawhopossesses it is able to de-
target's friendsand compatriots;however,this allowsthe termine instinctively what behaviors a given individual
victimto makea Willpowerroll to resist the successes finds sexy, desirable and attractive - then uncon-
scored by the nova. If the nova has previouslyattacked sciouslyadopt those behaviors.
the victim during the scene, increase the difficulty for System:The nova must be close to (i.e., within 10
using DreadfulMienby one per tum during whichthe meters of) his target, and the player must makea Cha-
novaattacked the victim. risma roll.If he succeeds, he has determinedwhat sort
DreadfulMiendoes not work at range. If the target of behaviorthe target findssexy- coquettishness,self-
is morethan three meters awayfromthe nova,it is inef- confidence, sluttiness or vivacity. He automatically
fective. adoptsthat behavior as his own, thus makinghimselfeven
The enhancementcosts one quantumpointto acti- more attractive than normalto the target.
vate, and the effects last for the duration of the con- While this enhancementis active, the player re-
frontation. ceives three automaticsuccesses on any roll to seduce
Natural Agitator or persuade the target. If there is any question, it is the
Whenpeoplelikeyou, sometimesthey willdo things Storyteller's discretion as to whetherthe bonusapplies.
for you, or thingsthat you ask them t.o do. That's doubly Of course, this enhancementis based entirelyupon
true for a nova with this power. Since everybody likes behavior or body language; it does not alter looks at all.
him so much, they hang on his every word. If he tells Altering looks in that fashionrequires Seductive Looks.
them to do something, they'llseriouslyconsider it. The two enhancementsmay be combined to create an
System:Whenhe is speakingto a person, or evena almostirresistiblyattractive packagefor any victim.
crowd of people, the novacan use this enhancementto Soothe
persuade them to do things. This enhancement'sname The nova is a natural at soothing others' jangled
derives from one of its obvious uses - sparking riots nerves. Just being around himhas a calmingeffect. He
and agitation. The player makes a Charisma roll. If he even makes it easier for normalhumansto cope with
succeeds, the person or crowdwilldo anyt.hing the nova novas.
says, so long as they would at least be inclinedto per- System:When the player spends a quantumpoint
form the action in question. For example,people are in- and makesa Charismaroll, the character and everyone
clined to buy food, so a novacoulduse NaturalAgitator within 10 meters of him becomes calm. Stress drains
to convincethemt.o buyalltheir foodat a particular store away, leavingpeoplehappier and calmer.Noone affected
or restaurant. by Soothe(includingthe novausingit) can attack or take
IFthe novascores more than one success, he may any other hostileaction unlessthe person either makes
be able to persuade the person or crowd to do things it a Wits roll and scores more successes than the nova
wouldn't normallywantto do - start a riot, for example. achievedon his Soothe roll, or spends a point of Will-
However,the targets get to makeWillpowerrollsto re- powerto overcomeSoothe's effects.
sist Natural Agitator; every success rolled cancels one Additionally , Soothe can help to overcomethe ef-
of the nova's successes. fects of Taint. For each success achieved on the Cha-
The effects of Natural Agitator usuallylinger for risma roll, one point of Taint possessed by any novas
about an hour, or until someoneelse has the chance to within the radiusof effect is temporarily negated as re-
talk some sense into the victim(s). More subtle, agree- gards interactionwith baselines withinthe affectedarea.
able, effects may last longer; extreme effects mayvan- The power lasts for a scene. Alleffects of this en-
ish almost as soon as the victimsare out of the nova's hancementdisappear if an affected person wandersbe-
presence. yond the 10-meter radius.
For Natural Agitator to work, the nova must be
physicallypresent to talk to the victims. The enhance-
mentdoes not workoverradio, televisionor other broad-
cast media. The effects last for a singlescene.

I 76 CHAPTERFOUR MEGA ATTRIBUTES

& ENHANCEMENTS
 CHAPTER
FIVE:
ANTUMPOWERS
More than any other Trail (except perliapsTaint),
that whichdefines novas is their quantum powers -
their superliumanabilities. Even more than Mega-At-
tributes, powers separate the superhumans from the
humansin a way that's clear for all to see.
Allnovashavecertain powers in common,mostof
which relate to their ability to resist and heal injuries
and diseases. For further informationon commonnova
powers, seep . 160. The powersdiscussedin this section
are those whichnovashaveto buy withnovapoints(dur-
ing character creation) or experience points (after the
gamehas begun).
ning,but they look and act just likefire or lightning.For
all intents and purposes they are the real thing, not
"quantum energy." A power based on fire has all the
chemicaland physicalproperties of fire - it givesoff
heat, can set other objects on fire and consumesoxy-
gen.
However, manynovas' quantumpowers are obvi-
ouslynot derived from "natural" forces. For example,a
nova might Immolateherself with raw nuclear forces
rather than fire, and even if she seems to wield"flame,"
it might bum eerie green, feel cold to the touch or in
some other waybetray its distinctionfrom "real" fire.

Choosing Your
The Nature of Power's Effects
Quantum Powers The upshot of this seemingvariety in game terms,
is that novacharacters shouldchoosesomephenomenon
At their heart, allnovapowersare exactlythe same or "specialeffect" for their powers. Whenyoubuy pow-
thing: manipulationof quantumenergies. Whenyou get ers, customizethem - or at least their names - to
right downto it, that's all a novacan do - control and represent the type of phenomena they resemble. For
work w,th quantumenergies. There isn't a nova in the example, if a novahas powersbasedon manipulatingfire,
world who can actually,for example,ignite fire out of when his player buys QuantumBolt he can write "Fire
nothingness or fry a foe's synapses. The Mazarin- Strike" on the character sheet to give the power a little
Rashoudnode does not give any human the ability to bit of individuality . Eachnova'spowersare different,even
manipulatethe weather or disintegrate objects with a though they are built using the same game effects and
touch - what it does 1sallowa humanto employquan- rules, and your character's powers should reflect his
tumenergiesinsucha wayas to do those thingsor mimic uniquenature.
those effects. Addingan Extra {p. 230) can really help make a
Howeverjust about everyone in 2008 has seen a powerdistinctive. Manynovashave QuantumBolts, for
nova(or footage of a nova)throwingblasts of fire, cre- example. But if a fire-manipulatingnovawantsto be able
ating ice storms or manipulatingmagnetic fields. Their to toss fireballsarouncf,he can create a Fireballeffect"
powersclearlyseem to differ. by buyinga QuantumBoltand addingthe ExplosionEx-
The solution to this paradox lies in the fact that tra to it.
humans- even those whohave become novas- un- In some cases, a nova's manifestationof quantum
derstandquantumenergiesimperfectly,at best.Although energies mightprovideusefulplot hooksfor stories. For
most novasare aware that quantumenergies are at the example,an Immolatepower based on control of fire
root of their powers, they cannot alwaysliterallyper- couldbe extinguishedby dumpingthe nova in water or
ceive those energies m their raw form. Their minds, For coveringhim up with sand. A nova whose Immolateis
whateverreason, simplydon't grasp their powers that based on nuclear forces wouldprobablybe completely
way. unaffected by such treatment. A nova with magnetic
Instead, they often think of their powers in terms powers might not be able to work with computers or
of phenomenathey are used to: fire, ice, wind, super- other magneticstorage media. In short quantumpow-
strong muscles, magnetism or a thousandother formsof ers alwayshavean effect on the worldaround the nova,
energyor matter that are Familiar and comfortable.Thus, and vice versa, and the playerand Storytellershouldal-
a givennova's powers maynot actuallybe fire or light- wayskeep that in mind.
 ABERRANT
A Nova's Origin
The primary factor that inAuenceshow a nova's
powers manifestis the circumstancesunder whichthey
first arise. Sincethe growth of a Mazarin-Rashoud node
is commonlytriggered by a traumaticor stressfulsitua-
tion (and the increasedadrenalinelevelsthat such situ-
ations cause), many novas' powers first appear in the
midstof some crisis - a house fire, a car wreck, a riot
or anyof countlessother emergencies.This triggerevent
often influenceshow their powers work and what they
looklike. For example a fire-wieldingnova mightresult
from a house fire. A cryokineticnova can result from
exposure to the elements or avalanches. The possibili-
ties are virtuallyendless.
Of course, this guidelineis just that; not a rule. A
novawhosepowersfirst manifestwhilehe's trapped in a
house fire might end up with control over gravityfields
- it's a functionof the wayhis mindworks as muchas
it is the traumaticsituation. But the trauma often plays
an importantrole and it shouldnot be ignoredwhencre-
ating a newcharacter.
Creating and Altering
Powers
We've tned to create a list of generalquantum
powers representative of what the novas of 2008
have been known to do. However, each nova 1san
1nd1vidual, and no rigid guidelinescan accuratelycap-
ture every aspect of every nova's powers. These
powerdescriptions are guidelinesrather than abso-
lutes. As such, feel free to twist them around to suit
your concept and chronicleneeds.
In general, when altering powers, try to bal-
ance one parameter against another. For example,
maybe you want a QuantumBolt that has an incred-
ible range, but loses energy as it travels; ,f so, buy a
normalQuantumBolt, increase ,ts maximumrange,
but dictate that the blast loses damage effect as ,t
travels outward. If your character has a stronger or
weaker version of a listed power - for example,
clawsthat extend 30 feet and can slice diamond, or
only the EMP technique of the MagneticMastery
power- increase or decrease the power's level
accordingly.And, of course, Storyteller permitting,
you're free to create your ownpowers: simplycom-
pare your creation to the listed powers, decide 1fit's
Level 1,2 or 3, and run with it.
178 CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM POWERS
Power: General
Rules
With a very few exceptions, all powers are rated
from 1to 5; this power ratingadds to an appropriate
Attribute when calculatingthe skill total of the power.
Likeany other Trait combination,the skill total is used
to wield the power; thus, a nova with a Dexterityof 4
and a QuantumBolt of 3 rolls seven dice to hit targets
with her QuantumBolt.The nova-pointcost per dot in
the powerdepends uponits level;so does the quantum-
point cost per use of the power.
Powersactivate automaticallyand instantaneously
on the character's Initiative rating; for example, a char-
acter with a QuantumBoltdoes not haveto concentrate
to fire. However,each activation of a powercounts as an
action for purposesof determining multipleactions. For
the most part, powers are governedby the same rules
that applyto other attacks. Hand-to-handpowers, such
as Claws,can be blocked; ranged powerscan be dodged.
Mental powers (those notedas suchin their description)
maynot be dodgedor blocked, but they maytypicallybe
resisted; see the individualpower description for spe-
cifics.
At the Storyteller's option, a character with a
rangedpower(suchas QuantumBolt)can use that power
to blockanother character's use of that power- in ef-
fect, the defending novais usinghis ownpowerto shoot
the other power out of the air. This ' power block" is
doneusingthe normalrulesfor block exceptthat it works
at rangeand the playeruses the nova'sdots in the power
to determine success, rather than his Martial Arts or
BrawlAbility.
Extra successes on an attack roll add to the dam-
age dice poolof powers that inAict direct damage, such
as QuantumBoltor Disintegration,unlessthe text of the
power indicatesotherwise.
All novas are immuneto all effects of their own
powers; thus, a nova could shroud herself in her own
Darkness, or stand at groundzero of her ExplosiveBolt,
with no illeffects. This immunitygrants no immunityto
similaror even identicaleffects generated by other no-
vas, though.
Power
Descriptions
Eachpower's description containsthe basic infor-
mationabout that power, including:
Level : There are three "levels,' or classifications
of powers, in Aberrant. Mostpowersare Level2. Minor
abilities, ones that can be duplicatedwith technologyor
other means, are LevelI powers. Level3 powersare ex-
tremely powerfuland flexibleabilities, usuallygrouped
 ABERRANT
arounda particulartheme or effect.
ln game terms, a power's levelindicatesits cost in
both nova points and experience points. Powers, like
Abilit.ies, are rated in terms of the numberof dots the
character has in the power. Each dot either providesa
certain levelof effect (suchas three dice of damageper
dot) or simplygives the player more dice to roll when
wieldingthe power. A Level1powercosts one novapoint
per dot. A Level2 power costs three nova points per
dot. A Level3 powercosts fivenovapointsper dot. Pow-
ers can alsobe boughttainted for lowercost; see p. 120.
Unlessthe powerdescriptionstates otherwise,use
of a power forces the character to spend a numberof
quantumpointsbased on its level.A Level1powercosts
one quantumpoint to activate. A Level2 power costs
two quantumpoints, and a Level3 power costs three
quantumpoints.In the case of powerswith multipleap-
plications,suchas ElementalMastery,the quantumcost
is leviedfor each techniqueactivated.Of course,there's
no requirement that a character use a power at full
strength; he can save one quantumpoint by usingit at
half power.
If a power is bought with an Extra (p. 230), it is
treated as one levelhigher. So, the Clawspower (Level
1)boughtwiththe RangeExtrais purchasedas a Level2
power,and a QuantumBolt bought with the Explosion
Extra is purchasedas a Level3 power.A playercannot
purchasean Extra for a Level3 power.
Certain powers, such as Body Modification,are
miscellaneousquantum powers. Rather than having a
numberof dots and a level,these powerssimplyhave a
fixedcost. Once this cost is paid, the novahas the listed
power.
Qu.,tumMininun:This numbersets the minimum
QuantumTrait rating a novamusthave in order to pur-
chase this power. Manyof the more powerfulabilities
aren't goingto be availableto beginningnovas;they have
to "grow into them" by earning experience points and
increasingtheir QuantumTrait (which,whileuseful,also
creates some problems).
DicePool: The dicerolledto determinewhetherthe
poweris used successfully,as wellas its effect. The na-
ture of the roll,or sometimesmultiplerolls,is detailedin
the text. This dice pool typicallycombinesthe power
rating plusan Attribute;if the novahas the appropriate
Mega-Attribute,Mega-Attributedice or difficultyre-
ductionsapplynormally.
SomeLevel3 powershave severaldifferent tech-
niques,each with its owndice pool.
Range:The power's mediumrange in meters, if
applicable.
"Touch"indicatesthe charactermusttouchthe tar-
get in order to affect it.The novamustmakea roll(using
the power's dice pool) to touch the victim. The victim
can dodge,of course,but blockingthe attack is ineffec-
tive since a blockstillallowsthe touchto occur.
Forpowersthat workat a distance,the listedrange
CHAPTER flVE QUANTUM POWERS
is the power'snormaleffectiverange.The power'smaxi-
mumrange is twice the listed range. Attacks made at
distancesgreater than the effectiverange are at +2dif-
ficulty.Attacksat point-blankrange(twometersor less)
add two dice to the attacker's skilltotal.
Area:The area affected by the power,typicallyin
a radius in meters, if applicable.
Usinga power on an area has two effects. First, it
presents the possibilityof affectingmultipletargets at
the same time. Second, it gives the attack a +2 accu-
racy; however,extra successeson the attack rolldo not
increase the damage inflictedby the attack. The base
difficultyfor hittingan area is typicallyStandard,unless
the attack is madeat longrange.
A charactercaughtinan area of effect cannotblock
the effect, nor can he dodge it unlesshe is on the fringe
of the area or has enoughmovementto get out of the
area entirely.
Dlration:The power'sduration,if applicable.
"Instant" indicatesthat the power lasts only long
enough for an attack to be launched- for example,
the brief momentin whichthe flashof a QuantumBoltis
visibleand blaststhe target. The effects, of course, may
last muchlonger;an injury does not go awayjust be-
cause the QuantumBolt that caused it is no longer in
existence.
An Instant power must be paid for each time it is
used.Thus, each time a QuantumBolt is fired, the nova
usingit must spend quantumpoints.
"Concentration"meansthe power lasts as longas
the nova concentrates on it. While concentrating,the
novais at +2 difficultyon any other actions he takes. If
the novais Incapacitatedor otherwiserendered uncon-
scious,a Concentrationpowerceases immediately .
A Concentrationpowermustbe paidfor whenfirst
activated;thereafter, it remainsin effect withoutaddi-
tionalquantum-pointcost for as long as the nova con-
centrates.
"Maintenance"indicatesthat the power,once ac-
tivateremainsineffect automaticallyfor a periodof time.
Thereafter, the novacan automaticallypayan additional
numberof quantumpointsto maintainthe power.lt does
not require himto concentrate on maintainingit, how-
ever. Thus,oncea Maintenancepoweris active,the nova
does not lose any dice for any other actionstaken while
maintainingthe power.
Unlessspecificallystated otherwise in the power
description,assume a power used in combat or other
stressful situationslasts for (Quantum+ power rating)
turns before needingto be maintainedby spendingad-
ditionalquantumpoints;whenused under more relaxed
conditions,a powerlasts Fora scene. If a novaactivates
a powersuchas Flightduringa routinemission,but sub-
sequentlyenters combat or is otherwise involvedin a
dangerous situation, she must begin maintainingthe
power normallyafter (Quantum+ power rating) turns
have passed. lf a Maintenancepowerhas a variableef-
179
 ABERRANT
feet (e.g.• a ForceField. whichcan providea varying de-
gree of protection depending on the dice pool roll to
activate 1t).the novacan choose to keep the same level
of effect or can reroll the power upon spendingaddi-
tional quantum.
• Permanent" indicates that the power,oncebought,
is considered to be on or present at all times and does
not cost quantumpoints to use or maintain.
Effect: An encapsulated description of what the
power does.
ln cases of powers that inflictdamage, a distinc-
tion is made between damageadds (or automaticlevels
of damage) and damage dice, whicha player rolls nor-
mallyto determine damage. Damageadds are listed in
[brackets], whiledamage dice are listed in (parenthe-
ses). When such an attack is soaked, damage adds are
subtracted before damagedice.
Thus, a character with Quantum3 buys the Quan-
tum Bolt power at 2 and designates it as a bashingat-
tack. A bashingQuantumBoltinflicts[Quantumx 3] lev-
els+ (power rating x 4) dice of damage. The character's
blast inflicts (3 x 3. or 9) automatic levelsof bashing
damage; plusthe character mayroll(2 x 4, or 8) dice to
inflictextra damage.
MultipleActions:Whether it 1spossibleto use the
power in a multipleaction. "Yes" indicates that it is pos-
sible; "No" indicates that the power cannot be used as
part of a multiple action.
Some powers (Cyberkines1s, ElementalMastery,
etc.) have manyapplications. If such a power is able to
be used in a multipleaction, the nova may use several
aspects of the powersimultaneously , so longas she pays
the quantum-pointcost for all uses. She must still sub-
tract dice normallyfor multipleuses of the power in the
same turn.
Description: A description of what the power does
and the rules applicableto it.
Several powers (like Boost or Sizemorph[Grow])
are describedas providingbonusesto Attributes. Suffi-
ciently potent uses of these powerscan raise Attributes
above5, thus effectivelyboostingthe character into the
Mega-Attributerange. If this situationoccurs, the char-
acter gains the standard benefits of havingthat Mega-
Attribute (as listed in its descriptionand table), but he
does not get to choose any enhancements. No Mega-
Attribute can be raised above 5. However, Mega-At-
tributes gained through such temporary measures may
be raisedhigherthan the QuantumTrait limit(i.e., a char-
acter with Quantum3 and the Boost power couldraise
his Mega-Strengthas highas 5 even though his Quan-
tum is only3).
Extras : This headingcomprisesany uniqueExtras
(seep . 230) availablefor purchasefor the power, as well
as its effects. UniqueExtras shouldbe bought like any
other Extras,and they increasethe power'slevelaccord-
ingly.
180 CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM POWERS
Mental Powers and Psi
Increatingantagonistsfor your Trinityse-
ries or extendingyour Aberrant series into the
Trinitytimeline(as 1snot 1nconcervable for some
of the longer lived Aberrant characters). it is
important to keep the differences between a
nova'sanda psion's powersin mind. True, novas
havemanifestedcertain powers that m1m1c those
of their ps1oncounterparts through their con-
trol of quantumenergies. However,even though
a novaanda ps1onmay both display telepathic
abilities(for example). the two powers are not
the same. Novascan control only quantumen-
ergies, while ps1onsdevelop a mastery over
subquantumforces. A novamaynever gain a Psi
rating,JUStas a ps1onmaynevergaina Quantum
score.
Nova "mental powers" are very ind1v1du -
alistic.specificto the novamanifestingthe pow-
ers; whilean 1ndrv1dual nova may improve her
control through practice, the mental powers
themselves are not codified and divided into
"Aptitudes," as are those of the more disciplined
ps1ons.One nova'stelepathicpowersmaymani-
fest as a "brain-scan" in whichthe novaphysi-
callyreads the patterns of the target's electro-
chemicalimpulses, while another's might mani-
fest as a Facsimileof the target's "soul" rising
out of her bodyandimpartingsecrets. Thougha
nova'sraw powermightexceed that of a ps1on,
the novamentalistdoesnot havea bodyof study
and trainingto drawupon, as does the ps1on;nor
can one nova mentalist necessarily tutor or
"coach" another, even if the twomentalists have
the same in-gamepower.
As mentioned, novashave no control over
subquantumenergiesper se. Studies undertaken
by Utopia, the Triton Foundation and other
groupssuggestthat nova"mentalists" use quan-
tum energies to alter brainwaves and brain pat-
terns physically, whileothers simplyhyperevolve
their brains into brainwave- mampulating ma-
chines,in the samewaythat super-strong novas
spontaneouslydevelop musclesand mitochon-
dria to levelsexponentiallyoutperforming their
baselinecounterparts.
 ABERRANT

Quantum Powers !
Master Powers List
Level One Quantum Powers Level Three Quantum Powers
Power QuantumMininun Power Quantum
Minimum
B,olummescence 1 Clone 5
Claws 1 Cyberkmes1s 4
Hypnosis 1 D1smtegration 5
lntu1t1on 1 ElementalAmma 4
Luck 1 ElementalMastery 5
PsychicShield 1 EntropyControl 4
QuantumConversion 1 GravityControl 4
SensoryShield 1 Healing 4
Homunculus 4
MagneticMastery 4
Level Two Quantum Powers Matter Chameleon 5
Power QuantumMinimum Matter Creation 5
Absorption 1 MolecularMampulat,on 5
Animal/PlantMastery 1 Pretercogmt1on 4
Armor 1 QuantumConstruct 4
Bodymorph 3 QuantumImprint 4
Boost 2 Shapesh1ft 4
DensityControl 3 TemporalManipulation 5
Disorient 1 Warp 3
Disrupt 3 WeatherManipulation 4
Domination 3
EmpathicManipulation 2
ESP 3 Miscellaneous Quantum Powers
Flight 1
ForceField 2 Power QuantumMinimum
Growth 1 BodyModification I
Holo 1
Hypermovement 1
lmmob,hze 1
Immolate 2
lnv1s1b1hty I
Invulnerability I
MentalBlasl 3
Mirage 3
Poison I
Premonition I
QuantumBolt I
QuantumLeech 2
QuantumRegeneration 3
QuantumVampire 3
Shroud 1
Sizemorph(Grow) l
Sizemorph(Shrink) 1
Strobe 1
Stun Attack 1
Telekmes,s 2
Telepathy 3
Teleport 2

CHAPTERFIVE QUANTUM POWERS 181

 ABERRANT

thingother thanStrength,such as Staminaor a Quan-

tum Bolt (but never quantumpoints).
• Characterscannotabsorbmorepowerthanisavail-
able; the Storytellershould, if necessary,allowa certain
numberof dots of Strengthto a powersourceto deter-
minejust howmuchpowerit canadd to a character.For
example,no matter how muchAbsorptiona nova has,
he shouldnot be allowedto gainmorethana singlepoint
of Strength from the power in, for example,a typical
householdappliance .
Absorption Extras:ExtendedEffect (dots of Strengthgained
fromAbsorptionlastfor a scene); EnergyMagnet(char-
Level:2 acter with energy Absorptioncan absorbenergy from
Quantu mMinimum: 1 sourcesat [Quantumx JOmeters] rangeas an attack; if
DicePool:Stamina+ Absorption absorbedfrom a nonsentientsource[suchas a fire or
Range: Self electricalsocket], no rollother than the one to deter-
Area:N/A mine how muchpower is absorbedis required;if used
Owation:Special on a sentient source, such as anothernova, the player
Effect:The novaconverts damageor energy into mustrollManipulation+ Absorptionto succeedwithhis
Strength at the rate of one dot per success,to the limit attempt, then rollthe normalStamina+Absorptiondice
of the damagedone. to determinehow muchenergyis absorbed).
Multiple Actions:Na
Description: This powerallowsthe novato absorb
damagecaused by attacks and convert it into Strength.
The power works against either energy damage (like
Quantum Bolts or fire) or kinetic damage (punches,
knivesor bullets); the character mustdefinewhich phe-
nomenonhis Absorptionworksagainstwhenhe buys it.
When the novais hit with an attack of the type he
can absorb, he maychoose to absorb some or all of the
effect. Doingso takes no time,maybe appliedbefore or
after the character'snormalsoak, and the charactermay
do it even if he has alreadyacted for the turn; the char-
acter need not declare he willuse Absorptionuntilafter
an attack has hit and done damageto him. Eachsuccess
rolledon a Stamina+ Absorptionrollsubtractsonehealth
levelof damagefromthe attack; the character mustpay
one quantumpoint per health levelabsorbed. Everytwo Quantum Minimum: 1
healthlevelsof damageare convertedinto one extra dot Dice Pool: Perception+ Animal/PlantMastery
of Strength; above five dots of Strength they become Range: Variable
dots of Mega-Strength. Dots in the power indicatethe Area:Special
maximumdot.s of extra Strength(or Mega-Strength)the Dwation:Special
character can gain; the character maystilluse Absorp- Effect:Novacan communicatewith and summon
tion to reduce damagefromattacks, though. animalsor plants.
ForExample: JasonMercatorhasAbsorption4 that Multiple Actions: No
affects energy. Heis hit witha QuantumBoltthatcauses Description:A novawiththis powerhas the ability
four healthlevels of damageto him. He decides to ab- to communicatewithanimalsor plants(she mustchoose
sorbthe damageinstead. HerollsStamina+Absorption, only one whenthe playerbuysthe power). Thiscommu-
scores six successesand spends four quantumpoints. nicationis telepathic,but if the creatures have the abil-
Heabsorbsallfour healthlevelsof damageandsuffers ity to make noises or communicatein other mundane
no injury. Furthermore,he now has two extra dots of fashions,she can understandthose as well(though she
Strength. He may gaintwo more dots of Strength be- may not be able to reply, and in any event such, "lan-
fore he maxesout. guages" are likelyto be crude indeed).
However,extra dots of StrengthgainedfromAb- Furthermore,the character can emit a telepathic
sorptiondon't last forever. They fade awayat the rate call to summona particularcreature (or any creatures
of onepointper (Quantum+powerrating)turns. At the within range) to her side. This call has a range equal to
Storyteller'soption,Absorbeddots mayincreasesome- two kilometersper dot in Animal/Plant Mastery. Any

182 CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM POWERS

 ABERRANT

creatures subject to the call willcome to the character
at their best speed; plants,of course, cannot moveand
willnot be ableto respond. Once inthe character's pres-
ence, they willtreat her in a friendlyfashionand do their
best to respond to her requests, though they are not
obligatedto take her orders.
Plants cannot physicallyuproot themselves;how-
ever, characters can attempt to animate foliage in the
immediatevicinity.Forexample,trees mightclubat foes
with their branches,whilevines mightwrap themselves
around the character's enemies. The system for this
power is treated as the Animationtechniqueunder the
MolecularManipulation power(p. 212),except that the
character substitutes her Plant Mastery rating for the
MolecularManipulationrating.
Animals(or plants, dependingon the power) will
regarda characterwithAnimal(or Plant)Masteryas their
friend and boon companionuntil the character does
somethingto prove otherwise. They willnot harm her,
and they willseek to preventothers fromharmingher as
well.This powerdoes not enablethemto overcometheir
basic natures; the Storytellershouldfeel free to assign
specificpersonalitiesto creatures based upon their na-
tures. For example,lionsand tigers mightseem regal;
poison ivy sarcastic and snide; antelopes nervous and
edgy. However,whatevertheir natures, they willstilltry
to help the character.
Extras:Nature Mastery (character can exercise
both AnimalMasteryand Plant Mastery).
plates that cover his body. Usuallythe formof the pro-
tection is based on the nature of the character's powers.
A character who can manipulateice and cold mightbe
covered witha suit of "ice armor,"for example,whilea
shapeshiftermightwarp his skeletoninto stegosaurlike
plates. However,special effects are not required; it's
possiblefor the charactersimplyto be moredurablethan
normaland still look the same as always. ln any event,
the power is permanent, costs no quantum points to
maintainand can be turned on and off at will.
Foreach dot of Armor, the charactermayadd three
to soak bashingand lethaldamage. At the Storyteller's
option, the player may vary the ratio of the soak, as-
signingmore to bashingand less to lethalor vice versa.
Extras:SuperheavyArmor (novacan spend three
quantumpointsto fortifyhis Armorfor a scene;while so
fortified,the nova's Armorprovidesfourextrasoakagainst
bashing/lethalattacks,andthedifficultyto hithimincreases
by one per dot of Armor;however,he loses three From
Initiative(minimum1], two from walkingspeed and five
fromrunning/sprintingspeed, and losesone die fromall
Dexterity-baseddicepools[minimum 1])

Bioluminescence
Level:1
Quantum Minimum: 1
DicePool:Stamina+ Bioluminescence
Range:Variable
Area:Special
Dlntion: 10minutesper success
Armor Effect:Characteremits light.
Level:2 Wtiple Actions:No
Quantum Minimum: 1 Description: A novawithBioluminescence can emit
DicePool:N/A visiblelight.Thislightis not strongenoughto blindother
Range: Self characters, but it definitelyhelps lightthe waythrough
Area: N/A the dark places.Touse it, the characterspendsone quan-
Dlntion:Permanent tum point and rollsStamina + Bioluminescence , allowing
Effect:Characterreceives+3soak againstbashing him to emit a soft glowForabout 10 minutesper suc-
and lethaldamageper dot in Armor. cess. This lightis brightenoughto read by easily;it may
MultipleActions:No makethe characterlookeither eerie or angelic(depend-
Description: This power represents a novawho is ingupon the character and his specialeffects).
more resistant to damagethan most.He mayhavethick, For an additionalquantumpoint,the character can
chitinousskin,a glowingforce fieldof somekind(not to project a beamof lightlikea flashlight.This beam has a
be confusedwith the powerof the same name)or metal

CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM POWERS l 83

 ABERRANT
range of 15meters per success, and it lasts as longas his
glow.
Extras:Increased Spectrum (normal Biolumines-
cence is onlyvisiblelight;with this extra it emits infra-
red and ultraviolet lightas well)
Body Modification
Level:N/A
Quantum 1
Minimum:
DicePool:N/A
Range:Self
Area:N/A
Duration: Permanent
Effect:Modifiescharacter's body in variousways.
MultipleActions:N/A
Description: This power simulatesa modification
to the nova's body. This modificationis permanent; it
costs no quantumpoints to maintainor use, any more
than the character's arms or legs do.
Listedhere are somesuggestedmodifications, along
with the nova- or experience-pointcosts to buy them.
Players may create others if they wish, but the Story-
teller must approve all new modifications.See also the
Clawspower.
• Adhesive Grip:(two novapoints/fourexperience
points): The nova can physicallyor ionicallybond with
surfaces. This allowsher to walkup wallsor alongceil-
ings at normalwalkingspeed, and to clingto those sur-
faces with her normalMightrating.
• Cbromatophores: (one novapoint/ three experi-
ence points) The character's skincan changecolor,like
a chameleon's or squid's. The playeradds three dice to
his Stealthskilltotals, as longas the character is mostly
nakedor wearingattuned eufiber.
• ExtraLimbs: (one novapoint/ three experience
points) The character has one or more extra limbs;he
maydefine what they are and to what part of his body
they are attached. These limbsare consideredto be as
184 CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM POWERS
usefulas arms/ hands. The charactersubtracts one from
multipleaction penalties (so a character taking three
multipleactionswouldact at -2, -3 and -4 penaltiesin-
stead of the usual-3, -4 and -5) . This bonus is applied
before any reductionsfrom the Multitaskingenhance-
ment (p. 169).
• ExtraHealth Levels: (one novapoint/ three ex-
perience points) The character has extra health levels,
perhaps because he has "duplicates"of some or all of
his important organs. One nova point buys an extra
"Bruised"healthlevelor twoextra "Maimed"healthlev-
els.
• Gills:(one novapoint/ three experiencepoints)
The character has gillsthat allowhimto breathe under-
water.
• Spines:(two novapoint.sf sixexperiencepoints)
The charactercan extrude spikesfromhis body,or per-
haps his body is naturallyedged (for example,a nova
made of livingcrystal). The spines change the nova's
clinches,holds and tackles to lethaldamageand inflict
an amountof lethaldamageequalto the attacker's dam-
age dice pool (maximum10 dice) on anyonecontacting
the novawith a Brawlor MartialArts attack.
• Tendril:(one nova point/ three experience
points)The character can extrude a tentacle, whip,fla-
gellumor other similar"limb." This limbcan be physical
or made of energy; it can be used to grab, lashor con-
strict a target, or for the character to swingon. The ten-
dril extends two meters per nova point/ three experi-
ence points spent. The tendril can inflictStrength +4
bashingdamage(or Strength +2 lethaldamage; player's
choice); if the tendril is made of energy or some other
unusualsubstance,it may,with the Storyteller'spermis-
sion,do damagebased on someother Attribute.
• Webbed Hands/Feet: (one novapoint/ three ex-
periencepoints) The character's handsand/ or feet are
webbed,allowing the character to swimat doublerun-
ningspeed.
• Wings/Patagia: (three nova points/ six experi-
ence points)The novagrowsa pair of leatherybat wings
or feathered bird wings,or he simplystretches a Aapof
hisownskinalonghissidesbeneathhisarms.Thismodi-
ficationallowsa character to control his fallssafely or
glideat his normalrunningpace. (Thismodificationdoes
not confer the same amountof control or speed as the
Flightpower.)
Extras:None.
 Bodymorph;even one success allowshimto assumehis
alternativeform in time to absorb some of the force of
the attack, and each success reduces the damage the
attack inflictsby one level.
Here are some guidelinesfor the general proper-
ties of most forms:
• Stone/metal/hard solid:The character automati-
cally inflictstwo extra dice of damage with Brawland
' MartialArts attacks, and allattacks directedat the char-
acter incur a difficulty penalty of one to hit him.
Bodymorphdots often translate into levelsof Density
Bodymorph Control(Increase), Armor or Claws.
Level:2 • Liquid/amorphous: The character automatically
Quantum Minimum: 3 gainsthe abilityto breathe and exist in water, maymove
DicePool:Stamina+ Bodymorph throughwater at twice normalrunningspeed, gainsthe
Range:Self Flexibilityenhancement(p. 159), and may use the As-
Area:N/A phyxiation combat maneuver (p. 246) . Among other
Duration: Maintenance things,Bodymorphdots can translateintoequivalentdots
Effect:Allowscharacter to take on aspects of one of DensityControl(Decrease), Poisonor Immolate(for
specifictype of matter or energy. characters whoturn intoacid). At least one Bodymorph
Multiple Actions: Yes dot must be assignedto DensityControl(Decrease).
Description: Bodymorphis a powerfulabilitypos- • Gas:Whiletransformed,the character mayau-
sessed by onlya few novas. It allowsthe novato trans- tomaticallymovethrough air at the character's normal
form her body into a specific type of matter or energy. runningspeed, gains +1soak vs. physicaldamage(fists,
For example, she could transform her body to rock, to bullets, etc.), gainsthe Flexibilityenhancement(p. 159),
fire, to wind or to computer chips and circuitry. The and mayuse the Asphyxiationcombatmaneuver(p. 246 ).
player must choose what form that the character can Amongother things,Bodymorphdots can translate into
assumewhenhe buysthe power. The Bodymorphpower equivalentdots of DensityControl(Decrease), Poison,
provides certain base abilities,dependingon the form Flightor Storm(allowsthe character to becomea whirl-
chosen; thereafter, Bodymorphdots essentiallysimulate ing tornado, thus inflicting the equivalentof the Storm
enhancementsor dots of other LevelOne and Twopow- technique [p. 196] in her immediatevicinity). At least
ers; whentransforming, allBodymorphpowersactivate one Bodymorphdot must be assignedto DensityCon-
simultaneously whenthe characterpaysthe quantumcost trol (Decrease).
to transform. • Energy: Whiletransformed, the character inflicts
The character maytransformherselfautomatically. lethaldamagewith Brawland MartialArts attacks, and
However,the character's dots in Bodymorphdefinehow attacks directed at her incur a difficultypenalty of one
effective the change is. It is up to the player to define to strike her. Bodymorphdots mightbe assignedto Im-
where his character's Bodymorphdots are allocated, molate,Invulnerability (to the appropriateenergy type),
subject to Storyteller approval, but once they are de- the EMPtechniqueof MagneticMastery (p. 206), the
fined, they cannot be changed. For example,whencre- ElectromagneticVisionenhancement (p. 162), Force
ating a character with a rock body, a player mightbuy Field,or DensityControl(Decrease)dots.
Bodymorph4 and assignone dot to Armorand three to These are general guidelines only; players can al-
DensityControl(Increase). He cannot changethat allo- low Bodymorph dots to represent a number of powers
cation later. Of course, if he buys another level of (or even invent their own) subject to the Storyteller’s
Bodymorphwithexperiencepointshe can decidewhere approval. Many of the techniques listed under Elemental
that dot is allocatedat that time. Anima and Elemental Mastery are suitable as Bodymorph
If a nova wishes to use Bodymorphas a defense powers. However, all Bodymorph powers are available
againstan incomingattack (for example,to turn to flame only while the character is transformed. Ultimately, the
to avoidbeingdamagedby a flameblast), he maydo so. Storyteller must arbitrate the use of this power.
This formof defense does not require an action,but it is ForExample: HoustonTornado2 buysfourdots of
easier if an action is available.If the character does not the Bodymorph(Air)power, definingthisas the ability
have a delayedaction to use to do this, he must spend a to turn into wind.She automaticallymay move through
point of Willpower instead. He then rolls Stamina + the airat runningspeed anduse the Asphyxiationcom-

CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM POWERS l 85

bat maneuver(forcingair out of her foe's lungs);Fur-
thermore,she gains+ I soak versusphysicalattacksand
may use the Flexibilityenhancement.Now HT2 assigns
her four dots to DensityDecrease, DensityDecrease,
DensityDecreaseandStorm. WheneverHT2is in wind
form, she can make herself much harder to hurt (can
activateup to threelevelsof DensityDecrease)andcan
spin herselfinto a localizedwhirlwind(canactivatethe
Storm techniqueas thoughshe hadone dot in Elemental
Mastery).However,thesepowersworkonlywhiletrans-
formed, and the charactermust pay the Bodymorph
quantumcost to activatethem. Claws
Extras:None Level:1
Quantum
Minimum
:1
DicePool:N/A
Range:
Self
Area:N/A
Otntion:Maintenance
Effect:Convertscharacter's close combatdamage
into lethaldamage.
Multiple Actions:Yes
Oesaiption:This power allowsthe nova to grow
claws,talonsor similarnaturalweapons- maybeeven
a fieldof hissingquantumenergy aroundthe character's
hands.
Whenusedinclosecombat,Clawsconvertthe bash-
ing damage caused by the character's normalpunches
Boost and strikesinto lethaldamage. Furthermore,the charac-
Level:2 ter mayrollone extra damagedie per dot he has inClaws.
Quantum Minimum: 2 Thus, a Strike by a character with Claws3 woulddo
DicePool:Quantum+ Boost Strength +2 (for the maneuver)+3 (for the claws),or
Range: Touch Strength+5,lethaldamage.
Are.: N/A Extras:KineticDischarge(the character actually
Otntion:Variable stores up kinetic energy in her body, then channelsit
Effect:Each success adds one dot to a specified throughanythingshe touches;thisallowsthe characterto
Attribute; pointsfade at the rate of one per (Quantum+ add the extra damageto meleeas wellas hand-to-hand
powerrating) turns. attacksor,byspendinga quantumpointpershot, to charge
Multiple Actions:Yes thrownobjectsand bulletswiththeextra damage)
Description: Boostallowsa novato increaseone of
hisAttributes temporarily.The Attribute affectedby the
powermustbe definedwhenthe poweris bought, and it
cannot be changedthereafter. To use it, the novamust
rollQuantum+ Boost.Eachsuccessadds one dot to the
Attribute. Above5, the Attributeconvertsto Mega-At-
tribute 1,to a maximumof Mega-Attribute5.The added
dots fade at the rate of one per (Quantum+ powerrat-
ing) turns, and the power may be used only once per
scene.
Extras:ExtendedEffect (dots of Attributegained
fromBoostlast for a scene); Extra Attribute(poweraf-
fects one additionalAttributeat the same time); Other
Person(novamayboost either hisor anothercharacter's
Attributes;other personmustbe touchedto be affected). Clone
Level:3
Quantum Minimum: 5
DicePool:Stamina+ Clone
Range:Self

l 86 CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM POWERS

 ABERRANT
Area:N/A
Dlntion:One scene
Effect:Creates one duplicateof the character per
success.
Multiple Actions:No
Description: This power allowsa nova to create
"clones" of himselffrom quantumenergies and nearby
molecules.To use it, he rollsStamina+Clone. Eachsuc-
cess equalsone clone - assumingthe character wants
to pay for it. At this time,the character mustspend one
quantumpoint per clone created, up to the numberof
successes;he may,of course,spendfewerquantumpoints
if he wishesfewerclones.
Clonesare exactduplicatesof the character- they
have the sameAttributes,Abilities,powers,clothesand
equipment(except that clones do not have the Clone
powerthemselves).However , they are separate persons
in a gamesense; if one is knockedunconsciousor killed,
the others are not affected. Clonesdo not haveany sort
of telepathiclink;they communicateby talkingjust like
ordinarygroupsof people.
Clonesare not as powerfulas the originalcharac-
ter. Clonesloseone die fromallTraits(Attributes,quan-
tum powers,etc.) for each clonecreated, to a minimum
of 1.Thus, if a character created three clones, those
clones wouldhave -3 ratings in all Traits. Moreover,all
cloneshaveonlyhalf of their creator's QuantumPool.
It takes onlyone turn for a novato create clones,
but the charactercan do nothingelse that tum (not even
walking).Oncecreated, the duplicatesremainfor a scene
or until they "recombine" with the originalcharacter
(usuallyreferred to as the "host" by the clones). To re-
combine,two or more duplicates need only touch and
use an action; again, they can perform no other action
duringthat turn. Recombining is automatic. Clonesthat
do not recombine dissolveintonothingnessat the end of
the scene, as the energiesformingthem dissipate.
Extras:None
Cyberkinesis
Level:3
Quantum Minimum :4
DicePool:Variable
Range: (Quantum+ power rating) x 10 meters or
Special
Area:Special Fool
Dlntion:Special
Effect:Controlscomputersand machines;the more
successesachieved,the greater the control.
MultipleActions:Yes
Description:
Cyberkinesisis the abilityto manipu- securitysystemsor communicationsdevices. The num-
latemachines,particularlyelectronicmachinesand com- ber of successes achieved on a Manipulation +
puters, encompassinga variety of related abilities. The Cyberkinesisroll indicatesthe "Manipulation"rating of
CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM POWERS
character does not have to possess any relevant Abili-
ties (likeEngineering)in order to use these abilities,but
it is not uncommonfor cyberkineticsto knowsuchskills.
A cyberkineticcan send hisconsciousnessthrough
a computernetwork,allowinghimto affecta distantcom-
puter,ifhe can locatethe machineat all(typicallya Hack-
ing feat). Doingso costs one Willpower,requires total
concentration(no other actions)and raisesthe difficulty
of the skillrollas follows:
Computer Affected Timeto AccomplishDifflCUlty
Samenetwork Three turns +1
Samecity One minute +2
Samecontinent 10minutes +3
Transcontinental One hour +4
As with ElementalAnimaand Mastery,this power
providesseveraltechniques.A novamaylearnand freely
use one techniqueper dot inthe power.She mayattempt
other techniques,but she mustpay doublequantumcost
and roll against a difficultypenalty of one to activate
these powers.Techniquesinclude:
Alter Data
DicePool:Intelligence+Cyberkinesis
Area:N/A
Dlntion:Concentration
Upona successfulIntelligence+Cyberkinesisroll,
the cyberkineticcan interfacewitha computeror simi-
lar piece of equipmentto alter, read or removeexisting
data or insert or create new information. The character
can read or alter approximately100megabytesx Quan-
tumof informationper minute.Foreachsuccessachieved
on the Intelligence+Cyberkinesisrollbeyondthe first,
this time is cut in half. Any changes to or deletionsof
informationare permanent; the data mustbe reentered
into the computerby hand.
Control
DicePool:Manipulation+Cyberkinesis
Area:N/A
Duration: Concentration
The cyberkineticcan take control of any machine
withelectronic,mechanicalor hydraulicparts. The num-
ber of successes achieved on a Manipulation +
Cyberkinesis roll indicates the "Strength" of the
cyberkinetic's control. lf the machine(or its user or
driver) tries to counteract the control, assign the ma-
chine a "Strength" to reAect its powerand resolve the
situationas a resisted action.
DicePool:Manipulation+ Cyberkinesis
Area:N/A
Dlntion:Concentration
The cyberkineticcan insertfalseimagesinsensors,
187
 ABERRANT
the cyberkinetic's control.The Storytellershouldassign Reprogram
the device (or its user) a Perception rating; the more DicePool:Intelligence+Cyberkinesis
sophisticatedand powerfulthe machine, the greater its Area: N/A
Perception. A 'Manipulation" versusPerceptionresisted Duration : Concentration
action then determines whether the cyberkinetic'sat- A complementto Alter Data, Reprogramallowsthe
tempt to trick the machinesucceeds. cyberkineticto changethe instructionsor programming
Ove rloa d used to run a computeror similardevice. The difficulty
DicePool: Wits + Cyberkines1s of the Intelligence+ Cyberkinesisroll should be deter-
Area: N/A mined by the Storyteller; the more sophisticated the
Duration: Instant computerand its software, the greater the difficulty. A
The cyberkmetic overloads the machinein some standard desktop computer would incur no difficulty
way- sends a pulse of electricity or electromagnetic penalty, for example, whilea highlydefended military
energy throughit, stresses it so that it jams or seizesup. mainframecomputerwouldincura penaltyof three. The
If the nova's Wits+ Cyberkinesisroll is successful, the changesor additionsto a computer'ssoftware are per-
machinewillnot work. The Storytellermayincreasethe manentuntilotherwisealtered.
difficultyof the roll for machinesthat are particularly Extras:None
advancedor difficultto affect for some reason.

188 CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM POWERS

 ABERRANT
\ '-
, fields, psychicattacks and the like.
Density Control
Level:2
Quantum Minimum: 3 senses the character is stillusing,
DicePool:Variable
Range: Self
Area:N/A
Duration: Maintenance
Effect:Increases or decreasesthe character'sden-
sity, grantingher armorlikeprotectionor intangibility .
Multiple Adions:Yes
Description: This powerallowsthe character to ei-
ther increase her density or decrease it, but not both;
the player must choose whichabilitythe character has
whenthe power is purchased.
A character whocan increase her density becomes
heavierbut alsotougherand stronger.To use this power,
the character rollsQuantum,addinga numberof auto-
maticsuccessesequalto her DensityControlrating;each
successdoublesher weightand adds one dot of Strength
(or one dot of Mega-Strengthif Strength exceeds 5, to
a maximumof Mega-Strength 5) and one extra soak
against bashingand lethal damage. The extra Strength
gained does not increase a character's jumpingability.
In manycharacters an increase in density is accompa-
nied by visibleeffects suchas the character'sbodyturn-
ing to rock or metal,but this effect is not required.
A character whocan decrease her density can do
so withouta roll;however,the character musthave,and
use, an appropriate numberof dots in the power to de-
crease density. Eachlevelof Density Controladds one to
the difficultiesof hittingthe character with all physical
attacks except Area and Explosiveattacks, so long as
the character has the poweractivated.
DensityDecrease Effect
• Reduced density; +1die to dodge;
charactermayoozeor seep through
cracks and other tiny openingsat
the rate of one centimeterper turn. changethe densityof persons or objects for a scene by
•• Greatly reduceddensity;reduce by touchingthem and rollingManipulation+ DensityCon-
halfthe damagethe charactertakes trol; an unwillingtarget mayrollResistanceto resist; an
fromany physicalattack,
correspondinglyreduce the effec
CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM
livenessof the character'sownat
tacksby half;character mayooze
throughcracks at the rate of one
meter per turn. +2 dice to dodge
{character"Aows"aroundattacks).
••• Completelyintangible to physical
attacks; character is affected nor-
mallyby energy attacks, gravity
Whileintangible,the charactercan
walkthroughwallsand ignore the
effects of physicalattacks. Attacks
such as Strobe, whichaffects
and any powerwhichaffects the
character's mind(likeMirageor
MentalBlast),stillaffect the char
acter even thoughhe is intangible.
An intangiblecharacter needs to
breathe,so cannotwalkthroughthe
entire Earth; he can take damage
from attacks such as gases unless
he has the Adaptabilityenhance
ment.Whileintangible, the charac
ter cannotaffect the tangibleworld
in anyway- he cannot fire a gun,
pickup anyobject, punchsomeone
or do anythingof the sort. +3 dice
to dodge.
•••• Completelyintangibleto physical
attacks, takes half damagefrom
energyattacksandsuffersonlyhalf
normaleffects fromenergy fields.
+3 dice to dodge; otherwise,
effects are as at DensityControl
••• ,above.
• •••• Completelyintangibleto all forces
except psychicattacks. Character
maytake an action to turn parts of
her bodysolid,enablingher to at-
tack witha solidifiedfist, foot, etc;
attackers maytarget the solidified
parts, but at normaltargetingpen-
alties. +3dice to dodge;otherwise,
effects are as at DensityControl
••• ,above.
Extras:FullControl(charactercanboth increaseand
decrease his density); Affects Others (character may
object made superdense gains extra soak and weight,
whilean object made less dense losessoak or even be-
comescompletelyintangible)
POWERS 189
 ABERRANT

ented and unableto take action effectively.The effect

Disintegration
Level:3
QuantumMinimum: 5
DicePool:Dexterity..,Disintegration
Range:
(Quantum+ powerrating) x 10meters
Area:N/A
Dlntion:Instant
Effect:Causes(Quantum+successes)levelsof ag-
gravateddamage.
Multiple Actions:No
Description: This terrifyingpowerallowsthe char-
acter literallyto disintegrate(or in some similarway ut-
terly destroy) a person or physicalobject.To use it, the
characterpaysthe quantum-pointcost androllsDexterity
+Disintegration .Hissuccesses,plusa numberofautomatic
successesequalto hisQuantum,equalthe numberof levels
of aggravateddamagethe attack inflicts.
Extras: None
can be physical(inducingnausea) or mental (creating
hallucinations),dependingon howthe poweris defined,
but the end result is the same.
Touse Disorient,the novarollsManipulation+Dis-
orient.; the target mayopposethis witha Willpowerroll.
E.achnet successreducesallof the target's dice poolsby
one. lf any dice poolis reduced to halfor less, the target
cannot use that poweror abilityat all unlessshe spends
a pointof Willpower ; anydicepoolreducedto zerocan-
not be used at all. The target mayspend a point of Will-
power to shake off the effects, but the attacking nova
mayuse the poweron the same target multipletimes.
Disorient,as a Maintenancepower, lasts for the
normal(Quantum..,power rating) turns. The novamay
then spend extra quantumpoints to maintainthe power
automaticallyat the same levelof successes. However,
the opponentmaymakeanother Willpowerroll,and she
gainsan automaticsuccesson thisroll. If the novawishes
to maintain the power for yet another period, the
opponent'snext Willpowerrollgainstwo automaticsuc-
cesses, and so on.
Extras : None

QuantumMininun:3
DicePool:Intelligence+ Disrupt
Range:
(Quantum+ powerrating) x 10meters
Area
:N/A
Dlntion:Maintenance
Disorient Effect:Reducesthe effectivenessof powersbyone
dot per success.
Level:2
Quantum Minimum: 1
Multiple Actions:Yes
DicePool:Manipulation+ Disorient Description: This powerrepresents a nova'sgreat
control over quantumenergies. With it, he can disrupt
Range: (Quantum+ powerrating) x 10meters
another nova's controlover anyquantumpower(but not
Area :N/A
Mega-Attributesor enhancements). To use it, he need
Dlntion:Maintenance
only spend the quantumpoints and roll Intelligence+
Effect:Allowscharacter to confuse and weaken
Disrupt.The target mayresist with a Quantum+ Node
opponents.
roll. Each net success the novaachievesover the num-
MultipleActions:Yes
ber of successesachievedbyhistarget reducesthe power
Description: A nova with Disorientcan cause an-
by one dot per success.
other character to becomeconfused,weakened,disori-

190 CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM POWrRS

 ABERRANT
Disrupt can affect any power; the nova may, for
example,disrupt his target's QuantumBoltone turn, and
his Force Fieldthe next turn. However,withoutan Extra
it cannot affect multiplepowers at once. Moreover,it is
difficult to use Disrupt multiple times in succession
against the same target; each subsequentuse of Disrupt
against the same target incurs a + I difficultypenalty.
Extras:Extra Power (Disrupt may affect any two
powersat once)
Domination
Level: 2
QuantumMinimum:3
DicePool:Manipulation + Domination
Range:(Quantum+ power rating) x 10meters
Area:N/A
Duration: Concentration
Effect: Take control of target's brainwaves; num-
ber of successes indicatesdegree of control.
Multiple Act.ions: Yes
Description: This mental power allowsa nova to
project hisquantumconsciousnessintoa sentienttarget's
brainwaves. With suff1c1entsuccesses, he can makehis
victimdo anything, up to and includingkillinghimself.
To use Domination,the nova must spend the nec-
essary quantumpoints and roll Manipulation+ Domina-
tion ina resisted action against the target's Willpower.If
the novascores more successes, he succeeds in achiev-
ing control. The degree of control depends upon how
manysuccesses the nova has left after subtracting the
victim'sWillpowersuccesses, as follows:
After control has been achieved, a character af-
fect.ed by DominationmayrollWillpower ; if she succeeds
she may then spend one point of Willpowerto decrease
the attack's effectiveness - the Willpowerpoint re-
duces the successes (and thus the commandintensity)
by one. Forexample,a character whoisbeingDominated
is told to shoot a friend. She makes a Willpowerroll at
normaldifficulty,succeeds, then spends a point of Will-
powerto reducethe effect to Major. The Storytellerrules
that she summonsup enoughstrength of willto turn the
gun aside and shoot a wallinstead of her comrade.
In order to use Domination,the nova must be able
to communicatewith his subject - Dominationis not
inherently"telepathic. If the target is too far away to
hear a commandor cannot understand a commandfor
some reason, even Total Controlmaybe useless.
Extras:Telepathic(Dominationis telepathic - or-
ders can be communicatedautomatically, withoutthe need
for speech);ParasiticPossession(novaspendsthree quan-
tumand a Willpowerpointto discorporateand psychically
possessvictim;nova's bodydisappears, andnovabecomes
a beingof quantum-chargedbrainwavesinhabitingvictim's
centralnervoussystem; maysubstituteownpersonalityfor
that of victim,up to the limitof the successesrolled· while
in possessionthe nova gains the victims physicalTraits,
Appearanceand nova powers, as wellas his own Mental
Trails, Charisma, Manipulation , Willpower andmentalpow-
ers, and mayleavethe host bodyvia the expenditureof a
further three quantumand one Willpowerpoint·however,
if nova-possessedvictimdieswhilenovais possessing,the
nova'sconsciousnessdies as well; this power has a range
of [Quantum+ power rating) meters, and the novamust
makeeye contactwiththe victim;victimresistswithWill-
powerper normalDominationrules)

Successes Command Intensity

One Minor/Quirky:Blink, eat a bug, weara particularsuit of clothes.
Two Major/Noteworthy:Do the nova's chores; buylunchfor someoneyou hate.
Three Complex/Antithetical: Worship a foreigngod; followa particularset of commands("Fillout this
form, mail1tto Wilkes-Barre, PAfrom Boise, Idaho, and after doingso, take out a full- page
newspaper ad whichreads..."); attack (or refrain fromattacking)whomeverthe nova 1nd1 cates in
combat.
Four Total Control:Commit suicide: perform any task, no matter how difficultor vile.
 ABERRANT
based on the nature of those elementsand the specific
Elemental Anima techniques the nova masters. The player may pick one
Level:3 of the listedtechniques for each dot the novahas in the
Quantum Minimum: 4 power; these techniques are ones the nova has "mas-
DicePool:Variable t.ered" and mayfreely perform. The techniques chosen
Range: Special shouldbe appropriateto the elementthat is being con-
Area:Special trolled - fire or water powersmayprovide movement
Du-ation:Variable abilities, for example,but it's unlikelythat darknesswould.
Effect:Charactercancontrola particularsubstance The character mayalsotry to performother techniques,
or phenomenon. either ones listedhere or entirelyone-shot, off-the-cuff
MutipleActions:Yes "stunts." However,such effects cost double the quan-
Description: A nova with ElementalAnima can tumpointsandsufferdifficultypenaltiesof one; the nova
project her quantumconsciousnessinto a particularel- has masteredonlythe techniques her dots allowher to.
ement - fire, sound, ice, electricity or whateverthe The Storytellerhas the absoluteright to allowor refuse
playercan thinkof and the Storytellerwillallow- in- a particularuse of power, basedon her interpretationof
vestingit with"life." This powerallowsher to take con- the element'sinherent limits.
trol of it and shape it to her will.Notethat the character Forf.xatrf,Je:
LaNinabuysElemental Animaat 3, de-
cannot create the element (doingthat requires the El- finingthe power as the abilityto manipulate , focusand
emental Mastery power) - she can only affect and disperseairandwindForherthreemasteredabilities , she
manipulateelemental"matter" that alreadyexists. The choosesEnhance/Diminish (canwhipwindsto a galeor
playermustchoose whichelementthe novacan control calmthem), LethalBlast(knifelike "wind-serpents" that
whenbuyingthe power. vaguelyresemblehissingmoray eels) and Movemen~
Thiscontroloffersthe novaa varietyof techniques. (shapeswindsinto a cloaklikeform, enablingher to sa,I
The exact techniquesdiffer from element to element, aloftandglidethroughtheair). Shemayuse theseabilities
 ABERRANT
at thestandarddifficulty.If Ninawishedto focusairintoa
defensivescreen(the Wallability),shecouldtry, butshe'd
haveto paydouble(sixquantumpoints),andshe'dsuffera
difficultypenaltyof one.
If the Storytelleror a playerwishesto create addi-
tionaltechniques,the examplescan serve as guidelines
for levelsof powerand rules. As a basic rule of thumb, of the element in an area - for example, brightenor
no techniquegainedthroughElementalAnimashouldbe
as powerful as the same or similarabilityboughton its
own.
The durationof ElementalAnimatechniquesvar-
ies. Attacksare typicallyInstant; movementtechniques
usuallyhave a duration of Maintenance;other durations
are noted below. The range of a technique is typically character'spowerswiththiseffect, but she mayattempt
the standard(Quantum+powerrating) x 10meters, but
different ranges maybe noted in the text, as is the areacharacter'spowerisbeingreduced,a resistedactionpit-
of any techniquethat covers one.
Alter Temperature
Dice Pool : N/A
Range:Variable
Area: (Quantum+powerrating) x 10meters
Duration: Maintenance
The character can increase or decrease the tem-
perature of the air in an area around himself(whichis
appropriatefor fire andice powersprimarily).The char-
acter can alter temperature by 10degrees Celsiusfor
each dot in the power. No roll is required, but quantum
points must be paid.
Blast
Dice Pool : Dexterity + ElementalAnima
Range:(Quantum+powerrating) x 10meters
Area:N/A
Duration: Instant
The novashapes,strengthensand redirects the el-
ement,turningit intoa damagingblastthat inflicts[Quan-
tumx 2] levels+(powerratingx 3) dice of bashingdam-
age. If there is onlya smallamountof the element avail-
able, the Storytellermayreduce the range or damage.
Elemental Shield
DicePool: Wits + ElementalAnima
Range: Self
Area: N/A
Duration: Instant
The character canturn the element awayfromhim-
self, thus protectinghimselfand anyonedirectlynext to
himfrom the brunt of its effects. RollWits + Elemental
Anima;each successcountsas foursoak that applyonly
to attacks basedon that element.This techniquecan be
aborted to as a defensiveaction.
C HAPTERFIVE QUANTUM POWE:RS
Enhance/Diminish
Dice Pool: Intelligence+ ElementalAnima
Range : (Quantum+ powerrating) x 10meters
Area : (Quantum+powerrating) x 10meter radius
Duration: Maintenance
The character can increaseor decrease the effect
dimlight,or increaseor decrease the damagecausedby
fire. The effect can be enhancedor diminishedby 25%
per success rolled. lf the elementis a damagingeffect,
each success increasesor reduces the intensityof the
element (or any element-basedpower) by two damage
dice. The nova may not enhance her own or another
to reduce a rival elemental's powers . 1f another
ting the nova's Quantum+ power rating against the
target's Quantum+ power rating is required; each net
successreduces the target's powerrating by one dot. If
the power rating is reduced to zero, the target cannot
use his power for a number of turns equal to the
elemental'spower rating.
Norollis required,but quantumpoint.s mustbe paid
as usual.
Note: If the elementcontrolledis air, and the nova
reduces the effect to 0%, she creates a vacuumin the
area. CharacterswithoutappropriateLifeSupport who
are caught ina vacuummaysuffocate;see "Suffocation
and Drowning,"p. 257.
Lethal Blast
Dice Pool: Dexterity+ ElementalAnima
Range: (Quantum+ powerrating) x 10meters
Area
:N/A
Duration:Instant
The charactercan shapean existingquantityof the
elementinto a deadlyattack - sharp shards of stone,
razor-sharp tendrils of water or air, a laser or the like.
Thisattack inflicts[Quantumx 2] levels+(powerrating
x 2) dice of lethaldamage.
Movement
Dice Pool:N/A
Range:Self
Area
:N/A
Duration:Maintenance
The character directs the element in such a way
that he can movequickly.The nature of the movement
dependson the element: Novaswhocontrolwindhaveit
pick them up and waft them where they wish to go;
elementalswho control earth and rock ride waves of
earth or tunnelthroughthe soil. The character can move
at the rate of (powerratingx 2) + 20 meters per action,
or ( 40 x powerrating) kilometersper hour out of com-
bat.
193
 ABERRANT

Shaping allyleavesthe ground(unlessthe character is creatinga

DicePool:Wits + ElementalAnima screen of hardenedair molecules,for instance). The Sto-
Range: (Quantum+ power rating) x 5 meters ryteller maydeclare the walluseless against certain at-
Area:Special tacks; for example,a wallof windwouldblowasidephysi-
Dlration:Maintenance cal attacks and snuff fires, but it wouldhavelittle effect
The character mayalter the shape of a quantityof on electricity.
the element. No more than (three cubic meters of the Extras:None
element x power rating) can be affected at once. The
character can create geometricshapesor simple"sculp-
tures" such as fire-people or ice statues. If the player
makesan Arts (Sculpture)roll,the character can create
extremelydetailed and beautifulshapes. If the novaat- Elemental Mastery
tempts to use this power offensively(for example, to Level:3
sculpt a pit under a foe or trap an opponent in a burning QuantumMinimum:5
ringof fire), the playermustmakean attack roll (Wits+ DicePool : Variable
ElementalAnima),which the target can dodge normally. Range:Variable
Area: Variable
Wall Dlration:Variable
DicePool: N/A Effect:The novacan create, alter and controlvari-
Range: Special ous substancesor phenomena.
Area: (Quantum+ power rating) cubicmeters MultipleActions:Yes
Dlration:Maintenance(and see below) Description:ElementalMastery is similar to, but
The character raises a wallof the element in front transcends, ElementalAnima.WhereasElementalAnima
of him. For each dot in the power, the nova gains two allowsa novato manipulatean existingelement, Elemental
soak againstappropriateattacks unlessthe attacker can Mastery allowshim actuallyto create that element or
somehowshoot aroundit. The wallmovesas the charac-
ter moves,but it immediatelycollapsesif she intention-
 ABERRANT
phenomenon,thus greatlyexpandingthe rangeof his el-
ementalabilities.
LikeElementalAnima, ElementalMasteryprovides
a listof techniques,andcharactersmaymasteronetech-
niqueper dot in ElementalMastery. Charactersmayat-
tempt to use techniquesthey haven't mastered, but the
playersmustpay doublecost and rollagainsta difficulty
penaltyof one. The techniqueschosenshouldbe appro-
priate to the elementbeinggenerated - fire or earth
powersmayprovideImprison, for example,but it's un-
likelythat lightpowerswould.
Charactersmaychoose from the techniqueslisted
here or make up their own, with the Storyteller's per-
missionand approval.
Blast
DicePool:Dexterity+ ElementalMastery
Range: (Quantum+ powerrating) x 10 meters
Area:N/A
DI.ration:Instant
The novagenerates a blast or bolt of the element
that inflicts[Quantumx 2] levels+ (power rating x 3)
dice of bashingdamage.
Crush
DicePool:Dexterity+ ElementalMastery
Range:
(Quantum+ powerrating) x 10 meters
Area:N/A
Dintion:Instant
The novais ableto create a quantityof the element
that picksup the target andslamshiminto a nearbysturdy
object such as a buildingor tree, or simplycrushes him.
This attack couldrepresent an intenseburst of wind, a
hand of stone which grows out of the groundand grabs
the victimor phoenix-talonsof fire. The character rolls
Intelligence+powerrating; each successallowsthe tar-
get to be movedup to 10 meters (if the novaso desires);
the victimtakesa numberof bashingdamagelevelsequal
to twice the successes rolled, and her Initiativeon the
next turn is reduced by one per success.
Imprison
DicePool:Wits + ElementalMastery
Range:
(Quantum+powerrating) x 10 meters
Area:N/A
Dintion:Maintenance
The novais able to confinea target withina quan-
tity of the element.Examplesincludecreating a fiery
cage,suspendinga victiminan invisiblefist of air or caus-
ing someoneto sink up to his neck into solidrock. The
confiningelementhas a Mightequalto twice the number
of successesrolled; the trapped charactermaybreakout
of it just as he wouldfrom a clinch. Imprison inflictsno in the listed radius.
damageordinarily,but if the novaspendsan extra quan-
CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM POWERS
tum point duringthe initialattack, it inflictsdamageas
woulda clinch.
Lethal Blast
DicePool:Dexterity+ ElementalMastery
Range: (Quantum+ powerrating) x 10 meters
Area:N/A
Duration: Instant
The charactercan"throw"or project a lethaldam-
age blast of the element - anythingfrom a blast of
freezingcold to a dehydrativeattack that sucksthe wa-
ter out of the target's body. This attack inflicts[Quan-
tum x 2] levels+ (power rating x 2) dice of lethal dam-
age.
Propel
DicePool:N/A
Range:
Self
Area:N/A
Duration:Maintenance
By creating a "blast" of the elementbehind him-
self, the character can moveat rapid speeds - (power
rating x 2) + 20 meters per action, or (40 x powerrat-
ing)kilometersper hour out of combat.Where and how
the character can movedepends on the element;Propel
basedon fire wouldbe like Flight,whereasPropelbased
on water wouldwork only in water and wouldbe like
Hyperswimming .
Shield
DicePool:N/A
Range:
Self
Area:N/A
Dintion:Maintenance
The character can create a Force Field-likepro-
tective barrier of the elementaroundhimself.This bar-
rier providestwo extra soak per dot versusbashingand
lethal damage. For an extra quantumpoint, the Shield
causes harmto anyonewhotouchesit (it inflictsa num-
ber of dice of bashingdamageequal to the character's
powerrating). The Shieldslightlyobscuresothers' view
of the character, but it does not interfere withhis vision
at all.
Sphere
DicePool:Dexterity+ ElementalMastery
Range: (Quantum+ powerrating) x 10 meters
Area: (Quantum + powerrating) x 3 meters
DI.ration: Instant
The character can project a largeballor sphere of
the element , which injuresanyonewithinits radius. The
blast inflicts (powerratingx 3) dice of bashingdamage
195
 ABERRANT

Storm strongeror weaker.Doingso does not necessarilyprompt

DicePool:Wits + ElementalMastery
Range:(Quantum+powerrating) x 10meters
Area:(Quantum+ powerrating) x 5 meters
Duration:Concentration
The character can generate a stormlike area filled
withthe element.Examplesincludeblizzards,firestorms,
sandstorms,earthquakes,tornadoes,sonicfieldsand ice
patches. Eachturn, Storm typicallyinflictstwo levelsof
bashingdamage per dot in the power rating, reduces
opponent'sdice poolsby two (fromwhippingwinds,fi-
ery gouts or poor footing)and halvesmovementand vi-
sion. Other effects are up to the Storytellerand should
be based on common-senseviewsof the effects of the
element.Forexample,anyonemovingthrougha blizzard
or earthquakemighthave to makean Athleticsor Flight
rollto keep fromslippingand falling,and they wouldrisk
hypothermia;anyone m a firestorm wouldtake lethal
damageinsteadof bashing.
Extras:None
the target to do anything,but it does makeit morelikely
that the target willtakesomekindof action. Forexample,
if a nova detects that a target is angry at the govern-
ment,he mightheightenthat emotionto a blindingrage.
Howthe target deals withhis range is beyondthe nova's
control.The target mightbegina vitriolicletter-writing
campaign,or he mightpick up a submachinegun, walk
into the nearest courthouseand beginfiring.
To detect a target's emotions,the nova must roll
Perception+ EmpathicManipulationin an opposed roll
againstthe target's Willpower . Evena singlenet success
on the nova's part is enoughfor him to determine the
target's emotionalstate and against whomor what that
emotionis directed.
Manipulatingthose emotionsrequires a Manipula-
tion+ EmpathicManipulationroll,resistedby the target's
Willpower . For each net success achieved,the novacan
adjust the target's emotionsup or downon the following
table by one step. The Storytellershoulduse this table
as a guidelinefor emotionsnot covered.
The emotionalchangesbroughtaboutby Empathic
Manipulationlast a scene or so (in the case of weaker
emotions)or as longas the novaconcentrateson them
and pays quantumpoints per (Quantum+ powerrating)
turns to maintainthem (in the case of strong emotions).
Afterthat theyabate normally . Lesseremotionstaketime
to fade, but extreme emotionsquickly 'cool down" to
lowerlevels. Circumstancesmayaffect this, however.
Extras:None

Empathic Entropy Control

Manipulation
Level:2
QuantumMinimum: 2
DicePool: Variable(Willpowerresisted)
Range:(Quantum+ powerrating) x 20 meters
Area:N/A
Duration:Special
Effect:Controlsand manipulatesa target's emo-
tions.
MultipleAct.ions: Yes
Description:EmpathicManipulationis, in essence,
a highlyspecializedform of Dominationor Telepathy. lt
allowsa nova to detect and manipulatea singletarget's
emotions. For example, the nova can make emotions
Level:3
QuantumMinimum:4
DicePool:Intelligence+ EntropyControl
Range:Variable
Area: Variable
Duration:Special
Effect: Charactercan control and manipulateen-
tropic forces.
MultipleActions: Yes
Description : A character with this suite of abilities
is a master of the forces of entropy that are alwaysat
workin the universe.Hisquantumconsciousnessis able
to tap into summonand manipulateentropy the same
wayother novasplaywith fire or ice.

Sadness/Happiness Anger Lust Love Hatred Jealousy/Envy

Not sad/happy Not angry Not lustful Apathetic Nothateful Notjealous/envious
Sad/happy Angry Interested Like D1sl1ke Jealous/envious
Depressed/elated Enraged Desirous Love Hatred Greedy
Distraught/ecstatic Berserk Unab1ding lust Madlove Blindhatred Blindjealousy/envy
 As with ElementalAnimaand Mastery,this power
providesseveraltechniques.A novamaylearnand freely
use one techniqueper dot inthe power;she mayattempt
other techniques, but she must pay double quantum
pointsand rollat a difficultypenaltyof one to use these
alternativetechniques. Techniquesinclude:
Bioentropy Storm
DicePool:Dexterity+ EntropyControl
Range:(Quantum+ powerrating) x 10 meters
Area: (Quantum+ powerrating) x 5 meters
Duration : Instant
The novacan create a field in whichentropic ef-
fects pertainingto livingcreatures run riot.The victims
age, suffer spontaneousinjuriesand experience other
biologicalbreakdowns. The nova rolls Dexterity+ En-
tropy Controlin an opposedcontest againstthe victims'
Stamina; each net success inflictsone healthlevelof le-
thaldamage.Victimscannotsoakthisdamageunlessthey
havethe HardbodyMega-Staminaenhancement.
Breakdown
DicePool:Intelligence+EntropyControl
Range: (Quantum+ powerrating) x 10 meters
Area:N/A
Duration: Special
The nova can cause any machine,device or similar 1
object to stop functioningas some part of it breaks,
wears out or loses power. This power'seffects are per-
manentuntilsomeonerepairsthe device,providesit with
morepoweror the like.Touse Breakdown,the novarolls
Intelligence+ Entropy Control in an opposed action
against the device's "Stamina." The Storytellershould
determinethe device'sStaminaratingfor these purposes.
The more complexor technologicallyadvanceda ma-
chineis, the lowerits Stamina- it's hard to use Break-
downon a simpleobject or one with few movingparts,
but the more complicateda device becomes,the more
opportunities there are for entropy to gaina foothold.
Entropic Shield
DicePool:Stamina+ EntropyControl
Range:Self
Area:N/A
Duration:Maintenance
The charactersurroundshimselfwitha fieldof en-
tropic energy. This field heightensthe entropic reac-
tionswithinany incomingattack (especiallythose based
on physicalobjects,suchas bullets),thusdisruptingand
weakeningthem. Eachsuccess achievedon a Stamina+
EntropyControlrollgrants the character an extra soak
against bashingand lethaldamage. However,this extra
soak does not applyto attacks by livingmatter, such as
fists or animals.

... .
CHAPTrR FIVE QUANTUM POWERS
 ABERRANT

Probability Corruption
DicePool:EntropyControl Successes Clarity
Range:(Quantum+ power rating) x 5 meters One Veryhazy,as thoughsensing
Area:N/A throughfog; one sense (sight,
Dtrat.ion:Maintenance hearing,etc.) only.
This techniqueallowsa novato cause the forces of Two Slightlyblurry perception,one
entropy to overwhelma single target, makingit more sense; or hazyperception,allnor-
likelythat he willfaildisastrously.To use it, the novarolls malsenses.
EntropyControl.Eachsuccess achievedresults in a loss Three Perfect perception,one sense;
of one die (or one automaticsuccess) for all rolls made slightlyblurryperception,allnor-
by the target. Additionally,the target willbotch a roll if malsenses; can use one nova
he rollsno successesand any die comesup I or 2. These sense, though1twillbe very hazy.
negative effects last as long as the nova pays quantum Four Near-perfect perceptionwith all
points to keep the entropic forces focusedon the vic- normalsenses; blurry perception
tim. with novasenses.
Extras:None Five Perfect perceptionwith normal or
novasenses.

Extras:Distant Scan (range is increased to [Per-

ception + power rating] x 1000km, but the process of
scanningat this distance takes at least 15minutesper
1000km of distance, and the nova may take no other
actions, or even perceive his immediatesurroundings,
whileso scanmng;furthermore the Perception + ESP
roll to target is at +I difficultyper 2000 km)

ESP
Level:2
QuanbJmMinimum :3
DicePool:Perception+ ESP
Range: (Perception+ powerrating) x 20 meters
Area:N/A
Duration:
Concentration
EffectAllowscharacter to sense his surroundings
from a "focus point ' at range.
MultipleActions
Description:
: No
By attuninghimselfto quantumebbs
Flight
and Aows,the nova may sense things at much greater
Level:2
QuanbJmMinimum:I
ranges than he normallycould. The sense that ESP af-
DicePool:Dexterity+ Flight
fects must be chosen when the power is purchasedand
Range: Self
cannot be changedthereafter.
Ar~: NIA
To use ESP,the novaneed onlyspend the quantum
Duration: Maintenance
points and concentrate. He then defines a "focus point"
Effect: Allowscharacter to fly at the speed of
somewherewithinthe power'srange. Hecan sense from
{powerrating x 4) + 40 meters per action.
that focuspoint as if he were standingright there. Thus,
MultipleActions : Per normalmovementrules.
this power is perfect for "seeing throughwalls"or oth-
Description:This powerallowsthe character to Ay
erwise spyingon people.
through the air, outer space and similarthree-dimen-
The nova must make a Perception + ESP roll (no
sionalareas. Hecan flyat a speed equalto {powerrating
range penalties) to target the power, and the clarity of
x 4) + 40 meters per action incombat; out of combathis
the scan is based on the numberof successes rolled:
speed is (Quantum+ Flight)x 50 kilometersper hour.

198 CHAPTERFIVE QUANTUM POWERS

 ABERRANT
Normally,no roll is required to use Flight.lf the
character wants to perform aerobatic stunts or fly
throughnarrowopeningsat highspeeds withouthurting
himself,the Storytellermayrequire a Dexterity+ Flight
roll lo determinewhether the character succeeds. The
character may also substitute Dexterity+ Flightfor a
normal Dodge roll while in the air; dependingon the
character's movement,this mayallowhimto dodge ex-
plosionsandarea attacks,thoughparticularlylarge-scale
blasts mightcost the character his entire action.
Extras:Underwater(character may use his Flight
underwaterand throughother bodiesof liquid)
Force Field
Level:2
Quantum Minimum:2
DicePool:Stamina+ ForceField
Range:Self
Area:N/A
Otntion:Maintenance
Effect:Quantum+ (2/success) extra soak versus
bashingand lethaldamage.
MultipleActions:Yes
Desa-iption: This powerprovidesextra protection
for a nova. Mostnovasare alreadypretty hardy,but one
withthis powermaybe virtuallyuntouchable.ForceField
providesa numberof extra soakequalto the character's
Quantum.The novathen rollsStamina+ForceField. Each
successadds another two soak. This soak protects ver-
sus bashingand lethaldamage.
Force Fieldcan be used to blockor parry attacks,
includingattacks withquantumpowers. The nova'sForce
Fieldrating is substitutedfor Brawlor MartialArts.
Extras:Wall(allowscharacter to project a "wall"
of force at a rangeof three metersper dot inForceField;
the basicwallis two meters longby two meters highand
can be made two meters taller or longerper dot in the
power;the character can alter the dimensionswitheach
use if he so chooses).
CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM
Gravity Control
Level:3
Quantum Mininun:4
DicePool:Variable
Range:Variable
Area:Variable
Otntion:Variable
Effect:Characteris able to manipulategravityand
graviticfields.
MultipleActions:Yes
Description: A novawith this power is a master of
gravity. He is able to lift and moveobjects, fly by ma-
nipulatinggravitic forces and otherwisecontrolgravity.
As with ElementalAnimaand Mastery,this power
providesseveraltechniques.A novamaylearnand freely
use one techniqueper dot in the power; she mayattempt
other techniques,but the playermustpay doublequan-
tum cost and roll against a difficultypenalty of one to
activatethese powers. Techniquesinclude:
Gravitic Blast
DicePool:Dexterity+ GravityControl
Range:(Quantum+ powerrating) x 10 meters
Area:N/A
Otntion: Instant
By manipulatingmicropocketsof intense gravity
arounda target, the novacan bashand tear it apart. The
end result is similarto a QuantumBolt.Thisattack does
[Quantumx 2) levels+(powerratingx 3) dice of bash-
ingdamageor [Quantumx 2) levels+(powerratingx 2)
dice or lethal damage(nova'schoice).
Gravitational Field
DicePool:Wits + GravityControl
Range : (Quantum+ powerrating) x 5 meters
Area:(Quantum+ powerrating) x 3 meters
Otntion: Concentration
The novacan alter the gravity in a givenarea. For
each successachievedon a Dexterity+ GravityControl
roll,he can warplocalgravityby up to .5g (normalEarth
gravity is 1 g). Weightof objects is increased or de-
creased by an equivalentamount; a 100 kg object in a
1.5g fieldweighs150kg. Objectsin a zero-g fieldweigh
nothing,whileobjects in a negative-g field fallupward
until out of the field. The nova can be selective if he
wishes,increasingsomeobjects' mass,decreasingoth-
ers and leavingyet others alone. A creature or object
that becomestoo heavycannotmove(or be moved),and
it maycollapseunder its ownweightif it becomesheavy
enough. lf the nova tries to affect a livingthing with a
GravitationalField,the target mayresist withWillpower .
POWERS 199
 ABERRANT

Weight vs. Mass

To determinean object's current weight.sim-
ply multiply,ts mass by the localgravitationalfield
strength. A cargo bin that weighsjUStover 240 kg
on Earth weighsonly91 kg in Mars' naturalgravity
(mass 240 kg x Martiangravityof .38 Earth-stan-
dard - 91 kg).
Gravity
Operating1nnonstandardgravity1softendiffi-
cult. Peopleraisedma I g (normalEarth-gravity)en-
vironmentare strongerand moredurable1nlowgrav-

-------------· ity, but they are sloweddownand weakenedin high

gravity. The effects of gravitychangesare apphed
to charactersm a straightforwardfashionto reduce
the need for formulasand complexmechamcalsys-
tems.
CharacterswithoutGravityControloperatewith
one extra dot m both Strengthand Staminain .6 g or
lower,but they loseone dot fromDexterity;charac-
ters with Gravity Control gain the Strength and
Stamina,but they do not losethe Dexterity.Charac-
ters withoutGravityControllosetwodots fromboth
StrengthandDextentyin1.5g or higher,sincethey're
constantly resisting the increased pull of gravity.
These adjustmentsaffect not only dice pools, but
jumpingdistances, lmt1ative,encumbranceand en-
duranceas well.
A flyingcharacter caughtin a G-fieldof 2 g or
above must roll Strength ~ Fhghtagainst the grav-
1ty-w1elder's skilltotal; 1fthe flierscores fewersuc-
cesses, he beginsto fall(see "Falling,"p. 256). De-
pendingon the character'saltitude, he mightbeable
to makeanother Strength + Flightroll to pullout of
his fall m time to avoidhitting the ground,but the
player must spend more quantumpoints to reacti-
vate h,s Flight.
Fallingdamage in altered gravity 1smultiplied
by the strengthof the G-f,eld;thus,a characterfall-
mg20 meters m .5-G gravitywouldtakedamageas
thoughshe'd fallen10 meters,whilea characterfall-
mg 20 meters ma 2-G field wouldtake damageas
thoughshe'd fallen40 meters. This also applies to
fallmgor droppedobjects;the damagethey inflictis
multipliedby the localG-field.

Gravitic Flight
DicePool: N/A
Range:Self
Area:N/A
Duration: Maintenance
The nova1sable to manipulategravityto pickhim-
selfup andflycrudely.Hisflyingspeed is equalto (power
ratingx 2) + 20 meters per action, or (40 x powerrat-
ing)kilometersper hour out of combat.

CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM POWERS

 ABERRANT

Gravitic Shield son to be healedandspendone quantumpointper health

DicePool:N/A levelto be healed. The character mayheal a numberof
Range:Self bashinghealth levelsup to twice her powerrating, or a
Area:N/A numberof lethal health levelsup to her power rating.
Ot.ntion:Maintenance This power may be employedonlyonce per victimper
The character can project wavesof gravityaround scene.
herself. Doingso providesan excellentdefense against Alternatively,if a character is sufferingfrom poi-
incomingprojectilesand deAectshand-to-hand physi- son or a disease,each quantumpointadds one die to the
cal attacks. Each turn, the character can subtract her afflictedcharacter's Resistanceroll. Once the roll suc-
dots inGravityControlfromthe attack successesof any ceeds, the poisonor diseasestops affectingthe charac-
physicalprojectileattack (bullets, thrownobjects, etc.); ter. Anydamagealreadytaken can then be healedwitha
furthermore,the GraviticShieldprovidesone soak per normalapplicationof Healing.
dot againstany projectileattack that does connect. She Healingcan even regenerate severed limbsor ru-
maysubtract halfher dots in GravityControl(roundup) ined organs, but to do so costs double quantum and a
fromthe attack successesof any hand-to-handphysical Willpowerpoint.
attack. GraviticShielddoes not affect pure energy at- Extras: None
tacks, likeflameattacks or electricalblasts.
Gravitokinesis
DicePool:Dexterity+ GravityControl
Range:(Quantum+powerrating) x 10 meters
Area:N/A
Ot.ntion:Concentration
The novamayuse his ability to manipulategravity
to pick up objects. He can then throw them or hit other
characters withthem. Doingso is performedin a fashion
identicalto use of the Telekinesispower (p. 224), ex-
cept that the dice pool is Dexterity+ GravityControl
and the novamustscore two successesto gainone suc-
cess on the Telekinesisliftingchart.
Extras:None
Holo
Level:2
Quan tumMininun: 1
DicePool:Manipulation + Holo
Range: (Quantum+ powerrating) x 10 meters
Area:(Quantum+ powerrating) x 5 meters
Ot.ntion:Concentration
Effect: Creates images;each success adds one to
the difficultyof Perceptionrolls to determine the true
nature of the image
MultipleActions:No
Description:This power allowsa nova to create
images- illusions, if you will- with whichto trick
and befuddleother characters. The playermustchoose
whichsense the imagesaffect whenhe buys the power.
Healing As its namesuggests, Holois usuallyused to create im-
Level:3 ages whichcan be seen, but auditory imagesare also
Quantum Mininun:4 popular.
DicePool:N/A To use Holo, the novarollsManipulation+Holoto
Range:Touch determinehowpreciseand accuratehis imagesare. Fail-
Area: N/A ure indicatesthat the nova fails to create an accurat.e
Ot.ntion:Instant image. Eachsuccess abovethe first increasesthe diffi-
Effect: Healsone health levelof lethal or bashing cultyof Perceptionrollsto determinethe true nature of
damageper quantumpoint. the illusionby one. If an observer fails his Perception
Multiple Actions:Yes roll, he believesthe imagesare real until he has reason
Description:Thispowerenablesa novato healher-
self or others. Touse Healing,a novamusttouchthe per-

CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM POWERS 201

 ABERRANT
to think otherwise (at whichpoint he mayroll Percep- ter. As longas the character has a line of sight to them,
tion again). If he makeshis Perceptionroll at any time, he can control what they do, just as if they were still a
he instantlyrecognizesthe imagesfor whatthey are and part of his body. If lineof sight is lost, or if they some-
can perceivewhat (if anything)they are hiding. how pass beyondthe power's range, they willcontinue
Imagescreated by Holocannotdirectlycauseharm, with whateveractions they were performinguntiltheir
even if they affect the sense of touch. However,they tasks are completedand then stop moving until line of
couldtricka characterintoharming himself.Forexample, sight and range are reestablished.
if Holois used to makea cliffseem likea grassymeadow, If a detached body part is attacked, it is consid-
anyonewhofailshisPerceptionrollcouldeasilywalkright ered to havethe sameAttributes and Traits as the char-
off the cliff to his doom. acter, but it acts separately from the character (i.e., if
Extras:Extra Sense (power affects one additional the character decides to dodge in a particular tum, his
sense at the same time). detached body parts do not have to dodge; they can at-
tack, block, or do whateverelse they want,just as if they
were separate characters). If one is stunnedor knocked
unconscious,the other maycontinue to act. If the de-
tached body part is killed,the character loses that part
of his body permanently.
A "small creature" homunculushas no quantum
powers, but it is otherwiseconsideredto have half rat-
ings in the character's normalTrails (i.e., if the charac-
ter has a Strength of 4, the homunculushas a Strength
of 2), half normalsoak and a Bite/ Clawattack of Str +I
lethaldamage. The playermayshift points aroundif he
likes(reducingStrengthto addto Dexterity, for example).
lf killed, the maincharacter takes one automatichealth
levelof lethaldamage.
Homunculus At two dots and higher,the character can create
Level:3 more than one homunculus . At two dots he can create
Quantum Minimum: 4 twohomunculi ; at three dots, fourhomunculi;at fourdots,
DicePool:Stamina+ Homunculus six homuncul i; at five dots, 10homunculi . These homun-
Range: Self culican all be the same, or can be different.lt costs no
Area:N/A additionalquantumpoints to create multiplecreatures.
Dlntion: Special Furthermore, if the character has Homunculus4+,
Effect: Allowsnova to separate parts of his body she can break downher entire body intoa "homunculus
or create smallcreatures from his ownbody. swarm" of thousands of insect-sized creatures. The
Multiple Adions:Special swarmmovesat the character's normal speed and can
Description:Similarin many ways to Clone, this flowover an opponent, automaticallyinflictinga number
power allowsa nova to separate parts of his body yet of levels of lethaldamage per turn equal to the power
retain control over them (for example, detaching his rating(soakprotects normallyagainstthis damage). The
hands and lettingthem stranglesomeoneon their own), swarmcan Aowover multipleopponents; the character
to create smallcreatures fromhis ownbody,or even to simplydivides the levelsof lethal damage between or
break down his body into a swarmof tinycreatures. Use amongall appropriate targets. Thus, if the homunculus
of the powerdoes not cause the novaany damage. swarmcouldpotentiallyinflictfour levelsof lethaldam-
To use Homunculus , the novaspends the required age per turn, the character couldflowover three oppo-
amountof quantumpoints and rolls Stamina + Homun- nents, inflictingtwo levelsper turn to one foe and one
culus. Successmeansthat a body part can be detached levelper tum to the other two. A homunculus swarmtakes
or a creature can be created. The creatures in question a maximumof one health levelof damagefrommost at-
cannot be perfect duplicatesof the nova - that re- tacks, but fire, explosionand area attacks affect it nor-
quires Clone - but they could be smaller,or warped mally.
and twisted, versionsof him. lt takes onlyone turn for a novato create a single
Detachedbody parts or creatures can moveup to homunculus,but the character can do nothingelse that
10meters per dot in Homunculus awayfromthe charac- turn (not even walking). Once created, the homunculus

202 CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM POWERS

 ABERRANT
does not cost quantumpoints to maintain;it remainsat
no cost until it recombineswith the originalcharacter.
To recombine,two or more homunculineed only touch
and use an action;again,this is the onlyaction they can
performthat tum. Recombiningis automatic;it does not
require a roll.
Extras:None
Hypermovement
Level:2
Quantum Minimun: 1
DicePool:Dexterity+ Hypermovement
Range: Self
Area:N/A
Duration: Maintenance
Effect:Increases character's running, flying or
swimmingspeed.
Multiple Actions: N/A
Description: A novawithHypermovementcan run,
swim or fly at super-fast speeds. At higher levels,
Hypermovementallowsa character to outpace bullet
trains, jetfighters and other vehicles. The player must
specify whichmodeof movementHypermovementen-
hances(running, swimmingor Flight,but not techniques
frompowerssuchas ElementalMasteryor GravityCon-
trol) whenhe buys the power.
Hypermovement worksby increasingthe multiplier
used to calculatethe character's movementrate. Each
dot adds six to the multiplier.For example,in combatall
characterscan sprint at a rate equalto (Dexterityx 3) +
20 meters per action. A character with Hyperrunning1
movesat (Dexterityx 9) + 20 meters per action. If he
increases the power to Hyperrunning4, he moves at
(Dexterityx 27) + 20 meters per action. A character
withHyperswimming treats his base swimmingscore as
equalto his sprintingscore, then adds the modifiers ac-
cordingly.
Out of combat,Hypermovement simplyconvertsto
a speed of 500 kilometersper hourtimesthe dots in the
power. Thus,a character withHyperrunning4 movesat
2000 kph - breakingthe sound barrier, thus causing
significantdamageto structures he runs past becauseof
CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM POWERS
the sonic booms(consider this effect the equivalentof
causingdamageequal to the Mega-Strengthenhance-
ment Thunderclapalongthe character's backwardtra-
jectory,but substitutingdots in Hypermovement for dots
in Mega-Strength). Characters using Hypermovement
have to be very carefulabout their effect on the world
aroundthem.
A characterwhomovesat fulltilt maytake no other
actions (except Hyperspeed or Aerial Slam) while so
doing,but the difficultyt.o hit himincreasesby one per
dot in the power; thus, anyone attacking a nova men-
tioned with Hyperrunning4 has to roll against a diffi-
culty penalty of at least four if the target is movingat
fullspeed.
If a character has to maneuversuddenlywhileus-
ing Hypermovement,the Storytellercan have himmake
a Dexterity+ Hypermovementroll to do so.
Extras:Ext.ra Mode(power affects one additional
modeof movement)
Hypnosis
Level:1
QuantumMinimum:1
DicePool:Intelligence+ Hypnosis
Range:(Quantum+ powerrating) meters
Area:N/A
Duration: Special
Effect:Hypnotizestarget; number of successes
definesdegree of control.
Multiple Actions:Yes
Description: Hypnosis is, in effect, a weaker ver-
sion of Domination . While it allowscharacters to exert
some control over the mindsof others, it is harder to
use, and it establishesa lowerdegree of controlover the
victim than Dominationdoes.
A novawith Hypnosiscan do anything a character
with the enhancementHypnoticGaze (p. 174) can do
(thoughall rolls made are Intelligence+ Hypnosis, not
Manipulationor Mega-Manipulation rolls). Additionally ,
he can establishmorepowerfulmentalcontrol.Todo so,
he need onlyspend the requiredquantumpointsand roll
Intelligence+ Hypnosisin a resisted action against the
203
 ABERRANT
target's Willpower. If the nova scores more successes,
he succeeds inachievingcontrol. The degree of control
depends on howmanysuccessesthe novahas left after
subtractingthe victim'sWillpowersuccesses,as follows:
Successes Command Intensity
One VeryMinor:"You are getting
sleepy...."
Two Quirky:Wear a particularsuit of
clothes,pet an imaginarydog
Three Minor:Eat a bug; go to a particular,
easilyaccessiblelocation
Fouror more Major/Noteworthy:Performa rela
tivelyeasy task for the nova
Obviously Domination is much more effective in
mostsituations. However,whenused cleverly,Hypnosis
can be very effective. Hypnosisalso has a longerdura-
tion than Domination.As longas the novaconcentrates
on the target, Hypnosisremainsineffect. Oncehe stops
concentrating,Hypnosisremainsin effect, if appropri-
ate, for a numberof daysequalto the character's dots in
Hypnosis.Thisgrace periodusuallylasts longenoughfor
the nova to make his getaway,use an implantedpost-
hypnoticsuggestionor take some similaraction.
Extras:None
Immobilize
Level:2
Quantum Mininun: 1
DicePool:Dexterity + Immobilize
Range: (Quantum+powerrating) x 10meters
Area:N/A
Otration: One scene or untildestroyed
Effect:This powerrenders a target immobile;each
successsubtractsone fromthe target's Dexterity.At zero
Dexterity, the target is paralyzed.
WtipleAdions:Yes
Description: A novawiththispoweris ableto para-
lyzeor ensnare targets in some way,which ranges from
creating blocksof ice aroundthem, to secretinga para-
lyticpoison,to imprisoningthem withina quantumfield.
To use Immobilize,the character spends the re-
quired quantumpoints and rolls Dexterity+ Immobilize
704 CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM POWERS
in an opposed test against the victim'sDexterity. Each
net success, plusa numberof automaticsuccessesequal
to the nova's Quantum,reduces the target's Dexterity
by one (Mega-Dexterity dots are lost first). Attackson
a partiallyimmobilizedtarget gain bonusesto hit (seep .
249 for specifics). Whenthe target's Dexterityreaches
zero, he is completelyimmobilized .
To break out of Immobilize , the victimmust exert
his Strength or some other Attribute. ln most cases
Strengthis the proper Attribute, but the Storytellermay
chooseanother Attribute if he feels that is moreappro-
priate - for example,if the Immobilizeis defined as
"lockingup the victim's mind," Willpoweror Wits would
workbetter for breakingout. The Immobilizeis consid-
ered to have an effectiveStrength,soak and numberof
"health levels"equalto the nova's Quantum+powerrat-
ing. If thistotalrangesabove5, everytwoadditionaldots
provide the Immobilizewith effective levelsof Mega-
Strength - thus, a novawith Quantum4 and Immobi-
lize 5 creates Immobilizeeffects that bind targets as
thoughthey hadMega-Strength2.Whenthe victimdoes
enoughdamageto the Immobilize to break free, it shat-
ters or otherwise vanishes. A fullyimmobilizedtarget
can be automaticallyhit, but the Immobilize power's soak
total protects the victim!
Extras: Supertough(the Immobilize effect's health
levels are doubled); Intangible (lmmobilize 's soak and
health levelsdo not protect victim)
Immolate
Level:2
Quantum Mininun:2
DicePool:N/ A
Range:Self
Area:N/A
Otration: Maintenance
Effect: Charactersurroundshis body with a dam-
agingeffect; anyonewhotouchesthe novatakes(Quan-
tum+powerrating)x 2 diceof bashingdamageor (Quan-
tum + powerrating) dice of lethaldamage.
MultipleActions:Yes
 ABERRANT
Description: Thispower,a variantof QuantumBolt,
allowsa novato surroundhimselfwithflame,electricity,
raw quantumForcesor someother dangeroussubstance.
The player must choose when he buys the power pre-
ciselywhatsurroundsthe nova, and this decisioncannot
changethereafter.
When a nova Immolates,he damagesanythinghe
touches,or anythingthat toucheshim.Histouch inflicts
Quantum+ (power rating x 3) dice of bashingdamage,
or Quantum+ (powerrating x 2) dice of lethaldamage.
The player must choose upon purchasingthe Immolate
power whether the effect is bashingor lethal, and this
decisioncannot be changedthereafter.
If the nova deliberatelytries to touch someone,
doingso counts as an attack. However,the novacan use
a normalclosecombatattack (suchas a punch)and also
cause damagefrom Immolatewithoutthe use of Immo-
late countingas a separate action.Similarly,anyonewho
touches or grabs the character automaticallytakes the
Immolatedamage. Thisdamagedoes not countas an ac-
tion or attack by the nova.
Immolatecan be extremelyeffectiveincombat,but
it can also cause problems, since anything the nova
touchestakes damage. If he bumpsintoan innocentby-
stander, smashesthrougha wallor gas pumpor simply
walksdown the street, he damages those people and
objects - with potentiallydisastrousresults.
Extras:Variable(Immolatemay be either of two
damagingsubstances; character may switch between
themas an action); Aggravated(Immolate inflicts[power
rating) levels of aggravateddamage)
Intuition
Level:I
Quantum Minimum:I
DicePool:Perception+ Intuition
Range:Self
Area:N/A
Duration:Permanent
Effect:
Heightenscharacter'sawarenessof dangers.
MultipleActions:Yes
CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM POWERS
Desaiption:Intuitionis a lesser form of the Pre-
monitionpower. Like Premonition,it warns a nova of
potentialthreats and dangers. However,it is less sensi-
tive, and it workssomewhatdifferently.
As with Premonition, the playermustmakea Per-
ception + Intuitionroll to determine if there is danger.
The differences are twofold.First, Intuitionis penna-
nent. The character does not have to spend quantum
pointsor otherwiseturn his Intuitionon; it's constant.ly
activeand on the lookoutfor dangers. Second,the warn-
ing providedby Intuitionis muchless precise than the
one given by Premonition. When the character makes
his roll, the Storytellersimplytellshimthat he feels that
"somethingis not right here." The more successes the
characterachieveson the roll,the moreprecise the Sto-
ryteller shouldbe, but in no instanceshouldhe provide
as muchinformationas Premonitiondoes.
Intuitionalerts the character only to dangers to
himself. It providesno warningif someonenearby is in
danger.
Extras:None
Invisibility
Level:2
QuantumMininun: I
DicePool: Wits + Invisibility
Range:Self
Area:N/A
Duration: Maintenance
Effect.: Quantum+ number of successes versus
opponent'sPerceptionto remainundetected
MultipleActions:Yes
Description:Invisibility
rendersa novaundetectable
tovision,andpossiblyothersensesaswell.Invisibilityworks
againstall variantsof visualsenses (Electromagnetic Vi-
sion, High-EndElectromagnetic Scan,machinesandsecu-
rity devices),but attemptsto detect the invisiblecharac-
ter withsuchenhancedvisiongainan extra die unlessthe
novaspendsa Willpowerpointto fortifyhisinvisiblestate.
205
 ABERRANT
Touse Invisibility,
the playerneedsonlypaythe quan- Description: Invulnerabilityis just what it says -
tum pointsand rollWits+ Invisibility . The numberof suc- it makesa character invulnerable,or nearlyso, to a spe-
cessesachieved,plusa numberofautomaticsuccessesequal cific formof attack. Eachdot in the poweradds six soak
to the character's Quantumrating, is compared to an whenresistingdamagefrom that kind of attack, even if
Awarenessrollfor any personsdirectlyattemptingto de- the attack is aggravated. In the case of mental powers
tect the character. Playersof characterswhoare not spe- suchas Domination,each levelof Invulnerability provides
cificallytryingto perceivethe invisiblecharacter(suchas six extra successes to any Willpowerroll to resist the
the average person the invisiblecharacter passes on the power's effects.
street) are not allowedto rollAwarenessat all.lf the nova The character must choose the type of attack to
achievesthe sameor moresuccesses,those tryingto per- whichhis Invulnerabilityapplies. Typicallythis applica-
ceivehimare completelyunableto do so. Anyattacksmade tion is basedon a givenphenomenon(fire attacks) rather
based on that sense suffer BlindFighting/Fire penalties than a specific power (QuantumBolt). Some possible
(assumingthe attacker is makinghis attack in the proper examplesinclude:any one attack formdefinedby an El-
directionor locationat all). ementalAnimaor ElementalMastery(fire, ice, earth or
If the onlookersachievemore successes, they per- light); magneticattacks or mental powers. Characters
ceive the character dimly- enoughto launchattacks may not choose to be Invulnerable to "quantum pow-
against the character at a difficultypenalty of onlyone. ers," "physicalattacks" or "energy attacks."
doesnotcloaka character
lnvisi:>ility againstdetection Extras:Broad Category (player can choose to be
b-jothersenses- hemaystillbeheard, smelled,or registered Invulnerableto "physical attacks" or "energy attacks,"
on sorw, for example . However, theEmanced EffectExtra, but not "quantumpowers")
below, allowsInvisibility
to cloakthecharacter againstdetec-
tionb-t senses.Inthecaseofothersenses,theStory-
acklitional
tellershouddetermine'ill'rfappropriate effects.Forexample,
lnvisbilityto smellmig,trequirea character withBlood,ou,d
(p. 162)to makehistrackingrollsat increaseddiffwty.
Invisibility
worksonlyfor the character's body;ren-
dering one's clothes, effects or carried items invisible
requires the AttunementBackground(p. 139).
Extras: EnhancedEffect (Invisibilityworks versus
one additionalsense per success rolled)

Luck
Level:1
QuantumMinimum:1
DicePool:Luck
Range:Self
Area:N/A
Dl.ntion: Permanent
Effect:Successesachievedon roll reduce damage
and maketasks easier.
Multiple Actions: N/A
Invulnerability Description: A nova with this power is extraordi-
Level:2 narilylucky. Somehowhis quantumconsciousnessis able
Quantum
Minimum:
1 to tap into and manipulatefate, probabilitiesand per-
DicePool
: N/A hapsevenrealityitself. Regardlessof howit's done, Lady
Range:
Self Lucksmileson the character and looksout for him.
Area:N/A Onceper scene,a charactermayask to rollhisLuck.
DLntion:Permanent It is in the Storyteller'sdiscretion whether the charac-
Effect:Provides+6 soak per dot againsta specific ter may roll Luck;sometimesit's better for the game if
type of attack. the character depends on his own abilities. When the
Multiple Actions:N/ A character rolls Luck, each success achieved influences
the outcomeof other events. Exactlywhathappens is up
to the Storyteller,but here are some guidelines.

206 CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM POWERS

 CombatWhenthe characteris incombat,the player
maydividethe successeshe gets for Luckin a giventum
between his attack and his defense. Successesadded to
an attack grant one die per success to makethe attack
and determine its effects. Successes added to defense
provide one success (not one die) to alldodge, parry or
blockrolls(or similarrollsto avoidother effects, suchas
Willpowerrollsto counteract Domination).
Abilities: Each Lucksuccess adds one success (not
one die} to any use of Abilitiesout of combat.If a char-
acter makestwo or more Abilitychecks duringthe same
time frame (turn, minute, or whatever else the Story-
teller decides is appropriate), he must divide his Luck
successesamongthe different rolls.
Backgrounds: Luck affects rolls associated with
Backgroundsjust as it does with Abilities.
Remember, though, that Fate is a fickle bitch. If a
character botches a Luckroll, he suddenlybecomesre-
al~ unluckyfor a scene. An unluckycharacter botches if
he rollsno successesand any die comes up 1 or 2.
Extras: None

Magnetic Mastery
Level:3
Quantum Minimum: 4
Dice Pool: Variable
Range: Special
Area: Variable
Duration: Variable
Effect: Character is able to manipulatemagnetism
and magnetic fields.
MultipleActions: Yes
Desaipt.ion: A novawith this power is a master of
magnetism.She is able to lift and movemetallicobjects,
project magneticblasts and pulses and otherwise con-
trol and manipulatethe forcesof magnetism.If this power
•
is active, a nova may Blockany incomingmetal attack,
using Dexterity+Magnetic Masteryas the dicepool. The
character mayautomaticallymakea Perception+ Mag-
netic Masteryrollto accomplishminorfeats likesensing
magneticnorth, gaugingthe strength of localmagnetic
fields, and the like.
As with ElementalAnimaand Mastery, this power
providesseveraltechniques. A novamaylearnand freely
use one techniqueper dot in the power; she mayattempt
other techniques, but the playermust pay doublequan-
tum points and roll againsta difficultypenaltyof one to
use these powers. Techniquesinclude:
EMP
Dice Pool: Wits + Magnetic Mastery
Range: (Quantum+ power rating) x 10meters
Area: N/A
Duration: Instant
 ABERRANT

The nova can emit an electromagneticpulse that Magnetic Shield

disrupts electronicequipment.To use it, the character DicePool:N/ A
pays the requiredquantumpointsand rollsWits+ Mag- Range:Self
netic Mastery. The Storytelleropposes this powerwith Area:N/A
a roll based on the target device's "Stamina." The Sto- Duration: Maintenance
ryteller shoulddetermine the machine's Staminabased The charactercanpolarize metalweaponsand pro-
on howwellshieldedit is againstsuchattacks. Most ma- jectilesawayfromherself. Eachturn, the playercansub-
chineshavea Stamina of 1(at most);somemilitaryequip- tract her dots in MagneticMasteryfromthe attack suc-
ment, though, mighthave a Staminaof 5 or higher. For cesses of any metalweaponused againsther character.
each net success the novaachieves, the machineis un- Thisdefensealsoworksagainstnovaswhosepowersin-
ableto function for one hour. At the Storyteller's option, volvemetal.
minortechnologicaldevicesmaybe permanentlyshorted
out. Magnetic Storm
Dice Pool: N/A
Magnetic Blast Range : Special
DicePool:Dexterity+ MagneticMastery Area:(Quantum+ powerrating) x 5 meters
Range: (Quantum+powerrating) x 10meters Dura tion:Concentration
Area:N/A This powerallowsthe novato telekineticallylift all
Durati on: Instant in-range ferrous objects of 40 kgs or less, then whirl
The novacan project a damagingblast of magnetic themaroundhimin a sort of "magnetictornado." Hewill
force, similar to a QuantumBolt. This attack inflicts not be hurt by the flying objects, but anyonewithinthe
[Quantumx 2] levels+ (powerrating x 3) dice of bash- area of effect acts at -2 to alldicepools andtakes(power
ingdamage. rating x 2) diceof bashingdamage. The damagedepends
Magnetic Field in part on the objects available.lf there are few metallic
DicePool: Wits + MagneticMastery objects in the vicinity, the Storyteller may reduce the
Range : (Quantum+ powerrating) x 5 meters damagedone proportionately.lf there are a lot of sharp
Area:(Quantum+ powerrating) x 3 meters objects (like knivesor nails), the damagemaybe lethal.
Durat ion: Concentration Magnetize
The novacan create an intensemagneticfield in a Dice Pool: Perception + MagneticMastery
givenarea. This field interferes with electronicequip- Range : (Quantum+powerrating) x 10meters
ment.Eachsuccessachievedon a Wits + MagneticMas- Area:N/A
tery rollimposesa difficultypenaltyof one for any tasks Duration : Maintenance
attempted by or with electronic equipment. At the The novamagneticallychargesferrousmetalitems
Storyteller's option, some shieldedequipmentmay be withinthe vicinity, causingthem to attract or repel one
able to resist this effect with a "Stamina" roll, as with another. This could, for example, wrencha gun from a
the EMPpower. foe's hand or trap an armored guard against the metal
Magnetic levitation bars of a prisoncell.A magneticallychargedferrousob-
Die~Pool:N/A ject exerts an effective"Might" equalto the character's
Range:Self Quantum plus the successes scored on a Dexterity +
Area:N/A MagneticMasteryroll.
Duration: Maintenance Magnetokinesis
The nova is able to manipulate ambient magnetic DicePool:Dexterity+ MagneticMastery
fields to pickhimselfup and fly crudely. His flyingspeed Range: (Quantum+ powerrating) x 10meters
is equalto (powerrating x 2) + 20 meters per action, or Area:N/A
(40 x powerrating) kilometersper hour out of combat. Duration: Concentration
The novamayuse his awesomemagneticpowersto
pickup metallicobjects. Oncehe has themhe can throw
them or hit other characters with them. This Featmir-
rors the use of the Telekinesispower (p. 224), except
that the dice pool is Dexterity+ MagneticMastery,and
onlymetalobjects can be manipulated.
Extras:None

208 CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM POWERS

 ABERRANT
Matter Chameleon
Level:3
Quanrum 5
Minimum:
DicePool:Stamina+ Matter Chameleon
Range:
Self
Area:N/A
Otration:Maintenance
Effect:Allowscharacter to duplicateproperties of
specifictypes of matter.
Multiple Actions:No
Description: Matter Chameleon is similar to
Bodymorph, but instead of allowing a character to as-
sume onlyone form, it gives her the power to have her
body take on the properties of any type of matter or
energy she touches. If she touches rock, her body be-
comesas durableand strongas stone. If she touchestear
gas, she becomes intangibleand can blind people with
her touch. If she touches water, she can flow through
pipes and ignore manyforms of attack. If she touches
fire, she becomesa livingAame.
To use Matter Chameleon,the nova must pay the
required quantumand touch the form of matter or en-
ergy whoseproperties she wishes to assume(doingso
does not cause her any damage, even if the substance
wouldnormallybe damaging), and the player must roll
Stamina+ Matter Chameleon.Evenone success is suffi-
cient to allowher to assumethe properties of that form;
as longas she keeps paying quantumpoints, she willre-
tain those properties.
SpecificTraits granted by Matter Chameleonde-
pend entirelyon the materialcopied, often includingex-
tra Strength, soak, or damaging effects. The possibili-
ties are nearlyendless, andthe Storytellermustultimately
adjudicate as she sees fit. Somegeneralguidelinesare:
No substance may provide more damage or soak than
the lowerof a) the substance's normalproperties; b) the
nova's powerratingx 3. No substancemayprovidemore
extra Strength levelsthan the nova's power rating. Ex-
ceptionallevelsof successmayallowfor modificationof
these guidelines.
CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM POWtRS
ForExample: KarenRoperhasStrength4 andMat-
ter Chameleon4. She sticksher handinto ajunctionbox
and scores four successeson a Stamina• MatterCha-
meleonroll,thuschangingintolivingelectricity.Although
her MatterChameleon ratingis quitehigh,she cannor-
mallyinflictno more thansix dice of lethaldamage-
the amountof currentavailablefromthe energysource.
However, since Karenscoredfoursuccessesonherroll,
the Storytellerallowsher to inflicteight dice of lethal
damageby touch(after all, she's biggerthana junction
box,thusmighthavemorecurrentrunningthroughher).
Next, Karentouchesa flawlessdiamond,scoringa
singlesuccesson the Stamina• MatterChameleonroll.
The Storytellerjudges that a beingmadeentirelyfrom
diamondwouldhave at least 18 extra soak; however,
becauseKarenhas MatterChameleonratingof only 4,
she maygaina maximumof 12extrasoakby duplicating
the diamond's strvct11re . TheStorytellerrulesthatKaren
gains two extra dots of Strength (raising Karen's
Strengthto Mega-StrengthI) andthe equivalentof fo11r
dots in the Clawspower,as Karen's fingernailsbecome
diamond-hard.
If a novawishes to use Matter Chameleon as a de-
fense against an incomingattack (for example, to as-
sumethe properties of fire based on beinghit by a blast
of Aame), she maydo so. Doingso does not require an
action, but it iseasier if an action is available;if the char-
acter does not havea delayedactionto use to do so, she
mustspenda point of Willpowerinstead. Shethen spends
quantumpoints and rollsStamina + Matter Chameleon;
evenonesuccessallowsher to assumethat attack's prop-
erties, and each success reduces the damagethe attack
inflictsby one die or level.
ForExample :KarenRoperis attackedby nervegas.
She rollsStamina+ Matter Chameleon,scoringthree
successes. The Storytellerrulesthat Karencompletely
ignoresthe effect of the gasandchangesto gasherself.
She gainspropertiessimilarto Bodymorph(gas);addi-
tionally,anyoneenvelopedby Karenwillbe affected as
thoughdousedwithnervegas(see theAppendix,p. 280,
for details).
MatterChameleonhas a fewother nice side effects,
too. Byspendinga quantumpoint,the charactercan walk
on water or other fluidsat normalspeed (this does not
protect againstthe effects of fluidslikeacidor magma).
Byspendingthree quantumpoints and touchinga solid
suchas a wallor floor,the character can attune her mo-
lecular compositionto that substance, allowingher to
"phase" throughthe solidat normalwalking speed.
See Bodymorph{p. 185)for guidelineson the prop-
erties possessed by varioussubstances.
Extras : None
209
 There is an additionalrestriction on Matter Cre-
ation. The soak, health levels, and/ or dice of damage
the object provides/causesmaynot exceedthe creator's
Quantum+ power rating total. Thus, a character with
Quantum5 and Matter Creation3 can create objectsthat
have eight health levels, provide eight soak and/ or in-
flict eight dice of damage(or less); he cannot create an
object hard or durableenoughto havenine health levels
or providenine soak.
At the Storyteller's option, creating complicated
Matter Creation devicesmayrequire the character to havethe skillsnec-
essary to buildsuch a device from scratch. Those Abili-
Level:3
ties substitutefor Witsin the roll. Forexample,to create
QuantumMinimum:5
a car, the character would have to roll Engineering+
Dice Pool:Wits + Matter Creation
Matter Creation.
Range:(Quantum+ power rating) meters
Once created, the substance or object remainsin
Area:NIA
existencefor one hourper dot inMatterCreation. A sub-
Duration:Special
stance or object can be madepermanentat the cost of a
Effect: Creates matter of varioussorts
point of permanent Willpower.
MultipleActions:Yes
Extras:None
Description:A novawith Matter Creationcan lit-
erally create matter out of nothingness. He can create
matter in its raw form- such as ordinary iron or wood
- or he can create actualobjects and devices - such
as a sword, computeror chair.
Whencreating raw materials,the novasimplyrolls
Wits+ Matter Creation. The amountof matter created
depends on the numberof successes rolled:

Successes Amount of Matter

One 1kg
Two 10kg
Three 100 kg
Four
Five
1,000 kg
10,000 kg
Mental Blast
Creatingobiectsand workingdevices1sa littlemore
Level:2
Quantum Minimum :3
d1ff1cult.
The numberof successesrequireddependsupon
DicePool:Intelligence+ MentalBlast
the natureof the obiect andthe object'ssize.
Range: (Quantum+ power rating) x 10 meters
Successes ObjectComplexity
Area:N/A
One SimpleObjects:A kmfe,a cup
Duration:Instant
Two ComplexObjects:Fum1ture,a book
Three SimpleDevices:A clock,a lamp
Effect:
Causesone levelof bashingdamageper suc-
Cess.
Four ComplexDevices:A desktopcom
MultipleActions: Yes
puter,an automobile
Description:This power allowsa nova to project
VeryComplexDevices:Anair
plane,a supercomputer,a m1ss1le
his"quantumconsciousness"directlyintoanotherbeing's
mind, causing psychic pain and injury.To use Mental
Difficulty ObjectSize
Blast, the character pays the required quantumpoints
+O Small:Anythingyoucouldholdin
and rolls Intelligence+ Mental Blast in a resisted roll
one handor arm
againstthe target's Willpower
. Eachnet successachieved
+1 Medium:Anythingyouwouldneed
Causes one health level of bashing damage; if bashing
twoarmsto hold
health levelsgo below zero, further MentalBlast dam-
+2 Large:Anythingyouwouldneed
age is lethal.
twoor morepeopleto hold
Extras:None
+3 VeryLarge:Anythingyouwould
needa forkliftto hold
AdditionalDifficulties
+2 Rad,oact1ve
+3 Unknownsubstance;substancethat
defiesnormalpropertiesof physics(eufiber,for example)
UANTUM POWERS

Mirage
Level:2
QuantumMinimum :3
DicePool: Manipulation+Mirage
Range : (Quantum+ powerrating) x 20 meters
Area:N/ A
Duration: Concentration
Effect: Creates illusionsin target's mind.
Multiple Actions:No
Description:UnlikeHolo,whichcreates an image
that many different characters can see at once, Mirage
allowsa nova to project an imagedirectly into a single
targets mind. To use Mirage, the nova must spend the
necessary quantumpoints and roll Manipulation+ Mi-
rage in a resisted action against the target's Willpower
lf the nova scores more successes, he succeeds in im-
. Manipulation
planting the illusion.The more net successeshe has, the
more complex and believablethe illusionis.
5uccHUS IllusionIntensity
One Simplelllus1on:Changeappearance
or nature of existingobJectsor
persons; create illusionthat there
are minorobjects or peoplewhere
none actuallyexist.
Two ComplexIllusion:Changeappear
ance or nature of importantexist
mgobjects or persons; create 11
lus1onthat there are importantob
Jecls or people where none actu
allyexist; minorchangesto overall
environment.
11.-eeormore VeryComplexIllusion:Illusioncan
completelychange the target's en
v1ronmentor the people and ob
Jects around him.
CHAPTERFIVE QUANTUM POWERS
Oncethe novaestablishesthe illusion,he mustcon-
centrate on it to maintainit. He willknowhowthe target
is reacting to ,t and he can cause it to react accordingly.
lf the illusiondoes not react as the target expects (for
example,someone who is the target's friend does not
knowwhohe is), the target maymakea Perceptionroll,
opposed by an Intelligence+ Mirageroll to break free
from the illusion.
Unlessthe novaachievesthree or more successes,
a target cannottake damagefromillusoryattacks, though
he might, for example, be tricked intorunninginfront of
a car as he reacts to an illusion.At three or more suc-
cesses, the victim'smindwillcausehimto suffer inJuries
correspondingto those caused by illusoryattacks - if
shot with an illusorygun, he willtake the same damage
which he wouldtake from a real gun - but regardless
of the type of damagethe attack wouldnormallydo, the
damageis StunAttack damageonly(see Stun Attack, p.
223).
Extras:None
Molecular
Level: 3
QuantumMinimum: 5
DicePool: Variable
Range:Variable
Area: Vanable
Duration: Special
Effect:This power givesa character the abilityto
mampulateand control molecules.
MultipleActions: Yes
Description : A novawiththis powerwieldsultimate
control over inorganicand unlivmgorganic molecules.
Whilehe cannotchangeor affect livingthingsinanyway
his power is still quite impressive.
Byspendinga quantumpoint, a molecularmanipu-
lationcan makea Perception+ MolecularManipulation
rollto identifythe chemicalcompos1t1on and properties
of any substance within a range of [Quantum+ power
rating] x 20 meters.
As with ElementalAnimaand Mastery, this power
providesseveraltechniques. A novamaylearnand freely
use one techmqueper dot 1nthe power; she mayattempt
other techmques, but the playermust pay doublequan-
tum cost and roll against a difficultypenalty of one to
activate these powers. Techniquesinclude:
21 l
 ABERRANT
others whileanimated), it mayuse them; the Storyteller
Animation shoulddetermine the exacteffectsand appropriatedam-
DicePool:Manipulation+ MolecularManipulation age.
Range:(Quantum+ powerrating) x 3 meters
Area:N/A
Duration:
Concentration
The novamay"animate"inanimateobjects, giving
them a crude sort of quasi-life. Wheeled objects roll,
furniture and other itemswithlegswalkor run andother
objectsdo their best to hop or otherwisemotivatethem-
selves. The character mayanimateone object of roughly
humansize for each successon the player's Intelligence
+ MolecularManipulation roll. Thus, animatinga couch,
which is approximatelytwice the size of a normalhu-
man,wouldtake two successes. Animatedobjects move
at the character's walkingpace, but this speed mayin-
crease to his runningpace if he spends an additional
quantumpoint.
Animated objects can attack targets. The Story-
teller determines the objects' Strength, Stamina and
health levelsbased on their size and the materialsthey
are madeof (the Material Strengthchart on p. 257 pro-
vides someguidelines); an object's Dexterity is equalto
the character's normalWits Attribute. If the object has
any special abilities (such as a gun, which could shoot
212 CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM
Destruction
Dice Pool:Dexterity+ MolecularManipulation
Range : (Quantum+ powerrating) x 10 meters
Area:N/A
Duration:Instant
The character unravelsor destroys the molecular
bonds holdingan unlivingobject together, causing it to
disintegrate. Doingso inflictsQuantum+ Molecular Ma-
nipulationhealth levelsof damageto the target object.
Objectsmaysoak; the Storytellershould determinehow
muchdamagethey can soak based on the materialsthey
are made of and howwellthey are constructed.
Molecular Alteration
Dice Pool: Intelligence+ MolecularManipulation
Range : (Quantum+ powerrating) x 5 meters
Area:N/A
Dura t ion: Permanent
The character can convert the moleculesof an
unlivingsolidor liquid into moleculesof anotherunliving
solidor liquid, thus, for example,transforminga wooden
chair intoa steel chair. The natureof the changesa char-
POWERS
 ABERRANT
S.iccesses Transmutation
One Change Substance: The charac-
ter may change the elements or
substance of whichan object is
made, but he cannot changethe
object's shape or size. A wooden
chair becomesa chair of soltd
gold; a steel knifebecomesa
knife of silk.
Two Change Size: As ChangeSub-
stance, plusthe character can
make the object largeror smaller
by up to 20% per success over
one (20% at the m1mmum two
successes neededfor this effect;
40% at three successes; and so
forth).
Three Change Shape: As ChangeSize,
plusthe object's shape can be
changed. A woodenchair can be
transformedinto a lumpof gold;
a steel kmfebecomesa dress of
silk.
Four ChangeComplexity : As Change
Size, plusthe object's nature or
complexitycan be transformed
- 1tcan be made into working
electricalcircuitsand moving
parts. Thus. a tree can be
changedintoa workingcomputer
or a car.
acter can enact withMolecularAlterationdependsupon
the numberof successeshe achieveson an Intelligence+
Molecular Manipulationroll.
The charactermaynot create objects fromthinair;
that requires Matter Creation.
At the Storyteller'soption, creating devices with
ChangeComplexitymay require the character to have
the skillsnecessaryto buildsuch a device fromscratch.
Those Abilitiessubstitutefor Intelligencein the roll.For
example,to create a car, the character wouldhaveto roll
Engineering+ MolecularManipulation . Poison
Once created, the substanceor object remainsin
existencefor one hour per dot in MolecularManipula-
tion. A substanceor object can be made permanentat
the cost of a point of permanentWillpower .
CHAPTERFIVE QUANTUM POWERS
Second Skin
Dice Pool: N/A
Range: Self
Area:N/A
Duration: Maintenance
Byhardeningair moleculesin a filmabout himself,
the novacan protect himselfwith a layer of armor. For
each dot inMolecularAlteration,the novagains+2 soak
versus bashingand lethaldamage.
Shape Alteration
Dice Pool:Wits + MolecularManipulation
Range:Touch
Area:N/A
Duration: Special
The charactercan alter the shape of inanimateob-
jects. Hecanalter the shape of 10 kilogramsof anygiven
substance per success rolled on an Intelligence+ Mo-
lecular Manipulationroll. He need not affect an entire
object to alter its shape, but he can alter onlythat part
of the object whichhe is able to affect. He can cause a
hole to open in the object (handy for getting through
lockeddoors), makeit growcrude arms or legs. or just
changeits appearanceor abilityto function.The changes
remainuntilthe novareverses themor repairs are made.
A novawith this powercan attempt to repair inor-
ganicobjects. The novamusthave at least some knowl-
edge of the subject to be fixed (generallyspeaking, at
least one dot in Engineering).The nova then rolls Mo-
lecularManipulation+Engineering(or other appropri-
ate Ability); each success repairs one "health level of
damagesuffered by the object.
Extras : None
Level: 2
QuantumMinimum :I
DicePool: Stamina+ Poison
Range: Touch
Area:N/A
Duration: Instant
Effect: Character'stouchcan poisonor infect an-
other person.
MultipleActions:Yes
21 3
 ABERRANT
Description: A novawith this abilitycan poisonor
drug someonewith a touch or infect himwith a disease.
For purposes of this power, poisons, venoms, toxins,
drugs and similarsubstancesare considered to do Stun
Attack (per the power of the same name), bashingor
lethal damage; some poisons subtract from dice pools
instead. The amountof damagethe character's touchcan
inAictdependsuponthe type of damageand a Stamina+
Poisonroll· the character mayadd a numberof successes
equal to his Quantum. Eachsuccess gives himone level
of Stun Attack damage; two successes are required to
get a levelof bashingdamage, or to subtract one die from
Premonition
the victim's dice pools,and three successesare required Level:2
for each levelof lethalpoisondamage. QuantumMinimum:I
Diseases are handled differently. The number of DicePool: Perception+ Premonition
successes achievedon the roll determine the virulence Range:Variable
of the disease that can be inflicted. The victimmayre- Area: Special
sist with a Resistanceroll; net successes are compared Duration: One scene
to the table below: Effect Allowscharacter to detect dangeror threats
to himself.
MultipleActions : Yes
Successes Virulence Equivalent Description:This sensory powerwarnsthe novaof
One Minor, nonfataldiseases:Colds,in- impendingdangers or threats. To use it, the character
fluenza pays the quantum-pointcost, whichallowsher to detect
Two MaJor.nonfataldiseases:Many danger for one scene. Whenevershe is confrontedwith
types of fever, chickenpox any danger during that time - she is about to trip a
Three Fatal diseases: HIV,leprosy trap, someone points a gun at her etc. - the player
Four Extremelyfatal diseases:Ebolafe- may makea Perception + Premonitionroll to detect it.
ver, Marburg fever,Lhasafever The difficultyshouldbe set by the Storyteller,depend-
ing on the severity of the danger (the greater the po-
tentialharm,the easier it is to detect) and howlikelyit is
to affect the character (a direct threat is easier to de-
Conventional armor,includingpowerssuchas Force tect than somethingthat mightadverselyaffect the char-
Field,usuallyoffers little protection againstpoisonsand acter but isn't intended for her).
diseases. A novawiththe Adaptabilityenhancementmay Premonitioncan detect threats specificallydirected
soak poison effects with his Stamina/Mega-Stamina at the character (someoneaboutto stab her witha knife)
soak; at the Storytellers option, a Resistance roll may as well as threats directed at her general area (a
helpto counteracta poison's effects (in wholeor in part). terrorist's bombthat's aboutto destroy the buildingshes
Rememberthat most poisonsand diseases do not work in). The danger must be withinabout (100 x Premoni-
instantly - they have an "onset time" measured in tion) meters of himin mostcases, thoughthe Storyteller
hours, days, or weeks. Characterswhoexpect to use this may, at her discretion expand this range. Specificdan-
power to cause fatalities in combat are likelyto be dis- gers (such as a sniper pointinga gun at the character
appointed. from a thousand meters away) can usuallybe detected
Extras:ProJectile (can spit, exhale or otherwise further awaythan general threats.
expela venomor virus at a range of 10 meters x power A successfulPremonitionrolldoes not tellthe char-
rating). acter exactlywhatthe danger is,onlythat she is exposed
to it and from roughlywhichdirection or location it is
coming. In most cases warningis enoughto providethe

2l4 CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM POWERS

 ABERRANT
character with the informationshe needs to avoid the
danger. For example, suppose the character is about to
walkthrougha door and her Premonitionalerts her to a
possiblethreat. If the Premonitionindicatesthat the dan-
ger is comingfrom the door itself, the door is probably
riggedfor some kindof boobytrap. If the danger comes
from beyondthe door, a more likelyexplanationis that
someone - or something- is waiting on the other
side of the door to attack or hurt the character.
Premonitiondoes not detect danger to those near
the character unless the character herself is somehow
exposed to the threat.
Extras: Others (the character's Premonitioncan
detect dangers to anyone withinabout (10 x Premoni-
tion] meters of the character)
For dramaticpurposes, the Storyteller may, at his
discretion, increase the timeframe.Forexample,if a nova
withPretercognition foundan ancient Egyptian artifact,
the Storyteller mightlet her "read" imagesassociated
with its creation, even though it is thousands of years
old, because those visionscontain a clue she needs to
solvea mystery.
Storytellersshouldbe very careful about allowing
this power in their series. It can have an enormousim-
pact on the characters' actions and on society, and it
can makeit virtuallyimpossibleto run scenariosthat re-
volvearound mysteriesor puzzles. However,there's no
guaranteethat the visionsreceived are absolutelyaccu-
rate....
Extras:None

Pretercognition Psychic Shield

Level: 3 Level: I
QuantumMinimum :4 QuantumMinimum: 1
Dice Pool: Perception+ Pretercognition DicePool:N/A
Range: Self Range:Self
Area: N/A Area:N/A
Duration: Instant Duration: Permanent
Effect:Allowscharacter to foresee future (or view Effect: Providestwo extra successes per dot on all
past) events; numberof successesdetermines timeframe. attempts to resist mentalpowers.
MultipleActions: No MultipleActions:N/A
Descript ion: Pretercognitionallowsa novato fore- Description: Psychic Shield is a potent defense
see future events or grants glimpsesof the past. againstpowersthat directly affect a nova's mind(Domi-
The timeframe within which the character can nation, Hypnosis, Mental Blast, Mirage or Telepathy).
"view" events is based on the number of successes Eachdot grants two extra successesto any roll to resist
achieved on a Perception+ Pretercognitionroll. mentalpowers. If the powercauses damage,likeMental
Blast, then PsychicShieldalso provides two extra soak
per dot. PsychicShield is permanent, but a character
SIICCeSNS Timeframe mayvoluntarilyshut it off if he wishes(he can reactivate
One Up to one hour per dot it at any time, whichdoes not require an action).
Two Up to one day per dot PsychicShielddoes not workagainstemotion-con-
Three Up to one week per dot trolling powers (EmpathicManipulation, many of the
Four Up to one month per dot Mega-Socialenhancements), only direct mind control.
Five Up to one year per dot Extras:Extra Mind(character may extend his Psy-
Six Up to 10 years per dot chicShieldto protect one other personwhomhe is touch-
ing)

CHAPTERFIVE QUANTUM POWERS 215

 ABERRANT
Quantum Bolt
Level:2
Quantum Miniiwm: I
DicePool:Dexterity + QuantumBolt
Range: (Quantum+powerrating) x 15 meters
Area:N/A
Du-ation: Instant
Effect:Inflicts [Quantumx 3] levels+ (power rat-
ingx 4) dice of bashing damageor [Quantumx 2] levels
+ (power rating x 4) dice of lethal damage (player's
choice).
Multiple Actions:Yes
Description:QuantumBolt, in its myriadforms, is
one of the most commonoffensive powers used by no-
vas. It allowsa nova to project a damaging blast of en-
ergy at a target.The damagemaybe either lethalor bash-
ing (the player must choose what type of damage the
power does when he buys it). The target takes [Quan-
tum Trait x 3] levels+(powerratingx 4) dice of bashing
damageor [QuantumTrail x 2] levels+ (powerrating x
4) dice of lethaldamage.
A novamight try to pullan unusual"stunt" withher
QuantumBolt, suchas bouncingit off a surface to hit an
opponent in the back. The Storyteller may, at his dis-
cretion, allowthis effect if the novaachievesa sufficient
numberof successeson a Dexterity + QuantumBoltroll.
A nova's QuantumBolt must be defined as a spe-
cifictype of energy or power, suchas fire, ice, lightning,
bioenergyor a laser, whenthe character is created. The
energy type cannot be changedthereafter.
QuantumBolt cannot normallyuse the standard
RangedCombatManeuvers, such as Automatic Fire (p.
247). However,for each dot in the powerabovethree, a
nova maychoose one such maneuverfor her Quantum
Bolt.She does not haveto use the maneuverunlessshe
wishes to, but it's availableas a "power stunt'' that she
has trained herself to perform. Performinga maneuver
costs one extra quantumpoint in additionto the points
spent to fuel the power itself.
Extras: Extra EnergyType(powermaymanifestas
one additionalformof energy); Supercharge(character
can spend three quantumpoints to have her Quantum
Bolt inflict[powerrating x 6] dice of appropriate dam-
716 CHAf'IER f-lVf- QUANTUM
age, not [power rating x 4] ; however, each such shot
inflictsa bashing healthlevelof damageon the novadue
to the stress of channeling the excess energy, and any
botch on the targeting roll inflicts a point of temporary
Taint)
Quantum Construct
Level:3
QuantumMiniiwm:4; mustalsohaveForceField•
or better
DicePool:Manipulation+ QuantumConstruct
Range:
(Quantum+ powerrating) meters
Area:N/A
Du-ation: Maintenance
Effect:This powerenablesthe character to create
"creatures" or objects out of quantumforce; the num-
ber of successes achieved indicates what beings can be
summonedand howmany.
Multiple Actions:No
Description:A novawithQuantumConstructis ca-
pable of generating raw quantumforces, then shaping
them into animatecreatures that act at the nova's whim.
Manynovaswith this poweruse it to summon"demons"
and other such creatures of legend. Regardlessof the
creatures' appearance, though,they are obviouslymade
from quantumforces - a character with control over
electromagneticenergies mightsummonconstructs of
living lightning, radiantenergyor the like. QuantumCon-
struct cannot create a duplicate of a specific person or
the like.
To use QuantumConstruct, a novamustspend the
required quantumpoints and roll Manipulation + Quan-
tum Construct. The numberof successes indicate what
type of creature can be summoned.
Charactersmaycreate morethanone beingin some
circumstances. First, if they want a being smallerthan
those listed on the chart, they may "divide" the listed
size up among multiple beings. For example, with two
successes, a nova couldcreate one human-sized being,
two beingsof half humansize, four beingsof one-quar-
POWERS
 ABERRANT

simplyreviewand approvewhatthe playercreates. The

Successes Being(s)Stsnmoned Storytellershouldbe carefulnot to let this powerunbal-
One One beingno larger than a sheep ance or ruin the game;just becausea novahas the abil-
(Strengthand Stamina1,Dexter- ity to summonan armyof demonicsoldiersdoesn't mean
ity 3, four health levels) he shouldbe allowedto.
Two One beingno larger than a human Thispoweris extremelywrenchingto the surround-
(AllPhysicalAttributes2. normal ings and it is best used onlyonce a scene. If a novaat-
humanhealth levels) tempts to use it more than once per scene, each addi-
Three Onebeingno largerthan twicehu- tionalattempt costs doublethe quantumpoints and in-
mansize(Strengthand Stamina4, curs a difficulty penaltyof one.
Dexterity2, eight health levels) Extras:None
Four One bemgno larger than four
times humansize (Mega-Strength
I/Strength 4, Stamma4, Dexter-
ity 2. +1soak,10"Hurt"healthlev-
els)
Five One bemgno larger than eight
times humansize (Mega-Strength
2/Strength 4, Stamina4. Dexter-
ity 2, +2soak,12"Hurt healthlev-
els)
Constructsare simplyshaped matrices of quan-
tumenergy;they are directed by their creator, haveno
Mental Socialor WillpowerTraits. and are immuneto
attacksdependenton thoseTra1ts(for example,Domi- Quantum Conversion
nationor DreadfulMien). Furthermore,constructsfeel Level: 1
no pamandsuffer no woundpenalties.Constructscan, Quantum Minimum: 1
however,be dispelledby powerssuch as Disrupt. Dice Pool: Stamina+ QuantumConversion
Range:Touch
Area: NIA
Duration: Special
ter humansize or a larger numberof mouse-or insect-
Effect:Mayconvert up to one quantumpoint per
sizedcreatures. Second, if the character achieves more
dot intostandard formsof energy.
successesthan needed to create the being he wants, he
MultipleActions:Yes
mayuse the extra successesto increase the numbers-
Desaiption:QuantumConversion is sometimescon-
each extra success doubles the numberof constructs.
si~eredone of the moreunusualpowersnovasdisplay,yet
Forexample,supposea novawantsto summona human-
,t 1sundoubtedlyoneof the moreusefulonesina practical,
sizeddemon,andthe playerrollsfoursuccesses. The two
everydaysense. It allowsa novalo convertpart of his per-
additionalsuccessesdoublehis numberstwice, allowing
sonalquantumenergies- hisQuantumPool- intostan-
himto summonfour demons.
dard fonnsof superquantumenergiessuchas heat, fireor
Some constructs may have additional powers. A
electricity.The playermustchoosewhat type of energy
cr~ationsuccesscan b~ convertedinto five novapoints,
the novacanconverthisquantumpointsinto.
wh,chare used to provideMega-Attributesor quantum
QuantumConversioncan convert up to one quan-
powers to the summonedcreatures. Allsuch creatures
tum point per dot into another form of energy. If con-
havea QuantumTrait of 1and 22 quantumpointsunless
verted into electricity, one quantum point wouldbe
the nova spends creation successes to raise Quantum
enoughto power a typicallarge televisionfor about an
(one success per one additionalQuantumdot).
hour. The Storyteller is the final arbiter of how much
The nova who summonedthe constructs may (at
electricity is needed to power a given device, and for
~nytimeand anyrange) "banish" them,dispersingthem
how long. He also determines the effects and uses of
into the surrounding medium. No roll is required to do
other formsof energy.
so.
QuantumConversioncanalsobe usedto causedam-
Ultimat.ely, the Storytelleris responsiblefor com-
age to other peopleif the novatouchesthemwhileemit-
ingup withthe gamestatistics and rulesfor created con-
tingthe energy. Doingso causesonehealthlevelof bash-
structs, thoughhe may let the player do the work and

CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM POWERS 21 7

 ABERRANT
ingdamageper quantumpoint converted(or one health
level of lethal damage per two quantum points con-
verted), but the person touched maysoak this damage
normally .
Extras:Extra Energy Type (power may convert
quantumpointsintoone additionaltype of energy; char-
acter chooseswhichtype of energyto emitwithanygiven
use of the power)
Quantum Imprint
Level:3
Quantum
Minimum:
4 DicePool:N/A
DicePool:Dexterity+ QuantumImprint
Range:Touch
Area:N/A
Duration:
Maintenance
Effect:Copiesthe powers and abilitiesof charac-
ter touched.
Multiple Actions:No
Description: QuantumImprintallowsa novato copy
the quantumsignatureof another nova. Bytouchingan-
other nova, he can duplicatesome or all of that nova's
powers in himself.The novatouched does not lose any
of his powersor suffer any injury.
To use QuantumImprint, the nova must make a
Dexterity + QuantumImprintrollto touch the victim. 1f
the touchsucceeds,the novamaycopyoneof the victim's
Attributes,skills,abilities or powersfor each dot he has
in QuantumImprint- but he mayonlycopythemup to
his numberof dots in QuantumImprint.Forexample,if a
nova has QuantumImprint2 and wants to copy two of
another nova's powers, he may do so, but he only gets
two dots in each power,even if the other novahas five
dots in them. He mayalso never gain more dots or use
the power at a greater level of effect than the target
nova- for example,ifa novawithQuantum5 andQuan-
tum Imprint 5 steals a QuantumBolt from a nova with
Quantum2 and QuantumBolt 2, the QuantumBolt can
inflictno greater damagethan permitted withQuantum
2 and QuantumBolt2. The novamustalso pay one more
quantumpoint to use a stolenpowerthan he wouldhave
to pay if he had that power"naturally." Thus, the novain
the previousexamplewouldhave to pay three quantum
points to throwhis copied QuantumBolt.
218 CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM POWERS
Furthermore,whenusinghis imprintedpowers,the
novamayonlyrollthe base Attribute- he does not get
to roll any dice for the power itself. For example, if a
nova imprintedtwo dots' worth of QuantumBolt, he
wouldroll only his Dexterity,not Dexterity+ Quantum
Bolt,whendeterminingthe power'seffects.
Extras:None
Quantum Leech
Level:2
Quantum Minimum: 2
Range:Touch
Area:N/A
Duration : Instant
Effect:A successful use transfers (Quantum +
power rating) quantumpoints from the target nova to
the novausingQuantumLeech.
Multiple Actions:Yes
Oesaiption: Manynovasfear thispower,for it takes
from them the one thing they treasure most - quan-
tum power, in the form of quantumpoints. To use this
power,a novapays one quantumpoint and touchesthe
victim(standardcontest of Dexterityif the touch is re-
sisted). The player rolls Intelligence+ QuantumLeech
againstthe victim'sWillpower.lf the novawinsthe con-
test, he transfers a numberof quantumpoints equal to
his(Quantum+ powerrating) fromthe victimto his (the
nova's)ownQuantumPool.Thistransfer evenallowsthe
novato exceedhisnaturalQuantumPoollimit,up to twice
his normalQuantumPool;however,if the novabotchesa
roll to steal powerexceedinghis normallimits,he gains
one or morepointsof temporaryTaint.Heretains those
points untilhe uses them or becomesunconscious(in-
cludinggoingto sleep). The novafromwhomthe points
havebeen leachedrecovers them in the usualfashionat
the normalrate.
Extras:EnergySiphon(mayuse QuantumLeechat
a range of [Quantum+ powerrating) x 5 meters)

Quantum
Regeneration
Level:2
Quantum 3
Minimum:
DicePool:N/A
Range:
Self
Area:N/A
Ou-ation:Special
Effect:Spendone Willpowerto add (powerrating
x 2) to the amountof quantumpointsrecoveredper hour
MultipleActions:Yes
Description: Most novasrecover the spent quan-
tum points at a steady, predictablerate - two points
per hour whileat ease, or Fourpoints per hour if com-
pletelyrelaxed. A novawithQuantumRegenerationcan
recover them Farmore quicklythan that.
To use QuantumRegeneration, the characterwaits
until he is about to start resting to recover quantum
points. Hespendsone or morepointsof Willpower(not
quantumpoints). For each pointof Willpowerspent, he
mayadd twice his powerrating to the amountof points
he willrecover in the next hour. For example, if a nova
spent two pointsof Willpowerand had QuantumRegen-
eration 4, he wouldrecover20 quantumpoints(4 + 8 +
8) in an hour of completerelaxation.
Extras:Double(doubles the effect of Willpower
spent when using this power;each point of Willpower
spent countsas two points).
CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM POWERS
~
..,,,~~ · ~
J_'l,,,I..=
_--~ ¢~
\-
,s:~ · ....... "
-
._ ____ _. r::.~t.......:.._~::::...:~---&.. -A--,r-- ....
Quantum Vampire
Level:2
QuantumMinimum: 3
DicePool:Stamina+ QuantumVampire
Range:Touch
Area:N/A
Ou-at.ion:
Special
Effect:A successfuluse transfers a defined At-
tribute or powerfrom the target novato the novausing
QuantumVampire.
Multiple Actions:Yes
Description: QuantumVampireis similarto Quan-
tum Leech,but it allowsa novato steal powersor abili-
ties other than quantum points from another person
(novaor not). The playermustdefinewhichsinglepower,
Attribute or Trait the novacan steal when he buys the
power. QuantumVampire cannotsteal Mega-Att.ributes
or quantumpowersfroma dormantnova, nor can it steal
quantumpowersthat havebeen affected by the Disrupt
power(p. 190).
To use this power, a nova pays the normalquan-
tum-pointcost and touchesthe victim. The playerthen
rolls Stamina + QuantumVampireagainst the victim's
Willpower . lf the novawins the contest, he transfers a
numberof dots of the Trait equalto his numberof suc-
cesses fromthe victimto his (the nova's)ownTrait. He
retainsthosedots of powerfor one hourper dot inQuan-
tum Vampire; the victimloses them for that period of
time. NoTrait can be reduced belowzero.
lf stealingan Attributefroma victim witha Mega-
Attribute, the novastealsthe Mega-Attributedots first;
however,the novamust transfer stolendots to his nor-
malAttribute (raisingit to 5) before gainingthe appro-
priate Mega-Attribute. lf the energy vampire is in the
Mega-Attributerange, points transferred froma simi-
lar Mega-Attributeraise the nova's ownMega-Attribute
normally; however,if stealing normalAttribute dots to
raisea Mega-Attribute,the novamuststealtwoAttribute
dots to raise the Mega-Attributeby one dot.
2 19
 ABERRANT

ForExample: Abyss, with Strength 3, no Mega-

Strength and QuantumVampire4, attacks Core, who
has Mega-Strength3. Abyss hits Coreand rollsthree
net successes. Core loses all three dots of his Mega-
Strength, reducinghim to his normalStrengthrating of
5. Abyss gains three dots of Strength, pushinghim to
Mega-Strength f (Strength 4, then Strength 5, then
Mega-Strength f). If Abyss uses the power on Core
again, he must score two net successes(reducingCore
to Strength3) to raisehis Mega-Strength to 2.
If a novauses QuantumVampire to steal a poweror
ability he does not possess on his own (for example, he
Sensory Shield
leachesQuantumBolt, but he does not possessthat power Level:1
himself), the nova may roll only the base Attribute - Quantum 1
Minimum:
he does not get to roll any dice for the power itself.For DicePool:N/A
example, if a novaleached two dots' worth of Quantum Range:
Self
Bolt, he wouldroll only his Dexterity, not Dexterity + Area:N/A
QuantumBolt(or Dexterity+ QuantumVampire, for that Otntion:Permanent
matter), whendeterminingthe power's effects. Further- Effect:Eachdot cancels two successes on Strobe
more, he mustpay an additionalquantumpointwhenus- attacks made against the character.
ingany such power. MultipleActions:N/A
A novamaydefine this poweras the abilityto steal Description:Sensory Shield provides novas with
~life energy" (health levels) Fromhis victim; if this op- protection against Strobe attacks and other phenomena
tion is chosen, the target may resist with Willpoweror that might interfere with their senses. It can represent
Resistance(whichever is greater). The target takes au- eyes which are accustomedto extremely bright lights,
tomaticbashing damage,whilethe novagains "Bruised" armored skin which is so tough the character's nerves
health levels. If QuantumVampire reduces the target cannot be numbedand manyother abilities.
belowIncapacitated, the novamaybegin inflicting lethal SensoryShieldrequires no rolls. Instead, each dot
healthlevelsof damagewith the power,gaininglife-force in the powercounts as two successes to cancelout suc-
(extra healthlevels)normally.Damageinflicted by Quan- cesses achievedon Strobe rolls and successes from at-
tum Vampire is treated as normaldamage and may be tacks such as tear gas.
healednormally;this does not affect the vampiric nova's Extras:None.
stolen health levels.
Extras: ExtendedDuration (the novakeeps stolen
powersfor two hours per dot, and the victim loses them
during that time); MultipleTraits (nova may steal dots
from two Traits at once; successes rolled must be di-
videdbetweenthe twoTraits in whateverproportion the
nova's playerwishes)
Extras: None

Shapeshift
Level:3
QuantumMininun: 4
DicePool:Stamina + Shapeshift
Range:
Self
Area:N/A
Otntion:Maintenance
Effect:Allowscharacter to alter her shape; the
degree of alteration depends upon the successes
achieved.

220 CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM POWERS

 ABERRANT
Multiple Actions:Yes
Description: Shapeshift is one of the most versa-
tile nova powers. lt allowsa nova to use quantumener-
gies to reshape her own body. With the proper degree
of powerand skill, she can turn herself intovariousani-
mals, pieces of furnitureor just about anythingelse she
can think of.
Once a character has so muchas a singledot in this
power, she is able to alter her shape. However,she might
not be able to makeher transformationcomplete- it
requires considerableprecision to copy every detail of
an object. An untrained nova might, for example, turn
himselfinto a tiger but not manageto create the claws;
or she couldchangeshape intoa bird but not create the
wings properly, so she wouldnot be able to fly. More
experiencedshapeshiftersrarely have these problems.
The degree of changea character can workon her
ownbodydependson the numberof successesachieved
on a Stamina+ Shapeshift roll. lf even one success is
achieved,the character can alter her shape, but not her
size or mass, and she cannot simulate any powers or
Mega-Attribute enhancements. Successes beyond the
first maybe dividedamongthe powersor enhancements
that the character wishesto simulate. Forexample,if the
character wantsto assumethe formof an eagle and rolls
five successes, she could allocate one success each to
Clawsand Flightand two to Shrinkingto simulateher
eaglebody. Someexamplesof powersand enhancements
often used by shapeshiftersinclude: Armor, BodyModi-
fication(each BodyModificationcosts one dot), Claws,
Clinging,Flight, Growth, Shrinkingand Life Support.
When simulatinga power that requires a roll, the char-
acter substitutesher Stamina+ Shapeshiftskilltotal for
the power's normaldice pool.A nova may put no more
dots into a duplicated power than she has in the
Shapeshiftpower; for example,a novawith Shapeshift3
who wishesto turn her skeletoninto armoredplates may
not convert more than three Shapeshiftsuccesses into
Armordots.
A nova can use Shapeshift to disguise herself as
someoneelse. Lookinglikea generic"other person" re-
quires onlyone success. Imitatinga specificperson re-
quires at least two successes. Doingso allowsthe char-
acter to simulatethe Mega-Appearanceenhancement
Copycat.
Note that the Storyteller is perfectly within her
rights to deny simulatedpowersshe feelsare unreason-
able for the shape assumed. Generally speaking ,
Shapeshiftmayduplicateonly physicalpowers; for ex-
ample,a character who shapeshiftsinto a dragon might
wellgain Sizemorph(Grow), Clawsand Armor powers,
but he could not gain the abilityto breathe fire (Quan-
tum Bolt).
Extras:None
CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM POWERS
Shroud
Level:2
Quantum Minimum: 1
DicePool:Dexterity+ Shroud
Range: (Quantum+ power rating) x 15meters
Area:(Quantum+ power rating) x 5 meter radius
Dlntion: Concentration
Effect:Createsa fieldthat stiflessenses;each suc-
cess subtracts one from effectivePerceptionTraits.
Mutiple Actions: Yes
Description:The nova creates a field of opaque
quantumenergy, inkyblackness,blindingmist or other
such effect. This Shroudis difficultfor other characters
to see through. By spendinga Willpowerpoint on acti-
vation, the character can also hinder other formsof vi-
sion; for example,the Shroudcould also affect Electro-
magneticVision.
To use Shroud, the character must roll to target
the area he wants to affect with his Shroudfield, using
Dexterity + Shroud. Failure indicatesthe power misses
outright.Eachsuccess achievedsubtracts one from the
effectivePerceptionTraits of allbeingsimmersedin the
Shroud(or whoare trying to perceive into the Shroud).
CharacterswhosePerceptionTraits are reduced to zero
cannot perceive into or through the area at all and are
considered "blind" if fighting withinit. See the Strobe
power (p. 223) for more informationon the effects of
blindness.
Extras:Sensory DeprivationField(Shroudaffects
one additional normalor novasense per success on the
power roll - for example,hearing, sonar or Quantum
Attunement); Semisolid(Shroud halves movementof
characters trapped within it and can be formed into a
"wall"to soak one levelof bashingor lethaldamageper
dot in the power rating)
221
 then takes all four extra Bruisedboxes and his normal
Hurtbox. If he then returns to normalsize, those four
extra boxes of Bruiseddamageare appliednormallyto
reducehim to Crippled.
Extras:None

1·

Sizemorph (Grow)
Level:2
:1
QuantumMinimum
DicePool:N/A
Range:Self
Area
:N/A
Duration:Maintenance
Effect:Doubleheight and mass, ..-2Strength, 1-l
Staminaand one extra "Bruised"health levelper dot.
MultipleAdions: N/A
Description
_
: Bychannelingquantumforces intohis
_ Sizemorph (Shrink)
molecular structure, the character may increase his
Level:2
Quantum 1
Minimum:
height.Each dot doubles the character's heig_ht, reach
DicePool:N/A
and mass. Eachdot of Sizemorph(Grow)also increases
Range:Self
the character's Strengthby two and his Staminaby one
Area
:N/A
and adds two to his Dexteritysolelyfor purposesof de-
Duration:Maintenance
termininghow fast he can walk or run. If Strength or
Effect:Each levelhalvesheight and reduces mass
Staminaexceeds5, the powerthen providesthe appro-
to 1/8 normal,adds one to all Stealth attempts and in-
priate Mega-Attribute,up to a maximumof 5. Addition-
creases difficultyto hit character by one.
ally, each dot of Sizemorph (Grow) adds an extra
MultipleAdions: Yes
"Bruised"health levelto the character's damagetrack,
Description:Sizemorph(Shrink)allowsa nova lo
makingit muchharder to incapacitate him.
becomesmallerand lighterthan normal- sometimes
However,all is not sunshineand roses. Everytwo
much smaller. Each dot of (Quantum + Sizemorph
dots of Sizemorph(Grow)grants opponentsan extra die
(Shrink))reducesa nova'sheightby half and his massto
to attack or perceivethe character. Furthermore,if the
1/8 of normal.Furthermore,each (Quantum+Sizemorph
character suffers more than two boxes' worth of dam-
(Shrink))leveladds one die to all Stealth att~mptsand
age (bashingor lethal)whilegrown,those box;s mayb~
increasesthe difficulty to hit the character withattacks
absorbed (in wholeor in part) by the extra Bruised
by one. Sizemorph(Shrink)also has less tangible~en-
health levels,but if the damageis not healedbefore he
efits,suchas allowinga characterto fit insidesmallpipes,
returns to normalsize (and losesthose extra levels), the
crawlunder doors and be carried in a friend's pocket.
boxesof damageare appliedto the character's damage
Each level of Sizemorph (Shrink) reduces the
track normally- so a seeminglytrivialwoundsuffered
character's Strength and offensivepowers by one dot
whileusingSizemorph(Grow)may actuallyprove fatal
(to a minimumof I), thoughnot against c.r~atures who
whenthe character returns to his ordinarysize.
are likewiseshrunkor just very small. Add1t1onally, each
ForExample: AbelardSmithhasSizemorph(Grow)
levelof Sizemorph(Shrink)halvesthe character's walk-
4 anda normalStrength3, Stamina3,providinghimwith
ing/ runningand swimmingmovementrates whilehe is
..-8 Strength (which equates to Strength 5, M_ega-
shrunk(but not other modesof movement,likef'.lightor
Strength 5), +4 Stamina(whichequates to Stamina5,
the expansionof runningprovidedby Hyperrunmng).By
Mega-Stamina2) and four extra "Bruised"he~lthlev-
greatly decreasing the character's mass, Sizemorph
els. WhileusingSizemorph(Grow),he takes s,x boxes
(Shrink) also makes it easier to throw t~e character,
of bashingdamage.Thisdamagereduceshimto Bruised,
knock him around with attacks or bowlhim over with
gusts of wind.
Extras:FullPower(character'sStrengthandoffen-
sive capabilitiesdo not decrease as he shrinks)

222 CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM POWERS

Strobe
Level:
2 Level:
Quantum Minimum: 1 Quantum
DicePool:Wits + Strobe
Range: (Quantum+ powerrating) x 10meters
Area:N/A
Duration: Instant
Effect:Each success disables one of the target's
senses for one turn.
Multiple Actions:Yes
Description: This power allowsa nova to project
an energyfieldthat disablesone of an opponent'ssenses
temporarily.It is usuallyused to blinda character's sight
(typicallythrougha flashof brightlightor somethingsimi-
lar), but it can also deafen a target (throughextremely
loudfocusedsound), deprivehimof his sense of smellor
numbhis sense of touch.
The playermustchoosewhichsense his poweraf-
fects whenhe buysit, whichcannotbe changedthereaf-
ter; exoticsenses,suchas ESPand Premonition,are also
susceptibleto this power. To use the power,he spends
the requiredquantumpointsand rollsWits+Strobe. Each
success deprivesthe target of the use of that sense For
one turn; five or more successeswipeout the sense for
an entire scene. A blind character is subject to Blind
Fighting/ Firepenalties;a numbcharacter has a +3diffi-
culty on all tasks involvingtouch (includingholdingand
wieldinga weaponor gun).The Storytellershouldadju-
dicate the effects of the lossof other senses on a case-
by-case basis.
Extras:SensoryDeprivationWave(poweraffects
one normalor novasense per success on the targeting
roll)
CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM POWERS
Stun Attack
2
Minimum: 1
DicePool:Dexterity + Stun Attack
Range: (Quantum+powerrating) x 15 meters
Area:N/A
Duration: Instant
Effect:(Quantum+ successes) levels of damage
onlyto daze or knockout target.
Multiple Actions:Yes
Description: This attack power is similarto Quan-
tum Bolt, but it does not cause lastingharmto a target.
Allit can do is dazethe target or knockhimunconscious.
For this reason it has no effect on unlivingtargets, such
as buildings,vehiclesor devices.
To use Stun Attack, the character spends the re-
quiredquantumpointsand rollsDexterity+StunAttack.
The successes achieved,plus the nova's Quantum, are
comparedto those rolledby the target withhis Stamina.
If the novahas the greater numberof successes,the net
successesare comparedto the target's Stamina. If they
equal the target's Staminaor exceed it by one, the tar-
get is Dazed; if they exceedthe target's Staminaby two
or more, the target is rendered Unconscious. See p.
249Forinformationon Dazedand Unconscious charac-
ters.
The target may spend Willpowerto reduce the
nova'ssuccesses. Eachpointof Willpowerspent negates
one success.
223
 ABERRANT
in Telekinesis.
Telekinesishas other uses as well. For example,a
n?va might use it to grab another character and keep
himfrommoving.Doingso requires a resisted actionpit-
ting the nova's player's successes against the victim's
successes on a Mightroll. Ties go to the nova, and the
victim remains trapped. TK can also be used to throw
objects as if the nova's successes were successes on a
Mightroll (seep . 236). It is usuallyeasier to throw ob-
Jects at another character than to try to hold him
Extras: None telekinetically.
Telekinesis can be used to bash other characters
Telekines is with objects or telekinetically"punch" or crush them. In
Level: 2 this case, the successeson a Dexterity+Telekinesisroll
QuantumMinimum :2 count as health levelsof bashingdamage,whichmaybe
DicePool: Dexterity+ Telekinesis soaked as normal.Additionally,TK can be used to guide
Range: (Quantum+ power rating) x 10 meters and/or accelerate a thrown weapon, object or similar
Area:N/A projectile; the characterspendsquantumpointsnormally,
Duration : Maintenance throwsthe obJect, then mayassigndots in her Telekine-
Effect:Character may lift and move physicalob- sis power rating to the object's attack or damagedice
jects without touchingthem· the more successes ob- pool.Dots in the power rating maybe split between at-
tained, the greater the weightthat can be lifted. tack and damagedice pools(e.g a character with Tele-
MultipleActions: Yes kinesis4 can add two dice to her rollto hit and two dice
Description : Telekinesisis the ability to lift and to her damageeffect).
moveobjects without touchingthem by applying quan- Performmgdelicate tasks with Telekinesiscan be
tumenergiesto them. Thisabilitymaymanifestas a men- difficult; it works better for cruder activitieslikelifting
tal power,focusedwinds, energy ~tentacles" or "talons," and moving. lf a character tries to use a DexterityAbil-
gravity manipulationor manyother powers. ity with TK, he first mustbe able to performthat Ability
To use Telekinesis( 'TK"), a novamustpay the re- naturally- Telekinesisdoesn't automaticallyteach a
quired quantumpoints and roll Dexterity+ Telekinesis, character how to pick locks or pilotaircraft. Assuming
addinga number of automaticsuccessesequalto Quan- he has the required skills,every two successes on his
tum. The numberof successesindicateshowmuchweight Dexterity+Telekinesisrollcountas one successfor pur-
poses of performingthe skill.
Telekinesis has no action/ reaction; a character
Succ11111 Wewjit cannotbe draggedby somethingwhichhe is holdingonto
One 50kg telekinetically(say,a vehicle). Nor can he use TKto pick
Two 100kg himselfup and fly.
Three 200kg Extras:None
Four 500kg
Five 1,000kg
Six 2,000kg
Seven 5,000 kg
Eight 10,000 kg
Nine 25,000 kg
Ten 50,000 kg
Eachsuccessbeyond10doublesthe weightthat
can be lifted.

the character can lift.

A character can movean object he has pickedup a Telepa thy
numberof meters per action equalto 10 meters per dot Level: 2
QuanbJmMinimum:3
DicePool: Perception+ Telepathy
Range:Lineof sight or Special

2 24 CHAPTERFIVE QUANTUM POWERS

 ABERRANT
Area: N/A
Duration : Concentration
Effect:Allowscharacter to read minds, scan for Telepathic Scanning
mindsand alter memories. Successes Oisbnce
MultipleActions : No One two kilometers
Description: This versatile and efficient power Two 20 kilometers
grants a nova several related abilities which typically Three 200 kilometers
manifestas "mental powers." A telepathic nova is able Four 2000 kilometers
to use his quantumconsciousnessto read the mindsof Five 20000 kilometers
others and performsimilartasks. Each success beyond five multipliesthe scanning
SpecificallyTelepathycan do three things: read an- distance by a factor of 10.
other person's mindand "talk" with himmentally,sense
other minds and alter another person's memories. For
Lastly, Telepathy can be used to alter existing
each use, the player must pay the required quantum
memoriesor false memories. The number of successes
points and roll Perception + Telepathy; the more suc-
needed to alter or implanta memorydepends uponhow
cesses he gets, the greater the nova's degree of power.
importantthat memory1s.
Telepathy can be used to read and communicate
with any mindwithinrange, providedthe novacan es-
tablish a line of sight to his target. A character whose
mindis beingread is automaticallyaware of that fact and Successes Memory
One Tnv1almemories: What you did
of who is doing the reading. Each success achievedon
yesterdcrj,your favoritefood
the Perception+ Telepathyrollallowsthe telepathto find
Two Minormemories: Yourbirthday or
and read one fact per action. Thus, withfivesuccessesa
anniversary,crucialJobfacts
nova could find and "read" five facts per action. The
Three Importantmemories: Vitalper
Storyteller may, in his discretion, rule that some facts
sonalfacts, blackmailinformation,
are so well-hiddenthat they require multiplesuccesses
insider information
to find and read. For example,intimateor very personal
Four Very importantmemories: Secu
thoughts might require three successes each; criminal
nty codes. nationalsecurity data
activitiesor informationwith whichthe character could
be blackmailedrequirefoursuccesseseach and the deep-
est, mosthiddenthoughtsor facts requirefivesuccesses
each. Mentalconversationtakes place at the same rate Extras:Surreptitious(victimwillnot be aware his
as normalconversation, but Telepathy overcomes the mindis beingread if novadoes not wishhimto be); Tele-
languagebarrier - two characters who cannot speak pathic Channeling(the telepath may use other mental
to each other verballybecausethey don't knowthe same powers, such as Domination,Mental Blast or Mirage,
languagescan communicatewithoutdifficultyusingTe- througha telepathiclink,regardlessof distancebetween
lepathy. the telepath and target)
Telepathy can also be used to scan for another
person's mindor "mentalsignature." The telepath may
finda specific mindwithina variable distance, provided
he scores at least one success on his roll. That one suc-
cess tells him the person's general location and direc-
tion, but nothingmore. The more successes, the more
preciselythe locationcan be determined. A telepathmust
have a specific mind to search for. If he can only de-
scribe the mind 'generically" ('Tm lookingfor the mind
of the nearest UNofficial"),the difficultyof the roll in-
creases by one or more (Storyteller'sdiscretion). Once
he finds the victim's mind, the telepath may attempt
mentalcommunication/reading normally.
Teleport
Level:2
QuantumMinimum:2
DicePool: Perception+ Teleport
Range:Self

CHAPTERFIVE QUANTUM POWERS 225

 ABERRANT

Area: N/A Teleportingone's clothes, carried ob1ectsand the

Duration: Instant likerequires the AttunementBackground(p. 139).
Effect:Allowscharacter to movewithout passing Extras: Safe Blind Teleport (difficulty for
throughthe interveningspace. teleporting blind is reduced by one, and the character
Multiple Actions:No takes bashing damage instead of lethal damage if she
Descri ption: Teleportisan advancedformof move- accidentally teleports into a solid object) ; Combat
ment in whicha novadoes not cross throughthe inter- Teleport(teleportdoes not takean action;charactermay,
vening space. Instead she simply"disappears" at Point for example, teleport to a foe's Aankor rear, then make
A and "reappears" at her desired destination of PointB, an attack normally; the character gains three extra dice
bypassing completelyany interveningbarriers, such as to dodge 1fusing Teleport while doing nothingexcept
wallsor buildings. taking a defensiveaction; moreover,the character can
To use Teleport, a novaspends the required quan- dodge an area or explosiveattack as though it were a
tumpoints, and the playerrollsPerception+Teleport.ln normalattack)
combator other stressfulsituations,a novamayteleport
up to 100 meters per success. Providedthe nova has a
fullturn to concentrate,she mayteleport a variabledis-
tance, as indicatedon the chart. ln either case, each point
of Quantumshe has counts as an additionalautomatic
Tempora l
success. UsingTeleport counts as a character's entire Man ipulation
action for a turn. Level: 3
lf a character is unableto see her destination,or is QuantumMinimum:5
not familiarwith it due to previous visits there, she is DicePool:Variable
"teleportingblind and maymissher destinationand end Range:Variable
up somewhereelse. The character must makea Percep- Area:N/A
tion + Teleport roll to "hit" her specified destination. Duration: Variable
The difficulty is one higher if she is teleporting more Effect: Charactercan manipulatetime.
than twokilometers,twohigherif she is teleportingmore MultipleActions:Yes
than 20 kilometersand three higher1fshe is teleporting Description: This exceedinglyrare power gives a
more than 100 kilometers. nova control over that most basic, yet mysterious,of
phenomena- time itself. He can alter or reverse time
to achieve a number of effects, but he cannot actually
Teleport Distance travel through time. That has proved beyond the abili-
Succ-esses Distance ties of even the most powerfulnovas.
One two kilometers As with ElementalAnimaand Mastery, this power
Two 20 kilometers provides severaltechniques. A novamaylearnand freely
Three 200 kilometers use one techniqueper dot in the power;she mayattempt
Four 2000 kilometers other techniques,but the player mustpay doublequan-
Five 20000 kilometers tum cost and roll against a difficultypenalty of one to
Eachsuccessbeyondfivemultipliesthe teleport activate these powers. Techniquesinclude:
distanceby a factor of 10. Internal Clock
Range:Self
Area: N/A
If the nova misses the Storytellershoulddetermine Duration: Permanent
randomlywhere she went.Rollone die to determine the This technique1sknownautomaticallyby all time-
direction(1 • north, 2 • northeast, and so on; reroll 9s manipulatorsand does not use up a dot in the power. A
and 10s) and another die to determine how manyunits character withTemporalManipulationpossessesa highly
of measurement the character is "off" (if she is accurate internal clock. He alwaysknows exactly how
teleportinga distance in meters, it's one to 10 meters; if muchtime has passed between two events, and he can
kilometers, one to 10 kilometers; if tens of kilometers, mentallytime events as if using an extremely precise
one to 10 times 10 kilometers). If she accidentally stopwatch.Thisabilityrequiresno rollandcosts no quan-
teleports into a solidobject, she reappears in the near- tum points; it functionsautomatically
.
est empty space but takes ldlO health levelsof lethal
damage, reduced by one for each success achievedon a
Stamina+Teleport roll.

226 CHAPTERFIVE QUANTUM POWERS

 ABERRANT
Age Alteration
DicePool: Manipulation+ TemporalManipulation
Range: (Quantum+ powerrating) x 5 meters
Area:N/A
Dlration:Instant
This abilityallowsa novato makeanother person
age rapidly or regress back to his youth. For each suc-
cess achievedon a Manipulation+ TemporalManipula-
tion roll, the novamayadd or subt.ract up to two years
fromthe target'sage;the target mayresist witha Stamina
roll.For reasons as yet unknownto science, this ability
has no effect on the size or power of another nova's
Mazarin-Rashoud node. It also does not affect the
victim's mindor memories. A victim of Age Alteration
willsimplyhave to live withthe effects ever after unless
he can get another time-manipulator to reverse them.
Age Alterationcan also be used on objects. De-
creasing their age willrepair minordamage (wear and
tear) and makethem looknewer and shinier. Everytwo
years added to an object inflictsone healthlevel of dam-
age on it, possiblycausing it to crumbleinto ruin.
CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM POWERS
Accelerate Time
Dice Pool: Wits + TemporalManipulation
Range:(Quantum+ power rating) x 10 meters
Area:N/A
Duration: Maintenance
This abilityallowsa novato put himselfor another
person inside a bubbleof "fast time." Doing so makes
the character moveand act muchmore quickly than a
person in a normaltime frame. E.achsuccess on a Tem-
poral Manipulation rollallowsthe character to take one
additional action per turn. These actions are not mul-
tiple actions; they are extra actions. However,they may
be used only to take additionalphysical actions(punch-
ing, running,or dodging, for example,but not using more
TemporalManipulation powers). The nova'spowerrat-
ing dictates the maximumnumberof extra actions that
maybe gained.
227
 ABERRANT

Dilate Time Effect: Allowscharacter to create "gates" permit-

Dice Pool:Wits+ TemporalManipulation ting her or other characters to move without passing
Range:(Quantum+ power rating) x 10meters through the interveningspace.
Area:N/A MultipleActions : No
Duration: Maintenance Desaiption :Warpissimilarto Teleportinmanyways
Dilate Time is the reverse of Accelerate Time; it - it involvesthe samemethodof movingwithoutpassing
allowsa novato slowdownanother character by slowing throughinterveningspace.However,whereasTeleportation
the flowof time around him. Eachsuccess on an Intelli- normallyworks on one person only(the nova who pos-
gence+ TemporalManipulationrollreduces the victim's sesses it), Warpcreates a "gate' that anyonecan use.
Initiativerating by one. If InitiativefallsbelowI, the vic- It takes an entire turn to create a warp; the nova
tim is treated as havingan Initiativerating of I, but hemay take no other actions during this turn. Warps are
mayact onlyonce every other tum. typicallythree meters square; the nova may alter the
shape by one meter (either dimension)per dot. Any-
Stop Time thing that cannot fit through the warp cannot use it.
DicePool: Intelligence+TemporalManipulation Warps are usuallyopened up at ground level,but a nova
Range:(Quantum+ power rating) meters maycreate a warp anywherewithinhis range.
Area:N/A To use Warp, a nova simplyspends the required
Duration:Maintenance quantumpoints. In combat or other stressful situations,
This power 1sperhaps the most potent one in the a warp can teleport anyonewho passes through it up to
TemporalManipulator'sarsenal. It allowshimliterallyto 100 meters per success; if the nova has a full turn to
stop time around a specific person or object. That per- concentrate, Warp can teleport persons a variabledis-
son cannot moveor use any powersor Abilities,he does tance, as shown on the accompanyingtable. In either
not age and he cannot be affected by (and is unaware case, each point of Quantumshe has counts as an addi-
of) any outside force, phenomenonor attack while in tionalautomaticsuccess. Passingthrougha warp volun-
suspension. Stop Time is very difficultto set up - the tarily counts as one of a character's actions for a tum.
nova's playermustachievea success on an Intelligence+
TemporalManipulationrollat a difficultypenaltyof two,
and a livingvictimmay make a Willpowerroll to resist. Warp Distance
Once established,the effect lasts as longas the charac- S.iccesses Distance
ter pays quantumpoints to maintainit. One two kilometers
Extras:None Two 20 kilometers
Three 200 kilometers
Four 2000 kilometers
Five 20000 kilometers
Each success beyond five multipliesthe warp
distance by a factor of 10.

A novamayuseWarpas an attack by openingit up in

frontof a target.Amovingtarget maydodgeto avoidpass-
ingthroughit; thisdodge takes no time. A nonmovingtar-
get maybe "enveloped"by the warp if the nova's player
succeeds with a Dexterity+ Warp roll; the target resists
that rollwithan Athleticsroll. Doingso is alwaysa "com-
bat" warp;a novacouldnot for example, warp a foe into
Wa rp the vacuumof space unlessshe had a fulltum to concen-
Level:3 trate and the victimwas helplessto dodge the warp.
QuantumMinimum: 3 Characters can see through the warp (unlesscon-
DicePool:NIA ditions on one "side" of it prevent sight) and willknow
Range:(Quantum+ powerrating) meters where they are goingbefore they pass throughit.
Area:N
/A Extras:None
Duration:Special

228 CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM POWERS

Weather
Manipulation
Level:
3
Quantum Mininun:4
DicePool:Variable
Range: Variable
Area:Variable
Duration: Variable
Effect:Charactermayalterandmanipulateweather.
MultipleActions:Yes
Des0ription:Weather Manipulationprovides the
character with powerover weather in its manyaspects.
As with ElementalAnimaand Mastery,this power pro-
vides several techniques. A nova may learn and freely
use one techniqueper dot in the power;she mayattempt
other techniques,but the playermustpay doublequan-
tum cost and roll against a difficultypenalty of one to
activatethese powers. Techniquesinclude:
Alter Temperature
DicePool:N/A
Range: (Quantum+ powerrating) x 2 kilometers
Area:(Quantum+ powerrating) x 5 kilometers
Duration: Maintenance
The character can increaseor decrease the tem-
perature of the air in an area aroundhimself.The tem-
perature can be altered by 10degrees Celsiusper dot in
Weather Manipulation . No roll is required to do so, but
quantumpointsmustbe paid.
Fog
DicePool:Intelligence+ WeatherManipulation
Range:(Quantum+ powerrating) x 5 meters
Area:(Quantum+ powerrating) x 10meters
Duration
: Maintenance
The character is able to create a thickbank of fog
over a widearea (or, if the playerprefers, hard, driving
rain whichis so thickas to inhibitvision). The fog inter-
feres withsight, makingdrivingandother formsof move-
menthazardous.Eachsuccessachievedon an Intelligence
+ WeatherManipulation rolladds one to the difficulties
of allvisualPerceptionrollsmadeto see into or through
the fog. The foglastsas longas the characterpaysquan-
tumpointsto maintainit, then dissipatesat normalrates
for the current environmentalconditions.
Lightning Bolt
DicePool:Dexterity+ WeatherManipulation
Range:(Quantum+ powerrating) x 10meters
Area:N/A
Duration:
Instant
The charactermayproject boltsof lightning. These
inflict[Quantumx 2) levels+ (powerrating x 2) dice of
I
 ABERRANT
lethaldamage. Typicallythe bolts are projects from the
character's hands, but the player may have them strike Extras
down from stormclouds, for dramatic purposes, if he Extras are specialadvantagesthat can be added to
wishes; however,this effect shouldnot provideany bo- existing powers. They make the power better in some
nuses to hit a target or other combatbenefits. way - more effective, able to work at greater ranges
Weather Alteration or effectiveagainst moretargets. The choiceof whether
DicePool:Intelligence+ Weather Manipulation to t.:ikean Extra, either the ones listedwithspecificpow-
Range:(Quantum+ powerrating) x 2 kilometers ers or the ones described here (which can apply to any
Area: (Quantum+ power rating) x 5 kilometers
appropriate power) is up to the playerand requires the
Duration: Maintenance Storyteller's permission. Extrasare never required.
This effect is the most basic of the Weather Taking an Extra has two effects beyond the ben-
Manipulator's abilities. He can, as the power's name in- efits of the Extra itself. First, it raises the power's level
dicates, alter weatherpatternsovera largearea. Foreach by one for purposesof the cost to purchaseit withnova/
success achievedon an Intelligence+ Weather Manipu- experience pointsand powerit withquantumpoints_For
lationroll, he mayadjust the current weatherconditions example,a Level2 powerwithan Extrabecomesa Level
up or downone step on the followingtable. 3 power in terms of its cost to buy and use. Sincethere
are no powersaboveLevel3,Level3 powerscannottake
Extras. A playercan purchaseup to twoExtrasfor a Level
Weather PhetlOflMll1a Table One power.
SwelteringHeat A power with an Extra is considered a separate,
Clear/Sunny distinct power. A character maynot buy one powerand
Cloudy/Hazy severalExtrasand then "trade off ' the Extrasfromturn
Drizzle to turn to get the most effectiveattack. An Extra, once
Rainstorm (orsnow,,f temperaturemakes,t possible) purchased for a power, must alwaysbe used when that
StrongRain/Thunderstorm power is used.
Gale Gaining Extras with Experi-
Hurricane/Tornado/Typhoon/81,zzard
ence
A character may"upgrade' her powerby purchas-
Thus, if the current weather is a rainstorm(and the ing an Extralater in the game withthe Storyteller's per-
player of a nova achieves two successes on his Intelli- mission. The cost of doing so is equalto the total differ-
gence+ WeatherManipulationroll), a novamayincrease ence between the costs of allthe dots without the Extra
it up to a gale or decrease it to cloudy/hazy. If the nova and the cost of all the dots with the Extra. A character
changes the weather conditions to gale or higher the mayhalvethis cost by takinga point of Taintat the time
effect is treated as the Storm technique of Element.ii the Extra is purchased.
Mastery (p. 196). ForExample: Lotus Infinitehas QuantumBolt 3.
After practicinga good bit with her InfinityJustifier
Windriding specialmaneuver, she wishesto buy the AreaExtraas a
DicePool: N/A permanentFeatureof herpower. The totalexperience-
Range : Self pointcost to purchaseQuantumBolt3 "Fromthe ground
Area:N/A up" is 30 points (5 + 10 + 15), whilethe similarcost to
Duration : Maintenance buy the power withan Extrais 44 points('?+ 14 + 21).
The character manipulateswindsso that they carry Thedifferencebetweenthe two costs(14points)is what
him,similarto Flight.The character can moveat the rate LI mustpay to buy the Extra.
of {powerrating x 2) + 20 meters per action, or (40 That'spretty expensive, soLI takesapointof Taint
kilometersper hour x power rating) out of combat. to purchasethe ExtraForhalfcost. A Fterspendingseven
Players can create other Weather Manipulation experiencepoints, she maynowuse the AreaExtrawith
techniquesif they wish, but the Storytellermust review every shot of her QuantumBolt; however, she pays
and approve allsuch techniques. three, not two, quantumpoints to fire the attack.
Extras: None

230 CHAPTERFIVE QUANTUM POWERS

 ABERRANT
Aggravated
This Extra, when applied to a power that causes
bashingor lethaldamage,makesthat damageaggravated.
The character inflictsa base amountof aggravateddam-
age equalto Quantum,then adds attack successes from
her skillroll to determine the total aggravateddamage
inflicted.For informationon aggravateddamage,see p.
253.
Area
This Extra allowsa power to affect an area. It ap-
plies onlyto powers, such as QuantumBolt, that do not
alreadyhavean area of effect. The typicalarea is(Quan-
tum+ powerrating) x 5 meter radius,but playersshould
confer with their Storyteller to determine the area he
wants a powerto have.
For informationon the effects of powers that af-
fect an area, see p. 248.
Armor Piercing
A powerwith this Extra is able to pierce soak eas-
ily. For every attack success, the attack mayignore two
levelsof soak.ArmorPiercingcannotbe appliedto pow-
ers that do not inflictdamage.
Burning
This Extra is typicallyapplied to an attack power,
but it is appropriate for a few other types of powers as
well. A Burningattack inflicts normaldamage when it
first hits, but it continuesto "burn" the victimon subse-
quent turns. The victim of a Burningattack automati-
callytakeshalfdamagefromthe attack (which, of course,
may be soaked as normal)for an additionalnumber of
turns equalto the attack's power rating.
Cloud
This Extra allowsa nova to generate an attack in
the formof a cloudof gas or energy. It fillsan area equal
to three meters radius per dot, whichadds one die t.o
attack rolls; extra successeson the attack rolldo not in-
crease the attack's damage or effect. However,the at-
tack lingersin the area for one extra turn, duringwhich
it inflictshalf damage on anyone who moves into it or
remainsinside ii. The cloud willtend lo fill up enclosed
spaces and sink to the lowestpart of the area it fills.
Explosion
Explosionis similarto Area, but ii works differ-
ently - it coversa biggerarea, but its effect decreases
graduallyover that distance. A power withExplosionin-
CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM POWERS
flicts fulldamage/ eff.__~ -~ th .. three-meter-diameter
area at "groundzero" ot th-;-.,i.Lack. However,for every
three meters after the three meters at groundzero, one
success (or health levelof damage) is subtracted from
the total applied. When the successes/ damagereaches
zero, the Explosionhas reached its maximumradius.
Damageadds are lost before damagedice.
ForExample: Derrick Tremaineuses a Quantum
Bolt, Explosionagainstan enemy, Raf Karnazian.The
center of the explosion is seven meters away from
Karnazian . The first three meters radiuscoveredby the
explosiontake the full damage- 18 healthlevels of
damage. The three meters beyond that take 17health
levelsof damage. The three meters beyondthat, where
Karnazianis, take 16healthlevels. Karnazianmay soak
this damagenormally.
Homing
A Homingattack can "lock on" to its target and
followit no matter where it tries to moveor dodge. The
attack suffersno penaltiesor modifiersfor range(though
it cannot movebeyondits maximumrange) and the at-
tack ignoresthe target's first dodge success.
Impervious
Imperviousis an Extra for defensive powers like
Force Field. Impervioussoak is not reduced by Armor
Piercing, and it converts any aggravated damage into
normallethaldamage,whichcan be soaked normally.
Increased Duration
A power with this Extra lasts longer than normal
- it is doubled. Obviously,this Extra can be applied
onlyto powersthat havea durationdefinedby someunit
of time.
Increased Range
This Extra, whichappliesonlyto powerswitha de-
fined range in meters, doublesthe medium range of the
power. The powercan be used at longrange all the way
out to lineof sight.
MIRV
A MIRVranged attack power is able to split itself
up amongseparate targets. The attackingcharacter de-
clares whichtarget.s he wishesto affect and makesone
231
 ABERRANT
roll to hit them usingthe worst modifiersfor any single
target; die bonusesapply only if all targets wouldpro-
videthat bonus. lf he succeeds,alltargets are hit, though
each target maydodge normally.He mustthen dividehis
damagediceamongthe varioustarget.s . If the powerhas
a damageadd, every target takes the base damage-
onlythe additionaldamagedice mustbe split.
ForExample: DerrickTremaine,with Quantum2,
has a bashingMIRV Fire Blast (QuantumBolt 5). He
wantsto use it to hit five targets- oneat point-blank
range,threeat mediumrangeandoneat maximumrange
(+2difficulty). Hemustmakeone attackrollat +2diffi-
culty;he gets no bonusesfor apoint-blankattack,since
not alltargetsare at point-blankrange. He managesto
achievetwo successes,so he hits allfive of his targets.
Eachtargettakes the damageaddof six healthlevelsof
damage,andhe splitshis extra 20 damagedice evenly
amongthe targets. Eachtarget,then, takes[6J+ 4d/O
damagefrom the MIRVattack.
Range
Powerswitha range of Touchcan work at a range
of 10 meters per dot if they have this Extra.To attack,
use the normaldice poolfor the power;if there is none,
use Dexterity+ powerrating to hit.
JJ2 CHAPTER FIVE QUANTUM
Reduced Quantum Cost
A power with this Extra costs only half as many
quantumpoints to use and maintain(round in favor of
the character). A LevelOne powerwith this Extracosts
no quantumpointsto use.
Spray/Jet
ThisExtraallowsthe novato use a power(typically
a QuantumBolt) as a "spray" or "jet" attack, likea liv-
ingflamethrower.Eachturn, the novacan chooseto use
a jet or spray. When usingthe poweras a jet, the nova
makesa normalattack roll; the range of a jet power is
halved,but each turn the novauses the power,she gains
an additionaldie to accuracy,to a maximumof fiveextra
dice.
When usingthe poweras a spray,the novaemits a
steady stream of energy,not unlikea fire hose, whichis
swept over an area. Thisenergy spray functionslikethe
Strafing maneuver(p. 248), adding 10 dice to a stan-
dard attack roll, witha difficultypenaltyof one for each
meter in area of effect covered beyond the first. Suc-
cesses are dividedup just as in strafing and appliedto
the damageeffect.
Difficultiesof dodge rollsagainsta jet or spray are
increasedby one.
POWERS
CHAPTERSIX:
DRAMA
Aberrant'sfocuses on roleplayingand character • (limbing[Athletics]:Whenyourcharacterclimbs
interaction.Still,we knowyou're just itchingto blastsome an inclined surface (rocky slope, cargo container or
punk througha building, and such drama often involves building),rollAthletics. For an average climbwith avail-
an element of dice rolling. As Chapter One shows, the able handholdsand nominalcomplications,your charac-
rulesare designedto streamlinethis process as muchas ter movesthree meters per success. The Storytellerad-
possibleso that you can pay attention to the story. To justs this distancebased on the climb'sdifficulty(easier:
assist you and the Storytellerfurther, this chapter cov- four meters per success; more difficult: two meters per
ers more specificdice mechanics, includinggeneraldra- success). The number of handholds, smoothnessof the
maticsystems,combat, damageand recovery. surface and, to a lesser extent, weather can all affect
rate of travel.A short, difficultclimbmayhavethe same
Dramatic difficultyas a long, easy climb.The extendedactionlasts
untilyou've accumulatedenoughsuccesses to reach the
desired height.On a mildbotch, your character mayonly
Systems slip or get stuck; on a more severe one, she may fall.
The onlythingslimitingyouractionsare your imagi- IFyour character has the Clawspower, each level
nation and your character's skill.Duringa gamesession, adds one die to all climbing attempts unless your
characters - both playerand Storytellerpersonalities character's "claws' are reallydischargedkineticenergy
- attempt numerousdiverse and complicatedactivi- or the like. A characterwiththe Clingingpowermayclimb
ties. The Storytelleris responsiblefor keepingallof this withouta die roll.
actionorganizedwhiledeterminingsuccessor failureFor • Driving/Piloting[Drive, Pilot]: A Driveor Pilot
all characters. roll isn't needed to steer a vehicleunder normalcircum-
Dramaticsystemssimplifythe Storyteller'sjob by stances - assumingyour character has the appropri-
supplyingrules for a numberof commonactivities. The ate skill.However,bad weather,the vehicle'sspeed, ob-
appropriateAbilityis bracketedafter the systeminques- staclesand performingcomplexmaneuverscan challenge
tion in each case. If a task requires a specialty,you may even the most competent drivers. Specific difficulties
add a die to your character's dice pool Forthat test. based on these circumstancesare up to the Storyteller,
Storytellers should,and willundoubtedlyhave to, but they shouldincreaseas the conditionsbecomemore
invent their own dramatic systems for new situations. hazardous.
The list of systemsbelowis in no wayexhaustive,but it Forexample,drivinginheavyrain increasesthe dif-
providesa solid foundationon whichto base events. Bear ficultyby one, but goingfast whilealso trying to lose a
in mind that characters lackinga specific Abilitymay tailjumps the penaltyup three. Similarly , pilotinga plane
default to the Attribute on which the Abilityis based, through artillery fire is +I, but addinga breakneckpace
unlessstated otherwise. whileavoidingpursuit bumpsit to +3. A failedroll indi-
A number of these systems may be tried again if cates trouble,requiringan additionalrollto avoidcrash-
the first attempt is unsuccessful.Subsequentefforts may ingor losingcontrol. Playersof characters in control of
require additional difficulties, however at the a vehiclewho have no dots in the appropriate Ability,
Storyteller's discretion(see "SecondChances,"p. 111) . must roll for almost every change in course or proce-
dure. On a botch, the vehicle mayspin out of control or
Physical Tasks worse.
These systems cover tasks involvingthe three • Encumbrance [Might]:The temptation to carry
PhysicalAttributes (Strength, Dexterity and Stamina). loads of equipment to satisfy everysituationcan be over-
Rememberthat players of characters with Mega-At- whelming . The Storyteller should make life difficultfor
tributes have extra dice to roll, and they act at reduced playerswhosecharacters haveextensiveequipmentand
difficulties. weaponrylists. Characters without Mega- Strength can
carry 10 kilograms(22 pounds) per dot in their Might
 ABERRANT

skill total without penalty; characters with Mega- Characters can work together to lift an object,
Strength use the systems listed under that Mega-At- which requires a teamworkrollwith the individualplay-
tribute. ers rollingseparately and combiningany resultingsuc-
Shouldyour character exceed this total, allactions cesses.
involvingphysicalskillsincuran automaticdifficultypen- Lifting is allor nothing- if you failthe roll,noth-
alty of one due to the added weight.Also, for every 10 ing happens. At the Storyteller's discretion, the diffi-
kg over the allocationyour character's base movement culty maybe reduced by one if allyour character wants
drops by one meter (see "Movement," p. 106). IFthe to do is drag somethinga short distance. On a botch,
total weightcarried is doubleher Mightallocation, your your character maystrain something or drop the object
charactercan't move.Thissystemisa guideline;the Sto- on her own foot.
rytellershouldnot callfor an inventorycheckevery time CharacterswithMega-Strengthuse a differentsys-
your character picksup a pen. tem for lifting. Each dot of Mega-Strengthprovidesa
• Feats ofEndurance [Endurance]: Endurancede- base liftingability:
termineshowwelland for howlongyour character can • 1000 kg/I ton (automobile)
run beyondher normalcapacity, stay awakeafter a day •• 10,000 kg/10 tons (truck)
of activityor holdher breath for an abnormallylongtime. ••• 25,000 kg/25 tons (fighter plane)
Sustaining such acts depends on your character's En- •••• 50,000 kg/50 tons (tank)
duranceskilltotal (see "Sourcesof Injury," p. 255), and ••••• 100,000 kg/100 tons (bluewhale)
it requires Endurancerolls after that point. The fre- To liftmore weight,the playerrollsMight normally,
quencyof the rollscan range fromevery hour for trying and each success allows20% more weightto be lifted.
to stayawake, eachhalf-houror so for maintaining physi- Thus, a characterwithMega-Strength2 maylift 20 tons
cal activity or everyfewsecondsto keep holding breath. on a Might rollof five successes.
CharacterswithMega-Staminafind suchfeats exponen- • Opening/Closing [Might]: Openinga door with
tiallyeasier, perhaps even automatic. brute force callsfor a Might roll. A standardinteriordoor
The Storytellershouldadd one to the difficulty(cu- requires onlyone success to bash open or slamshut. A
mulative) to each subsequentroll after the first to re- reinforced door or airlockgenerallytakesfivesuccesses.
flect the increasingstrain on your character's vitality. A magneticallylockedblastdoor mighttake 10successes.
Botchesshouldsuit the feat attempted (e.g., stumbling, These successesmaybe handledas an extendedaction.
reflexivelygasping for air, nodding off, lunging for the While teamworkis possible(and recommended),a door
nearest availablefood). can stillbe forced open througha single individual'sre-
• Jumping[Might): ln normalEarth gravity, each peated hammering.Obviously, a door not held in some
success on a Mightroll launchesyour character half a waycan be opened without resorting to force. A botch
meter verticallyor two meters horizontally . On a botch, causes a level of bashing damage to your character's
your character may trip over her own feet, leap right shoulder.
into a wallor do somethingsimilarlyembarrassing. The Novas with Mega-Strength add their automatic
QuantumLeap enhancement(p. 157) allowsnovas to damage successes to their players' Might rolls, should
cover truly amazingdistances. the Storytellerdecide they even haveto rollat all.
• Lifting [Might]:The chart belowprovidesMight • PlnUit[Athletics, Drive,Pilot]:Catchingsome-
skilltotals needed to deadlift various mass categories. one who's tryingdesperatelyto avoid yourcharacter in-
The Storyteller determines any difficulties involvedin volvesseveraldifferent rolls, whichcan includeTrack-
lifting; generally,the numberof dots by which your char- ingor Investigation. Basic pursuit is an extendedaction.
acter is belowthe minimumMightrating required is the The target starts witha numberof free extra successes
additionaldifficulty incurredto lift the object. However, basedon his distance frompursuers. This systembreaks
if her Might skilltotal is at least one dot higher than the downas follows:on foot, one for everytwometersahead
minimumneeded, the Storytellermay allowyour char- of pursuers; in vehiclesor flight, one for every10meters
acter to pickup the item withouthavingto roll. ahead of pursuers. Exceptionallylongfoot chases might
Mightskilltotal Mass(kg) Exam
ple involveEndurancetests.
• 15 Chair If one participant has Hypermovement or Enhanced
•• 45 Movementand the other does not, or if one participant
••• 100 Grownperson has Hypermovement at a higher levelthan the other, the
• • •• 165 faster character alwaysescapes/ catches up unlessthe
••••• 240 Empty
ca-gobin Storytellerdictatesotherwise. Inallother cases, the tar-
• • •• • • 300 get and pursuersrollthe appropriate Ability (depending
••••• •• 360 Motorcycle on the type of pursuit) each turn, addingnewsuccesses
•• ••• ••• 420 to anysuccessesrolledin previous turns. Whenthe pur-
••••• •••• 480 Girder
• • •• • ••••• 550

234 CHAPTER SIX DRAMA

suer accumulatesmore total successes than the target,
she catches up and maytake further actions to stop the
chase. Asthe target accumulatessuccesses,he gainsdis-
tance fromhis pursuersand mayuse that lead to lose his
opponents. Each success that the quarry accumulates
beyondthe pursuer's total acts as a difficultypenaltyof
one to any Awarenessrolls that pursuers have to make
to remain on the target's tail. The Storyteller may call
for the pursuer to make an Awarenessroll at any time
(althoughnot more than once per turn). If the pursuer
fails this roll, her target is considered to have slipped
away(intothe crowd,off the sensor screen). On a botch,
the pursuer loses her quarry immediately . If the quarry
botches, he stumblesor ends up at a dead end.
• Resistance [Resistance) : The Health track on
your character sheet normallydeclares the number of
dice you lose from dice pools as your character takes
damage. Youmayroll Resistanceonce each turn; a suc-
cessful rollrestores a numberof dice to your poolequal
to your ResistanceAbilityrating(not skilltotal). The re-
stored dice last for as manyturns as successesyou roll.
This benefit requires the Resistance Ability; it cannot
be performedas a default task.
• Shadowing[Stealth): Shadowingsomeone re-
quiresthat yourcharacter keeps tabs on the target with-
CHAPTERSIX DRAMA
out necessarilycatchingher - and whilenot being no-
ticed by her! The target's player can roll Awareness
whenevershe has a chance to spot her tail (thE(Story-
teller decideswhensuchan opportunityarises); the pur-
suer opposes this rollwitha Stealthroll. The target must
get at least one more success than her shadowdoes to
spot the tail;if so, she mayact accordingly.This resisted
action is handledindividually for each person shadowing
the target (if the target is beingfollowedby three people
her player makes three separate Awarenessrolls, one
against each target's Stealth roll).
• Sneaking [Stealth):Ratherthan fightthroughev-
ery situation, your character can use stealth and cun-
ning. A sneakingcharacter uses Stealthas a resisted ac-
tion againstAwarenessrolls fromanyoneable to detect
her passing. Unlessobservers receive more successes
than the sneakingcharacter does, she passes undetec-
ted. Noise,unsecuredgear, lackof coveror largegroups
of observers can increase Stealth difficulty. Security
devices, scanners or superior vantage points may add
dice to Awareness rolls. On a botch, the character
stumblesintoone of the people she's avoiding,acciden-
tallywalksinto the open, or performs some other obvi-
ous ad .
235
 ABERRANT

Certainnovapowers,particularlyInvisibility,make and beingawareof one's surroundings.Awarenesscov-

sneakingmucheasier. ers anythingthat doesn't requirespecifictrainingin ob-
• Swimming [Endlrance]: Assumingyour charac- servation,as Investigationdoes. Awarenessisoften used
ter can swimat all(beingable to do so requires one dot in resisted rollsagainstAbilitieslikeStealth.
of Athleticsand enables a maximummovementof the • Hacking[Computer]: A person seekingto hack
character'swalkingspeed plusone meter per dot inAth- intoa computersystemmakesan extendedrollusingthe
letics),long-distanceor long-durationswimming requires ComputerAbility.The difficultycan be normal(for an
successfulEndurancerolls. The first rollis necessaryonly ordinaryPC)or up to +4 (for hackingintomilitarymain-
after the first half-hourof sustainedactivity,and it re- frames). Likewise,successesneededcanrangefromfive
quires onlyone success. A cumulativedifficultypenalty or so up to 50 (or even more!).
of one applies for each subsequenthalf-hour. If a roll Activelyblockinga hacker is a resisted action;the
failsat any time,your character tires; she mayAoat,but adversarywiththe mostsuccesseswins. Ona botch,you
she is too exhaustedto swim.Yourcharactercan rest by maytrip a Aagor evenrevealyour identityto the system
floating,but the current difficultydoesn't drop untilshe you're trying to breach. Hackingrequires the Computer
can get to solidgroundand recuperate.On a botch,your Ability;your character cannot perform it as a default
character sinks and, if she doesn't have gillsor appro- task. Note that characters with the Cyberkinesispower
priateLifeSupportpowers,beginsdrowning(seep. 257). (p. 187) maysubstitute that powerfor these rules.
• Throwing[Migit]:Objects (grenades, knives) • Hi!IJ Finance [Biz]:The BizAbilitycovers any
witha massof one kilogramor less can be throwna dis- attempt to amass wealth, from internationalbankingto
tance of the character's Mightskilltotal x 5 in meters. licensingoneself to a toy company. The character or
For each additionalkilogramof massthat an object has, sponsor typicallyinvests an amountof money(usually
thisdistancedecreasesby fivemeters(particularlyheavy equal to a Resourcedot) and rolls Biz. Eachadditional
objects don't go very far). As longas the object's mass Resourcedot investedadds one die to the Bizroll.One
doesn't reduce throwing distance to zero, your charac- success means the deal breaks even; the character/
ter can pick up and throw it without havingto make a sponsorneithergainsnor losesfromthe deal.Moresuc-
Mightroll. A character with5 Mightskilltotal can throw cesses allowthe character to gainone temporaryunit of
a 1kg object 25 meters. He can throw a 2 kg object 20 Resourcesfor each successrolled;these unitsequalone
meters and a 5 kgobject five meters. If an object can be month'sworth of one Resourcedot.
lifted, but its mass reduces throwingdistance to zero, ForExample: HarveyWilder,withResources2 and
the object can be hurled aside at best - about one a Biz skilltotalof 7, needs cashfast. In an all-or-noth-
meter's distance. Obviously,if an object can't be lifted,inggamble, he invests his entire fortune(two Resource
it can't be thrown at all (refer instead to "Lifting,"p. dots) in the stock market. Hisplayernowrollseightdice
234) . (seven for his Biz skill,+-1for the additionalResource
The Storytellermayreduce throwingdistancesfor dot invested). Theplayerscoresthreesuccesses- two
particularlyunwieldyobjects, or increasethemfor aero- over the total to break even - so Harveygains two
dynamic ones. On a botch,your character maydrop the units of Resources. The playermay choosefor Harvey
object or strike a companionwith it. to have an effective Resourcesof 4 for one month or
CharacterswithMega-Strengthmaythrowobjects Resources3 for two months.
of weightsequal to their base liftingability; to do so, Five or more successes on the Biz roll allowthe
they use the normalrules for throwing. However,when character to raisehisResourcesby onedot permanently.
throwingobjects whosemassis less than half their base Failuremeansthe character losesall investedResource
liftingability(e.g., a novawithMega-Strength2 attempt- dots for one month,then regains them at one invested
ingto hurla 1000-kgautomobile),theymaymultiplytheir dot per monththereafter. A botchmeansallinvestedRe-
normalthrowingdistance timestheir automaticdamage sources are lost permanently.
successes! • Investigation [Investigation]:Any search for
clues,evidence or hiddencontrabandinvolvesInvesti-
Mental Feats gation. The Storytellermayadd a difficultyto investi-
Thesesystemscovertasks involvingthe three Men- gationsinvolvingobscurecluesor particularlywell-con-
tal Attributes(Perception, Intelligenceand Wits). Men- cealed objects. One success revealsbasic details; mul-
tal tests provideyou with informationabout thingsyour tiple successes provide detailed informationand may
character knows,but you don't, or they determineyour even make deductionspossiblebased on physicalevi-
character's skillat certain mentaltasks. Still,depend on dence. On a botch, he maymissor accidentallydestroy
your creativity whensolvingproblems- not on dice- obviousclues.
rolling. • Intrusion [Intrusion]:Intrusioncovers breaking
• Awareness [Awareness]: Thisfeat involvespick- and entering, evading security devices, pickinglocks,
ing a face out of a crowd, keepingan eye on someone bypassingkeypadand retinalcountermeasures- and

236 CHAPTER SIX DRAMA

 ABERRANT
preventingothers from doing the same. When bypass-
ing active security, your roll must succeed on the first
attempt; failureactivates any alarms present (opening
manuallocksmaybe attempted multipletimes, though).
Intrusionrollsare usuallystandard actions,but they may
be difficult actions depending on a security system's
complexity(the Storytellerdecidesthe actualdifficulty).
On a botch, the clumsybreak-in attempt goes horribly
awry.
Setting up security measuresis a standard action,
but multiplesuccesses achieved in the effort increase
the system's quality (essentiallyadding to its difficulty
to be breached).
• Repair[Engineering]: Before repairinga device
that's on the fritz, your character mustidentifyits prob-
lems(accomplishedas a standardresearchroll).The Sto-
ryteller then sets the difficultyof the repair roll, if any.
This difficulty depends on the problems' severity,
whether the proper tools or any replacementparts are
on hand and if adverse conditionsexist. An inspiredre-
search rollmayoffset these factors somewhat.A simple
tire change is a standard action, whilererouting power
througha secondary system is more difficult.Basic re-
pairs take at least a few turns to complete. More com-
plex ones are extended actions that last 10 minutesper
success needed. On a botch, your character maysimply
waste time and a new part, or may make the problem
worse.
• Research [Academics, Science,Engineering]:
character performs research whensearchingcomputer
databases for historicalfacts, whenlookingfor obscure
loopholesin anti-terrorism lawsor whentrying to learn
a device'sfunctionor origin.In allcases, the numberof
successesachieveddeterminesthe amountof informa-
tion discovered;one success givesyou at least basic in-
formation,while ext.ra successes provide more details.
The Storyteller may apply difficultiesfor particularly
obscure data. On a botch, your character may not find
anythingat all,or he mayuncovercompletelyerroneous
information.
• Tracking [Awareness, Strvival]:Unlikeshadow-
ing, trackingrequiresyou to followphysicalevidenceto
finda target. Discoveringfootprints,brokentwigs,blood
trailsor other physicalsignslead the tracker right to the
subject. Followingsuch a trail is a standard action; mul-
tiple successesprovideextra information(subject'srate
of speed, estimatedweight,numberof people followed).
The quarry can cover her tracks with a successfulSur-
vival roll. Each success on a Survivalroll modifiesany
tracking difficulties by one. Abnormalweather, poor
trackingconditions(city streets, installationcorridors)
and a shortage of time alsoadd to trackingdifficulty.On
a botch, your character not only loses the trail, but he
runs the risk of destroyingthe physicalsignsof passage
as well.
CHAPTER SIX DRAMA
Social Graces
These systemscover tasks involvingthe three So-
cialAttributes(Appearance,ManipulationandOiarisma).
Roleplayingusuallysupersedes any Socialskillroll, for
better or worse. Storytellersmayignore the Socialsys-
tems whena playerexhibitsparticularlygood or excru-
ciatinglybad roleplaying.
• Carousing [Style,Streetwise]: Youinfluenceoth-
ers to relax and have Fun. Applicationsof this roll might
include showinga potentialclienta good time, loosening
an informant'stongue or makinginstant drinkingpart-
ners who come to your aid when a brawl starts. It's a
standard action whendealingwith an individual,though
diff!cultiesmaybe added for large or surlygroups. On a
botch,your character comesoff as an obnoxiousboor if
not worse. '
• Credibility[Sd>terfuge]: Subterfugeisused when
perpetrating a scamor trying to detect one (a scamcan
range from impersonating the authorities to using a
forged passport). Allparties involved,whether detect-
ing the lieor perpetrating it, rollSubterfuge. The scam's
"marks" mustroll higherthan the perpetrator to detect
any deception. False credentials and other convincing
props mayadd to the difficultyof uncoveringthe dupe,
whileteamworkmay help reveal the scam. On a botch,
the entire planfallsapart.
• Disguise[Perform, Style]:Disguiseusuallyin-
A volvestwo Abilities,althoughonlyone maybe calledfor
at a time. Style is used to copy someone's appearance
successfully.The Storyteller may apply difficultiesde-
pendingon the resources at your character's disposal.A
standard roll is suitableif ample visualreferences of the
subject(andappropriatemakeup,wigand wardrobe)are
available.Goingby a photo or havingaccess to a limited
wardrobe maybe more difficult.Tryinga disguisefrom
memoryor with little resources could be increase the
difficultyby as muchas three. A proper disguisetakes
at least 10 minutesto create (the Storyteller may add
additionaldifficultyfor sucha rushjob); an hour or more
offers the best results.
To act like someone requires a Perform roll (the
Oratory Specialty is useful only to imitate someone's
voice, while Acting can be used to imitate someone's
mannerisms).It is necessaryto study a subject to create
a believabledisguise.A standard roll is adequate if the
subject is in your character's presence for at least an
hour (or suitable photos are on hand). Workingfrom
poor-qualityphotosor rushingthings can result in + 1or
+2 difficulty. Meetingthe subject briefly(or simplyfak-
ing it) mayresult in +3 or +4 difficulty.
Aside from these systems, the Storyteller should
take into account the player'sroleplaying.An adequate
disguiseroll may stillsucceed if the player does an im-
237
 ABERRANT
pressiveimitation,whileeventhe most inspireddisguise
is ineffectualif the playeracts no differentlythan usual.
On a botch, the disguisemay be simplytransparent or
patentlyridiculous,but it is obviouslynot convincing.
• Fast-Talk [Subterfuge]: When there's no time
for subtlety,baffle themwith nonsense. A target can be
overwhelmedwith a rapid successionof almost-believ-
ablehalf-truths. Hopefully,the subjectbelievesanything
she hears just to get away from the babble - or be-
comesso annoyedthat she ignoresyour character com-
pletely. Tryingto Fast-Talksomeoneis a resisted action
- yourcharacter'sSubterfugeagainstthe target's Will-
power.Whoeverscores more successes wins. On a tie,
morebabblingisneeded. Ona botch,yourcharactergoes
too far, angeringthe target and ramblingwithouteffect.
• Intimidation [lntimidation]: Intimidationhas two
effects.Intimidation's passiveeffectdoesn'tinvolvea roll;
it simplygivesyourcharacterplentyof space- whether
on a shuttle, tram or in a bar. The higheryour Intimida-
tion skilltotal, the wider the berth that others givehim.
Intimidation'sactive application works through
subtlety or outright threat. Subtletyis based on a per-
ceivedthreat (losingone's job, goingon report, painand
agony later in life). RollIntimidationin a resisted action
againstthe subject'sWillpower;the target mustget more
successesor be cowedeffectively.
The blatant form of intimidationinvolvesdirect
physicalthreat. In this case, you may pair Intimidation
withStrengthina resistedrollagainstthe subject'sWill-
power. Ona botch,your character lookspatentlyridicu-
lous and doesn't impressanyone in attendance for the
rest of the scene.
• Interrogation [lntem,gation ]: Anyonecan ask
questions. Withthe InterrogationAbility,you ask ques-
tions and have leverage. Interrogatingsomeonepeace-
fullyinvolvesaskingstrategic questionsdesignedto re-
veal specificfacts. This methodis a resisted action be-
tween your character's Interrogationand the subject's
Willpower . Rollsare madeat keypointsduringquestion-
ing, probablyevery few minutesor at the end of an in-
terrogationsession.
Violentinterrogationinvolvestorturingthe victim's
mindand/ or body untilhe revealswhathe knows. Doing
so is a resisted action betweenyour character's Interro-
gationand the target's Resistanceor Willpower(which-
ever is higher).Rollsare madeevery minuteor turn, de-
pendingon the type of torture used. The subject losesa
healthlevelfor each turn of physicaltorture, or one cur-
rent Willpowerpointper turn of mentaltorture. Damage
238 CHAPTER SIX DRAMA
inflicteddependson the toolsused - fire and electric-
ity cause lethaldamage;punchesand kickscause bash-
ing damage. The combinedeffect of physicaland mental
torture has devastatingresults.A botchedInterrogation
rollcan destroy the subject's body or mind.
Whateverthe interrogationmethodused,ifyouroll
moresuccessesinthe resistedaction,the target divulges
somethingfor each extra success rolled. If your extra
successesexceedthe victim'sWillpowerscore, she folds
completelyand revealseverythingshe knows. The ex-
tent and relevancyof shared informationare up to the
Storyteller(detailsare often skewedto reflect whatthe
subject knows or by what she thinks her interrogator
wants to hear).
• Oration[Perform]:From a general's rousing
speeches to a politician's slickdouble-talk,the capacity
to sway the masses emotionallycreates and destroys
empires.Whenyour character speaks publicly,whether
to a smallboard meetingor to an entire N!TV audience,
rollPerform.The Storytellermayincreasethe difficulty
for a huge, dispassionateor openly hostile audience.
Orationis hit or miss- yourcharacter either succeeds
or fails. Ona botch,yourcharactermaydamageher repu-
tation or even be assaultedby the audience.
• Performance [Perform]: Performcan be usedto
impressan audienceor to pay the bills. As withoration,
the audience'smoodcan increase the difficulty,as can
the performance'scomplexity.Onesuccessindicatesan
enjoyableif uninspiredeffort, while additionalsuccesses
makethe performancea truly memorableevent to even
the most surly crowd. On a botch, your character for-
gets linesor makesa gaffe.
• Seduction[Streetwise,Etiquette,Style,Subter-
fuge]:The particularsituation and style of the seduc-
tion determine whichAbilityis used. In pleasant, cul-
tured circumstances,roll Etiquette. In a seedy under-
bellybar, Streetwise is appropriate. Style encompasses
any attempt to physicallyattract an individualor even a
group.RollSubterfugewhenyour charactermakesa se-
ductionattempt throughexaggerationor fabrication.In
all cases, the target rollsWillpower. As longas you get
more successes,the target is definitely interested (the
degreedependson the numberof extrasuccessesrolled).
Otherwise, the subject hasn't bitten yet, but you may
try again(althoughat an increaseddifficulty).Ona botch,
your character ends up witha drinkin his face (at best).
 ABERRANT

Combat Systems Describing the Scene

CombatinAberrantattempts to capture the larger-
Before each tum, the Storyteller shoulddescribe
than-life feats commonto nova-levelconflict without
the scene fromeach character's perspective. Sometimes
downplayingthe grimreality of injuryand death. What
this descriptionwillbe a wrap-up of the last turn, mak-
results is a system true to the dynamics, limitationsand
ingwhat occurredclear to allplayers. This constant de-
viciousnessof real combat - particularlycombat in-
scription is essential to avoidconfusion.
volving superheated plasmablasts and building-rattling
This narration is the Storyteller's chance to orga-
punches - that leaves room for the spectacular ele-
nizeandarrangeevents so that all goes smoothlywhen
ments that novasbring to it.
the players interact with the environmentshe has cre-
The Storytellershouldbe flexiblewhenarbitrating
ated. The Storyteller should make her descriptions as
combat situations; no rules can fully reflect the variety
interestingas possible , leavingopen manypossibilities
of situationsencounteredin warfare. 1fany part of these
for characters' actions.
systemsslowsthe gameor causesbickering,don't use it.
Combatsystems are meant to add depth to the game,
not create out-of-game conflict.
Each player rolls a die and adds it to her Initiative
Types of Combat rating[Dexterity+ Wits); the character with the highest
There are three types of combat, each involving result acts first, with the remainingcharacters acting in
the same basic system with minordifferences: decreasingorder of result.If twocharacters get the same
• CloseCombat : This designationcovers unarmed total, the one with the higher Initiative rating goes first.
combat and melee. Unarmed combat can involvetwo 1fInit iativeratings are also the same roll againuntil the
Mega-strong bruisers wailingon each other or skilled tie is resolved. (Note that novas with Mega-Dexterity or
martial artists facing off. Opponents must be within the EnhancedInitiativeenhancementoften transcendthe
touching distance (one meter) to engage in unarmed normalInitiativeorder.)
combat,unlessone or morecombatantsis superflexible, Although you declare your character's action now
has the Tendrilpower,or is otherwiseable to strike from (including stating that your character delays her action
a distance. Meleeinvolveshand-heldweapons,frombro- to see what someone else does), you wait until the at-
ken bottles to katanas. Opponentsmustbe withinone or tack stage to implementthat action. At this time, you
two meters of each other to engage in melee. mustalsostate if any multipleactionswillbe performed,
• Ranged Combat: This designationcovers com- or if Willpower points will be spent.
bat usingprojectileweaponsor powers- guns, teleki- Allof yourcharacter'sactions are stagedat her rank
nesis and QuantumBolts for example. Normally,oppo- in the order of Initiative. There are only two exceptions
nents must be withinsight (and weaponrange) of each to this rule. The first is if your character delays her ac-
other to engage in a firefight. tion, in whichcase her maneuvershappen when she fi-
• Armored Combat: This term covers combat be- nallytakes action. Your character may act at any time
tween vehiclesusingmountedweaponry- from tanks after her designated order in the Initiative, even to in-
to fighter planes. Opponents must be within weapons terrupt another, "slower" character's action. If twochar-
range to engage in armored combat. acters both delay their actions, and both finallyact at
the same time, the one with the higher Initiativescore
Combat Turns for the turn acts first.
Incombat,manythingshappenat virtuallythe same The second breach of the Initiativeorder occurs in
time. Sincethis fact can makethingsa bit stickyina game, the case of a defensiveaction (see "AbortingActions,"
combat is dividedinto a series of roughlythree-second p. 242, and "DefensiveManeuvers,"p. 243), whichyour
intervalscalledturns. Eachcombattum has three stages character may performat any time as long as she has a
- Initiative,Attack and Resolution- to makekeep- maneuverleft.
ingtrack of thingseasier.
Stage Two: Attack
Stage On e: Initiat ive Attacksare the meatof the combatturn. Anaction's
This stage organizesthe tum, and it is the point at successor failureand potentialimpacton the target are
which you declare your character's action. Variousac- determinedat this stage. Youuse a certain Ability de-
tionsare possible- anythingfromleapingbehinda wall pendingon the type of combat in whichyour character
to shouting a warning. Youmustdeclare whatyour char- is engaged:
acter does, in as muchdetailas the Storytellerrequires. • CloseCombat: Use Brawl, MartialArts or Melee.
• Ranged Combat: Use Firearmsor the quantum
power skill total.

CHAPTER SIX DRAMA 239

 ABERRANT
• ArmoredCombat:UseFirearms.
Remember,if your characterdoesn't havepointsin
the necessaryAbility,simplydefaultto the Attributeon
whichit's based (Strength ForBrawl;Dexterityfor Me-
lee, MartialArts and Firearms).
In ranged combat, your weapon or power may
modifyyour dice pool"accuracy"(due to rate of fire or
a targetingscope, for example);check the weapon's vi-
tal statistics or power descriptionfor details. Attacks
are usuallystandard actions, but a difficultymayapply
dependingon the circumstancesof the attack. 1fyou get
no successes,the character failsher attack and inAicts
no damage. If you botch, not only does the attack fail,
but somethingnasty happens; the weaponjams or ex-
plodes, youhit an allyor your powerbacklashesintoyour
body.
Stage Three: Resoluti on
Duringthis stage, you determine the damage in-
flicted by your character's attack, and the Storyteller
describes what occurs in the turn. Resolutionis a mix-
ture of gameand story; it's more interesting for players
to hear "YourQuantumBoltknocksyourfoe throughthe
air and into the side of the nearbybuilding"than simply
"Uh, he takes four health levels." Attacks and damage
are merelywaysof describingwhathappensin the story,
and it's important to maintainthe narrative of combat
even as the dice roll.
Puny Human •••
Somenovasare truly imperviousto injury.As an
optionalrule,the Storytellercan declarethat, if a nova
has naturaldefenses(not artificialarmor) m the super-
humanlevels(sixextra soakagainstbashing;three ex-
tra soakagainst lethal), and the nova'ssoaksubtracts
twice the amountof the attacker"sdamageeffect, the
attacker may not even roll his one die m hopes of at-
taininga singledamagesuccess. In this manner,novas
with soak ratings of 12, 15 or even higher can wade
throughhuman-levelattackers or small-armsfire with-
out a care.
Normally , additionalsuccessesgamedon a skillroll
simply mean that you do exceptionallywell. In combat,
eachextra successyou score on anattack rollequalsan
additionaldieyou addautomaticallyto your damageef-
fect! This additioncreates fatal and cinematiccombat.
A maximumof five damage dice may be added in this
fashion.Furthermore,area andexplosiveattacksmaynot
add attack successesto damage, as there is littleoppor-
tunity for finessewhendeliveringsuch an attack.
Damage Type s
Allweapons,powersand other attacks have spe-
cificdamageratings, indicatingthe numberof dice that
 ABERRANT
you roll (or successes you apply) for the attack's dam-
age (calledthe damageeffect). Eachsuccesson the dam-
age effect roll inflictsone health levelof damage on the
target. Most damageconsists of one of two types:
• Bashing :Punchesand other blunttraumathat are
less likelyto killa victim instantly. Characters use their
full Stamina ratings to resist bashing effects, and the
damageheals fairlyquickly.The maneuverand weapons
charts (p. 250, 274-275) listbashing attacks witha "B,"
and damageis appliedto the Health boxeson your char-
acter sheet with a"/ ."
• Lethal: Attacks meant to cause immediateand
fatal injuryto the target. Baselinehumancharacters may
not use Staminato resist lethaleffects, and the damage
takes quite a whileto heal. Most novas have a smallde-
gree of defenseagainstlethalattacks, but eventhey tend
to heal lethalattacks more slowlythan they heal bashing
attacks.The maneuverandweaponscharts (p. 250, 274-
275) list lethalattacks with an "L," and damage should
be markedon the Healthboxes on your character sheet
with an "X.'
A few particularlyvirulent nova powers deliver an
even deadlier type of damage, which is referred to as
aggravated.Aggravatedattacks includethings likedis-
integrationattacks, moleculardisruptionsandother hor-
riblydestructiveforces. Aggravatedattacks are treated
as lethaldamage,but they take fivetimesas longto heal,
and they cannot be soaked except with certain special
quantumpowers.Whennecessary,use an asterisk c•) to
denote aggravateddamage.
Damageeffect rolls cannot botch; a botched roll
simplymeans the attack glancesharmlesslyoff the tar-
get. Specificson applyingdamageeffects are described
under ' Health,' p. 252.
Damage Adds versus Dam-
age Dice
Novasand heavyweaponsdelivera wallopfar dead-
lier than the average humanbeing can withstand. While
most human-levelattacks are made in terms of damage
dice- thus inflictinga fair bit of damageor none at all,
dependingon the roll- particularlydestructiveattacks
often do a certain minimumlevelof damage even on a
glancingblow. Thus, manynova powersdelivera certain
numberof automaticdamage successes, whichare de-
livered in additionto the damage roll.
These automatic damage successes are known as
damageadds and are alwayspresented in brackets.
ForExample : 0verkillanailssomeschmuckwithhis
QuantumBolt. Hisattack inflicts[10) .. 12df0bashing
damage. The attack delivers10 levels of bashingdam-
age automatically , plus an additionalnumberof health
levelsequalto the numberof successesOverkilla 's player
rollson his damageeffect.
Pulling You r Punches
Novas don't have to hit at full force. A nova may
subtract anyamountshe wishes,fromdamageadds and/
or damagedice, before rollingdamage. If this reduction
takes the nova's damage effect below half of its normal
value the novapays onlyhalfthe normalquantum-point
cost of the effect (round up).
ForExample : 0verkillajust gotjumpedby a skinny,
14-year-oldand obviouslystupid street kid. 0verkilla
fires back; however, not wantingto kill the Ii'/ rugrat,
0verkilla'splayerdeclaresthathe willpullallof hisdam-
age adds and use only eight of his damagedice in the
attack.Sincethisisless thanhalfof 0verkilla's full- Force
blast, 0verkillahas to pay only one quantumpoint to
attack. If he hits, hisattack willinflicta bashingdicepool
of eightdiceplus whateversuccesseshe rollson the at-
tack - likelyknockingthe kid out, but not killinghim.
Soak
Allcharacters can resist a certain degree of physi-
cal punishment;doingso is called"soaking" damage. Your
character's soak1sbased on her Stamina.
Baselinehumanscan soak one die of damage per
point of Stamina, but they can apply this reduction only
to bashingdamage (reflecting the body's natural resil-
ience to suchattacks). Novaslikewisesubtract a base of
one die per Staminadot from bashingattacks.
Baselinescannot use Staminato soak lethal dam-
age, due to the brutal and invasivenature of such at-
tacks. The humanbody can endure some abuse, but it's
not capable of dealingwith a bullet's traumatic impact
or a laser's searing intensity. However most novas have
Lethal Soak
The humanbody isn't designed to withstand the
brutal physicaltrauma inflicted by gunshots and kmfe
wounds.Most novas, however, automaticallygainacer-
tain amountof lethalsoakas part of the eruption pro-
cess. The transformationof the body into a Quantum-
channelingdynamomakes 1thardier and tougher, even
with regard to novas whodon't otherwise display any
sort of special resiliency.
Novas, and only novas, have a certain automatic
amountof lethalsoak .A nova's naturallethalsoakequals
half her bashingsoak, rounded down. The soak func-
tions just like a naturalbashingsoak, except that it ap-
plies to lethaldamage.
Additionally novas with Mega- Stamina, Armor
and/orForceFieldgainextra lethal(and bashing)soak.
Stam inaRating BaseLethal Soak
One Zero
Two One
Three One
Four Two
Fwe Two
 ABERRANT
a smallamount of lethal soak (p. 241).A side effect of
eruption, lethal soak enables novas to withstand small
amountsof lethaldamage.
Soak rating is subtracted automaticallyfrom your
attacker's total damageeffect before it is rolled. More-
over,yousubtract soakfromautomaticdamagesuccesses
before you subtract damage dice. Even if your soak is
higher than your attacker's damage effect, your oppo-
nent stillrollsone die.
Armor, whether from Mega-Stamina, quantum
powers or artificialsources, providesextra soak against
bashingand/ or lethaleffects (see "Armor"). Especially
in the case of quantum powers, this extra can provide
extremelyimpressivesoakscores,enablingnovasto laugh
off weaponstrikes, small-armsfire or even heavy artil-
lery.
For&.ample: Overkillafireshis QuantumBolt at 2
Bigg Bettie, who has 15 soak versus bashingdamage.
Overkilla's attack inflicts[/0 successes] + 12dice of
damage.Bettie's 15soak completelycancelsOverkilla's
automaticsuccessesand removes an additionalfive of
his damagedice. Overkilla's playermay now rollseven
dice in an attempt to inflictdamageon Bettie.
Armor
Though most novas scorn artificial armor such as
flak jackets and Kevlarvests, manybaselinesand a few
novas wear this type of protection. Simplyput, armor
adds to your character's soak. The armor's rating com-
Combat Summary Chart
StageOne:Initiative
• Roll lmt1at1ve
. Everyone declares actions. The
character with the highestlmt1abveperformsher action
first. Actionscan be delayedto any time later in the or-
der of lmtiabve.
nutpeactions,
• Deda-eclrf nmff:!dicepoolsaccarclrqy .
StageTwo:Attack
• For unarmedclose-combatattacks, roll Brawlor
MartialArts.
• For armed close-combatattacks, roll Melee.
• Forranged(withhand weapons)or armoredcom-
bat (with vehicles),roll Firearms.
• For power use, roll the skilltotal listed with the
appropnate power.
• A character can abort to a defensive act,on
(block, dodge. parry) at any time before her action 1s
performedas longas the playermakesa successfulWill-
power roll (or a Willpowerpoint 1sspent).
StageThree: Resolution
• Determinetotal damage effect (weapon type or
maneuver), addingany extra dice gamedfrom successes
on the attack roll.
• Subtract the target's soak (if applicable),then
apply the remainingdamageeffect.
242 CHAPTER SIX DRAMA
bines withyour base soak for purposesof reducingdam-
age. Light armor offers a smallamount of protection,
but it doesn't hinder mobility. Heavyarmor provides a
lot of protection, but it can restrict Aexibility
. Somear-
mor is designed to shieldagainst bashingeffects, some
against lethal- and some protects against both.
Armor is not indestructible. If the damageapplied
from a singleattack equalstwice the armor's rating, the
armor is destroyed.
Armor types, their ratings and other specifics are
described in the Appendix(p. 277).
Per sonal
Combat
These maneuversgive you a variety of choices in
combat.Roleplayingcombat is more entertainingif you
can visualizeyour character's moves instead of simply
rolling dice.
Maneuver Characteristics
Maneuvers w,th specific combat effects may
modifyyour attack roll, difficultyor damageeffect.
Ability:The Trait used for the action taken. If
your character doesn't have a rating in the Ability,
default to its base Attnbute.
Acan,cy: The dice added to the roll to hit an
opponent.A '+3"adds three dice to the dice poolfor
that attack.
DifflCUlty: The added successesbeyondthe base
one needed to accomplishthe action. A "+2"' diffi-
culty meansyou need a total of three successes.
Damage: The mod1f1erto the damage dice pool.
A • +I" meansyou add one die when rollingthe dam-
age effect.
General Maneuvers
• Aborting Actions:Youcan abort your character s
declared action to a defensive action as long as your
character hasn't acted in the turn. Actions that can be
aborted to includeblock, dodge and parry. A successful
Willpowerroll(or the expenditureof a Willpowerpoint)
is required for a character to abort an action and per-
form a defensiveone instead. (See "DefensiveManeu-
vers, p. 243, for descriptionsof block, dodgeand parry.)
• Ambush :Ambushesinvolvesurprisinga target to
get ina decisivefirst strike. The attacker rollsStealth in
a resisted action against the target's Awareness. If the
attacker gets more successes, she can stage one free
attack on the target and adds any extra successes from
the resisted roll to her attack roll.On a tie, the attacker
still attacks, althoughthe target may perform a defen-
 ABERRANT
sive maneuver. If the defender gets more successes, he three (or four) maneuvers,your character can defend
spots the ambush, and both, parties roll Initiativenor- againstvirtuallyany kindof attack.However,your char-
mally.Targets alreadyinvolvedincombatcannot be am- acter maynot be able to avoidevery singleattack that's
bushed. directed at her. She can't dodge whenthere's no roomto
• Blindfi!liting/fire:Stagingattacks whileblind maneuver,and she can't block or parry if she doesn't
usuallyincurs a 1-2difficultypenalty. The Abilityspe- knowan attack is coming.
cialtiesBlindFightingand BlindFirereduce that penalty. Eachdefensivemaneuveruses the same basic sys-
Specialtiesnormallyadd a die to the rolls to whichthey tem: The defensiveaction is a resisted roll against the
apply.BlindFightingand BlindFire reduce the penalties opponent'sattack roll.Unlessthe attacker gets moretotal
imposedby fightingwithoutseeing by one; alldifficulty successes,he misses. If the attacker gets moresuccesses,
penaltiesfor beingin pitchdarknessor for beingflashed those that he achieves in excess of the defender's suc-
by bright light reduce to one. Novas with certain en- cesses, if any, are used to hit (the attacker doesn't nec-
hanced senses (pp. 162-164) may act without penalty essarily use allthe successes he rolled). So even if the
even if they cannot visuallyperceive their targets. defender has fewer successes than the attacker does,
• ~ andRe.-Attacks: Charactersattackingtar- the defender's maneuvercan stillreduce the effective-
gets from the flank gain an additionaldie to accuracy, ness of the attack, even if the maneuvercan't counter-
and they gain two additionaldice to accuracy whenat- act it completely.
tackingfrombehind. • BlodcA Brawlor MartialArts maneuverusing
• Movement: A charactermaymovehalfof her run- your character's own body to deflect a hand-to-hand
ningdistance[Dexterity1-12meters, or half of whatever bashingattack. Lethalattacks cannot be blockedunless
a nova's enhancedmoveis) and still take an action in a the defender has an appropriate quantumpower or ar-
turn. Other maneuverssuch as leapingor tumblingmay mor that providesspecialprotection.
be consideredseparate actions,dependingon their com- • Dodge: An Athleticsor MartialArts maneuver
plexity. usefulfor avoidingattacks of all types. Yourcharacter
• Multiple Actions:If you declare multipleactions, bobs and weaves to avoid Melee or Brawl attacks (if
subtract dice from the first dice pool equal to the total there's no room to maneuver,she must block or parry
numberof actions taken. Each subsequent action loses instead). In firefights,your character movesat least one
an additionaldie (cumulative).If a character performs meter and ends up behind cover (if there's no room to
onlyan abort action in a turn, use the appropriate block, maneuverand/ or no cover available,she can drop to
dodge or parry system. the ground). If your character remainsunder cover or
• Target.ing:Aimingfor a specificlocationincursa prone thereafter, cover rules applyagainstfurther Fire-
difficulty,but it can bypass armor or cover or result in arms attacks (see "Cover," p. 247).
an increased damageeffect. The Storytellershouldcon- Novaswithat leastone levelof Mega-Dexteritymay
sider special results beyond a simple increase in dam- dodge ranged attacks without the necessity of seeking
age, dependingon the attack and the target. cover;they simplymoveout of the way,as withanyother
TargetSize DifficultyDmgEffed attack.
Medium(limb,briefcase) 1-l None • P.-ry:A Meleemaneuverusinga weaponto block
Small(hand,head,computer) 1-2 1-2 a Brawl, Martial Arts or Melee attack. If a character
Precise (eye, groin, lock) 1-3 1-4 makesa Brawlor MartialArt.s attack and the defender
parries with a weapon that normallycauses lethaldam-
Defensive Maneuvers age effects, the attacker can actuallybe hurt by a suc-
It's a giventhat your character tries to avoidbeing cessful parry. If the defender rolls more successes than ,
hit incombat- that's whyeveryonemakesattack rolls. the attacker does in the resisted action, the defender
Sometimesall your character wants to do is avoid at- rolls the weapon's base damage plus the parry's extra
tacks. Youmayannouncea defensiveactionat any time successesagainstthe attacker as automaticdamage.
before your character's opponent makesan attack roll, • PowerBlodcManyquantumpowerscan be used
and as longas your character has an action left to per- as part of defensiveactions. ForceFieldis the mostlikely
form. You can declare a defensive action on your power for such a feat, but Gravity Control, Elemental
character's tum in the Initiativeor can even abort to a Masteryand similarpowerscan also provideprotection
defensivemaneuver. Youmust makea successfulWill- against certain attacks. Some attack powers can liter-
powerroll(or maysimplyspend one point of Willpower) allyshoot an incomingprojectileout of the sky.
to abort. IFthe Willpowerroll fails, your character must To perform a power block,the player takes a de-
carry out the action that you declared originally . fensive action as normal, then simply substitutes her
There are three basic types of defensiveactions: Dexterity1-powerrating skilltotal for the normalblock,
block, dodge and parry. Some novas have access to a parry or dodge roll. Each success on the power block
fourth defensive action: the power block. Usingthese rollsubtracts one from the attack successes,as normal.

CHAPTER SIX DRAMA 243

 ABERRANT

A power mightbe able to perform a power block • 0inch:On a successfulattack roll,the attacker
againstsomemaneuvers,but not againstothe1"3. Forex- goes into a clinchwith the target. In the first turn, the
ample, MagneticMastery can certainly pull bulletsoff attacker may roll Strength +2 damage effect. In each
their trajectories, but it is uselessagainsta Aamethrower subsequent turn, combatantsact on their ordel"3in the
attack. The Storytellermustarbitrate powerblockson a Initiative. A combatantcan inflictanother Strength +2
case-by-case basis. damageeffect automatically,or attempt to escape the
Block, dodge, parry and power blockcan be per- clinch.Neither the attacker nor the defender may use
formed as part of a multipleaction in your character's any other standard combat maneuvel"3 until one com-
turn (punchingthen blocking,shooting then dodging, batant breaks free; however,charactel"3with body-al-
parrying then striking,blasting a tank shell out of the tering powel"3such as Density Decrease, Shapeshift,
sky then blastingthe tank to smithereens). Usinga mul- Flexibilityor Immolatemay attempt to use them nor-
tiple action to act and defend is advantageousbecause mally.To escape a clinch,makea resisted Brawlor Mar-
your character can still accomplishsomethingin a turn tial Arts rollagainstthe opponent.If the escapingchar-
other than avoidingattacks. acter rolls more successes, she breaks free; if not, the
ForExample: Jimmythe Body wants to punch two characters continueto grapple in the next turn.
thugs,then be readyto dodgetwo attacks- a multiple Ability: Brawlor MartialArts
action.Doingso is consideredfour separateactionsus- Diff1CUlly:Normal
inghis'?Martial Arts for the punchesandhis 10Athlet- Acancy : Normal
ics for the dodges. The first punch is reducedby four Damage: Strength+2
dice (givingJimmy five dice in his dice pool) because
Jimmyperforms four actions. The secondpunch is re- • Disarm: To knocka weaponfroman opponent's
duced by five dice (four actionsplus an additionalcu- hand,the attacker rollsat+ I difficulty; if the attacker is
mulativepenalty), givingJimmyfour dice to strike. The unarmed,she rollsat +2 difficulty.If successful,the at-
first dodgeis reducedby six dice (for a dicepoolof four tacker rollsdamagenormally.lf successesrolledexceed
dice) as per the multiple-actionrules. The finaldodgeis the opponent's Strength score, the opponent takes no
reducedby seven dice (leavingthree dice). damagebut is disarmed. A botch usuallymeansthe at-
Rather than makedefensive maneuversa part of a tacker drops her ownweaponor is struck byher target's
multipleaction, you may declare that your character weapon.
spends an entire turn defending. The multiple-action Ability:MartialArts or Melee
rules are not used in this case. Instead, you have a full Difficulty: Special
dice poolfor the fil"3tdefensiveaction,but you lose one Accuracy: Normal
die, cumulatively, for each subsequent defense action Damage : Special
made in the same turn. It is difficultto avoidseveralin-
comingattacks. • Hold : This attack inflicts no damage,as the in-
ForExample: Jimmythe Body spendsa wholeturn tent is to immobilizerather than injurethe subject.On a
dodging. Witha 10Athleticsskilltotal, he candodgeup successfulroll, the attacker holds the target until the
to 10 attacks!Jimmy's player rolls 10 dice againstthe subject's next action. At that time, both combatantsroll
first attack, nine dice against the second, eight dice resisted Brawlor MartialArts actions; the subject re-
againstthe third,seven dice againstthe fourth,six dice mains immobilized(able to take no other action) until
againstthe fifth, five dice againstthe sixth, etc. Jimmyshe rollsmore successesthan the attacker does.
can't do anythingelse that turnbut dodge. Ability: Brawl or Martial Arts
Difficulty: Normal
Close Combat Maneuvers Acancy : Normal
This list comprises the most commonmaneuvers Damage : None
usedinclosecombat; feelfree to developyourownmoves
(with the Storyteller's approval). Allhand-to-hand at- • KidcKicksrange fromsimplefront kicksto aerial
tacks inflict bashing damage unless stated otherwise. spins. The base attack is +I difficultyand inAictsthe
Damage inflicted by melee attacks depends on the attacker's Strength+3 in damage. These ratingsmaybe
weapontype (see the MeleeWeapons Chart, p. 274). modifiedfurther at the Storyteller'sdiscretion,increas-
Difficultyand damagefor these maneuversmaybe ing in damage and/ or difficulty as the maneuverin-
modifiedat the Storyteller'sdiscretion, dependingon the creases in complexity.
combat style the character uses. As always,drama and Ability:Brawlor MartialArts
excitementtake precedenceover rulessystems. Difficulty: + I
Accuracy:
Normal
Damage
: Strength +3

244 CHAPTER SIX DRAMA

 • MultipleOpponents : A character who battles
multipleopponents in close combat suffers attack and
defensedifficultiesof I, cumulative,for each opponent
after the first (to a maximumof +4).

• Strike: The attacker lashesout with a fist. The

base attack is a standard action and inflicts the
character'sStrength+2 indamage. The Storytellermay
adjust the difficultyand/ or damagedependingon the
type of punch: hook, jab haymaker,karate strike.
Ability: Brawlor MartialArts
Difficulty:Normal
Accuracy: Normal
Damage : Strength+2

• Sweep:The attacker uses her ownlegs to knock

the legs out fromunder her opponent.The target takes
Strength +I damageand must roll Athleticsat +3 diffi-
cultyor suffer a knockdown(see "ManeuverComplica-
tions," p. 248).
The attacker can also use a staff, chainor similar
implementto performa sweep. The effect is the same,
althoughthe target takesStrength+ Weapontype dam-
age.
Ability:MartialArts or Melee
Difficulty: Normal
Accuracy:Normal
Damage : Special

• Tackle :The attacker rushesher opponent tack-

linghimto the ground. The attack rollis + I difficultyand
inflictsStrength+3damage. Additionally, both combat-
ants mustrollAthleticsat +2difficultyor suffera knock-
down(see "ManeuverComplications," p. 248). Evenif
the target'sAthleticsrollsucceeds,he isunbalancedsuf-
fering+ 1difficultyto his actionsfor the next turn.
Ability:Brawl
Diffteulty: +I
Acwracy: Normal
Damage : Strength+3

• Throw:The attacker grabs her opponent at +I

difficultyto hit, then uses the target's own momentum
to throwhim. The target is launcheda numberof meters
equalto the attacker's Strength(opponentswitha lot of
momentummaytravel up to an extra two meters). The
target suffers a knockdown(see "ManeuverComplica-
tions," p. 248) automatically , and he takes Strength +I
damageplusan additionaldie of damagefor every two
meters he was thrown(roundeddown). Characterswith
Mega-Strengthautomaticallythrow a target two addi-
tionalmetersper automaticdamagesuccess. Landingon
harmfulobjects or debris can increase the damageef-
fect.
 ABERRANT

Ability:Brawlor MartialArts To administerthis attack, the nova mustsuccess-

Difficulty:+I fullyenter a clinchwithher victim,usingher Strength +
Accun,cy. Normal Bodymorphskilltotal rather than Strength + Brawl.On
Damage: Special the followingturn, the novarollsStrength + Bodymorph
againstthe victim'sEnduranceskilltotal.Successon the
• WeaponStrike:A slashingblow,thrust or jab, nova's part indicatesthe nova cuts off the character's
dependingon the weaponused. oxygensupply;the victimimmediatelybeginstakingone
Ability:Melee automaticbashinghealth levelof damage per turn the
Difficulty: Normal nova maintainsthe attack, and must also makea Will-
Accun,cy. Normal power check to avoid panic (see "Suffocation and
Damage: Strength + Weapontype Drowning,"p. 257,for detailson this roll). Oncethe vic-
tim fallsto Incapacitatedfrom this attack, he willdie in
Special Nova Maneuvers [Stamina+ Mega-Stamina]turns if the nova maintains
• AerialSlam:The novaflies full-tiltinto a target. the attack.
The novainflictsa base Strength+3 diceof bashingdam- Failureon the attack roll meansthe attack has no
age. Additionally , assumingthe nova is movingat full effect that turn, but the nova may attempt the attack
speed, each dot of Flightadds an extra twodice of dam- againon the followingturn, so longas the clinchis main-
age. The novaherself takes half damagefrom the slam tained. lf the victimbreaks the nova's clinch,he imme-
(thoughher soakmightwellreducethis damageto zero), diatelyceases takingdamagefromthe asphyxiationat-
and she can reduce the total damageof her slamby any tack.
amountshe chooses,so longas she announcesthis ahead Obviously,this attack has no effect on novaswho
of time and slowsher pace accordingly.The victimof have no need to breathe.
the slam must check for knockback(p. 249), whilethe Ability:Bodymorph
attacker makesa Flightroll to keep herself oriented. If Difficulty:Normal
the defendersuffersno knockbackand the attacker fails Accuracy: Normal
her roll,the attacker alsotakes fulldamagefromthe slam Damage: Special
(she just ran into the equivalentof a brick wall).
lf the novahas Hypermovement(Flight),each dot • Hyperspeed Slam: The novaruns into someone
of Hypermovement adds another+1to damagedice pool. at superspeed. This moveis treated as a Tackle(Str +3
Ability:Flight bashingdamage). Assumingthe nova is movingat full
Difficulty:+I
speed, each levelof the Hypermovement poweraddstwo
Accun,cy. Normal dice to tackle damage,whilethe EnhancedMovement
Damage: Special enhancementadds an additionaltwo. The nova herself
takes halfdamagefrom the slam(thoughher soak might
• AerialStrike:The novawhizzesbya target, bash- wellreduce this damage to zero), and she can reduce
ing it with a limbor weaponas she passes. The moveis the totaldamageof her slamby anyamountshe chooses,
treated as a Strikeor Weaponattack, but the playeradds so longas she announcesit aheadof time and slowsher
her dots in Flightand/ or Hypermovementto the dam- pace accordingly . The victimof the slammustcheck for
age dice pool inflicted. knockback(p. 249), whilethe attacker makesan Ath-
Ability:Flight letics roll to stay upright, just as with a normalTackle
Difficulty:+I maneuver.If the defendersuffers no knockbackand the
Acwn,cy:Normal attacker failsher roll,the attacker also takes fulldam-
Damage: Special age from the slam(she just ran into the equivalentof a
brick wall).
• AsphyxiationAttack (Prereq:Appropriate Ability:Brawl
Bodymorph power}:Somenovascan transforminto liq- Difficulty:+I
uids,gases or other altered states, then use their altered Acwn,cy:Normal
formto smother foes dependenton an oxygensupply. A Damage: Special
novaseekingto deliveran asphyxiationattack musthave
the Bodymorphpowerand musthaveit currentlyactive. • Hyperspeed Strike:The novaraces by a target,
Furthermore,due to the nature of the asphyxiationat- bashingit witha limbor weaponas she passes. The ma-
tack, the novamayapplyit at fulleffect even if partially neuver is treated as a Strikeor Weaponattack, but the
intangible(i.e., is usingBodymorphto simulateDensity player adds two dice for EnhancedMovementand/ or
Decrease • or •• ). one die per dot of Hypermovement.

246 CHAPTER SIX DRAMA

 ABERRANT
Ability:Brawlor MartialArts
Difficulty:-+-1
Accuracy:Normal
Damage: Special
• Smackdown (Pren,q:Mega-Strength •, Brawl
or Martial
Arts2): Sometimesyou just gotta lay the
Smackdownon somepunk. A Smackdownattack repre-
sents any of the various insane, over-the-top custom
combat maneuversavailableto novas. Smackdownat-
tacks are uniqueto the novasusingthem;a Smackdown
can be a GiantHaymaker,Super Uppercut,TripleSpin-
ning Crescent Death Kick,Thunder Fire Jackhammer
Slamor whateverthe playerwishesit to be.
A Smackdowncan be a Striking Smackdownor
GrapplingSmackdown;the twouse differentsystems.A
StrikingSmackdowntypicallyinvolvesthrowinga dev-
astating punch, kick or other blow,whilea Grappling
Smackdowninvolves grabbing the victim,hoistinghim
up and slamminghimwithgreat force.
To use a StrikingSmackdown,the playerdeclares
the action,spends a point of Willpowerand takes a full
turn to "wind up." Duringthis tum, the novamaytake no
actions except to defend against a single attack. Next
turn, on her Initiative rating, the nova launches the
Smackdownattack at -+-2 difficulty. lf it hits, the victim
takes Strength -+- 6 dice of bashingdamageand is auto-
maticallyknockeddownor back unlesshe rollsAthletics
at-+-3difficulty.If it misses, the Willpowerpointis wasted.
Touse a GrapplingSmackdown,the playerdeclares
the action, spends a point of Willpowerand attempts a
Holdmaneuver. Followingthe successfulcompletionof
the maneuver,the nova must hold the victimrelatively
immobilefor a full turn, taking no other action in the
meantime, whilehoistingthe victiminto position. If the
victimescapes the hold, the Smackdownmaneuverfails.
The followingtum, on her Initiativerating, the nova's
playermakesanother Brawlrollto slam,suplex,power-
bomb or otherwise wreck her victim, administering
Strength+ 6 dice of damageand automaticallyknocking
the victimdown. lf this secondrollfails,the victimpar-
tiallyslipsfromthe hold,takesonlyhalfdamageand may
makean Athletics rollto avoidknockdown.
Ability:Brawlor MartialArts
Difficulty:Special
Accuracy: Normal
Damage: Strength -+-6
Ranged Combat Maneuvers
Most physicalconflictsinvolveranged weaponsat
somepoint.The followingmaneuversallowfor a number
of usefulactionsduringa firefight,but don't feel limited
by this list.If the need arises, try developinga new ma-
neuver (at the Storyteller's discretion). Most ranged
weapons inflict lethal damage. Refer to the Ranged
WeaponsChart, p. 275, for specificinformation.
CHAPTER SIX DRAMA
• Aiming .: The attacker adds one die, up to her to-
tal Perceptionrating, to her accuracy on a single shot
for each turn spent aiming.A scope adds two more dice
to the attacker's poolin the first turn of aiming(in addi-
tion to those added for Perception).The attacker may
do nothingbut aimduringthis time. Additionally,it isn't
possible to aim at a target that is movingfaster than a
walk.
Players of characters with Mega-Perceptionmay
add those dice to the roll, but only once they've added
their normalPerceptiondice.
• Automatic Fire:The weapon unloadsits entire
ammunitionclipinoneattack againsta singletarget. The
attacker makesa singleroll, adding10 dice to her accu-
racy.However,the difficultyon the attack rollincreases
by two due to the weapon'srecoil.Extra successes add
to the damageeffect, to a maximumof five extra dice.
This attack is permissibleonlyif the weapon'sclip
is at least half-full.Also,full-autois possibleonly with
automaticweaponsand certain quantumpowers. When
usingthis maneuverwithquantumpowers,a playermust
pay twoadditionalquantumpointsfor the automaticfire.
Ability: Firearms
Difficulty:-+-2
Acaracy: ...10
Damage : Special
• Cover:Cover increases an attacker's difficulty
to hit a target (andoften the target's abilityto fire back).
The difficultieslistedhere are the extra numberof suc-
cessesthat the attacker needs to hit a target undercover.
A character whofires back from behindcover is also at
somethingof a disadvantageto hit, as he exposes him-
self and ducks back under protection. Rangedattacks
madeby a defender whois under coverare at one lower
difficultythan listed below. (If a listed difficultyis +1,
then the defender suffers no penalty to make attacks
fromunder that cover.) If your character hidesbehind a
wall,attackers' ranged attack rolls have a +2 difficulty.
Yourcharacter's attacks staged from behind that wall
are at +1difficulty.
Note that difficultiesfor combatantswhoare both
under cover are cumulative . If one combatantis prone
and one is behind a wall, attacks staged by the prone
character are at +2 difficulty,whileattacks staged by
the character behindthe wallare also at -+-2 difficulty.
CoverType Attacker Difficulty
Light(lyingprone) -+-1
Good(behindwall) -+-2
Superior(onlyhead exposed) ,..3
• CoverFire:This maneuverisn't meantto hit tar-
gets; it is used instead to force opponents to dive for
cover (allowingattackers to advance,withdrawor per-
form some other strategic action). Cover fire is a re-
sisted action betweenthe attacker's skilltotal and each
247
 ABERRANT

opponent's Willpower . Each opponent who gets fewer • Strafing:Instead of aimingat one target, full-
successesthan the attacker does abandonsany planned automaticweaponscan be fired across an area. Strafing
actionand dives for cover automatically,losingany fur- adds 10 dice to accuracyon a standard attack roll,and
ther actionsthat tum. lf an opponent'ssuccessestie the he empties the clip. A + I difficulty(in addition to any
attacker's, the opponentperseveres,but he takeshisnext other modifiers)is added for each meter in area of ef-
action at a base + 1 difficulty.If an opponent gets more fect coveredbeyondthe first.
successes,he steels his nerve and endures the volley.lf The attacker dividesany successes gainedon the
an opponentbotches,he's struck by a shot and takesthe attack rollevenlyamongall targets in the covered area
attack's base damage. (successesassignedt.o hit an individualare added to that
target's damage effect, as well). lf only one target is
• Multiple Shots:An attacker maytake more than withinrangeor the area of effect, onlyhalfthe successes
one shot ina tum by declaringa multipleaction(the first affect him. The attacker then assignsany leftoversuc-
shot's dice pool is reduced by the total numberof shots cesses as she desires.lf fewersuccessesare rolledthan
fired, and each subsequentshot is reduced by an addi- there are targets, onlyone maybe assignedper target
tionaldie, cumulative).The attacker can fire a number untilthey are all allocated.
of shots up to the weapon'sfullrate of fire. If usingthis Dodgerollsagainst strafingare at + 1difficulty.
maneuverwith quantumpowers, a nova may make as Ability:Firearms
manyshots as he wishes, but he must pay the normal Difficulty:Special
quantum-pointcost for each attack. Aca,acy:+ 10
Ability:Firearms Damage: Special
Difficulty:Normal
Aca,acy:Special • TwoWeapons: Firingtwo weaponsgivesthe at-
Damage:Weapontype tacker a distinct advantage,but it has its share of com-
plications. Doingso is consideredperforminga multiple
• Range: The RangedWeaponsChart(p. 275) lists action,completewithreduceddice poolsfor total shots
each weapon'smediumrange; no modifiersapply when taken and for any recoil. Additionally , the attacker suf-
shootingat this range. Twicethat listingis the weapon's fers +1difficultyfor her off-hand (unless she's ambi-
maximumrange. Attacksmadeup to maximumrange are dextrous); if the attacker has Mega-Dexterity,she is
+2 difficulty.Attacksmadeat targets withintwo meters automaticallyconsideredto be ambidextrous.
are consideredpoint blank. Point-blankshots add two Pistols,carbinesand other smallarmsincurno fur-
diceto the attacker'saccuracy.Rangesfor quantumpow- ther penalties. However,wieldinga sidearmand a heavy
ers are listedunder each power'sdescription. weaponrequiresa minimum4 Mightskilltotal; usingtwo
heavyweaponsat once requiresa minimum6 Mightskill
• Reloading : Reloadingtakes one fullturn and re- total (default to Strength). Each point the attacker is
quiresthe character's concentration(likeany other ma- under this minimumis an additionaldifficultyappliedto
neuver,reloadingcan be performedas part of a multiple each shot.The attacker can fire a numberof shots up to
action; no die roll is required to reload, but doing so each weapon'srate of fire.
countsas an actionfor reducingother die rollsina turn). Ability:Firearms
Difficulty:Special
• Semiallomatic &nt: The attacker gainstwo ad- Aca,acy:Special
ditionaldice on a single attack roll,and he expendsthree Damage : Weapontype
shots fromthe weapon'sclip. Onlyoneburst maybe fired
each tum. Allfirearmsmay perform this maneuver,al-
Maneuver Complications
The followingare some of the commontypes of
thoughat + 1difficultyon the attack due to recoil.If used
combat complications . The Storyteller shouldadd any
withquantumpowers,this maneuvercostsan extra quan-
others as the situationwarrants(see "Sourcesoflnjury,"
tum point to evoke.
p. 255, for further information).
Ability:Firearms
Difficulty:Special
• AreaandExplosion Attacks :Area and explosion
attacks add two dice to accuracy,and targets cannot
Aca,acy:+2
block or parry them, even with nova powers. Targets
Damage:Weapontype
maydodge,but they musthaveand use sufficientmove-
ment to get clear of the affected area. Area and explo-

248 CHAPTER SIX DRAMA

 ABERRANT
siveattacks do not add attack successesto damagedice
pools.
• Blinded: Addtwodiceto attackrollsmadeagainst
a blindedtarget.Furthermore,blindcharactersare at +2
difficultyon allactions.
• Dazed : lf, in a singleattack, the attacker rollsa
numberof damagesuccessesgreater than the target's
Stamina,the victimis dazed. The target mustspend her
next available turn shaking off the attack's effects.
Characters with Mega-Staminamay add double their
Mega-Stamina dots to their Stamina to determine
whetheror not they're dazed.Also,see "Unconscious."
• Immobilization: Addtwodiceto attack rollsmade
on an immobilized (i.e., heldby someoneor something)
but stillstrugglingtarget. This penaltyappliesto char-
acters whoseDexterityhas been reducedby the Immo-
bilizepower. Attacks hit automaticallyif the target is
completelyimmobilized (tied upor otherwiseparalyzed).
• Knockback: Novaattacks pack a lot of punch.
Sometimes,an attackhitswithsuchforcethat a defender
is blastedhalfwayacrossthe battlefield,or evenfurther.
This phenomenonis knownas knockback. Bashingat-
tacks suchas punchesare the phenomenamostlikelyto
cause knockback,but lethalattacks of sufficientforce
mayalso inflictknockback.
Knockbackiscinematicandveryappropriateto the
genre,but includingit in a gameinevitablyinvolvesbor-
ing,un-funstuff likemathand physicsand whatnot.Ac-
cordingly, we present two systems to represent
knockback:
Thesimpleway:If an attack does a lot of damage,
it mayblastthe target backa ways. Combatantswhoare
big or heavy(for example,those with DensityIncrease
or Growth)won't fly back far, if at all.Combatantswho
are light(likethose withShrinking)get knockedaround
realgood. Acombatantwhoisknockedbacksufferssome
amountof bashingdamage- whateverthe Storyteller
decides is appropriate - when she smashes into the
ground,througha wallor whatever.That's it. Simple, up
to the Storytellerand fun.
Thecomplicated way:Some players aren't going
to be happywiththe simplesystem,and someStorytell-
ers actuallyenjoy incorporatingcomplicatedformulas
into their games.lf you feel the need for a precise for-
mula,try the following :Comparethe attack'sdamagedice
pool to the target's Mightskilltotal. E.achactive dot of
DensityControl{Increase)adds three to the target's ef-
fectiveMightskilltotal, whileeach activedot of Shrink-
ingsubtracts three. (Notethat evenan attack that does
not actuallyinflictdamageon the target maystillknock
the target back.)
If the damagedice poolequalsthe defender's ad-
justed Might, the defendermustcheck for knockdown.
CHAPTER SIX DRAMA
If the damagedice pool is greater, the target fliesback
two meters per damagedie above the Mightskilltotal,
plustwo extra meters for each net successon the initial
attack roll(that is, successesleft after defensiveactions
such as dodges). The target takes one die of bashing
damagefor every two met.ers of knockbackinflicted.If
a knocked-backtarget smashesinto something(a wall,
anothercombatant, the side of a building),he effectively
suffers a collision.The person or thing takes the same
amount of damage that the knocked-backcombatant
suffers. and dependingon the sturdiness of the sub-
stance, a collisionmay change the knockbackdamage
dice to lethaldamage.lf the target hits with sufficient
force, he mighteven blowright throughthe intervening
materialand continueon his trajectory. See "Material
Strengths," p. 257, for specifics.
A knocked-backtarget maymakean Athleticsroll
at +2 difficulty;successon this rollreduces knockback
damageby half, as the target rollswith the blow. A tar-
get whocollideswithsomethingmaynot makethis roll.
Lethal attacks cause only half the normal
knockback.Additionally,the Storytellerhas the option
to declare that certain attacks simply don't cause
knockback.Forexample,a QuantumBlastthat manifests
as a laser beam or flamegout maydo a lot of damage,
but neither one is likelyto cause muchknockback.
Finally,if an attack is extremelypotent (say, 20+
raw damage dice) and inflicts 10 or more dice of
knockbackdamage,the Storytellermaydecree that the
knocked-backvictimflies as far as is cinematicallyin-
teresting . The target takes the normal amount of
knockbackdamage,but he mightbe blastedback a kilo-
meter or even more.
• Knockdown: Quitesimply,the victimfallsdown.
After sufferinga knockdown,the subjectmakesan Ath-
leticsor MartialArts roll. If successful,she gets back on
her feet immediately, but her Initiativeis reducedbytwo
in the next tum. Ona failedroll,the subjectspends her
next action climbingto her feet. On a botch, she lands
particularlyhardor at a severeangle; the Storytellerrolls
a bashingdamageeffect equalto the botchesrolled.
ManeuverslikeTackle,Throw and Sweepare in-
tended to knockan opponentdown. However,an espe-
ciallypowerfulattack of anykindmaysend the target to
the ground. Such instances are best left to the
Storyteller'sdiscretion,and theyshouldoccuronlywhen
appropriatelycinematicor suitableto the story.
• Unconscious: lf, in a singleattack, the attacker
rolls a number of damage successes greater than the
target's Staminaplustwo, the victimblacksout.Uncon-
sciousnesslasts fromfivetums to an entire scene (spe-
cific duration is at the Storyteller'sdiscretion). Again,
characterswith Mega-Staminaadd doubletheir Mega-
Staminaratingsto their Stamina.
74q
 lose Combat Maneuvers Table
Maneuver Ability Acaxacy Diffimty Damage
Block Brawl MartialArts Special Normal 0
Clinch Brawl,MartialArts Normal Normal Strength+ 2
Disarm MartialArts, Melee Normal Special Special
Dodge Athletic , MartialArts N/A Special 0
Hold Brawl,MartialArts Normal Normal 0
Kick Brawl,MartialArts Normal +1 Strength 3
Parry Melee Special Normal 0
PowerBlock Dex+powerrating Special Normal 0
Stnke Brawl,MartialArts Normal Normal Strength+2
Sweep MartialArts. Melee Normal Normal Special
Tackle Brawl Normal +1 Strength+3
Throw Brawl,Mart,alArts Normal +1 Special
WeaponStnke Melee Normal Normal Weapon

Special Nova Maneuvers

Maneuv
er Ability Acancy Difficulty Damage
AerialSlam Fhght Normal +1 Special
AerialStrike Flight Normal +1 Special
Asphyxiation Bodymorph Normal Normal Special
HyperspeedSlamBrawl Normal +1 Special
HyperspeedSbN Brawl,MartialArts Normal +1 Special
Smackdown Brawl, MartialArts Normal Special Strength +6

Ranged Combat Maneuvers Table

Maneuver Ability ka,acy Difficulty Damage
AutomaticFire Firearms +10 +2 Special
Mlt,pleShots Firearms Special Normal Weapon
Semiauto&.-st Firearms +2 Special Weapon
Spray Firearms 10 Special Special
Strafing Firearms +10 Special Special
TwoWeapons Firearms Special Special Weapon

Armored Damage and Armor

Combat
Vehiclecombat systemsdiffer from those of per-
sonalcombat in only two ways: damageeffect and ma-
neuvers. The weaponryinvolvedm vehiclecombatdoes
a significc1
ntly higher amountof damage (thoughsome
novas'attacks equalor exceedthose of vehicularweap-
onry), and the character directs a craft's maneuversin-
stead of performingthem herself.Otherwise,Initiative,
attacks and resolution are handledin the same wayas in
personalcombat.
As of 2008, space travel is still in its infancy,al-
though certain novas are theoretically spaceworthy.
Shouldyourchronicle requirerulesfor space travel,con-
sult Aberrant's sister game, Trinity.
Adds
Aswithnovapowers,vehicleweaponsare designed
to deal significantamountsof damage to vehiclesand
other durablestructures (buildings,orbital stations). A
craft can also take more punishmentthan a person can.
Essentially,peopleand vehiclesfighton differentscales.
Toreflect this,vehiclearmamenthas damageadds,while
vehiclesthemselveshave armoradds. A damageadd is
listedinbracketsnext to a weapon'sdamageeffect (e.g.,
5d10 (10] L), whilean armor add is bracketedafter the
vehicle's soak (e.g., 4 [10]). Armor adds are applied
againstboth bashingand lethaldamage.
Thedamage addis theruroer ofdamage SUCCE!$E!Sin-
just as witha ncm's damage
flictedautomatically, adds.If a
personfiresa weaponat a vehicle,thearmoraddistheruroer
ofdicest.btractedfromtheweapon's damage effect

250 CHAPTER SIX DRAMA

 When a vehicleweapon fires on another vehicle,
the damage and armor adds are ignored. Instead, the
weapon's base damage effect and the craft's base soak
are rollednormally . Thissystemreflects that artilleryand
armor are specificallydesignedto inflictand resist huge
amountsof punishment,whilestillkeepingdice poolsto
manageabletotals.
The damage in vehiclecombat is applied just
like in personal combat. Whilethe systems are
identical,a damaged ship isn't the same as a
damaged person. Refer to the Appendix, p.
278, for specificson vehicleweaponsand ap-
plyingdamageto vehicles.
Vehicular Slams
Vehicles that collide into pedestrians, flying
novasor other vehiclesinflictone die of lethaldam-
age per 20 kph of speed. Base damage can be
reduced for smallervehicles(a motorcycle)or ~
increasedfor large/ heavyvehicles(a tank).
Flying Obiects
Novas(andaircraft)can performa se- •
lectionof maneuvers; dice actionsusually
come into playwhen the nova
iseither closingon or avoid-
ing another flyer. The skill
total for most such rolls is
Pilot(for vehicles)or Dex-. · ,
terity +Flight(for novas). New
maneuverscan be added with'
the Storyteller'spermission.
• Spin:lf travelingat no
greater than one-halfspeed,
the novacan rotate directly
on her axis, thereby turn-
ing around or even spin-
ningina completecircle.
Helicopters,ducted-fan
craft and hovercraft
may perform this ma-
neuveras well.Con-
vent i on a I
f(xe~- ~
wing air-
craft and aquatic craft cannot change
directionwithoutcoveringdistance,and
they must makea tum.
• Tam: Anythingfrom a casual left
to a severe swerve or U-turn. The Story-
teller mayassigndifficultiesdependingon the
sharpness of the turn.
• Climb: The nova(or pilot) heads up. As-
cent canrangefroma slowclimbto a sharp-angled
ascent. The Storytellermayapplya+ 1or +2 diffi-
culty for a sharp climb, since such a maneuverin-
 ABERRANT
volveshighg-forces (characterswithGravityControlare tion (except damage effect and soak) until the wound
assumedto compensateautomaticallyfor such things). heals.
• Dive:The oppositeof a climb; the characterplum- The penalty also indicates impaired movement,
mets downward. The Storyteller mayapply a difficulty translating mto the number of meters by which your
to the die rollfor a hard divedue to g-force stresses, as movementis divided. Furthermore,at Woundedand be-
with a sharp climb. low,yourcharactercan no longersprint.A characterwith
• Loop: The character makesa verticalloop, end- a 3 Dexterity who's at Maimedcan walkonlytwo meters
ing up in roughlythe same positionthat he started in at a turn, or can run four meters. At Crippled,your charac-
the beginningof the move. Difficulty depends on the ter can onlywalk(or crawl)one meter per turn.
loop's tightness,usuallybetween +1and +3. HealthLevel Dice/MovePenalty Description
• Roll: The character flips upsidedown(and usu- Bruised O You're slightlybattered,
ally right-side up again). Repeated rolls are possible (a suffering no penalties.
"corkscrew ") with increasing difficulty, at the Hurt -1 Somescrapesandlxmps;
Storyteller's discretion. notsenously impaired
.
Injured -1 Minorinjuries; notice
Health Wounded -2
able damage.
Youcan walkand run,
This section deals with your character's current but you cannotsprint.
physicalor mentalstate, as wellas various factors that Maimed -3 A bloodymess, you
can improve or worsen these conditions. Healthcan be hobbleabout in pain.
affected by anythingthat injures the body or the mind, Crippled -4 You're severelyinjured,
such as simplelackof sleep, mentalassaultor a bullet to stumbling and wrecked.
the head. Dependingon her condition, a nova's current Incapacitated Youloseconsciousness
health can greatly impede her ability to perform even fi-omthepainand!rat.ma .
the simplest of tasks. Noactionsare possi>le.
Dead Simplythat. Notifythe
Physical States next of kin.
The comingof novashas contributedto consider- • Incapacitated : The stage immediately before
able advancesin medicine.The HumanGenomeProject death Incapacitateddiffers fromunconsciousness in that
has been completed, HIVandmanyformsof cancer have your character collapsesfrom the combinedeffects of
been wipedout and peopleare healthierand livelonger, physicaltraumaand pain. She fallsto the groundand re-
on the whole,than ever before. Which is good in theory, mainscomatoseuntil her Healthrecovers to Wounded.
but a fewMega-Strengthpunchesor QuantumBoltscan Successfulmedicaltreatment that rest.ores at least one
put a damperon anyones good day. healthlevelcan bringher aroundbefore this. Anymore
damagesufferedby an Incapacitated character killsher.
The Health Chart • Dead :Whenyourcharactersuffersa totalof eight
The Healthchart on the character sheet helpsyou levelsof lethaldamage, she dies. Medicinebeingwhat it
track your character's current physicalcondition. It also is in the 21stcentury, a trained professionalhas a brief
lists the penaltyimposedon yourdice poolfor each level amountof time to resuscitateher. Yourcharacter is be-
of injurythat your charactersustains. Asyour character yond helpafter a numberof turns equal to her total En-
suffers more injuries, her health declinesuntil she be- durance.
comes incapacitated - or dead.
Humans have eight health levels, ranging from
Bruisedto Dead. Somenovas, particularlythose withthe
Growthor BodyModificationpowers,havemore. When Optional Rule: Extras
an attacker rollsa successon a damageeffect, yourchar- To makelarge fights cmemabcand easy to man-
acter takes one health levelof damage. This damageis age, assign "extra" Storyteller characters only four
marked on your character sheet in the appropriate box, health levels[Hurt -1, Manned-3. CrippledandInca-
althoughthe markyoumakedependson the type of dam- pacitated/ Dead]. Extras are nameless thugs whom
age inAicted(see "ApplyingDamage"). characters run into from time to time, not key Story-
The number to the left of the lowestmarkedbox teller characters. They're diversionswhoare usually
indicatesyour current dice penalty. As your character controlledby the more importantenermesand villains
gets more and more battered it's increasinglydifficult whomyotr charactersare reallyafter. Theseextras are
for himto perform even the simplestof tasks. The dice a plotdeviceandshouldn'tinterferewiththe mainstory.
penalty is subtracted fromyour dice pool for every ac- After takinga Fewlumps,extras retreat, surrender or
fallover so the real action can get underway.

252 CHAPTERSIX DRAMA

 ABERRANT

Applying Damage Bashing Damage

Most damage in Aberrant consists of one of two Bashingdamage, froma distracting headacheto a
types. Bashingdamageincludesall forms of temporary punchin the nose, covers all formsof injurythat aren't
injury. Lethaldamagecoverspermanent, killingwounds. likelyto kill instantly, or which fade relativelyquickly.
Allinjuries are cumulative, whetherlethalor bashing,and Mostformsof hand-to-handcombatinflict bashingdam-
the combined injury determines your character's cur- age, as do mental"injuries" such as headaches, drunk-
rent health level.Specificson each type of damageare enness or other mental distractions. Bashingdamage
provided. generallyimpairs less than lethal damage does, and it
When your character takes bashing damage, it's heals faster.
recorded as a slash("/") inthe appropriate Healthchart Your character can die from bashing damage,
box. Lethaldamageis markedwithan "X" for each level though. A punchmaynot causeas muchtraumaasa bul-
inflicted.Lethaldamagealwaysgets markedabovebash- let does, but enoughpunchescan kill. After your char-
ing. So if you mark a level of bashing damage in the acter reaches Incapacitatedon the Healthchart, each
Bruised box, then take one lethalhealthlevellater,"move new bashing injury, whilesoaked likea normalbashing
down" the bashinglevelto the Hurtbox by markingthat effect, is markedwitha secondslashon the highestbash-
box with a "/ ." Bashinglevelstaken after lethal levels inglevel. This way,bashinglevelsturn progressivelyinto
are simplydrawnin on the next open box. Bashingdam- lethaldamage.Onceyourcharacter's Healthchart is filled
age isn't as severe as lethal, so it's alwaysmarked last to Incapacitated with lethal damage, the next level of
and healedfirst. damagetaken, whether bashingor lethal, killsher.
ForExample: Lotus Infinite, flyingwith three lev-
els of lethaldamage(X, X, X) and one of bashing(/), is
HEALTH swatted out of the sky by her nemesis Geryon.A squad
-0 of Mitoidscatch up andbatter LI (inflictingthree more
Bruised
[Z] bashinghealthlevels- /, /, /) until she blacksout. LI is
at Incapacitatedwithfour bashing damagelevelsleft.

□
Hur+ LotusInfinite's mercilessopponentsthensmashher
pronebody withpunchesandkicks. The first hit after LI
l,vured
□ fallsto Incapacitatedcausesone level of bashingdam-
age. So Li's Woundedlevel, previouslybashing,hasan-

□
Wounded other slashdrawnthroughit (for "X'J, makingit lethal.
Thisprocesscanbe repeatedthreemoretimesuntilLI 's
ForExample: LotusInfinitehasalreadytakena level remaini(Jg healthlevelsare changedfrombashingto le-
of bashingdamagefrom a Mitoid's glancingpunch(Ms. thal. Regardlessof whether it 's bashingor lethal, the
Infinite's playermarksher Healthchartwitha "/" in the fourthlevelof damagewillkillher.
Bruisedbox). A Teragennova shoots LI with a flame lf yourcharacterfallsto Incapacitated due to bash-
blast, scoring three lethal health levels. Li's chart is ingdamagebut then takes a levelof lethaldamage,she's
marked with an "X" in the Bruised, Hurt and Injured dead.
healthlevels, anda "/" in the Woundedbox (essentially
movingthe punch's damagedown the chart).The com-
Lethal Damage
Lethaldamageis intended to cause immediateand
bined damageputs LI at -2 dice to all rolls. Trying to
escape, Lotus Infiniteactivatesher Flightand hightails grievous injury. Knives,pistols, clawsand flamegoutsall
it. cause lethal wounds. Such woundsdon't heal easily, and
they usuallyrequire medicalattention for any hope of
recovery. Nature, too, provides numeroushealth haz-
HEALTH ards for humansand even novas. Electricity,vacuumex-
posure,hard radiationand fire allcause lethalwounds.

~
Bruised -0 Lethaldamagekillswithruthlessefficiency. When
your character's Healthchart fillsto Incapacitatedwith
Hur+
~ lethaldamage,anyfurther damagetaken, whetherbash-
ing or lethal, kills her.
l,vured
~ Aggravated Damage
A few particularlyvirulentnovaattacks inflictag-
Wounded [Z] gravateddamage. Aggravateddamagerepresents disin-
tegration, flesh-eatingviruses, moleculardisruptionor

CHAPTER SIX DRAMA 253

 ABERRANT
some other formof completetissuedestruction.Aggra-
vated damage may not be soaked except by novas with
the Hardbodyenhancementor other s1m1 lar powers. To
record aggravateddamage,markan asterisk ( '*") in the
Healthbox. Aggravateddamageis markedover allother
kmdsof damage.
Againstbaselines,aggravateddamageispermanent
the woundsneverheal.Novasmayhealaggravateddam-
age, but theyget no multiplierfor their metabolisms;they
healaggravateddamageno faster than a baselinehuman
healslethaldamage. The Healingand Regenerationpow-
ers can heal aggravateddamage, but each levelhealed
costs triple the normalquantum-pointcost.
Soak
As noted above, bashingdamage isn't as immedi-
ately fatal as lethaldamage1s; bashingdamagealsoheals
more quickly(see "Recovery') . The human(and nova)
body can take more punishmentfrom bashingdamage
than 1tcan from lethaleffects. Useyour character's full
Staminarating to soak bashingattacks. Baselinescannot
use Staminato soak lethal attacks; however, all novas
mayuse halftheir Stamina,roundeddown,to soak lethal
attacks. Seep . 241for specifics.
Aggravateddamage cannotbe soaked unless the
nova has the Hardbodyenhancementor other similar
protection.
Evenwithsoak,mosthumanscrunchrealgoodwhen
caught in the midst of nova-levelcombat. Many nova
powers,though,protect againstboth bashingand lethal
damage, and their benefits may add to your base soak
against attacks.
Certain types of artificial armor protect against
bashingand lethal attacks as well,though even if your
character wears such protection (considered laughably
wussyin manynovacircles), most novaattacks worthy
of the name shred conventionalarmor easily. See "Ar-
mor,"p. 277, for specific ratings.
Recovery
Minorin1unessimplyrequire time to heal. Medical
attention or quantum powers are required to recover
from senous levelsof bashingdamageor fromany Form
of lethal damage. If your character reaches Crippled,
whether from bashingor lethal damage, she must get
professionalhelp. At that level,yourcharacter canbarely
walk.
The precedingcharts list the time involved in heal-
ing damage. Bashingand lethaldamage recover differ-
ently.RecoveryTimelists how longit takes to heal that
specifichealthlevel;the time is cumulative.A nova with-
out Mega-Staminawho takes three levels of bashing
damage takes 30 minutesto heal each one before he's
254 CHAPTER SIX DRAMA
Healing Bashing Damage
Bashingdamage up to the Woundedlevelcan
be cared for withoutmedical skill;these woundsheal
on their own, without treatment. Bashingdamage
beyond Woundedmay have deeper consequences.
Yourcharacter's vision or hearing may be altered
due to a concussion,she maysufferexcruciatingpain
frominternalbruising or experiencesomeother ex-
treme discomfort.Receivingadequate medicalat-
tention negates these effects.
Health
Level Recov.yTime
Bruisedto Wounded One hour
Maimed Three hours
Crippled Sixhours
Incapacitated 12hours
Once bashinglevelsreach Incapacitated,any
further bashingwoundsare X'd over previousbash-
mg ones, makingthem lethal (see "BashingDam-
age"). At that point, recovery 1shandledas lethal
damage.
Healing Lethal Damage
Lethal damage of any sort can be deadly -
that's why it's called lethal.Lethal woundsthat go
unattended may continueto bleed untilyour char-
acter passes out and dies from blood loss. Other
dangers can also arise from infection,cellulardam-
age or broken limbs.
Any lethaldamage past Hurt requires medical
treatment to prevent further harm. Untreatedlethal
woundsworsen by one level of lethal damage per
day. Whensomeonesustainslethaldamagedownto
Incapacitated,he's one healthlevelawayfromdeath.
If he takes one morewound(whetherbashingor le-
thal), he dies.
If the individualis at Maimedor higher,hemay
recover with rest over the times listedbelow. How-
ever, 1fyour character 1sCrippledor Incapacitated,
no recovery is possibleunlesshe receives medical
attention. Indeed, at Incapacitatedthe 1nd1vidualis
comatoseat worse anddeliriousat best, andhe could
still die.
Health
Level Recov.yTime
Bruised One day
Hurt Three days
ln1ured One week
Wounded One month
Maimed Twomonths
Crippled Three months
Incapacitated Fivemonths
Note that these healingtimes are for baseline
humans. All novashealat least twiceas fast as the
t,rneslistedon the charts,andnovaswithhighMega--
Staminaheal muchfaster. See "Mega-Stamina,"p.
160, to calculatea nova's normalhealingtime.
 ABERRANT
fullyfit. A novawithoutMega-Staminawhosuffers five
lethal damage levels takes one month to recover from
Maimedto Wounded. After that, he needs an additional
two weeks, five days and 12hours to recover from the
rest. If the samecharactertakes fourlevelsof lethaldam-
age and one of bashing, he needs '10 minutesto recover
the bashinglevelbefore he starts recoveringfrom the
lethalwounds.
These recovery times assume the individualre-
ceivesonlybasiccare (first aid and bed rest). The times
improveif the individualhas access to modern health
care. If he's treated by a physicianwith adequate skills
(Medicine2 rating) and medicineduring his recovery
time, the character heals each health levelat one time
category higher on the Healthchart. If the patient for-
goes special treatment at any point, he heals at normal
rates.
If the individualreceivescare fromadvancedmedi-
cal techniques (Medicine4 rating), he recovers each
healthlevelat two categorieshigheron the Healthchart.
If this advancedtreatment is not received at any point,
normalhealingrates apply.
No matter the qualityof the treatment processes
involved, each levelof bashingdamagestilltakes at least
fiveminutesto heal,and lethaldamagestilltakes a mini-
mumof one hour per levelto heal.
These recoverytimesdon't take intoaccountquan-
tum powers.The systemsdescribed for the Regenera-
tionenhancementor the Healingpowertake precedence
over these systems.
For Example:Lotus Infinite is saved by fellow
DeVriesagentsbefore the Mitoidsfinishher off They
take LI to a nearbyclinicwherea resident(Medicine2)
tends Li's injuries(she has currentlytaken lethaldam-
age to Woundedandbashingdamageto Incapacitated) . trocution. She suffers the damage effect noted below
Thanksto the residentand the clinic's medicalre-
sources,LIhealseverythingone categorymorequickly.
She is a novaandhas one dot of Mega-Stamina,so she
healsalldamagethree timesas quicklyas a baselinehu-
man.LIhealsthe Incapacitated bashinglevelin twohours,
· the Crippledbashinglevel in one hourand the Maimed
bashinglevelin 20 minutes. LI then healsher Wounded
lethallevel in two daysand eight hours,her Injuredle-
thallevelin a day andher Hurtlethallevelin eighthours.
Finally,herBruisedlethalleveltakesanothereighthours
to heal.
Inshort,LIrecoverscompletelyin fourdays,three
hoursand 20 minutes. If she had been a normalhuman
andhad not receivedmedicalcare,it wouldhave taken
41daysand 18hoursto healfully.
CHAPTER SIX DRAMA
Sources of lniury
Novasliveina hostileuniverse. The dangers inher-
ent to such an environmentare many,and they inflict
the same kindsof harmthat combatdoes.
Somesources of injury require that a damage ef-
fect be rolled,whileothers causethe subjectto takedam-
age automatically. If a systemstates that the Storyteller
"rolls damageeffect," the damageis treated likean at-
tack, includingapplyingthe character's soak. lf it says
the character "takes a health level,"she takes the dam-
age automatically,regardless of any defenses.
Disease
Novas,thoughstillhuman,are muchmore resistant
to illnessesthan their baselinecounterparts. Still,a viru-
lent enoughdisease- for example,a biologicalweapon
- can affect novas. For game purposes, diseases are
appliedas bashingdamage,althougha soakrollisn't nor-
mallypossible(Mega-Staminamayallowone, whileap-
propriate Life Support enables the nova simplyto ig-
nore the disease). A fever or Au inflicts one or more
bashinghealth levels,whilerare diseases or genetically
engineered viruses can be more devastating, even in-
flictinglethaldamage.
The Storytellershoulddecide on the exact effects
(includingaltered perception and delirium)of severe
sicknesses. Permanent Attribute reductions may even
occur. The ResistanceAbility(of whichallnovashaveat
least three dots) can helpcombatinfectionand sickness;
Storytellersshouldadjust appropriately.
Electrocution
The strength of the electricalflowdeterminesthe
amountof lethaldamageyour character takes fromelec-
each turn untilcontact with the source is severed (not
alwaysan easy thing to accomplish,since electrocution
tends to contract the victim's muscles,lockingher in
place as the electricity flowsthroughher body).
Electricaldamageis a lethaleffect. Artificialarmor
doesn't protect against it (dependingon the subject's
defenses, the circumstanceand the Storyteller's deci-
sion), though novas' natural soak against lethaldamage
does.
Damage Effect ElectricalSol.ne
Two Minor;wallsocket
Four Major; protective fence
Six Severe; vehiclebattery, junction
box
Eight Fatal; mainfeed line,subwayrail
255
 ABERRANT

Falling Fire
Evena nova can suffer great damagefrom falling A fire's size and fuel determinethe amountof le-
significantdistances. The Storyteller rolls one die of thal damage your character endures. She suffers the
bashingdamagefor every three meters (roundeddown) damageeffect each tum that she's in contact with the
that your character fallsbefore hittingsomethingsolid. flames;she mustleavethe area and/ or put out any fire
However,on a controlledfall,roll Athletics;each suc- on her to stop taking damage. Fire damage is a lethal
cess equalsone meter that your character mayfallbe- effect that mayignoreartificialarmor(dependingon the
fore sufferinginjury. Withtwo successes,your charac- armor type, the fire type and the Storyteller's discre-
t.er coulddrop fivemetersbeforetakinga die of bashing tion), thoughnovas•lethalsoakprotects themagainstit.
damage- however,if she fallseight mete~. she takes DamageEffect Type of Fire
two dice. Two Lighter
Fallingdamagemaybe soaked as normal,but the Four Campfire
Storytelleralwaysrollsat least one die. Eachsuccessis Five Bonfire
a ba.shinghealthlevelthat yourcharactertakes. Landing Six Weldingtorch
on sharp objects can change the damagefrom bashing Seven Raginginferno
to lethal,at the Storyteller'sdiscretion. Fire type x 2 Chemicalfire
lf yourcharacterplummets30 mete~ or more, she If your character falls to Maimed,she is scarred
reaches terminalvelocity.The damageeffect reaches a temporarilyby the flames(reduce Appearanceby one
maximumof 10 dice at this point, and it is considered untilher woundsrecover to Bruised).1fshe is reduced
lethaldamage.Additionally,all soak is halvedagainsta to Crippledor Incapacitatedby the fire, the bumscover
terminal-velocityfall;only the toughest novasare de-
signedfor this sort of punishment.
 ABERRANT

the majorityof her body, resultingin permanentscar- one bashinghealthlevelfor each tum that she is exposed
ring (reduce Appearanceby one if Crippled,by two if to highdoses of soft radiation.
Incapacitated).These results maybe corrected withad- • H.-d Radiation:This category includesallother
vancedplasticsurgeryor the Regenerationenhancement. types of radiation, includinggammarays, cosmicrays
Althougha fair numberof novas can walkunhurt and microwaves . Evenminimaldoses of hard radiation
through flames, the intense heat may still overwhelm can be lethal.A character suffers one lethalhealth level
them. A playerwhosecharacter is trapped in the middle for each turn that she's exposedto hard radiation.
of a severe conflagrationmay have to make a Stamina
rollor lose dice due to dizzinessand overheating;novas
Suffocation and Drowning
with Mega-Stamina,particularlywith the Life Support A character withoutthe LifeSupportenhancement
enhancement,typicallyignorethis effect. can holdher breath one minuteper point in her Endur-
ance skilltotal.After this duration,you mustrollEndur-
Material Strengths ance each turn (at an increasinglevelof difficulty;see
Combatin this genre inevitablyinvolvessomeone "Featsof Endurance,"p. 234). Whenyoufaila roll,your
beingput througha building,water tower or other "im- character suffers one bashing health levelof damage.
movable"object. To simulatethis enjoyablepastime,we Yourcharacter automaticallysuffers a levelof bashing
providea chart listingprotectionratingsand healthlev- damageevery minuteafter your first failed Endurance
els for varioussolids. roll, until she can breathe again. After reaching Inca-
This chart, of course, applies to knockback. If pacitated, your character dies if she is not resuscitated
someoneor somethinggoes flyinginto a solid,the sub- (Medicine1requiredto do so).
stance immediatelytakes the knockbackdamage;if that
damageexceeds the substance'ssoak, the solidbreaks,
Temperature Extremes
whileif it completelywipesout the healthlevels, the solid Mosthumanfacilitiesare kept at a comfortable20
is completely destroyedand the knocked-backperson/ degrees Celsius. Still,humanitycan survivefar warmer
itemcontinueson throughthe object. or colder temperatures. When exposed to dangerously
Material HealthLevels(perabc meter) Soak high(35 degrees Celsiusor higher)or low (-10 degrees
Glass 2 0 Celsiusor lower)temperatures,characters withoutap-
Ice 3 2 propriate LifeSupport suffer one lethalhealth levelFor
Wood 5 3 every day in that environment- this damagecannot
Stone and soft metals 8-10 5 be soaked, nor can it be recovered untilyour character
Hardmetals 10 6+ gets to a more hospitableclimate.
This rate of damage increases if the temperature
Radiation exceedsthe survivablerange(say, insidea freezer, where
Radiationcovers the broad range of energy emis- the temperature can drop as low as -20 degrees Cel-
sions that surroundand penetrate everything. Allthings sius). A temperaturefar beyondhumansurvivability(the
reflect and create a certain amountof radiation;lifere- heart of the sun, deep space) killsin moments.
quires it, but too muchradiationcan kill. For the pur-
poses of gameplay, radiationis divided into two simple
Vacuum
categories: soft radiation and hard radiation. Damage Exposureto the vacuumof space involvesmany
from either type cannot be soaked normally, although dangers. Firstof all,the temperaturecan rangefromover
Life Support, Absorption(energy), Invulnerability(ra- 1000 degrees Celsiuswhenexposedto the sun, to -273
diation) or Mega-Stamina of 4 or greater willbestow degreesCelsiusina planet'sshadow- either way,death
protectionagainstradiation. is instantaneousto anyone exposed without adequate
Victimsof largeor extendeddosesof radiationmay protection. Space alsotransmitscosmicradiationunim-
suffer cancer, hair loss, brittle bones, mentalproblems peded - even minorexposurecan be lethal.
and other debilitatingeffects. Assumingyour character is trapped in a vacuum,
• Soft Radiation: This category includesall types but he is not exposed to outer space, survivalchances
of radiation that bombardhumanityeach and everyday. increase dramatically . In that case, asphyxiationis the
Highdoses of soft radiation(x-rays, infrared)can cause main threat (refer to "Suffocation and Drowning").
sicknessand even physicalinjury. A character suffers

CHAPTER SIX DRAMA 2':>/

CHAPTERSEVE
STORYTELLING
At its heart, Aberrant isn't a gameabout competi- and time again, alwayskeeping the players hungry for
tion. There's only one goal for an Aberrant game - to more,there are somebasicsthat can ease your task quite
tell a story about these beings of great power and have a bit.
funalongthe way. However,the differencebetweenplay- First and foremost, you need ample preparation.
ingan Aberrant gameand standard "storytelling' comes Preparing doesn't mean devisingan 1mposs1bly convo-
in the interaction. Here,the audiencedoesn'tjust sit pas-luted plot and Forcingthe playersto adhere preciselyto
sivelyandwatchthe story unfold- theywanderthrough your visionof the storyline, scene by scene. Rather,you
it as principalplayers uncoveringthe plot and manipu- shouldcreate a flexibleoutline of probable events and
lating the setting. They meet people and do things that characters. Start the playerswith the first event on the
ultimatelydecide the story's outcome. And whodefines outline- say,havingthemwitnessan upstandingmem-
where they are and what they see'? ber of TeamTomorrowbrutallymurdera spikedealer in
Youdo. an alleyway.Howthey react to that first scene - where
As the Storyteller,your role in all this is a pretty
they go fromthere - willstart the story in motion. You
demandingone - to use a comicbook-stylemetaphor, don't need to script every line for every possiblescene
you're part artist, part writer and mostlyeditor. Youde- following , but you should have some idea of what will
sign the overallplots and subplots,draw out the back- happen if they try to capture the "hero," or if they try
grounds,design the greater part of the book's cast and to reasonwithhim, or evenif they ignore the wholething.
improvisedialogueas the stories unfold. Everything the Handin handwith preparation 1sflexibility- this
players'characters see, hear and react to - yes, you're is a valuabletrait for the Storyteller. At least once in
responsiblefor providingit all.Youdescribe their sur- every gamesession, a playerwilldo somethingyou won't
roundings,the people and things therein, and you gen- expect. This is virtuallya guarantee. lf you can react
erallyadjudicate"whatwouldhappennext.' Bydescrib- quicklyand logicallyto whatevertwiststhe playersthrow
ingthe worldaround them you help to define the char- at you, your story will run smoothly and maintainits
acters - who they are and what they're trying to ac- strength. On the other hand, 1fyouwereabsolutely,posi-
complish. Daunting'?Sure. But it's not as impossibleas it tively relyingon them to turn the datad1scover to the
sounds. Directive the story willsuffer if they decide to keep it
Beinga goodStorytellerrequiresa mixtureof quali- for themselves. When snags comealong,you can either
ties, but you don't have to master them all - or even workthem into the frameworkof the story or try to find
any. The primaryobjectiveof any gamesessionis to en- some other way of bnngingthings back on track. 1fyou
tertain the playersand havefun. That's all.Howeverthe can't immediatelythinkof a wayto repair the story, don't
more you practice, the more involvedyour stories can panic - there's stillopportunity to fix things over the
get. Before long, you can be escorting your players on course of the next few scenes. And besides, sometimes
journeys that work on multiplelevels, with symbolism great inspirationcan strike in the heart of desperation.
and foreshadowingalludingto the greater picture. You'll Motivatingyour players 1salso key. Never force
be able to helpyour players livethe story. them alongthe plotline- lead them alongwith tempt-
mgstory hooks and strange riddles. If they take off en-
The Story thusiasticallyin a d1rect1on
you hadn't expected,youcan
let the story go along without directly intervening; ei-
Developinga story requires some work. As a Sto- ther followthem along and improvisethe outcomesto
ryteller,you have to not only devise the basic plot but their actions or wait untilan appropriate point to rein-
add hooksto keep the playersinterested and makepro- sert the next plot point. For example, 1fthe playersde-
visionsfor whatever actions the characters might take cided to let the T2M hero off the hook after the spike
as well. Thisresponsibilityis particularlyimportant when dealer's murder, hit thema fewdays later withan OpNet
you're trying to sustain the players' interests over the headlineaboutsome newnova-poweredpresence in the
period of an entire series. Althoughthere isn't a magical drug trade. lf they decided to go to the "hero's" superi-
formulafor "the ultimatestory" that can be used time ors, maybethey findit evenmoredifficultto get Project
 ABERRANT
Utopiato believethat one of their chosen is a common
criminalthan it wouldhave been to confront the nova
then and there. But above all, don't punish the players
for deviatingfromthe "script" - let themexploreother
avenues,andsubtlytry to nudgethembackon track when
you can.
One final piece of advice: Devisethe agendas of
the story's major players, particularlythe antagonists,
in as muchdetailas yousee fit. Try to get a good feel for
yourantagonist'ssinisterplot, as wellas anybackupplans
he might have made should interference arrive. lf the
playersdon't interfere,you can alwayshit them with the
aftereffects of the antagonist'ssuccess. lf they do, it's
mucheasier to improvisehisbackupplansifyouhadsome
ideaof what they are ahead of time.
Creating a Story
When you start to planyour story, any numberof
thingscan sparkan idea. Youmightdrawinspirationfrom
a movieor book, or even from your environment.Ulti-
mately,though,most stories are based on one of three
things:a strong character, an event or a powerfulatmo-
sphere.
The character-based story is easy enough. Lookat
RomeoandJulietor Hamletfor classicideasof howone
or two people can propel an entire story. With such a
story, you generallycenter events on one or two char-
acters - generallyan antagonistor archvillain.Perhaps
you have an imagein your head of a powerful,elemen-
tally attuned Indiannovawho's taken it into his head to
purifythe Ganges- by turningallthe humancitiesalong
its length into wilderness. Or maybe the character in
question is one of the characters' allies; perhaps their
contact in the DeVriesAgencyis suddenlyhavingper-
sonal troubles with the Medell{nCartel, but he doesn't
dare moveagainstthem himselfbecause his daughter is
one of their enforcers. Youcan even focus a story on
one of the players' characters if you feel that the char-
acter in question has been overshadowed by his team-
mates for a while. Naturally,you shouldbe careful with
this last one, so as not to be perceived as "playing fa-
vorites."
An event-basedstory is alsopretty easy to define;
lookat the rash of disaster moviesthat wereout a couple
of years ago. Althougheach of these stories made an
effort to have strong characters, a definite atmosphere
and even an interestingplot, there was never really any
questionwhat the story's basic premisewas. The situa-
tion was alwaysthe starting point for the story idea. lf
you prefer a less sensational(and rather more powerful)
example,look at The Seven Samurai- althoughit had
a fascinatingset of characters and a strong atmosphere,
the premisecouldbe traced to the event "seven unem-
ployedsamuraiare hired by peasants to protect a vil-
lage." And look what came out of that.
Atmosphericstories can be tricky, but there's no
lack of those, either. The most obviousex.ample is, of
CHAPTER SEVEN STORYTELLING
course, the horror story. Alien was obviouslymore at-
mospheric than situation-based - the situation was
original, yes, but the moviewas devised to explore the
atmosphereof horror in a new fashion. An atmosphere-
based story can also be based on a moral or theme; if
youwantto illustratethe cutthroat violenceof the crimi-
nal underworld,you can certainly pick characters and
events to do so. And, of course, you can alwaysuse an
atmosphericstory to givethe playerswhat they want; if
they've had a littletoo muchpolitickingover the last few
stories and are ready to have their hearts beat a little
faster, there's nothingwrongwith givingthem a break-
neck story that makesthem fight for their livesand ap-
preciate the adrenalinerush.
Story Elements
There are a few things that allgood stories have in
common. A well-toldstory typicallyhas a single theme
and a singlemood. The setting is evocative,and a con-
flict lies at the heart of the story. The plot has a begin-
ning,middle and end, with a climaxand (usually)a reso-
lution. And of course, the Storyteller has some sort of
purpose in mindwhenhe devised the story.
Theme
A story can't have it all; it's next to impossibleto
depict a scene of massacre early on in the eveningand
then expect the players to enjoy a more light-hearted
scene later on. To keep events coherent and help devise
ideas for the story, you shouldprobablythink about the
story's theme. For instance, say you decide that your
story's theme willbe "the powerof a novais dehumaniz-
ing." Alreadythis suggestionbegs a few possibleevents
and characters - a nova who has lost touch with hu-
manity,a scene in whichthe Mega-Intelligentcharacter
suddenlyrealizesthat he doesn't havea thingin common
with his girlfriendany more.
Most of the story's events and characters should
somehowbe relevantto the story's theme. Evenso, that
doesn't mean you should paint the theme in mile-high,
glowingletters for the players. They don't have to no-
tice it at all. The theme is there to provide internalcon-
sistency, and it doesn't have to be blatant to be effec-
tive. Evenif the playersdon't pickup on the connection
betweenthe emotionlessTeragen"emancipator"and the
difficultiesthey're experiencingwith their home lives,
they'll still subconsciously perceive the strength of the
story as a whole. Andthey'll resent it a lot less than they
wouldif you started preachingthe theme from on high.
Aberrant's overalltheme is that of power, both ac-
tual and perceived. A nova has enough raw power to
shape the courseof a countryif unopposed; what'smore,
the public'sperception of that power adds a new ele-
ment.Wheredoes the powerpickup and the humanleave
off? Willthe absolute power of the novascorrupt them
absolutely? What willthe people in control do in order
to remain in control? Althoughthis theme doesn't have
259
 ABERRANT

to be the default theme of your stories, you should at of their penthouse or firing off even more impressive
least think about what kind of impactit has on your se- displaysof power, just because such actions seem ap-
ries . propriate.
1fAberrant has a commonmood,it's probablythat
Mood of awe. The novasare likeunto gods. Everythingthey do
IFa theme is an intellectualhook into the story, a is muchlarger than life. Whilethe novashollowout as-
moodis an emotionalhook.Once the playersare able to teroids for their summerretreats and catch solar flares
respond to the story emotionallyin muchthe same way in their hands,humanitystares up at them slack-jawed.
that their characters would,the game experience be- There's fear there as well- but the novasare so much
comes muchmore vivid. more than humanitythat they cannot help but inspire
Differentmoods lead to different kindsof stories. awe. Again,this shouldn'tbe the mood of every story
A dark, sinister story about Project Proteus is entirely you run (or evenmoststories), but it shouldbe a consid-
differentfroma wildstory aboutgoingon a musicalworld eration.
tour. Don't limityourselfto just one kind of mood;sure,
you may find that you're talented at creating a moodof Setting
paranoiain your stories, but you shouldnt limityour se- Theme and mood aren't necessarilytangibleele-
ries by maintainingthat moodexclusively . ments of a story, but the setting is. Workingout a be-
Start early. lf youwantto establisha moodof dread, lievable,vividsetting makes the rest of the story flow
beginwith a nightmarethat one of the characters is ex- smoothly. lf properly described, it'll probablyeven in-
periencing. lf you wanta moodof awe,beginby describ- spire your players to interact all the more enthusiasti-
ing wonderingmasses far below,shadingtheir eyes and callywith their surroundings.
pointingup to the characters Ayingby overhead. First The setting for a story mayrequire severaldiffer-
impressionsare as vital in storytellingas they are any- ent "backdrops" - an Aberrant story couldwellhave
where else. Once you've got them hooked,rememberto separate scenes set in India, on the E.iffelTower,on a
reinforcethe moodwheneveryoucan; beforelong,they'll luxurycruise liner and finallyon the moon's surface!lt s
be helpingyou out by anxiouslycheckingevery corner
 ABERRANT
your duty to describe these settings as vividlyas you Plot
can, so that the playersdon't start laggingand losingin- Everystory hasa beginning,middleand end.A story
terest. Bear in mindthat you don't wantto use too much is composedof a series of events that cometogether -
detail, either! Keep your descriptions brief, but make the openingscene usuallyattracts the players' interest
every word count. The players don't need to know all and sets the stage, the middlescenes expand and de-
the different beers advertised in the bar's neon signs velop the conflict,and the final scene is a chance for a
- but mentioningthat the neon throws an unhealthy resolution.The plot,plain and simple,isthe order inwhich
blue lightover everythingis a detail they'll remember. these events occur.
Describethingsaccuratelyandcompletely.Takeinto A plot can be highly complicatedand layered in
accountthingsliketemperature,weather,open space (or mystery,but this complexityisn't necessary. It can also
the lackthereof), physicalobjects, sights,smells,sounds be pretty simplistic,but sometimes,simplicityisn't nec-
- all the details that makea place come alive. Youcan essarilydesirable,either. A good plotallowsthe charac-
evenuse the setting to reinforcethemeor mood- hor- ters some free will,yet retains an overallsense of pro-
ror writers do this allthe time. The worldof Aberrant is gression. It's paced well,with simpleplot advancesbal-
a vibrant, colorfulplace. Helpyour players experience anced by the occasionaltwist or subplot, just to keep
it. things interesting.
Conflict Thinkof a good plot as a rollercoaster. Start out by
The core of every story is conflict - not combat setting things in motion. Youcan either havethem climb
(althoughthat's certainlyone aspect of it), but conflict. the first hill slowly,learningto anticipate the first plot
The characters shouldalwaysface somelevelof opposi- twist, or you can drop them without warninginto the
tion inpursuingtheir goals,or else there's reallyno point thick of things with the first scene. In either case, it's
in botheringto tell a story at all.A Proteus op refusing vital that you set the scene - make sure they under-
an order to turn his powerson humansoldiers,a Teragen stand where they are and what's goingon.
membertrying to convinceanother nova to come over Then you go into the scenes in the middle,the se-
to the Teragen's way of thinkingand a Directiveagent ries of ups, downs,spiralsand loops,that allowthe char-
discoveringthat his brother is somehowentrenched in acters to enjoy the ride as a wholebut are stilla buildup
the cartel he's investigatingare allexamplesof conflict. for the final stretch. Throw in subplots and plot twists
Each one has the potential to break out in a battle at here and there (just as a roller-coaster designer adds
somepoint,but the real conflictcomesbetweenthe Pro- the occasionalspiralor loop) to keep things interesting.
teus op and his superiors or between the Teragenmem- Finally,you hit the climax- the biggest spiral or
ber and his "recruit." In fact, these situationscouldeven the steepest drop. Nowthe playershave the finalcon-
result in multipleconflicts;considerthe Directiveagent, flict ahead of them.
who willbe pitted not only against the cartel, but who Climax and Resolution
willhaveto workagainstthe Directivein order to some- Everygood story has a climax- the point where
how "go easy" on his brother - or against his con- all the buildingtension hits the fan. The climaxis the
science to bring his brother to justice in the first place. penultimatemomentof the story - do or die time -
The actualconflictsinvolvedina story vary widely, the point where the characters succeed or fail,fight or
dependingon the players' roles. For instance, a Team compromise. It's the pivotal point of the story, so im-
Tomorrow cell will probably have fewer clashes with portant that it can overshadowor color everythingelse
publicopinionthan a group of Aberrants would. For the that's happened alongthe way. The actualnature of the
most part, of course, the conflict willusuallyboildown climaxmay have changed entirely from your plans, but
to novavs. humanor novavs. nova. If the conflictis one you should stillplayit up - after all,this is whatevery-
of novasversus humans,it willusuallypit novas against thing else has been leadingup to.
humansocietyor an organization,somethingthat is big- A commonthing to do is to continue play Forone
ger than any one person. Strugglesagainst other novas finalsceneafter the climax,lettingthe playerswinddown.
can involveanythingfrom a manoy manostrugglewith This allowsthem to look back over the story and wrap
the localbruiserto a convolutedstruggleagainstthe peer up any loose ends. Of course, they probably shouldn't
pressure of novasociety as a whole. take care of allthe loose ends - those are the stuff
Of course, there are plenty of other potential that future stories are madeof.
sources of conflict - the characters might have to
struggleagainsta hostileenvironment,againsttheir own
innertaint,or againstthe unknown.It alldependson what
sort of story you want to tell.

CHAPTER SEVEN STORYTELLING 261

 ABERRANT
Telling the Story
There's more to tellinga story than simplymemo-
rizingthe plot. Youcan just set things in motion and tell
the story by rote, but there are a few elements of style
that you shouldbe aware of. Part of becomingan expert
Storyteller is findingyour voice,but there are alsoa few
guidelinesthat can makeyour job a lot easier.
• WorkwithyOtJ" players. This one's very, very im-
portant. Don't designyour series withouttheir input -
otherwise you might find yourself spending days on a
plotlinerequiringthe playersto face down the Teragen,
onlyto discoverthat yourplayerswantto roleplayTeragen
membersthemselves. Encouragethem to Reshout their
characters'BackgroundTraits,thuscontnbutingsupport-
ing cast membersand other details. ("So, Aaron, who is
youroldbeat partner? Howdidyouguysget along? Where's
your apartment, and what does ,t looklike?") Dont force
them intoroles. Ona similarnote, makesure that everyone
understandsthe rules of the game, as wellas any house
rules you mightenforce - the playersdeserve to know
howlevelthe playingfieldis.
Baselines
One of the advantages of Aberrant's two-phase
character creation process 1sthe fact that Storytellers
can havethe players generate and play normalhuman
characters, withoutany novaTra,ts at all.A Storyteller
could have all the characters begin the chronicle as
baselinehumans, playingthrough one or even several
stones before beinggiventheir novapoints and erupt-
mg. Or, for a real challenge,try playingunenhanced,
..inert"baselinesin the Aberr.itworld- Utopiasup-
port staff, government agents, cartel operatives or
otherbaselines whoseduties force them to interact with
novas, often far too close to ground zero.
• Knowthesystem- or be ableto fake it con-
vincingly . Younever, ever want your game to bog down
in an argument over whether Timmy Typhon's
magmablastshouldhave slaggedthat support columnor
not. It's your responsibilityto keep up with what your
players' characters are able to do, and likewisefor the
major Storyteller characters in the series. If contention
arises,don't be afraid to makean on-the-spot rulingand
get on with the game - lookup the exact rules later, if
need be.
• Maintainthe mood.Comicrel,ef 1sall well and
good, but if you decide to take the characters on a tnp
through Carroll's Wonderland, don't act surprised 1fthe
players have difficultytaking next week's session seri-
ously. Youshouldn't be tyrannical when enforcing the
mood, but you do need to keep the players focused to
26 2 CHAPTERSEVEN STORYTELLING
some extent. Don't start punningin the middleof a man-
hunt for a virallycontagious,high-Taint aberrant. Don't
litter the street with children'scorpses in the middleof
a light-heartedstory about greedy agents and overzeal-
ous fans. Youowe it to your playersand yourselfto see a
story throughin moreor less the sametone that it started
- unlessthe changeintone is a majorfacet of the story.
There's certainly nothingwrong with starting the game
out in highsp,nts onlyto hit the playerswith something
hornfic or brutal - it happens all the time in stories.
However, be careful about reversing the order. lf even
one game starts out in a grim, paranoid moodand sud-
denlylightensup, it'llbe more difficultto get your play-
ers to take the next horror-themed story seriously.
• Letyourplayersaccomplishthings.Remember
the characters are the stars of the show;nobodywould
pay to see the latest IndianaJones movieif Marcusdid
all the trap-dodging and Nazi-outwitting. This rule is
doublyimportantfor Aberrant , where the novasare rap-
idly becomingthe most important beings in the world.
Youdon't have to give the players their every wishon a
silver platter, but let them make progress. Their envi-
ronment shouldbe visiblychanged by their very pres-
ence; they shouldbe affecting lives. Even if their influ-
ence is purelylocal, it shouldbe real. Makethem feel like
they're all stars now, and they'll be dying to come back
for the next installment.
The Series
Creatinga series can be a fair amountof work, but
it's a lot less arduous than it mightseem. After all, the
comic- book industry was built on the concept of ongo-
ing chronicles; limitedseries are nice, but the ongoing
titles are what keep the fans comingback. An Aberrant
senes can continuefor years - theoretically,one might
even last untilthe Aberrant timelineends and the Trin-
ity timelinebegins in AD2120. Younever know.
In order to makeyour series worthwhile,it should
have a life of ,ts own. A good series is more than just a
string of scenes featuring the protagonists goofing
around - it's a story with a plotlineof its own. As it
progresses the playersand characters alikeshare in the
overarchingthemes and moods that linkstory to story.
There's a sense of continuity,of belonging.One story
influencesthe next; things change around the charac-
ters. The stones grow bigger and grander; the antago-
nists more fierce and awe-inspiring.The characters start
planningfor the future, and they work their changes on
the world. Bythe timeyou're finallydone withthe series
(,f indeed you ever end it at all), you and the players
alikeshouldbe welland rightlysatisfied by what you've
accomplished.
 ABERRANT

Gathering the Group with powerfulenemieson all sides, and few alliesto be
found. Perhapsthey can get assistancefromthe Teragen
So what sort of group are your players interested - but would they wantit? This isn't a series aboutglam-
in playing?Dothey want to be heroes of a fairlyclassical our and fame, but every one of the characters' deeds is
mode, or are they more interestedin playing aroundwith thrownintosharper reliefbecausethey struggleon with-
what a self-centered demigodmightbe like? Aberrant out expectinga reward. AnAberrants series is good for
offers hundreds of possibilitiesfor a series' direction, playerswholikea great deal of say in howtheir organi-
but the roles the characters play inthe worldshouldhelp zationis run - as of mid-2008, there are onlya couple
you narrowdownthe field. dozenAberrants in the entire world, and so the charac-
It's important to realize that it's very unusualfor ters willconstitute a considerablepercentage of the en-
novas to gather in numbers. To be frank, your average tire group!
nova(althoughthat.'s as oxymoronica term as ever was) • Corpora te/City Novas:The characters maybe a
just doesn't needanybodyelse; he can get whathe wants collectionof novas in the employof one very wealthy
on his own. These are possiblythe most important(and megacorporation,individuallyemployedby variouscor-
rarest - approximatelyone in one million)people in porations, or even the founders and top brass of a cor-
the world; as such, a gatheringof like-mindednovaswill poration they've foundedthemselves. Naturally,a no~a
attract a tremendousamountof attention,as wellas para- employeeis of tremendousvalue,so the characters will
noia. Everyonefrom Joe Civilianto the Directivecom- commandexcellentsalariesand significantbenefits(en-
mandwillwantto knowwhat this group's goingto be up courage the appropriate BackgroundTraits). Manyof
to; after all,four to six like-mindednovasisa force equal your stories willinvolvethe players protectingtheir em-
to a smallcountry. ployers' interests, whether it's undertakinghigh-profile
• Utopians: On the face, this is one of the most charity work for PR purposes, using their powers to
"black-and-white"seriesdirections,and it can be played speed up industrialprocesses, or playingsecurityguard
severalways.Naturally,there's the straightforwardap- for import.ant projects and personnel. There's ample
proachof playingtrue heroesina tarnishedworld,backed opportunityfor conflictwith Utopia'sscientificregula-
by the benevolentUtopiain your efforts to makea bet- tion policies;after all, the playerswillprobablywant to
ter place. Another,more cynical(or realistic)approach work in the corporation's (and even the world's) best
is one of a more-or-less idealisticband of novas doing interests by disseminatingnew technologies. This sort
their best to liveup to Utopia'sideals,even as they be- of series can continueon with the playersremainingto
come involved in intriguesand graduallydiscover that offer their services to their employersand eventually
perhaps Utopia itself - or at least certain elements earning enough of a position in the corporations to fi-
withinit - aren't quite so dedicatedto the highestide- nallyhavea say in corporate policy- CEOsure sounds
als.There's eventhe optionof roleplayinga bandof cyni- nice,doesn't it? Alternatively,the characters can havea
cal, Proteus-affiliatednovas who haveno illusionsabout falling-outwith their benefactors (possiblyover ethical
Utopia'sless telegenicaspects and are willingto do the issues,possiblyas a side effect of personalityconflicts),
dirty work necessary to improvethe world as a whole and either try to pursue new employmentwith their old
(and their bank accounts in the process). 1fyou want to corp's rivals or find some other use for their abilities.
get reallymessy, you can even have a group consisting Eitherway,the corporationprobablywon'trespondwell
of allthese types of characters - expect your series to to such ingratitude - and the corporation that can af-
take on a paranoidtone, as conflictsarise and the play- ford to hire a nova (or novas) can afford to make life
ers start trying to figureout who'sin the right.As series very miserablefor its enemies.
options go, the Utopianseries is one with lots of lati- ln the UnitedStates, certain large cities retain one
tude; the characters can be as well-known or covert as or more novas as highlypaid publicservants and fran-
you like, and the game can take on any sort of theme, chised PR reps, in the manner of a sports team.This job
from"shiningarmor" to unapologeticgrimness. Youcan tends to be cushy (and thus not overly suitable for an
easilyswitch from pitched battles with nova dissidents adventuringtroupe), but it stillprovidesopportunityfor
to ethical dilemmasover keeping too-nosy journalists stories. Franchisednovasare expectedto supplementthe
quiet to careful intrigues at the heart of the project. local police/ Firedepartment in times of crisis (espe-
Project Utopiais a big place, with a lot of room to play. ciallywhen the cameras are rolling)and represent the
• Aberrants:A good choice for players who like city in highlypublicized"athletic" and power competi-
the role of the underdog, an Aberrants series sets the tions with rival cities' novas. Competitionamongnovas
characters againstthe doublymassiveforces of Project for these plumpositions is high, and watch out for the
Utopiaand disapprovingconventionalauthorities. This sleazyagent who signs the novasto a "sweet" contract
series is certainlyone about heroism- presumablythe that includessome unforeseenfine print....
characters' idealscompelledthemto join Utopia,onlyto • Governmen t Agents:Thecharactersare allmem-
strike out on their own when the project's secret poli- bers of a specific governmentagency(likelythe Direc-
cies came to light.The characters willfind themselves

CHAPTERSEVEN STORYTELLING 263

 ABERRANT

tive), or perhaps membersof a variety of government

agencies,commonlyassignedto worktogether on nova-
levelcases. Individualscan be agents of everythingfrom
the CIAto the EPA,dependingon their personalitiesand
powers. The series' conflictscan come from a number
of directions,fromdissidentnovasintenton weak-
eningthe government'spowerstructure, to ,,
agentsof hostileforeignpowers,to the t '7,
internal threats and conspiracies -~
popularizedby The X-Filesand ~-·'1'iMt~~~~;
similarsources. The charac-AJ
ters willprobably have their
loyalties rigorously tested
alongthe way,and theywillfind
that as novas and government
agents,they're on a lotof hit lists.
Still,there's plentyof inspiration
for such a series. Picture Clear
andPresentDangeror The Si-
lence of the Lambswith novas
in the central roles....
• Elites:It's probablynot ,
difficult to figure out how to
makethis series work.After all,
there's a fairamountof ro-
mancein clearingout dis-
sidents in Thailand in
the morningand clean-
~~Zll~S-~
ing up in time for din- ., •
neranddancinginTokyo. 10 7 ~~
Consideringthat novascan ~ ,; ·
go anywhereand do virtuallyany- A. /A 1'' Y,
thingfor the right fee, some re- j)1 ,-j'/f!
ally outlandishstories can re- •}
suit. If you want a lighterver- ~
sion of this series, take
the James Bondroute
- the characters are
no angels,but they're
usuallypitted against
properly despicable
peoplewithsociopathic ~
agendas. A darker ver-
sion can involvedirty jobs,
double-crossingemployers,
ethical dilemmas - there
are almost countless ways to
add spice to the pot. Source
materialisn't hard to come
by,either;we couldalmost
fill this chapter with
books, movies,televi-
sion shows, comic
books and manga
or anime series
that address
the subjectof
 ABERRANT
,,. guns for hire. To be sure, if you start borrowingplot.s,
you'llhave to adjust some factors - Ronindidn't ac-
countfor peoplewhocouldbouncebulletsand meltsteel
- but inspirationis everywhere.
• Slackers: This sort of series may seem
directionlessat first, but it can also havea lot of poten-
tial.This can be the classic"road trip" series, with the
characters findingthemselvesin a new locationevery
weekand almostinvariablystumblinginto troublethere
pretty quickly.After all, if you can Ayaroundthe world
inunderan hour,what'sto stopyoufromgoingand hang-
ing out in Monacowheneverthe itch strikes you? The
only trouble with such a series is that there's no long-
runningsource of conflictendemicto the ongoingstory
- if the characters don't have anythingbetter to do
than wander around and amusethemselves,they obvi-
ously aren't going to be pursuingsome vital goal. Still,
there's no shortage of recurring antagonists and
possiblehunters for even a motleycrew of slacker
novas;remember,novasare just so damn important
that nobodyin their right mindwillpass up a chanceto
try and bringan unalignednovaover to their side.
• MediaIcons:The most commonversion of this
series is, of course, the musicband. There's no denying
that an all-novaact, whethera novoxsideshowor a psy-
chedelicretro band,woulddrawcrowdsthat wouldmake
Elvisspin in his grave. However,that's far from the only
option.Moviestars, performanceartists, solomusicians
- even XWFcontenders and realsupermodelsare all
possibilities.Ifs not even muchof a stretch to havethem
all knowone another - look how incestuousthe lives
of our own mediaicons are. This series focuses largely
on Fameand its price, and it is likelyto bring its own
strange lookat heroismto the table; after all,
whenyou'rebotha novaanda householdname,
you're alwaysgoingto be a role modelof some
sort, whether you like it or not. Some conflict is likely
going to arise from the demandsof the public,agents
and studios;more hazardousconflict is availablein the
role of criminalcartels and similarthreats. After all, a
media icon nova is worth billions- and you can bet
that someone'sgoing to want a piece of that pie. And
don't forget allthe peoplewhowantto plugtheircause,
whether it's cloningthe snow leopard or "liberating"
Egypt.Someof themjust won't take no for an answer.
• TeragenMembers: Sometimesit's relaxingto play
the bad guys for the change. A series in whichthe play-
ers take the roles of various Teragen members,how-
ever, is going to be a particularlyinterestingkettle of
fish. DivisMal's"children"are more than just a hodge-
podgeof supremacistnovas- they're philosophers,and
someof their viewsholda certain degree of logic.To be
sure, the Teragen harbors a few mindless nihilistsand
heedlessbuffoons- bluntweaponsare useful,after all
CHAPTER SEVEN STORYTELLING
- but the important members,and thus the charac-
ters, shouldbe somethingmore.ATeragenseries can be
playedas lightlyas a "what city shallwe wreck today'?"
beer-'n'-pretzels game,or it can delveinto the ethicsof
strengthandspecies,encouragingthe playersto roleplay
througha series of interestingmoralchoices. As for con-
flict, this series won't disappoint - when your
organization'sleader is PublicEnemyNumberOne on
most governments'lists, there's no shortage of people
liningup to take you down. DeVriesbountyhunters, Di-
rective agents, criminalcartels and Utopia'ssoldiers-
there are plenty of antagonists to go around, and not
person one outsidethe Teragen is goingto stand up for
you. Goodluck.
• Criminals: No,not "supervillains." Oneof the ma-
jor differencesbetween the Aberran t setting and, say,
the MarvelUniverseis that in Aberran t, there are very
few costumedsupercriminals.After all, most novascan
parlaytheir powersintoall the wealth,fameand gratifi-
cationthey require throughentirelylegalchannels. (Be-
sides, whenseekingto attract lovelyyoungcompanions,
a tuxedois muchmorepracticalthana set of purpletights
with a skullon the chest.) Why bother to knock over
First Nationalwhenyoucan makemore moneyas a con-
tracted "consultant,"on the talk-showcircuit, or even
entirelythroughlicensingfees'?
However,antisocialtypes exist ineverysociety -
and eruptiondoesn't lessensociopathictendenciesone
little bit. In fact, it usuallyaggravates such problems,
alienatingthe deviant even further from humanityas a
whole. If your group's interested in such a series, it can
be a cathartic experience (as long as you don't take it
too Far - most people have a limitto the amount of
disgustingbehaviortheycan "witness"or "perpetrate").
There's plentyof opportunityfor the enterprisinganti-
social nova. Many criminalnovas eventuallydrift into
positionsas enforcers and bosses of the criminalcar-
tels, but certain elites also specializein terrorist work
and enforcement.Mentalpowersare perfect for black-
mail,espionageor worse.A fewnovacriminalshaveeven
becomequite popularamongthe young,bored and re-
bellious;black-marketmerchandiseand convenientN!
interviewscan prove as lucrativefor charismatichood-
lumsas the initialacts that impartedtheir notoriety.Of
course, a whole group of affiliatednova criminalscan
becomePublicEnemyNumberOneon mostgovernments'
hit lists. Worse, they'll be ruthlessly and mercilessly
hunted downbyUtopia- Utopiadoesn't wanttoo many
antisocialnovasto appear andprosper,lesta publicback-
lashagainstallnovasresult.What's more, if roguenovas
harm other novasin the course of their criminalactivi-
ties, they can also be targeted by the Teragen.What's
that - hunted by Utopiaand the Teragen'?Yep.Wel-
come to a very interestinglife....
26'.:l
 ABERRANT

Realism
One of the most important things to think about binationsof tiny dots in four colors) can actuallyhave "vil-
when designingyour series 1s the level of realism you lains" withcodenamesandagendas , as wellas "heroes" who
plan to maintain. It's vital that you think about how "re- stop them. In this setup, TearnTomorrowbecomesmore like
alistic" you want your game to be, and that you talk this the Justice League and spends more time fighting
over with the players. If you want a gritty, Watchmen- supercriminals;similarly,you mightwant to introducemore
esque story where there are no real heroes or villains, archetypalantagonists, either by puttinga more four-color
and your playersstart generating four-color characters spin on groups likethe Teragenor by debutingactualteams
ba..edon their favorite'7Os Legionof Super-Heroesis- of supercriminals . Areallygoodsourcefor four-colorthemes
sues, you have a problem. whilestillmaintainingsomeplausib1l1ty is the Astra C,tycomic
That's why ,l's important that everyone be on the - it's hard to find a better exampleof a cla..sicsuperhero
same page. Talkit over withyour players - howoutra- setting where the superheroes. villainsand supportingcast
geousdo they want thingsto get? Dothey wantan over- actuallyact likereal people.
the-top game reminiscentof animesuperheroics, or do Conversely, more "realistic" games might focus on a
they wanta worldwithoutcostumesandcodenames? And more gntty approach, one where superpowersare treated
willyou be happy runningwhat they'd hkeZ It's impor- like the deadly weapons they are. Youmightwant to halve
tant to find a happy medium, a style that you and the the pointsg,venout in character creation, m order to havea
playerswillboth enJoy- otherwise, whyplaythegame? less epic scale of conflict - in such a setting, novasdon't
The default realism level for Aberrantcan be have near the amount of influericethey do m mainstream
summed up as "mostly realistic" - there are some Aberrant games, and they can't changethe worldas readily.
people who dress up in uniforms, adopt nomsdu guerre There are plenty of sources for such games, from Watch-
and try to save the worldfrom itself. However,most no- men to the WildCardsseries of novels(althoughthe latter
vas use their powersto achievefame and fortunethrough gets boggeddownin shock-valuescenes and themes pretty
more "normal" channels {show business, industry, quickly).
academia) , and there isn't much of a trad ition of It's 1mposs1ble to chart all the different degrees of re-
supercriminals dressing up in tights and knockingover alisman Aberrant series mighttake. The best thing for it rs
Jewelrystores. (After all, ,f you can maketen m1ll1on on to think about what you'd like to do, then talk it over with
the stock marketin a coupleof months, whyrisk arrest?) your players. Odds are, you'll strike a levelof realismthat's
More "four-color" games {namedafter the days not quite hke anybodyelse's game - but that suits your
whencolor comicbooks got their colorationfrom com- group perfectly.

tionships that could provide interesting drama even if

Common Bonds
It's worthasking:Whyare the characters together?
No, not just because that.'s the series' setup - whyare
they a group?
It's easy enoughto just say "Well you were allre-
cruited by the Directiveand assigned to a single unit.•
However, this isn't necessarilywhat you want to do. If
the characters are throwntogether randomly,you IImiss
out on a lot of potential group dynamics. Televisionhas
recentlyshowna heightenedinterestin the ensemblecast
show - that's because if done well, an ensembleworks
muchbetter than woulda primadonna and a fewcostars
orbiting his celestialglory.
Talk to your playersbeforehand; get a feel for what
sort of characters they're planningto run, and extrapo-
late some interestingconnectionsfrom there. We don't
mean the soap-operatic clunkers like havingeveryone
be estrangedsiblings,ex-loversor shadycharactersfrom
each other's pasts - instead, try to figure out rela-
the characters have never met before in their lives. If
one person's playinga world-weary type whose erup-
tionhas givenhima newfoundvigor, try to arrangethings
so that he has an interestingfirst meetingwith another
player's youthfulnovawho'snowhavingto learnrespon-
sibility.Sure,the oldernovawouldbe a terriblerolemodel
for the youngerone - but that dynamicwouldbe a lot
of fun for the players to roleplay, as wellas potentially
very interestingto the entire group.
Considerthe exampleof TeamTomorrow- they
weren t all friends from the same college, or relatives,
or anythingof the sort. They didn't have muchin com-
mon at all, save their powers, but the dynamics that
formedwerethe core of everythinginterestingthat hap-
pened later. Who would have thought that Slider would
havebefriended,of allpeople,the libertineCorbin? And
yet, because she did, the group's history worked out in a
fascinatingfashion. If she'd warmed to the authoritative
CaestusPax, there mightnever have been an Aberrant
movementat all.

266 CHAPTER SEVEN STORYTELLING

 ABERRANT

This group dynamismis what you should work to Of course, the novas' relative importancedoesn't
achieve. Get the playersinterested in each other's char- meanthat you shouldhand the playerevery goalhe sets
acters. Youdon't have to require them to share all the out after - changingthe worldshouldn'tbe likeusinga
details of their characters, but everyone should prob- vendingmachine. (Deposittwo quantum,makeselection
ably have some idea of the other sorts of personalities - ooh,you've takenover Bolivia!)After all,allthe fin-
they'llbe dealingwith. Encouragethose whohaveinter- est heroes - and virtuallythe same percentage of an-
estingpotential linksto sit downand workout whattheir tiheroes - have to bust their asses to get what they
characters mighthave in common. want. Nothing'sever free - the one true law of the
After all,the alternativeis windingup with a situa- world. But witha littleeffort, a person can changethings
tion where your playerscreate "moodyloners" who do significantly. With a nova's powers behind him, he can
nothingbut hang around, act taciturn and wait for the change things almostcompletely.Naturally,the greater
other characters to become fascinated with their mys- the forces that alignagainsthim,the more dramatichis
tique. Everyonetakes the passive road, no bonds are success willeventuallybe - and even failurecan work
formed and your series loses all its energy into a black a lasting effect on the character's environment.After
hole of self-absorbed entropy. all, the Alamofell- and that made all the difference.
It happens a// the time. But you won't let it happen
to you, right'?Great.
Icons and Archetypes
It's onlyappropriateto followup bynotingthe iconic
levelof an Aberrant game. It's no coincidencethat a good
Heroism portionof recent superheroliterature directlycompares
There's no wayto tell a story about "superheroes" superheroes to gods. In many ways, they are. Spider-
withoutactuallytouchingon heroism. Evenifyour series Manreallyis the mortalturned demigod, the Everyman
isof the sort wherethe charactersare in it for the money, gifted withsuddenpowerand responsibility.Batmanis a
fameand luxuries,you stillcan't ignorethe basicpremise Plutoniankingof the underworldwhoconstantlystruggles
that superhumanpower can indeed create superhuman to keep his damnedsubjects in line (and the same could
responsibility.Aberra nt doesn't require that the char- be said of Spawn),whilethe shiningyoungsun-god ar-
acters wear whitehats and dedicate their livesto stop- chetype is visiblein characters from CaptainMarvelto
ping injustice; indeed, most novas do not. Ultimately, the HumanTorch. The same shouldhold true of novas.
novas are individualsjust like the rest of us; heroism Even an average, everydayperson who receives power
on this levelhas managed to ascend intothe mythic.They
comesfrom the person, not the powers. Nonetheless,in
a world where the characters' every action can have stand for something- whether they likeit or not.
grave or even world-shatteringconsequences,it's vital Naturally,there are waysyou can use this to your
to havea strong idea of just howheroismis applicableto advantage . Plentyof writers are retellingvariousmyths
your series. with modern superbeingsin the place of demigodsand
legendaryheroes - why ignore such a fine source of
One Person ideas'?Considerthe underworldruler who abdicates his
The mostbasictenet to the whole concept of hero- throne for a whileand sets up a mortalin his place. Would
ism is that one person can indeed makea difference. In one of the playersfind it interestingto take over a cor-
Aberrant, this holdsas true as anywhereelse - infact, porate nova'spositionfor a while'?Then there's the trick-
more so, since a single nova is capable of doing almost ster who steals the sun for the benefit of mankind. Is
anythinghe puts his mindto. Eventhe novawhodecides there a character in your series who'd be appropriate to
to withdrawfrom the world and spend the rest of his liberatesomestrange newsciencefromProject Utopia'?
days fishingfor bass (whichhardly makesfor an inter- What about a solar-system-wideversion of Jason and
esting character,but it is a logical decisionfor a person the Argonauts'?Takea look at your players' characters.
to make) is probablygoing to have some impact on his Considerwhatrolesthey'd playinsuchepicstories.Think
environment,like it or not. Maybe he doesn't want to big.
use hispower,but whathappenswhenthe Teragenshows
up on a membershipdrive'?What if Utopia or Proteus
Antiheroes
operativesdecide they don't likethe thought of a nova Not everyonehas what it takes. Some people have
with no obviousallegiances,and they begin investigat- the courage and determinationto becomeheroes - and
ing'?Certainlythe remainingcriminalcartels aren't above simplydon't care enough. The antihero hasn't always
threatening familyand friends to compel cooperation. been a popularstaple of superhero fiction,but with the
After all, every last nova in the world is that one nova adventof TheDarkKnightReturnsand Watchmen,sud-
who could tip the scales, who might be the difference denly the "grim warrior who doesn't give a damn about
betweena project's success or failure. These peopleare anythingbut destroyinghis enemies" started cropping
up in a lot more comics. Althoughindustry critics are
that important.

CHAPTER SEVEN STORYTELLING 267

 ABERRANT
stilldividedon whether this was a good thingor not, ul- be it conscience,excellentPR,familymembersin trouble,
timatelyit allboilsdownto one thing: Likeanyother ar- patriotism, loyaltyto the Utopian idealor whathaveyou.
chetype, the antiherois a strong characteronlywhenhe To throw in a coupleof monkeywrenches,what if a new
is a character, not a cardboardstand-up. Batmanhasn't novaspontaneouslyerupts in the confusion- howdo
lasted as longas he has just by treating readers to tales the playerscontain himas wellas the disaster, andwhere
of one guy beating up crooks, after all.The myriad of willthey guidehim afterwards? What if a Teragenmem-
complicationsin his life - his aversionto guns, being ber arrives and heaps scorn on the characters' efforts,
haunted by the ghosts of his parents, the struggle be- trying to coerce them into "not being such suckers'"?
tween his desire for justice and his obvioussexualat- The characterswillcertainlyearn newadmirers for their
traction to certain criminals, the gradual loss of touch help - are there possible romantic interests, political
with "Bruce Wayne" - is what keeps Batmancomics contacts or rivalsto be gained? This story seed can be a
stillsellingtoday. good introductionfor newplayers, allowingthemto test
The real problemwith antihero characters is that their powersin creative fashionsand find waysto make
their admittedlylaxapproachtowardethics can windup even the most destructive powersdo somegood.
workingagainstthe series. It canget a lot harder to make • PublicityStunts: The worldmayall but worship
a story properly dramatic when the characters (and novas, but nobodyis immuneto bad publicity. Nomatter
sometimes,the players)are jaded towarddeath andsuf- what sort of series you're running, the characters can
fering in all but the most extreme circumstances. After easilyrun afoulof the media. And whenyou're a nova,
all, when the characters have strolled into the Nakato it's virtuallyimpossibleto hide. So whatdo you do when
gamblingden and effortlesslysnuffedout every last tat- the globalmediastarts wondering if you're on the take,
tooed, missing-a-pinkyhatchetmanin the building, how or criticizingyour employers' policies? What about the
exactlyare yougoingto get thememotionallyinvolvedin vocalanti-novagroups? What if someteenagerkillshim-
the death of a bystander? self in a half-bakedattempt to emulatehis role model,
If the playerswant to playantiheroes(and at least and someonesuggeststhat the novahimselfis to blame?
one of them willcertainly want to), you shouldn't dis- Remember,inAberrant , critics of novabehaviorare ac-
couragethem to do so out of hand. However,you'lldefi- tuallyinthe minority- thus far - so this sort of story
nitely have a lot of work on your hands with such a se- can actuallyserve as a sharp relief to the hero-worship
ries. You'llneed to developa revolving stable of antago- to which evenTeragencharacters mighthavegrownac-
nists and not get too attached to any one. Youshould customed. Do the characters' accusers have an ulterior
also makecertain to focuson the characters' personal- motive, or is this a signof things to come?
ity t.raits, hangupsand weaknesses, perhaps even more • YoungNovasin Love:Althoughromanticinter-
so than usual. Sucha series is an intenseendeavor, and it ests are usuallyrelegatedto the statusof subplot, there's
shouldbe - otherwise, it's just a bunchof shallowkill- noreasonthat amourcan't be the focusof an entirestory.
em-where-they-standscenes,andyoucan get thatfrom The romancein questiondoesn't even have to focus on
Hollywood . one of the players' characters, althoughit tends to be a
littlemoreimmediate whenthe playersare moredirectly
Sample Story Hooks involved.What if one of the characters is beingstalked
There are hundredsof possiblestory hooks for an by an obsessive nova, someone who's convinced that
Aberrant series, and the characters' backgroundsand they'd make the perfect genetic match? Howabout a
personalities should lend themselvesto dozens more. genuinestoryof love(or at leastgenuineattraction)from
Fromstories that take placebeforethe characters' erup- the opposite sides - say, between a Utopianand a
tions (as a sort of prologue)to the finalconflict between Teragen member? The chemistrybetween lovers from
the charactersandtheir worst rivals,the possibilitiesare opposite sidesof the fenceispretty damnedpotent.Love
virtuallyendless. The following ideas are onlythe tip of trianglesand the usual amountof soap-opera cliches can
the iceberg, but if you've never run an Aben-ant game add to the tension, but one of the most distinct prob-
before, they might offer a good starting point. lemsis that even if allgoes well, the couplecan't expect
• DisasterRelief:Whether flooding in the Ameri- much privacy - an individual nova doesn't quite get
can Midwest, a hurricanein the tropics or earthquakes the media attention that the President of the United
battering Japan, the worldoffers plenty of opportuni- States does, but they get a lot more than the occasional
ties for novasto help their fellowman. Mostpowerscan mentionin People. Can a relationshiplast in the bright
be useful in these situations - telekinesis to rescue lightsof globalattention?
people caught in floodwaters,superhumanstrength to • MobWr. Only four crime syndicateshavesur-
supporta bridgefor a fewminutesmore,andevenplasma vivedUtopia's purges to prosper in the undergroundof
generationto burnfirebreakswithincredible speed. Give the worldof Aberrant . Andto manyof these syndicates'
the characters a personalreason to involvethemselves, higher-ups, that's three syndicatestoo many. Although

268 CHAPTER SEVEN STORYTELLING

the internationalcrime market is pretty neatly divided
up at this point,there are stillplentyof areas - suchas
the UnitedStates - where the territoriallinesare con-
stantly shifting. What happenswhen the characters are
caught between two (or more) warringunderworldfac-
tions, some of whichmay have brought along nova en-
forcers'? What if the characters themselvesand their
resourcesor contactsare part of the "stakes inthe war'?
Howcan the characters act to preserve their interests
without bringingdown the wrath of the syndicates on
their lovedones' heads'?
• Exploration: To novas, there may well not be a
finalfrontier. If the characters are capable of exploring
the solarsystemwithoutbenefitof a ship,wouldn'tsome-
one pay themquite a bit of moneyto see what's real/yon
Mars'?E.venif the characters need a space shuttle or the
like,the heightenedsurvivabilityof novas(to say noth-
ing of complementarypowers) are a valuableasset in
exploration. The deep seas wouldbe a similarlyappro-
priate venue for exploration, possibly even more so
(easier for novasto survive,and rather moreconvenient).
Of course, who's to say that other novashaven't beaten
them to the punch'? A resource war couldresult from a
particularlyrich find, or Utopia might try to keep the
characters fromdisclosingany unusualscientificdiscov-
eries. The sky's the limit- well,not really,but you get
the idea.
CHAPTERSEVEN STORYTEL
LING
Antagonists and
Supporting Cast
You're onlyas goodas whatyou know- or 1nthis
case, whoyou know. No hero ever amountedto anything
withoutproper enemies. Similarly,it's damnrare to find
an interestingstory with onlyone character. Just as ev-
ery comic-bookcharacter who's managedto last more
than a couple of years has his or her own vibrant sup-
portingcast, your series shouldbe stocked with intrigu-
ing people who seem real.It's no coincidencethat the
worldis more familiarwith LoisLane than it is with the
latest faddishbad girl or muscleboy.
When designingStoryteller characters, the first
thing you should probably consider is the character s
motive. Youprobablyknowwhat they're goingto be do-
ing in the series whenyou create them - but you also
need to knowwhy.Ifyouknowthat the scientistisdriven
by intenseJealousyof novapowers,youcan better judge
howhe'llreact to the players'characters whenthey show
up at his lab. Figuringout whether the hitmanis in it for
the money,familyloyaltyor desperation can help you
refine his tactics, to say nothingof his personality. Treat
your importantcharacters as if they're actors whojust
asked what their motivationsare in this scene - they'll
be muchmore vivid for the trouble.
269
 ABERRANT

lt can't be stressed too highlythat motivationis very one, and there's no reason you shoulduse them if you
important for antagonists. Even the most avaricious don't feel comfortablewith them. But if you're looking
criminal has some idea of what he's actuallygoingto do for something to makethe story touchthe playersa little
with allthat moneyhe's tryingto steal.Similarly , the thug- more deeply, give one or two of these a try.
gish XWFfighter who"just likes to beat peopleup" has
to havesomereason for that, whetherit's coldsadismor
Flashbacks
some sort of revenge against perceived tormentors. lf You'veseen them incomics, movies, novels, televi-
your antagonists don't have believablegoals, hopes and sion shows and even video games. The flashbackhas
dreams, they're not reallygoingto be that effective. Many becomesucha staple of our storytellingvocabularythat
of the best antagonists are people whoaren't "evil" - it's only technicallyan advanced technique. Youknow
they simplyhavegoalsthat are at odds with those of the the basics: Somethingtriggers a memoryin one or more
characters. Andeven if you do bring in a sadistic mon- of the characters, and the scene shifts to a scene from
ster with onlyone redeemingvalueto his name, you have the past that is relevant to the present. In manycases,
the option of making him a recurring threat in the series. youcan just describethe scene and howit playsout, but
Nothing gets the players into the gamebetter than some to makethings reallyinteresting, you can let the players
bastard that they loveto hate and can't wait to cat.ch. roleplaythroughthe flashback.
After motivation, yournextstep is probablyto make The characters in the flashbackare onlyrarelythe
players' main characters. lt's importantthat the players
sure that the character is distinctive. Doing so is pretty
easy. A detailed physical description is a great place to not use anyinformationgained in the flashbackthat their
start. Be certain to stress details that give away the characters wouldn't have access to; the flashbackis to
character's personality; pretty red-hairedreporters are flesh out the story and make it more vivid, not to give
a dimea dozen, but if you givethe local journalista habit the characters an edge. For instance,a flashbackmight
of showing up in rumpledskirts and jackets, you've es- recreate the Galateaexplosion, with the playerstaking
tablished something about her personality - maybe the roles of various people on board the Galatea . Al-
she's too busyto keepup with her ironing, or maybeshe's thoughthe characterswon't be anythe wiser(Forthere's
just a slob. Either way, it's a hook. no waythey'd knowjust whatwent on aboard the space
Mannerisms are also important.Does the Utopian station prior to its explosion), the playerswillbe more
agent constantly polishhis glasses duringdebriefings'? fullyimmersedin the storylineof the series - andthat's
Does the Interpoldetective munchon slightlywithered what's important.
carrot sticks that he keeps in his jacket pocket'? ls the Symbo lism
up-and-coming starlet desperatelytrying to tone down Sometimesa cigar isn't just a cigar. That's symbol-
her strong Southernaccent'?lt helpsif you can comeup ism Foryou. This techniqueallowsyou to splicein layers
withat least one slightlydistinctivefeature for each castof meaning to your story that wouldn't otherwisebe evi-
member; this keeps the stain of genericaout of your se- dent. Symbolscan recur throughoutthe series, or only
ries and givesyou a headstart on creating a supporting appear once or twice where appropriate. They needn't
cast with a collectivepersonalityall its own. even be allthat evident.However,the powerof symbol-
ism is suchthat even if the playersdon't realizewhatthe
Advanced tattered newspaperlittering the street stands for, they
maysubconsciouslypick up on the themesthat it repre-
Storytelling sents.
One exampleof symbolismmight involvethe play-
Sometechniquesrequire a little more workon the ers tracking a rogue novathroughseveralscenes, many
Storyteller's part, and they don't offer much help in of which are markedby the presence of brokenshards
streamliningstories or advancing the plots. These tech- of mirroredglass. The glassrepresents the fragileself-
niquesare tricky to use, but they can reallyenhancethe esteem of their prey, and the players will almost cer-
story in which they're used. tainly subconsciouslyassociate the brittle, jagged sub-
lt should be stressed that advanced storytelling stance with their target. Althoughdefiniteexamplesof
techniques aren't Forthe benefit of the players' charac- symbolism in comics are hard to come by (as they're
ters; they don't appear to givethe characters access to rarely labeledas such), comics today are certainly lit-
information they wouldn'totherwise have. They're tools tered with symbols. Read through a few titles and pay
to entertain the players and bring them more fullyinto particularattentionto the use of lightand shadow, back-
the worldof Aberrant- tools to makethe story more groundelementsand color. There's almostalwaysa pat-
vivid and meaningful. They obviouslyaren't Forevery- tern, and it's a trick worth picking up.

270 CHAPTER SEVEN STORYTELLING

 ABERRANT
Dream Sequences
Admittedly,althougha dream sequence can be a
particularlyvividstorytellingdevice, youhaveto becare-
ful howyou use it. Eventhe best-laid, most masterfully
crafted story is goingto cause resentment in its audi-
ence if it ends with"...and then he wokeup and realized
it was alljust a dream." But if you avoidthis trap, you
can wringa lot of dramaout of a well- playeddreamse-
quence.
Sucha scene can be shared by all the characters,
or specificto onlyone. The playerstakethe rolesof their
characters, or sometimesoutlandish parodiesof them-
selves. Even if only one character is doing the actual
dreaming, the other playerscan still participate (either
playingtheir characters in the dreamer's dreamscape,
or other "supportingcast" in the dream).
Althoughthe dreamsequencecan be broughton as
a key elementof the plot - the comic booksare thick
with villains who've hookedtheir captive nemesesup to
"dream machines" - it is usuallyless of an obstacle
that mustbe overcomeand moreof a meansof provid-
ing the playerswith insight.Of course, you can always
up the emotional stakes in such a scene - havingthe
characters dream about losingtheir powers, or losing
control of their powers, is a commonenough theme.
However , to makethis evenmoreeffective, youcancom-
binethe characters' insecurities withsomerelevantplot
twist. For instance, maybeCG. Crescendo, the media
icon, has a horrible dream about losinghis movie-star
girlfriendto a facelessstalker whilehe's powerlessand
invisible, unableto preventthe murder. Onceyou begin
the game, youcan introducean antagonist that has even
a tinyresemblanceto the dreamstalker, or havehis girl-
friend mentionthat somefanhasgottenholdof her home
phonenumber- and then watchCrescendosweat.
Of course, the dream proper doesn't even have to
belongto one of the characters.The charactersmightall
be"gueststars" in a Storytellercharacter's dreams,play-
ingsome role that stresses their relationship to the un-
knowndreamer. Forexample, maybea right-wing evan-
gelist has a horrible nightmarein whichthe characters
appearas devilish versionsof themselves.Thistechnique
canreallyunsettlethe players, althoughyoushouldprob-
ably use it only whenyou're sure they'll enjoy the in-
sightstheygain andnot try to havetheir charactersabuse
the informationthey wouldn'tlogicallyhave access to.
Of course, there's more than one way to make such a
revelation.
CHAl'ltRSl:-VtN
Meanwhile •••
Noteverysceneinthe story hasto involvethe char-
acters. Comicbooks, movies,novelsand all mannerof
stories abound with scenes in whichthe protagonists
aren't involved. For instance, we might see the scene,
20 years before, where the science lab noticed there
was something strangelywrongwith the test-tube ba-
bies they were growing. Similarly, the scene mightshift
to the antagonist'sAlpine bungalow , where he carefully
explainshis plot to his henchmen(and, likelyexecuting
one of them for incompetencealongthe way).
Althoughsuch scenes can be essential for helping
the audienceunderstandthe wholestory, they're rather
trickier to implementin a roleplayinggame. After all, if
you show the playersthe scene where the villainhides
the bombunderthe ballpark's press box, roleplaying the
search for the bomb is meaningless. Never use such a
sceneto givethe playersinformationthat youwantthem
to figureout for themselves.
Naturally,you probablyalso want your playersto
handleany information gained honorably- don't show
themthe cartel hit that killedBorgia'sfianceif youthink
they might abusethat informationin trying to negotiate
with her. But if they're ready for it, go ahead and use
this technique. Eventhoughthe charactersmightnot be
fullyinformedby the end of the story, the playersmay
wellbe "fat and happy" for having seen the entirety of
the story itself.
Parallel Stories
Somethinglikea flashbackand somethinglikethe
"Meanwhile ..." trick, parallelstories are another inter-
estingwayfor the playersto step out of their usualroles
for a while. In a parallelstory, nobodyplays the same
characters; onlythe themeremainsthe same. Usuallythe
parallelstory's protagonists are created by the Story-
teller, in order to best showcaseother elementsof the
mainstory. For instance, if the usualgangof characters
is busyingthemselvesin a prolongedstrugglewith the
HeavenThunderTriad, perhapsthe parallelstory might
depictHongKongnativesundergoingtheir ownstruggle
with a different cell. As the two stories progress, the
playerslearnmoreaboutthe interconnected, almostin-
cestuousnature of the tong.
Naturally , the lure of the parallelstory is the vast
amountof unchartedterritory that it can explore. The
playerscan see things they wouldn't otherwisesee with
their normalcharacters, and there are boundto be sur-
prises aplenty. To be sure, this isn't a techniqueto over-
use, but if you're willing to put in the work to craft the
occasionalparallelstory,youcan makeyour story allthe
richer.
SIORYlflllNG t'/ 1
 ABERRANT
Foreshadowing
It's a commontrick, and a good one. Foreshadow-
ing is the art of carefullyplacingcertain elementsin the
story early on that alludeto what's to come. This isn't
the same thing as revealinga surprise - rather, it's a
trick to buildsuspense. When a playwrightplaces a gun
inActOne,SceneOne,the audienceautomaticallyknows
that gun is going to get used at some point during the
story. However,they don't know when,or on whom-
and thus anticipationand suspenseare created. The au-
dience is at the playwright's- or in this case, the
Storyteller's- mercy. Theyaren't going to findout the
specifics until it's the right time, no matter how much
they speculateon the outcome. The timingis what'skey
here, not the surprise itself.
The mainthingto rememberwhenusingforeshad-
owingis to be subtle.Don'toverusethe gimmick,or your
stories willbecomepredictable;similarly,don't makethe
cluestoo obvious,or there won'tbe anysuspense. lf your
players pick up on the hints, that's great; if they don't,
they'llbe surprisedby the plot twist rather than the tim-
ing.Youwineither way.
Repetition
Byrepetition we don't meanalwaysusingthe word
"sultry" to describe each and every one of the female
charactersyour playersencounter. Rather, repetition is
a subtle way of enforcing a story's continuity. Again,
subtlety is a key element; it doesn't haveto be anything
more outrageousthan a recurringseries of green neon
signs (not even necessarilyadvertisingthe same thing)
or multiplebackgroundradios tuned to the same oldies
channel.This elementcan be powerful,and it's a favor-
ite of manyfilmmakerstoday.Maybethose neon signs
get your playerssubconsciouslythinkingabout money.
Maybethe oldies songs makesthe veteran nova in the
group feel old.
Once your players pick up on the repeated ele-
ments, the fun increases. They're very likelyto get para-
noid about the whole thing. Why exactlydo their con•
tacts and hired thug nemesesalikehave empty Pompeii
Pizzaboxessomewherenearby? ls there somethingabout
the localfranchisethey shouldknow? Maybethere's a
greater conspiracyat workhere!
Well,probablynot. But it's certainlyworth it to get
them thinking.
772 OiAPT[R SEVEN STORYTELLING
When It All Goes to
Hell
lt happens even to the best games: Sometimesthe
playersgo berserk, the die rollsget so improbablethey'd
get your group thrown out of Vegasand you find your
game spinningrapidly out of control. What do you do
then?
The first thing to remember,of course, is that it's
not just your game - the gamebelongsto you and all
the players, andyou're all there to havea good time. It's
unfairto force all the playersto adhere to your visionof
Aberrant if they havea differentone; ifyour playersare
psychedto playa rollicking,high-spirited,white-knight
T2M series, it's in poor form to force them to play
Aberrants on the run from the sinister Project Utopia
and its Proteus pitbulls.
That said,youshouldn't let the majorityalwaysbully
you into doingtheir will.Mostgoodstoriesrequires that
somethinggoes againstthe characters,and not allplay-
ers appreciate high adversity. lf the players were in
charge,noneof their characterswouldeverget captured,
die or even be slightlyembarrassed. (Well,it isn't true of
allgroups,but if youknowthat your playersare the kind
to put their characters in losingsituationsfor the ben-
efit of the story, you probably don't need this advice
anyway.)
Ultimately , you have to balance the requirements
of a good story with the desires of the players. lf the
players really want to killDivisMal and take over the
Teragen, maybethey'd havea good time in the process
- but anystory after somethingthat dramaticand im-
probablewouldhave to be insanelygreat, or else it's a
letdown.Worse, sometimesthrougha mixtureof luckand
skill, the playerskillthe villainin Act One (or achievea
success or failurethat's similarlyanticlimactic) . At this
point,you have one of two options - proceed on and
improvise,allowingthemthat victory(whichis difficult,
but it sometimesleads to even better stories), or cheat.
What do you do?
The first thingto keep in mindis that playersare a
creativelot,andyoucan't alwaysanticipate their actions.
Whenyou work up the plot for a story, thinkabout the
different directions each scene couldgo. Dothe players
interrogate the cartel hoodlum, or do they waste him
without asking questions? Howdo you get them to the
next scene in either case? Willthe next scene have to
change - for instance,willthey wind up goingto the
ski resort instead of the luxuryliner? lf you do some
 ABERRANT
preparationahead of time and plan at least a little for
your players' creativity, you won't be caught as flat-
footedwhenthey do somethingcompletelyunexpected.
Cheatingis unfairby nature, but it's not as unfor-
givablein roleplayinggamesas it is in competition.The
differenceis that youshouldn'tcheat to makeyour play-
ers lose- youshouldcheat onlyif it wouldgreatly im-
provethe story. Allowthem the majorityof their victo-
ries, but if somethinghappens that wouldgreatly alter
the focus of the story (they obliterate the Sons of
Astaroth with one luckyshot to the fusion generator
before discoveringthat one of the Sons is a traitor who
can guide them to the series' climaticshowdown),it's
probablyokay to fudge things just a little. Eventhen,
don't take their effort.s completelyawayfrom them; let
them cut a more modest swath of destruction, maybe
destroyingone or two of the Sons out of hand and se-
verelywoundingthe traitor.
Bear inmindthat it'salsookayto cheat forthe play-
ers - somethingthat rarely happens in competitive
games,but whichis also fine here. A flukydie roll has
just killeda character throughno faultof his own,with-
out even the opportunityfor a dramaticdeath scene'?
Rollsome extra dice behindthe screen, put on a grave
CHAPTERSEVEN STORYTELLING
expressionand break the bad news of the character's
severe injury and poor luck. Just don't tell them what
the dice had dictated; it's reallynone of their business,
anyway. Who's in charge of keepingthe story running
smoothlyand entertainingly , anyway,youor the dice'?
Of course,the mostequitablewayto cheat - and
one of our favorites- is to balanceeverythingout. So
youfudgeda die rollto keep the player's romanticinter-
est alive'?The next timethingsgo ea.sy for her in a tight
situation,have them get a little more tense. Fudgeda
HeavenThunderenforcer'sdodge rollto keep him alive
untilthe finalshowdown '?That'sfine; havehimdo poorly
on another roll whenthe showdownoccurs. What goes
aroundcomesaround.
The best storytellingis a mixtureof preparation
and improvisation,the exact proportionsof whichare
best left to the Storytellerto define. Evenif your first
few stories stick in places and don't go completely
smoothly,don't give up; storytellingis a skillthat only
improveswithpractice. Beforelong,you'llbe stirringup
subplotsand launchingthe playersintoorbit at the drop
of a hat. Besides,it's not like putting in your hours of
practice isn't any fun, right'?
2 73
 APPENDIX
Weapons
Manynovaspossessmorefirepowerthanan entire
platoonof heavilyarmedsoldiers. The followinglists of
weaponryare presented for those novaswhochooseto
outfit themselveswith standard weaponsin additionto
their quantumpowers. The Storyteller can also outfit
antagonistswith weaponsfrom this list, givinghuman
opponents at least a small chance against the
superenhancednovas.
The chartslistweaponsas generictypesrather than
specificmodelsor namebrands.The charts also list the
damageeach weaponinflictsand whetherthat damage
is bashing(B) or lethal(L).
Me le e Weapons
MeleeCOYef'Sall1TBY1er ofclose-COODat
weaporry .This
categoryalsoC<M!f'S itemsthatmaynotbeintendedforcom-
bat,yetgettfrowninthemixbydesperateattacker..
• Automobile : Whentwo heavyweightnovasduke
it out on a city street, the most convenient,effective
melee weaponis the car. The overallsize of a common
vehiclemakesit a highlyaccurate weapon, able to hit
multipletargets in one swipe. It mayalsobe thrownand
(if it's largeenough)employedas an area attack. Occa-
sionally,trucksandbusescomeintoplay,withappropri-
ately adjusteddamagemodifiers.
• Ax:.Most modern-dayaxes chop firewood. In
combat the reinforced-steelblade, attached to a one-
meter-longhandle,makesan effectiveoffensiveweapon.
• Olain: Whetheran improvisedweaponor one de-
signedfor a martialartist, the chain is a painfulweapon
whenused againstbaselines.
• Club: Just about any bluntobject can be consid-
ered a club. Chairs, lumberand glassbottles all fallinto
thiscategory. Largerobjectsmakeexcellentclubsas well.
Urbannovasoccasionallywield lampposts, whiletrees
are effectivein the wild.
• Knife: Anyedged weaponlessthan50 cmlongis
considereda knife.
• Sword : Not very popularas a modern form of
defense,the swordremainsin use by enthusiasts, mar-
tial artists and certain unorthodoxnovas.

Melee Weapons Chart

WeaponType Damage Sb-Min Sb-Max Conceal Mass Cost
Automobile Str + 6/IOdlOB Mega• Mega• • • N 1mton • •
Ax Str + 4d10 L •• ••••• N 3 kg •
Cham Str + 5d10 B • Mega• P 2.5 kg •
Club Str + 4d10 B • ••••• T 1kg •
Lamppost Str + 6/IOdlOB Mega• Mega•• N 100 kg • •
Knife Str + 2d10L • ••••• J 0.5 kg •
Staff Str + 6d10 B •• ••••• N 3 kg •
Sword Str + SdlOL ••• Mega• T 3 kg ••
Tree Str + 6/IOdlOB Mega• Mega• • • N 0.5 mtons•
Truck Str + 7/12d10B Mega• • Mega• • • • N 10 mtons • • • •
Damage: Indicatesthe damage dice poolfor the weapon.Nonstandardweapons(e.g.. automobiles)have two damage
codes: the lower levelshouldbe applied to normalswings;the higher levelis appliedwhen the nova swingsat full force,
wreckingthe vehiclein the process.
Sb-Min: Indicatesthe minimumStrength required to use the weaponm question. Characterswhodo not possess the
1nd1catedlevelof Strength simplycannot use the weaponeffectively.
Sb-Max:Indicatesthe maximumStrength at whichthe weaponcan effectivelybe used. Characterswithhigherlevelsof
Strength than indicatedwillbreak the weaponon its first use, thoughthey can ~pull" their blowsto the Str Max{reducing
damagedice poolsaccordingly}in order not to breakthe weapon.
Co11cealme11t: P • Canbe earned in a pocket;J • Canbe hiddenin a jacket; T • Canbe hiddenunder a trenchcoat;N •
Cannotbe hiddenon a person at all.
Mass: Indicatesthe massof the weaponin kilogramsor metrictons.
Cost: Representsthe valueof the weaponin Resourcedots.
 ABERRANT

Ranged Weapon s duct a massive jolt of electricity. The weapon is used

Rangedweaponsincludefirearms,archaicranged
weaponsand newweaponrydevelopedsince the advent
of novas. As with melee weapons, ranged weaponsare
listed in terms of generic categories rather than brand
names.
• Revolver. The first modernhandgun, these fire-
arms havebecomeoutdated by the modernclip-loaded
pistol.They'restillreadilyavailableon the streets of most
moderncities.
• Pistol: Modernpistolshaveovercomeearlyjam-
mingproblemsand nearly replaced their predecessor,
the revolver. A standard amonglaw-enforcementoffi-
cials.
• RiAe: Highlyaccurate, even at long range, the
rifle remains the hunter's number-onechoice. Military
and law-enforcementunits use rifles to take downdan-
gerous opponentsat longrange.
• Flechette Riffe:The flechetterifle is a highlyex-
perimentalmagneticallychargedweaponcombiningthe
automaticfire of machineguns with the spray effect of
shotguns. This lightweightweapon, availableonlyto the
militaryor on the black market, fires a deadlyspray of
depleted uraniumfragmentsat ultra-highspeed.
• Taser: The taser fires two smalldarts that con-
throughoutthe worldto subdueopponentswithoutcaus-
ing permanentdamage.
• Machine gun:Capableof firingmultipleroundsin
seconds, these weaponsvary from handheldsemiauto-
maticsubmachineguns (SMGs)to high-calibervehicu-
lar-mountedmilitaryvariety.
• Shotguns:Deadlyat short range, shotgunsre-
leasea spray of lethalpelletsthat lose potencywithdis-
tance. Multiple versionsexist, includingpumpactionand
twin-gauge.
• Thro wnobject Mega-strongnovasoften uproot
and throwlargeobjectsat their foes. The varietyof po-
tentialthrownobjects1stoo vast for categorization. Most
objectsinflictStr damage(which,inthe caseof novaswith
Mega-Strength, 1sconsiderable), thoughsome objects
mightinflictless(brittleobjects)or more(aerodynamicor
particularlydense objects). See "Throwing," p. 236, for
information on range. Mostobiectsinflictbashingdamage,
thoughsharpor edgedobjectsinflictlethal.
Note that most thrown objects inflict about the
same amountof damage; after all, a Mega-Strongnova
can throwa mailboxor a car, but the mailboxwillimpact
with muchgreater velocity. The primary advantage of
large thrownobjects (likeautomobiles)1sthat they can
be treated as area attacks.

Ranged Weapons Chart

Type Ace Damage Range Mnv RoF Clip Cone Mass Cost
Revolver,Lt. 0 4d10 L 50 MsTw 2 6 p 0.5 •
Revolver.Hvy. 0 5d10 L 50 MsTw 2 6 J 0.5 ••
Pistol,Lt. 0 4dl0 L 50 AfMsT w 4 17+ I p 0.5 •
Pistol,Hvy. 0 5d10 L 50 Af MsTw 3 7+ 1 J 0.5 ••
RiAe +2 8d10 L 200 n/a 1 5+ 1 N 3 ••
FlechetteRifle +1 6d10 L 35 Ms St 5 40 J 1 ••••
Taser O 6d10 8 20 Tw 1 20 J 1.5 ••
SMG. Small O 6d10 L 50 AfMsSaSITw4
0 40 J 2.5 ••
SMG,Large O 7d10 L 50 AfMsSaSITw45 50 N 3 •••
Shotgun +5 6d10 L 30 Ms 2 8+1 T 3 ••
1lrownObject 0 (Sir~. Spec. n/a I n/a n/a Spec. n/a
+/-1-3)
~ Accuracyindicatesthe numberof dice added to the shooter's dice pool.
Damage:Indicatesthe damagedice pool for the weapon.
Range:
This gives the practical shot range in meters.
Mnv:Maneuvershsts the special attacks available to the weapon. Effects of these maneuversare hsted in the
C~t section. Af • AutomaticFire, Ms • Multiple Shots, Sa • Sem1a
utomat1cburst, St - Strafing,Tw • TwoWeapons.
, Cover
A1m111g , CoverFire and Reloading applyto all weapons.
Raf:This represents the numberof shots that can be made 111 one turn of combat.
C1ip:The numberof shots a guncan hold.
Cone:Concealabihtyof the weapon. P • Canbe carried ina pocket; J • Canbe hidden111 a Jacket;T - Canbe hidden
under
a trenchcoat; N • Cannot be hidden on a person at all.
Mass: Theweapon'smass 111 kilograms.
Cost:Representsthe valueof the weaponin Resource dots.
 ABERRANT

Heav y W eap o ns fective against both armored and unarmoredpersons,

Mostordinary, personalweaponryhas littlechance
of harminga fully powered nova. The military on the
other hand, has had decades of practicedevelopingmu-
nitions capableof killinglargegroupsof peopleor heavily
armoredopponents.The followinglistof weaponsshould
be availableonlyto m,l,tarypersonnel, governmentagen-
cies or well-connectedcriminals.
Likemanynovapowers, these weaponsoften have
damageadds. Damagembrackets[ ] representsthe num-
ber of automatichealth levelsof damageinflictedby the
attack before a character appliessoak.
• 30mmcannon: A vehicle-mounted , belt-fed ma-
chine gun, the 30mm cannon uses armor-penetrating
ammunitionto punchthroughtank armor.
• 105mmgun: The 105mmgun represents typical
tank armament.
• Antitank Missile:The antitank missilecan be a
portable, shoulder-launchedtank-killer or a vehicle-
mountedguidedmissile. The portable versionstend to
be both less accurateand less powerful.
• Artillery:The classicsupportweaponof the mod-
ern military, artillery pieces, such as the howitzer,can
levelbuildings, collapsebridges and even knock novas
off of their feet.
• Flamethrower.A backpack-mountedtank car-
ries three canisters of napalmand a rifle-likenozzle Fo-
cuses the spray of flame. Flamethrowersare highlyef-
as armor tends to conduct the intenseheat. The napalm
continues to burn for severalturns (halving,ts damage
dice poolevery tum), and it is hard to extinguish.
• Grenade Launcher: Availableonlyto the military
and lawenforcement,grenade launchersare capable of
firinga varietyof explosivesor gas grenades. The dam-
age this weaponinflictsvarieswiththe ammunitionused
(see the Grenade Chart}.
• Mortar:A portable, indirect-fire weapon, the
mortar is a commonfield artillery piece used by most
armies today. While the most commonshellsare frag-
mentationor armor-piercing,the mortar can also fire
gas or smokegrenades.
• PortableLaser.Condensedpower packs have
made two-man laser units possiblefor the military. In
the field, one soldiercarries a two-wayradio whilethe
other carries the actuallaser. Bothsoldierscarry a cum-
bersome,rechargeablepowerpacks. Designedunderthe
auspiceof an antitankweapon, portable lasers have al-
ready seen use againstnovas.
• Surface-to-AirMissile: The surface-to-air mis-
sile (SAM) is designedto destroy enemyaircraft using
"fire-and-forget trackingtechnology.The missilescan
lock onto their targets with radar or the target s own
heat signature. As with the antitank missile,SAMscan
be portableor vehicle-mounted,withthe samevariance
in power,range and accuracy.

Heavy Weapons Chart

Type Ace Damage Range RoF Capacity Mass Cost
30mmcannon 0 8dlOL[5] 800 21 100 50 ••••
105mmgun +2 15dl0 L [10] 1200 1 I Special •••••
Antitank,portable 0 lOdlOL [8] 200 1 1 10 •••
Antitank.vehicle +4 12d10L [10] 2500 1 8 120 ••••
Artillery -2 20d10 L [15] lOm1les 1 1 3 mtons •••••
Flamethrower +4 IOdlOL/turn 10 I 30 100 •••
GrenadeLauncher -2 Varies 400 I 1 12 •••
Mortar -2 IOdlOL [8] 1300 1 1 100 •••
PortableLaser +2 13d10L [12] 1000 1 10 100 •••••
SAM, portable +2 12dl0L [12] 4km 1 I 50 ••••
SAM,vehicle +4 ISdlOL [15] 40km 1 4 3 mtons ••••••
Ace:Accuracy1nd1catesthe numberof dice addedto the shooter's dtce pool.
Damage:Indicatesthe damagedice poolfor the weapon. The rating in brackets indicatesthe numberof auto-
maticdamagesuccesses the weaponreceivesagainsthuman-sizedtargets. This bracketedrating also reduces the
armor rating on armoredvehiclesor supertoughnovas.
Range: This givesthe practicalshot range in meters.
Rof:This represents the numberof shots that can be madein one tum of combat.
Capacity: The numberof shots a gun can hold.
Mass:The weapon's mass m kilograms.
Cost:Represents the valueof the weaponin Resourcedots.
 ABERRANT

Grenades Armor
Grenadesare the mostportableexplosives,and they While novas tend to be tougher than normal hu-
are used for both antipersonnel and antitank attacks. mans, there is no guaranteethey willdevelopexceptional
Advancedgrenadesare designed to carry tear gas, Aash physical defenses. Armor provides protection from
powder, concussiveexplosivesor evendeadly hot white physicalharm wheneither baselinesor novascome mto
phosphorus. The grenades listedhere can be hurled,set conflictwith one another. Armor tends to be bulkyand
by handor fired from a grenade launcher. therefore obviousto casualbystanders,as wellas a hin-
drance to movement.Mostheavyarmor is availableonly
to militaryor law-enforcementpersonnel.As withweap-
Grenade Chart onry, developments111 anti-nova defenses have led to
Type Damage Special enhancedarmor for dealingwith aberrant threats.
Fragmentation 8d10 L Fulldamageto all Armor ratings are split between protection from
targets with111 three bashingand lethalattacks. Armormayalso be limitedto
meters, half damage a certain part of the body, as noted.
to six meters from • Reinforced Oothing:Althoughit provides only
ground zero. minimalprotection, every attempt is made to makethis
Shapedcharge IOdl0L [8] No blast effect. armor resemblenormalclothing.
Tear Gas 4d10 B Seetear gas (p. 280) . • ArmoredT-shirt: Made from light,flexiblema-
Concussive 6dl0 B Fulldamageto all terial, an armored T-shirt can easilybe hidden under a
targets withinthree jacket or normalclothing.
meters half damage • KevlarVest:Standard police issue, the Kevlar
between three vest reduces the penetratingpowerof bulletsand other
meters andsix projectiles. Althoughan expert could spot it, the vest
meters from ground can be hiddenunder a coat.
zero. • FlakJacket: Military-issueprotection designed
Flash 2dl0B Blindstarget (as to prevent explosivesfrom harmingthe wearer.
Strobe •• ). • FullRiot Gear:This suit covers the body com-
White Phosphorus 8dl0 L Continuousdamage, pletely fromhead to toe, includinga handheldshieldand
halvedevery tum helmet.
after the first. • BombSquad Armor:This armor is specifically
Chaff 0 Disruptselectromc designedfor bomb-disposalunitsand is the highestpro-
sensors (as tection available to civilianorganizations.
Cyberkines1s• ). • Advanced BodyArmor: Anenhancedversionof
fullriot gear, BodyArmor is an environmentallysealed,
electrically insulated, steel-reinforced body suit. The
armor provides enough oxygen for 30 minutes when
sealed.

Armor Chart
Class Bashing Lethal Protection Penalty Conceal Cost Destruction
Reinforced Cloth111g 0 2 Fullbody 0 •• 8
Armored T-shirt 2 1 Torso 0 J •• 8
KevlarVest 2 3 Torso I T ••• 10
FlakJacket 4 4 Torso.arms 1 N ••• 12
FullRiot Gear 5 5 FullBody 2 N •••• 12
BombSquadArmor 6 5 FullBody 2 N •••• 13
AdvancedBodyArmor 6 6 FullBody 2 N ••••• 15
Bashing: The armor's soak versus bash1119attacks.
Lethal:The armor's soak versus lethalattacks.
Protection: The coverageprovidedby the armor.
Penalty:Eachdie of penalty subtracts one die from any Dexterity-basedd1eepool due to bulkiness.
Concealment: P • Canbe earned in a pocket; J • Canbe hiddenin a jacket; T • Canbe hiddenunder a trenchcoat:
N • Cannotbe hidden on a person at all.
Cost:Represents the valueof the weapon111 Resourcedots.
Destruction:If an attack 111A1cts
this manydamagesuccessesor greater, the armor 1sdestroyed.
• Reinforced clothingpasses for normalattire except under met1eulousexamination.
 ABERRANT

Vehicles on a heavy-duty suspensionpulledby a powerfulen-

In terms of design, speed and power, the modern
car has not changed muchover the last decade. When
speaking of efficiency, however, the automobile has
changed dramatically. Hypercombustionengines have
drasticallyreduced pollutionand decreased the deple-
tion of natural resources. Electricaland solar-powered
cars havebecomemore popular, but they remaina small
percentage of civiliantransportation.
Vehicles,becauseof their sizeand metalconstruc-
tion, provide a certain amountof protection to those in
or behind them. Damage shouldbe soakedby the vehicle
before hitting any passengers.
• Cars: The standard mode of transportation for
most industrial and postindustrial countries, the car
comes in a multitudeof shapes and sizes. The sports car
stands out as the top performance model available for
speed and maneuverability.
• Motorcycles :Capableof tight maneuvering,mo-
torcycles can often go places inaccessibleto automo-
biles. Motorcyclesare a popularchoiceamongnovaswith
no movement advantages.
• Trocks:Trucksformthe backboneof cargotrans-
portationin any moderncountry. Eachcarriesbulkyloads
gine.
• PropPlanes:Prop planes vary in size from light
personalaircraft to heavy commercialversions.
• JetAircraft:Available only to corporations,the
wealthyor the government,jets are the standard means
of long-distance travel. Commercialversions are de-
signed for either cargo or passengers. Militaryplanes
carry a variety of armamentsfor various combat func-
tions.
• MilitaryJet Aircraft: The backbone of modern
armed forces, military jets filla variety of roles, includ-
ing close ground support, long-rangebombing,recon-
naissanceand intercontinental nuclear deterrence. For
simplicity, militaryjets are divided between bombers
(long-range, ground-attackvehicles)and fighters(high-
speed interceptors).
• Helicopters :An increasinglycommonsightin ur-
ban environments, helicopterscan access any location
withtheir verticaltakeoff and landingcapabilities. Most
hospitals,policedepartments and newscrews haveac-
cess to helicopters.
• MilitaryHelicopters: Militaryhelicopterssport
high-calibermachineguns and antitank missiles. Close

Vehicle Chart
Vehicle SafeSpeed MaxSpeed Maneuver Passengers Amwx Cost
Compactcar 100 180 5 3 2 ••
M1ds1ze car 150 250 6 4 3 ••
Large car 150 280 5 5 4 •••
Sports car 200 420 6 2 2 ••••
Motorcycle 180 280 8 2 0 •
Smalltruck 125 200 5 2 3 •••
Large truck 100 200 4 2 4 ••••
Smallprop plane 220 340 5 4 2 •••
Large prop plane 540 760 3 40 5 ••••
Jet aircraft 700 900 4 20 6 •••••
Fighter 700 Mach3 7 2 3 [7] •••••
Bomber 600 Mach2 5 5 3 [10] ••••••
Helicopter 300 500 7 20 3 ••••
Militaryhelicopter 360 600 9 2-8 3 [8] •••••
Personnelearner 60 90 3 16 5 [10] •••••
Urbanassault vehicle 80 120 4 5 5 [10] •••••
Mambattle tank 60 90 2 4 6 [12] •••••
SafeSpeed: Indicatesthe safest possiblespeed (in kilometersper hour) at whichto perform maneuversin the vehicle.
MaxSpeed: The highestpossiblespeed (in kilometersper hour) for the vehicle. Maneuversare extremelydifficult, if not
impossible,at this speed.
Maneuver: The maximumdice pool allowableby the vehicletype. Penalties(i.e., damagepenalties)shouldbe appliedto
the character's dice pool before limitingthe pool by the maneuverrating.
PassMgen: The normalseating capacity of the vehicle.
Armor: The protection afforded to passengersof the vehicle. Damageshouldbe soakedby the vehiclebefore h,ttmgany
passengers. The rating m brackets 1nd1catesthe minimumnumberof damagesuccesses required to penetrate the vehicle's
armor. This rating is reduced by the damageadd indicatedForheavy weaponsor novaattacks.
CostRepresents the valueof the weaponm Resourcedots.
support and personneldeploymentare their mainroles
on the battlefield.
• PersonnelCarrier.An armored car or treaded
vehiclecapableof sustaininga lot of damage. Bothmili-
tary and law-enforcementversionsexist.
• UrbanAssaultVehicle:Changesin locallaw-en-
forcementprioritiesand increasesin terrorismhaveled
to the need for higherfirepowerin urbanenvironments.
As an alternative to martial law and its accompanying
bad PR, manylarge-citypoliceforces haveacquiredthis
minitankfor dealingwithparticularlydangerousthreats.
• MainBattleTank:Everygovernmentcapableof
sustaininga modernarmy owns variousversionsof the
tank. A treaded vehicle,the tank can take its heavy ar-
mamentinto almostany terrain or situation. Heavyar-
mor protects its smallcrew and payload.
Optional Rule: Vehicles as
"Extras"
Vehiclecombatcan take sometimeto resolvewhen
all craft have eight structural levels. lf the Storyteller
wants to makevehiclecombatfast paced, craft that are
ins1gnif1cant to the plot should be assigned only four
structurallevels[Dented-1,Breached -3, Brokendown
and Demolished].Suchvehiclesare usedto create cin-
ematic effect, are piloted by namelessgoons, and are
under the direction of the powerfulforces whomthe
characters are after.
The Storytellermayalsowish to take thingsa step
further.givingsmallcraft fourstructurallevelswhenbat-
tling significantlylarger vehicles (e.g., a motorcycle
againsta tank, or a fighter planeagainsta battleship).

Vehicle 1
Damage
Everyvehiclehas eight structural levels,muchlike
your character has healthlevels. Asa vehicletakes dam- at Breachedor lower must be taken to an appropriate
age, its structuralintegrityis reduceduntilit is destroyed maintenancefacilityto haveaccess to necessaryrepair
(and may blowup in the process). A vehicle'sperfor- equipment.
manceis reduced as it takes damage. Recoveringeachstructurallevelrequiresa success-
The chart belowlists structural levels, along with ful Engineeringroll. The repair times listed below are
vehicles'relative status at each level.The dice penalty cumulative . A Dentedvehicletakesfourhoursto fix, while
listedis subtracted fromyour character's Driving/Pilot - a Smashedvehicletakes almosta day to repair.
ing and Firearmsrolls, reflectingthe increasingdegree StructuralLevel Repair Time
of difficultyinvolvedinholdingthe vehicleon courseand Scraped One hour
getting its systems to respond. These modifiersapply Dented Three hours
until repairs are made. Vehicledamage is noted with a Battered Sixhours
"X," as with lethaldamage. Smashed 12hours
Structural Level Dice PenaltyDescription Breached One day
Scraped 0 Slight scoringand dents; Wrecked Three days
nothingsignificant. Brokendown One week
Dented -l Minor structural dam- Demolished It's scrap remember?
age; not seriouslyimpaired. If repairsare madeusingsuperiorskill(4 Engineer-
Battered -l Serious structural dam- ingrating)andequipment, repair timeis movedone cat-
age; top speed is limitedto cruisingspeed. egory higher on the repair chart (to a minimumof one
Smashed -2 Significant damage; hour).
cruisingspeed is halved.
Breached -3 Structurallyunsoundthe Poisons a nd Drugs
vehicleis a death trap. Novaphysiologyhas opened new doors for scien-
Wrecked -4 OnlybasicsystemsFune- tists. Not onlyhaveold ideas of humanmaximumpoten-
tion; speed is minimal. tial been disproved, but a new species of humanityhas
Brokendown The craft is one step emerged. Novabiologyproduces new hormonesnever
from beingscrap metal.It cannot perform any maneu- before seen insidethe humanbodyor anywhereelse on
vers and has no power. Earth for that matter. The medicaluses for suchchemi-
Demolished The vehicleisdestroyedcompletely cals seem limitlesswhen applied to normalhumansys-
(the Storytellermayhaveit disintegrate,explodeor sim- tems.
ply fallapart). On the darker side, a new black market has also
emerged to exploit these new drugs. Drugcartels, still
Repairing Vehicle Damage makinga tidy profit traffickingin narcotics, realizethe
A craft mustbe repaired before it returns to prime vast potential of nova drugs and their derivatives.
workingcondition. Fixinga vehicle'sstructural damage Throughbriberyor coercion, organizedcrimesyndicates
takes time,toolsandappropriateparts. Minimal damage have hired biologists to explore the most profitable
may be repaired using existingparts, but damage be- abuses of nova-createdchemicals.
yondBattered requires replacementmaterials. Vehicles For their part, certain novas have created a new

APPENDIX 279
 ABERRANT

marketdemandfor drugs powerfulenoughto overcome Antidote: Antidotes are notoriously ineffective

their high metabolismrates and enhanced tolerances. againstnervegas, as it affects the victimso quickly.They
Combinations of cocaineandsyntheticnovasteroidshave are madestrictlyto helpvictimsof accidentalexposure.
been the vanguardsof this blossomingindustry,but a
true narcoticfor novashas yet to be perfected.
Amphetamines and Cocaine
Description: Highly addictive drugs used
The military,neverto be left out, has usedthe stud-
recreationallyon all levelsof society. Cocaineand am-
ies t.o create virulentnewpoisons.Rumorspersistof top-
phetaminesused to be the most profitable controlled
secret militaryresearch investigatingnerve gases and
poisonscapableof subduingnovas. Also, leaks in the in- substanceson the marketuntil the advent of nova-de-
telligencecommunityhave pointed to genetic research riveddrugs.Recently,a highlypotent synthetic amphet-
to replicate nova physiologyin baselines. The truth of aminecalled"spike"has been makingthe roundsamong
these rumors,as wellas their successor failure,remains clubkids and the junkieset.
a mystery.
Vector.Inhaledor swallowed
Notethat allnovasare very resistantto mostdrugs.
Effect:These drugs makethe user excitedand hy-
When ingestingnormal, non nova-specificdrugs, the peractive. In this state, the user usuallyfeels superior,
player of a nova may (in fact, must) make a standard even invincible. The drugs provide no game mechanic
bonus,but after the effect wearsoff (one to three hours)
Resistance roll; even one success enables the nova to
the user willbe sluggishandtired.Reducethe character's
ignore the effects of the drug. Nova-specific drugs
(soma, adrenocilin,moxinoquantamine) have been de- Staminaby two for purposesof endurance.
signedto overcomethe novametabolism,thougha nova's Users of spikegain +2 to Initiativeand becomeei-
playermaymakea singleResistancerollat +2 difficulty ther euphoricor jittery and paranoid. Eachtimespikeis
taken,rollStamina;on a botch,the user immediately suf-
to purge these drugs from the nova'ssystem.
fers a heart attack.
Tear Gas Long-term effects include heart problems, high
Description : Tear gas is commonlyused by military blood pressure, paranoia and loss of judgment.These
and law-enforcementagents when killingthe opponent drugs are also highlyaddictive.
is not the maingoal.A grenade is launchedinto the tar- Antidote: Thoughnot an "antidote"perse, depres-
get area, where the cloudof noxiousfumes drives the sants counteract amphetamines'effects; mixingdrugs
victimsout of hiding. in this fashion,though,is highlydangerous.
Vector.Contactor inhaled
Effect:Severeeye irritation,coughingand gagging
Depressants
incapacitate the victim.All dice pools are reduced by Description: Commondepressants includealcohol
three dice for 10 minutesafter exposure. and barbiturates. Medicaldepressants are often pre-
Protection : A gas mask,similar breathingappara- scribed for individuals sufferingfrom hypertensionor
tus or other formsof self-containedbreathing(i.e., the who have difficultysleeping .
Adaptability enhancement)prevents the effects of the Vector. Swallowed or injected
gas.
Effects:Depressants suppress pain and thought
Antidote:None
functions, putting the user in a listless,lethargicstate.
Subtract two from all dice pools whileunder the influ-
Nerve Gas ence of these drugs.
Description: Military-gradepoisongases,the vari- Antidote: As depressants counteract amphet-
ous types of nerve gas are designedto killtheir victims amines' effects, so amphetaminesand other stimulants
quickly. Nerve gas typicallytargets the nervoussystem counteract depressants' effects; again, mixingthe two
or the brain directly,renderingthe target immobilebe- types of drugs is dangerousand just plainstupid.
fore killing.Evenlowdoses of nerve gas can be lethal.
Vector.Contactor inhaled
Hallucinogens
Effect:At lowconcentrations,nervegas causesone Description: Viewedby someas gatewaysto other
formsof consciousness,hallucinogensaffect the mind's
lethalhealth levelper minute,with no soak possible. At
higherdosages, the rate increasesto one healthlevelper abilityto maintaincontact with reality. Powerfuldoses
turn, againwithnosoakpossible. Nervegas typicallydis- can even cause full-environmenthallucinations .
orients the victim,reducingall dice poolsby three dice. Vector. Contact or inhaled
Protection: Nervegas can pass throughthe skinbut Effect:Lowerall dice poolsby one to three dice,
dependingon the strength of the dosage. Powerfulhal-
is mosteffectivewheninhaled. Gas maskspreventsome
forms of nerve gas, but more powerfultypes require a lucinogenscan producean effect similarto Mirage• • .
fullenvironmentsuit. Novaswith Mega-Stamina• • or The effects can last from one to six hours.
higherare unaffectedby most formsof nerve gas.

280 APPENDIX
 ABERRANT
Novasunder the influenceof powerfulhallucino- Whileadrenocilinis obtainableat any Rashoudfa-
gens have been knownto "accidentally"activate their cility,it is somewhataddictive(Willpowerroll to avoid
powers,unconsciouslytappingtheir M-R nodes. addictionif used morethan three timesa month). A nova
addicted to adrenocilinmust have the drug in her body
Mite at alltimes; otherwise, alluses of quantumpowersare at
Descript.ion:Extracted fromnovasteroids and de- +2 difficulty. Whileon adrenocilin,a nova is also some-
veloped from nova mitochondria,mite is a controlled what lethargicand passive (Willpowerrolls at + 1 diffi-
substance in the UnitedStates and manyother nations. culty). Other side effects mayexist as well.
Nonetheless, use of the drug to increase musclemass in ln baselines, adrenocilinis a deadly poison (each
athletes has become popular. The First World's current dose inflicts10 - Staminalevelsof lethal damage).
obsessionwithphysiqueand muscletoninghas skyrock- Antidote:Moxinoquantamine
eted the price of black-marketmite.
Vector:Injected Moxinoquantamine (Mox)
Effect:Mitehas the sameeffect on novasthat ste- Description: Often given to newlyerupted novas,
roids have on humans(increased body mass over time, moxinoquantamine isa regulatordrug that interfereswith
heart problem,sterility). Baselineswhoingestmite, how- signals fromthe M-Rnode. lt is thus used whentraining
ever, are overcomewith elation and orgasmicpleasure. novaswhohavelittle controlover their quantumpowers
Combinedwith a rigorous workout, mite can dramati- or novaswhowishto exerciseand train alreadyexisting
cally increase muscletissue to dangerous levels. Over- powers.
doses of miteare common,as the drug is stillnewto the Vector:Ingested
marketand highlyaddictive. Effect:Moxinoquantaminemakes it more difficult
After taking mite, a normalhuman'sStrength and for novas to use quantumpowers. Alluses of quantum
Mightare increased by one temporarily. Over several powers, includingMega-Attributes and enhancements,
months of continuoususe, the effects become perma- are at +2 difficulty. Additionally,any rollof 'T' or "2" is
nent. Shouldthe user continueto take mite, the effects treated as a botch; however,botched power rolls while
increasein a mathematicalprogressionuntilthe baseline's on moxdo not inflict temporary Taint.The effects last
Strength/ Mightskillrating reaches 10. At this point, the approximatelysix hours per dose.
baseline'smusclemasshas reached grotesque levels(-1 In baselines,moxis a deadlypoison(each dose in-
to Appearance,minimum1). Continueduse of the drug flicts 10 - Staminalevelsof lethaldamage).
at this point pushesthe humanto Mega-Strength1(and Ant.idote:Adrenocilin
a further -1 to Appearance), but each weekof use there-
after, the user must makea Staminaroll at + 1difficulty.
Soma
If she fails,she suffers immediateand total cardiac ar- Description:The normal adrenal gland creates
adrenochrome,one of the most powerfulchemicalsin
rest.
Gangbangershave discovered this drug to be an the humanbody. Chemicalsextracted from a nova's M-
effective weapon against rivals and police. Addicted R node are manytimes more potent. A baselineingest-
ingM-R hormones,whosestreet nameis soma,experi-
thugs, called"mitoids" lose control under stress, often
displayingtremendousfeats of strength and violence. A ences the most potent highpossible- if he survives.
mitoid who has reached Mega-Strength I often goes Somacan be producedonlythroughdirect extrac-
berserk when angered; whileberserk, he feels no pain tion from a livingnova's M-R node. The process always
and thus suffers no woundpenalties,but mindlesslyat- killsthe "donor." Obviously,the drug is extraordinarily
tacks his chosen target (or even his friends') untilsub- rare, and most peoplebelieveit to be nothingmore than
dued or killed. an urban legend.
Ant.idote:No knownantidote exists,but the effects
Vector:Swallowed
(good and bad) wear off graduallyif the user stops tak- Effect:Somakillsa baselineuser outrightunlesshe
ingthe drug. makes a Staminaroll at +I difficulty. The effects of the
drug overwhelmthe humansystem in a manner similar
Adrenocilin to a transplant rejection. ln this case, soma rejects the
Description: Exclusiveto Project Utopia'sRashoud frailhumanbody,destroyingit in the process.
facilities, adrenocilinis a drug given to newlyerupted Shouldthe user survive, she gainssome semblance
novas t.o help them control their powers. It also acts as of nova powers. Enhancedspeed and strength (Mega-
an effectivepaindeadener for the debilitatingheadaches Strength • , the Quicknessenhancement)are common
and other trauma commonto new quantum-channelers. to baselineusers. The effects for baselinesare tempo-
Vector:Ingested rary (four hours) but highlyaddictive.
Effect:Adrenocilin adds one die to any quantum Ingestedby a nova, somaadds one dot to allMega-
powerskilltotal. As a side effect, it lowerswoundpen- Attributes, enhancementsand quantumpowers.The ef-
alties by one. Effects last for four hours. fects last for four hours.

APPENDIX 281
 ABERRANT
When cut with cocaine, soma creates the only
known narcotic capable of consistently overcominga
nova's enhanced metabolism(treat as amphetamines/
cocaine, above). Again,rumorsamong the novacommu-
nity suggest that a few repulsiveepicures indulge, and
even traffic, in the drug.
Antidote:None
Red 7
Description:Military research laboratories have
managed to splice M- R node hormones with human
adrenalineto producea potent combat- enhancingdrug.
Safer and less powerfulthan soma, Red 7 increases the
recipient's physicalabilitiesbut has detrimentalside ef-
fects.
Vector.Injected
E.ffect:The recipient adds two to all PhysicalAt-
tributes (maximum5) for the one hour the drug lasts,
but he becomes prone to aggressive behavior. There is
an escalatingchance the drugwillkillthe user, beginning
at about fivepercent and increasingby fivepercent with
every dose.
Antidote: None, althougheffects wearoff withtime.
Henchmen
The players mightcome into conAictwith a wide
varietyof underlings used bycorporations, lawenforce-
ment,criminalgroupsor other organizations.Henchmen
are generic villainfodder who complicatethe charac-
ters' lives. They need not be describedin great detail, as
the heroes should handle them with ease. Henchmen
serve to fillout the forces of the antagonist and whittle
downthe players' quantumpoints before facingthe real
challenge.
Organized Crime
Mostorganizedcrimecartels havebeen eliminated,
but the four primarysurvivors haveconsolidated power
to become very strong indeed. Criminalcartels vary in
character and organization across the world. Fromthe
MedellinCartel in South Americato the HeavenThun-
der Triad in China, cartels' strength comes from their
control of numerousactivities. Each group controls its
territory 's gambling, prostitution, racketeering and
money-laundering- in short, anything that willmake
money. Dependingon the city or country,severaldiffer-
ent groupsdivideup activities, or allactivities fallunder
the purviewof one central organization.
Whilefew altruistic"superheroes' havededicated
their livesto riddingthe worldof organizedcrime, T2M
finds destructionof international syndicatesto be good
PR. Accordingly,syndicatesall over the world interact
with novas, quite often for less-than-legalreasons.
Most groups containa numberof grunts who per-
form the organization'slegwork. These soldiersanswer
to the equivalentof a captain, whothen answersto head
782 APPEND IX
of the organization.The captaincontrolsthe soldiersand
handlesthe day-to-day affairs of the boss in his desig-
nated area. The crime boss possesses the political and
economic clout to maintain the entire organization while
seemingto remain perfectlylegitimate. Of course,names
and evenorganizationwillvary fromgroupto groupand
country to country.
Soldier
Physical Attributes 3, allother Attributes 2, Biz1, Brawl
2, Drive 1, Firearms 2, Intimidation 2, Might 1, Resis-
tance 2, Streetwise 1,Willpower4; automaticpistol or
SMG
Captain
Physical Attributes 4, allother Attributes 2, Awareness
2, Biz1, Brawl/MartialArts 3, Command3, Drive 3, En-
durance 1, Firearms 3, Interrogation 1, Intimidation 3,
Might3, Resistance 3, Stealth1,Streetwise3, Willpower
6; automaticpistol,SMGor assault rifle
CrimeBoss
Charisma, Manipulationand Wits 4, allother Attributes
3, Awareness3, Biz4, Brawl/Martial Arts 3, Command
4, Drive2, Endurance1, Firearms3, Interrogation 2, In-
timidation3, Might1, Resistance2, Streetwise 4, Style
1, Subterfuge3, Willpower7; automaticpistol(possibly
with heavyweaponsif givensufficient time to prepare)
Gangs
Gangsare largelydisorganizedbands of criminals
who clingtogether for security and camaraderie. Most
gangs, however,deal in drug trafficking, and they usu-
allyanswer to organized crime cartels. It is their num-
bers and influence on the local community that make
gangs a threat. Gangsfeed off the localpopulationlike
parasites, through larceny, drug dealingand extortion.
GangMember
PhysicalAttributes 3, all other Attributes 2, Brawl2,
Drive1,Firearms2, Intimidation 1,Melee1, Might1,Re-
sistance 2, Streetwise 2, Survival1,Willpower4; auto-
maticpistol or SMG
GangLeader
PhysicalAttributes 4, allother Attributes 2, Awareness
2, Biz1, Brawl/Martial Arts 3, Drive 3, Command2, Fire-
arms 3, Intimidation3, Melee2, Might3, Resistance3,
Stealth 1, Streetwise 3, Survival2. Willpower6; auto-
matic pistol, SMGor assault rifle; possibly with Miteor
Red 7
Police
State and localpolicerepresent a significant por-
tion of the UnitedStates of America's law-enforcement
capabilities.Overall,they havelimitedabilityto dealwith
nova-levelthreats, and they usuallydefer to those more
capable. Individual city or state governments, however,
vary their stance on novainterventionregardlessof the
dangers. Whilesomecities franchiseglitzy nova "public
defenders," others seek to avoid the publicity and ex-
 ABERRANT
pense of these rent-a-cops. In this case, the localpolice
are forced to handleeven renegade novaswith normal
tactics. Policeforces across the globeface similardiffi-
culties.
Characterswhorun afoulof the lawwillinevitably
have to deal with the police. The averagepoliceofficer
has little chanceof apprehending even the least power-
fulnova. Whentakenas a whole,however,an entire city's
policeforces can becomea hazardousopponent.Larger
cities havespecialCrisisResponseteams, helicoptersand
urbanassaultvehicles,and they are thussomewhatmore
effectiveagainst novas.
PoliceOfficer
PhysicalAttributes 3, all other Attributes2, Awareness
1, Brawl/ MartialArts 2, Bureaucracy1, Drive2, Fire-
arms 2, Interrogation 2, Investigation1 (or 3 if plain-
clothes detective), MedicineI, Might I, Resistance2,
Stealth 1, Streetwise 2, Willpower5; automaticpistol,
police car, night stick, armored T-shirt (possiblyflak
jacket if expecting serious trouble)
SWATOfficer
PhysicalAttributes,Perception and Wits 3; allother At-
tributes 2, Awareness2, Brawl/MartialArts 3, Drive 3,
Endurance3, Firearms4, Melee(laser) 2, Might2, Re-
sistance 3, Stealth 1, Streetwise 2, Willpower6; auto-
maticpistol, SMGor assaultrifle, flakjacket or fullriot
gear
Crisis ResponseSpecialist
Physical Attributes 4 (plusbonusesfor Red 7), Percep-
tion/Wits 3, other Attributes 2, Awareness3, Bureau-
cracy 2, Endurance3, Firearms4, MartialArts 4, Melee
(taser) 3, Might 3, Resistance 3, Stealth3, Streetwise 2,
Willpower 7; automatic pistol, assault rifle, grenade
launcher, bombsquador (rarely) advancedbodyarmor,
Red 7
Government/Directive
Agents
In the postindustrial, nova-alteredworldof 2008 ,
espionageand subtletyare more importantgeopolitical
commodities than massive standingarmies. Manynations
havedevotedsignificantresources towardinvestigating
novasand their threat to nationalsecurity. The mostim-
portant is the multinationalDirective, but nationalagen-
cies also deal with novas. Within the United States, the
CentralIntelligenceAgencyandNationalSecurity Agency
keep detailed files on all known novas, tracking their
movementsandassociationswheneverpossible.The Fed-
eral Bureauof Investigationworks in concert with local
lawenforcement,dealingwith nova-levelthreatsas care-
fullyas possible.
The playersmaycome into conflictwith the gov-
ernmentin anynumberof ways. Breaking the lawor pos-
ing some other threat to public safety is sure to draw
attention. The players mightalso find themselvesbeing
watchedas part of the Directive or CIA's ongoingnova
investigations. Governmentintelligenceagenciesreceive
APPENDIX
millions of dollarsin financing for a wide variety of ac-
tivities handled under the umbrellaof "national secu-
rity." Any one of these programsmight easilyconflict
with characters' valuesor lives.
Governmentagenciesusuallyhave access to pow-
erful weaponry. If conflict with novas is a possibility,
agents are likelyto be heavilyarmed. The Directive in
particular is developing both energy- and toxin-based
weaponsto deal with aberrant threats.
Spec ialAgent
AllAttributes 3 (or higher in the case of elite agents),
Awareness2, Brawl/MartialArts 3, Bureaucracy1,Drive
3,.EnduranceI, Firearms3, Interrogation2, Intrusion 3,
Investigation 3+, Medicine 1, Might 1, Resistance 3,
Stealth3, Streetwise2, Style2, Subterfuge3, Willpower
7 +; automaticpistol, armoredT-shirt, electronic com-
municationand surveillance gear
11 Mitoids"
"Mitoids' are 'roid freaks, 2008-style . Only now
the lunatic not only feels no pain in his drug-induced
frenzy, but he lifts cars and tosses themat innocentby-
standers . "Mite" is the common street name for a
strength-enhancing drug developed from nova mito-
chondria. Baselineswhouse mite on a regularbasis de-
velopabnormalstrength levels,borderingon superhu-
man. Unfortunately , continualuse of mite inducespara-
noia and evenpsychosis.Victimsof a miteoverdosehave
been documentedtwistingmetallamppostsand tearing
up concrete. A few street gangs, tongs and other crimi-
nal groups use mite to gain an edge over their rivals or
the police.
Strength5, Dexterity3, Stamina4, allother Attributes1
or 2, Athletics 2, Brawl3, Endurance 2, Might 5, Resis-
tance 3, Willpowe r 4; chainor other improvisedweapon
Mega-Strength • (no enhancements);punchdamage[S]
+ 70 (B); chaindamage[5] + 100 (B); no woundpenal-
ties
Nova Threats
Novasare as variedas anyother humanbeing.Their
motivations, characteristics and powersmakenovaan-
tagonistsnew and dangerousthreats. Conflictbetween
novasoccurs for any reason, fromdifferences in politi-
cal ideologyto ego-drivenconflictsof interest. The an-
tagonists belowrepresent the smallestsampleof pos-
sible threats posed by other novas.
El Cuchillo
Cuchillo'ssuperspeed and agility are renownedin
Southern California and Mexico. An independent nova
of limited imagination, El Cuchilloseeks only personal
gain at the expenseof others' reputations. Heworkswith
mediaagencies to arrange "mask duels" between him-
self and localnova favorites. For a not-so-modest fee,
Cuchillowillduel a local favorite in a publicbout. In ex-
changefor exclusive footage, and therefore higher rat-
283
ings,the localmediagiveElCuchillofuelfor his ego, in- Powers: Mega-Strength • • • (Crush,
telligenceon his opponent, a large sum of cash and a Thunderclap),Mega-Stamina••• (Resil-
quicktrip out of town. iency), Armor • • , Danger Sense • • • .
Cuchillo's true identityremainsunknown,as he pre- Mega-Perception • (Nightvision)
fers a mask. He claimsnever to have lost a duel,and he
refusesto removehis maskuntilhe is defeated. Whether
Marissa Dunlop
he willstick to his bargainis unknown.What is knownis A seasoned combat
that he takes fulladvantageof the media's hospitality, veteran before she
often leaving them with thousandsof dollarsin room- erupted, Marissa has
service fees and other bills. takenher experience and
Nabre:Gallant abilities to the privatesec-
Allegiance: Independent tor. As a nova
Attributes: Strength5, Dexterity5, Stamina4, Percep- for hire,
tion 3, Intelligence2, Wits 4, Charisma4, Manipulation
4, Appearance2 ('?)
Abilities:Arts (Performance)2, Athletics 5, Awareness
2, Drive1,Endurance5, Intimidation3, Legerdemain3,
Linguistics1, Martial Arts 4, Might 3, Resistance 4,
Stealth 3, Style 3
Back~: Attunement1,Cipher4, Influence2, Re-
sources 3
Quantum3, QuantumPool30, Willpower6, Taint2
Powers: Mega-Dexterity••• (RapidStrike, FastTasks,
EnhancedMovement) , Mega-Stamina • (Regeneration),
Mega-Wits• • (Quicknessx2), Hypermovement•
Hugo the Bouncer
Hugo"the Bouncer" Pinnelaworksfor Luciano
Camparelli of the Camparelli-Zukhov megasyndicate.
Hugowasa simplebouncerin one of Camparelli's
establishmentsuntila near-fatalbeatingerupted
his M-R node. Hugo now possesses brutal
strength, armored skin and a preternatural
dangersense. With suchenhancements,Hugo
immediatelymovedup instature in the syndi-
cate, eventuallyfindinghimselfin an enviable
positionas the higher-ups'bodyguard.
Hugohasshownhimselfto be every bit as smartas
he is strong. Whether his intellectgrew with his phy-
sique is unclear,but he continuesto surprisehis boss at
every turn. It has been whispered in back rooms that
Hugohas too muchinfluenceover the bossand should
be removed. No one dares execute this plan, how-
ever, as Hugowouldno doubtsee it comingand deal
with it.
Nabre:Conniver
Allegiance: Camparelli-Zukhov megasyndicate
Atb-ibutes: Strength4, Dexterity 3, Stamina4, Percep-
tion 5, Intelligence5, Wits 3, Charisma 2, Manipulation
5, Appearance3
Abilities:Academics3, Athletics1,Awareness5, Biz4,
Brawl5, Computer3, Endurance4, Intimidation4, Might
4, Rapport 4, Resistance4, Streetwise4, Style2, Sub-
terfuge 4
Badqounds: Allies2, Backers4, Followers2, Node2,
Resources4
Quantum3, QuantumPool26, Willpower8, Taint2

784 APPlNDIX
 answeringonly to her Swissbank accounts,she often
finds herself workingfor the wrongside of the law. No
job is too dirty for her, and no fee is too large.
Raisedby her mercenaryfather, Marissagrew up
on battlefieldafter battlefield,wherethe horrors
of war and the blatant facts of life in a combat
zone scarred her psyche. When her father fi-
nallydied fightingfor the "good guys," who
couldbarely cover his expenses, she had had
enough.Thereafter, she opened her services
to the highestbidder. Moreoften than not, she
"endedup workingfor criminalcartels, corrupt
governmentsand the CIA.
Marissawas capturedas part of a CIAbe-
trayal - they turned her over to the newlyin-
stated Nicaraguangovernmentin the name of political
goodwill.Neverone to go quietly,Marissastarted shoot-
ing her way out. The Nicaraguanregulars, taking no
chanceswithsucha dangerouswoman,fired an antitank
missileat her. A momentbefore impact,she mentally
grabbedthe projectileout of the air and hurledit at her
assailants. In the confusion,she escaped int.o the jungle
and eventuallyout of the country.
Marissanowhas a bone to pick with the US gov-
ernment,and she gladlyworks for anti-Americanmili-
tary operationsworldwide . Hertelekineticpowershave
onlyincreasedthe valueof her servicesand she contin-
ues to pay the billswithmoneyfromthe highestbidder.
Nabre:Survivor
Allegiance: Independent
Attributes: Strength4, Dexterity4, Stamina3, Percep-
tion 3, Intelligence2, Wits 4, Charisma2, Manipulation
3, Appearance4
Abilities:Athletics3, Awareness4, Drive2, Endurance
5, Firearms4, Intimidation4, Linguistics2, MartialArts
4, Might3, Pilot 2, Politics2, Resistance5, Stealth 3,
Style 1,Subterfuge2, Survival3
Backgrounds: Cipher3, Contacts2, Dormancy
2, Eufiber1,Node 3, Resources3
Quantum3, QuantumPool 30, Willpower7,
Taint3 (Glow)
-Powers: Mega-Dexterity • (Rapid Strike),
ForceField • • • • , Telekinesis• • • • , Flight
••

Af'PfNDIX 7b'i
CREDITS
OriginalConceptandDesign : Robert Hatch, with
Andrew Bates, Ken Cliffe, Greg Fountain, Sheri M.
Johnson,ChrisMcDonough, EthanSkemp,MikeTinney,
RichardThomas,StephanWieck,Fred Yelk 735
PARK
NORTH
BLYD.
AdditionalDesign :JustinR. Achilli,StevenS. Long,
MarkMoore 128
SUITE
Authors: Justin R. Achilli,AndrewBates, Robert
Hatch,Sheri M. Johnson,StevenS. Long,MarkMoore, , GA
30021
CLARKSTON
EthanSkemp,FredYelk
AdditionalMaterial: Brooks Miller, Dave Van WHI TE WOLf USA
Domelen
StorytellerGameSystem: MarkRem-Hagen PUBLISHING
RevisedStoryteller System: AndrewBates
Developer : Robert Hatch
Editor:CarlBowen <O1999White WolfPublishing , Inc. Allrights
Art Direction: RichardThomas reserved. Reproductionwithoutthe writtenpermis-
Artists:GuyDavis,GlennFabry,ThomasFleming sion of the publisher1sexpresslyforbidden,except
Langdon Foss, Michael Gaydos, JeffHolt Mike for the purposesof reviews,and for blankcharacter
Huddleston,MarkJackson,PhilJimenez,LeifJones,Matt sheets, whichmay be reproducedfor personaluse
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Playtesters: Bryan Armor, Bruce Baugh,R. Sean served.Allcharacters,names,placesandtext herein
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Bryant Durrell, Brian Goodson, Jess Heinig, Chris The mentionof or referenceto anycompanyor
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 ABERRANT CHARACTER SHEET
Birth Name: Eruption:
Nova Name: Nature:
Series: Allegiance:
ATTRIBUTES AND ABILITIES
PHYSICAL MENTAL SOCIAL
STRENGTH
Brawl___
Might___
e oooo
00000
ooooo
§ PERCEPTION
Awareness__
lnvestigat
eoooo
00000
ion__ 00000
§ APPEARANCE
lntimidation
Style_ ___
__
eoooo
00000
00000
§
_____ 00000 _____ 00000 _____ 00000

DEXTERITY eoooo INTELLIGENCE eoooo MANIPULATION eoooo

Athletics
_ __ 00000 Academics _ _ 00000 lnterrogation
__ 00000
Drive___ 00000 Bureaucracy__ 00000 Streetwise__ 00000
Firearms___ 00000 Computer__ 00000 Subterfuge__ 00000
Legerdemain__ 00000 Engineering__ 00000 _____ 00000
MartialArts
__ 00000 lntrusion
___ 00000 _ ____ 00000
Melee___ 00000 Linguistics
__ 00000 _____ 00000
Pilot____ 00000 Medicine ___ 00000 ____ _ 00000
Stealth~ _ _ 00000 Science___ 00000
_____ 00000 Survival
_____
___ 00000
00000
CHARISMA eoooo
_____ 00000 Command ___ 00000
Etiquette 00000
STAMINA eoooo w1Ts eoooo Perform 00000
Endurance _ _____.
Resistance__
NeO0
_ 00
~ Arts
Biz____
00000
00000
~ _____ 00000
_____ 00000
----- 00000 Rapport 00000 ___ __ 00000
_____ 00000 _____ 00000 _____ 00000

ADVANTAGES
BACKGROUNDS MEGA-ATTRIBUTES QUANTUM POWERS
00000 00000 00000
00000
00000 00000 00000
00000
00000 00000 00000
WILLPOWER 00000 00000
0000000000
□□□□□□□□□□ 00000 00000
TAINT
0000000000 00000 00000
□□□□□□□□□□ 00000 00000
ABERRATIONS
00000 00000

00000 00000

QUANTUM 00000 00000

0000000000
QUANTUM POOL
00000000000000000000000000000000000
□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□
 COMBAT
RTG
ATTACK ARMOR
__
ACC DMG ROF FT B L BULK FT

__ D_D □ rno □
__ D DD rn □□
__ D DD rn □□
___ D DD I I 1 □□
__ D DD rn □□
INITIATIVE MOVEMENT SOAK
.____
__ ___.II I I I I .___I
_ ____._I
_ ___.
Walk Run Sprint _ Bashing Lethal

DESCRIPTION HEALTH
_Bru_ised
__ -o_ □

---□
---□
---□
---□
---□
---□
---□
---□
---□
---□
---□
---□
---□
---□
---□
_lnca_pac_itat_ed
__ □
Dead □
---
(Writein healthlevelsas needed)
 --...,
............ -
........-
p-
~
LM OicePoal 0lntion l.ut;pioA.dm Effect
Gu•IIUffl .t.b,«ptoon 2 Stam;na• Abtorpt,on NI" Spe<ul No ('..,_; damogo/-s, no Sl,....t,
2
2
l'ercept,on • ~ -..., Vanoble
Sell
Spe<iol Spe<ul
p..,,......,.
No
No
r, ..........
1e1......... """""'
3....Wdol... 811.
NI" NI"
Onepowen Boobno,o,conc• I Stam;na• Bdum.oesconce Vanoble Spe<ul 10mnutesper-success No o-.ct« ... h19">l
BodyMod,f,cat,on M..c. NI" Sell NI" p.........,. NI" Modof..sd1ancters body.,.....,...,..

nova point
(oronenova
Bod',morph
Boo,t
a-
Clone
c~
2
2
I
3
3
S.......,Body,-i,h
Quant.... Boo,t
NI"
s........0one
(VanabloJ. c~
Sell
Touch
Sell
Sell
(Q.PR)dO,not'" o, Spe<ul
NI"
NI"
NI"
NI"
Spe<ul
~.
Ml.inte1W1Ce
Vanoble

lxene
Yes
y.,
y.,
No
y.,
T... _ .. of onospecif,ctypo of ma11

Crstes 1~e
('ont,ol,....,...
.. 1-w
AddsI dot per succen to speofoc"thixrt•
0... coriial damage,.leth,I damage
of dwxtR""per'IUCCJHS
....... _
point/two Oons,tyC'ootrul 2 v......... Soll r'"'-. Yes ~., deo-.-chonde< ·, den,,ty

-·
NI"
clotalalntN) D,,,nt...,-.t.., 3 0..1 ....ty • D,,,nt...,....., (Q,PR)dOIMlen NI" lnstonl No c.....(Q.suc,..... ) i.,.i, of __.-,.ted damage
0....- 2 M>nofdatoen • 0--- (Q,PR)alO...ten NI" Mmenance y., Mow. choracterto con!.,.. and,...,_ opponents
per clot 2 1n1.a.g.,,c..o..n..,i (Q,PR)alO,note,s Yes Recb:n elfect......., of powen
punhaecl. °""-"' 2 Ma,,;p,at.... Domo,ot,cn (Q,PR)alO...ten
NI"
Concentrabon Yes Tokecontrolof•~ ·• t,,_,...
c
Oomnolton

Lft91Two
powencoat
Elemenb,I........
Elomeni.1-...,
3
3
En,polhotMon<pulot""' 2
(Vanable). Elem,,ml"""""
(Vanable)• El,,...,i.1 Mauery
(W.,.,.,_
v......... resrsted)
c
(Q,PR)alOmotrn
NI"

N/"
Vanoble
v-
5pe<ul
Yn
Yn
Yes
Controlp,,1,cwr 5'b>tonceo, phenomenon
Crate, alterand
Controlond~ to,get', --
,ont,o1......,
,J,,t,nces ., phenomen,

E"'-- MOK. NI" NI" Sell p.,,..,,... No ~ buysonemonc""""

lhNenova (Vonoble)• Ent"'I')'C'ontrul Vanable v.- Spe<oal Yes Coetrolond~e ..-ropcf0tte,

--·
Ent"'l')'Control 3
points(or two E5I' 2 Pe«ept,on• ESP (P,PR)alOmeten N/" c- ... No
p.,. non,,al
A9>1 2 O..tenty • A+t NIA ..... ~==4),40,.,.ienpe,ocl,on
nova points f0ttef..id
Gnv,ty Control
2
3
St......,Fo,cefoeld
(Vll'lll,le)• GroY,ty
Control
Sell
Sell
Vonoble
NI"
v.- v-
y.,
v..
Qu,,,tum• (2 p,, lllCUH) .. 1r1
~•ri:::yond ~•IIC f,eldo
'°"'
vs.811.damage
lalntN}per H<al,ng l NI" Touch NIA lnsbnt y., liNk 1heal i...! of damage pe, quantumpoint
Holo 2 (Q,PR)xlOlllfflf1 (Q,PR)aSmoten Concentrahon No CreatestmaigH
clot,-. ~--Holo

chmecl.Lft91
Homi.,,aM
~
l
2 St......·"""'""""'
0..lMty • Hype,,no,o.,.nt
Stll
Sell
NIA
NIA
Spe<iai
Maintonance
~ ... s.p..te part• of body« create ....ii , ,...,..., frombody
lna,.,.""""'!l-lly"'!l..-twlmmln9~
n...powen Hypno,,,
lnwnobilole
I
2
lntd,g,nce • Hypno,,,
Oe,t,nty • lmmobol<le
(Q•PR)lllllffl
(Q•PR)xlOlllfflf1
NIA
NIA
Spe<,ai
1,cone o, unUoe,t,.,_.i
Ye,
Ye,
Hypnataes I~
R.ndenurg,torrmabtle
coltflvenova lnwnolab 2 NIA Stll NIA Moontenonce Ye, (Q.PR)x28 damagel(Q,PR)l damage
points(or
lhNepolnts
lnh•hon
,,......i,ty
•-ty
luck
1
2
2
I
P..-cept,on• 1nt.. 1..,
W,1, . lr,,,...t.Wrty
NIA
Luck
Stlf
Stlf
Stlf
Stlf
NIA
NIA
NIA
NIA
Pennonent
Conc...trohon
Pennonent
p....-
Ye,
Ye,
NIA
NIA
Heq,lened -
Quont,n • rurhe< al
ol danger
""to"
•b ,ook per dol "'- spoc,Fictype ol~
vs
.=·• Percept""'
S..:c...., on rol redocedomogol'"" tosk, ,....,
talntN)per Magr,et,cMa,te,y 3 (V-). Magr,et,cMastery Sp«iai Vanable Vonoble v.. Mon,pulole mogno1...,ondmogne1oc loeld<
dotpu~ MotterChomeleon l St....,., Mou..-n..m.i..n Sell NIA Maontenan<
e No Dupl,c«e p,_..., of spec,ioctyposol "'"'tor
MotterCml.,on l Wib:• M.,lte, Creahon (Q,PR)...ten NIA Spe<,ai v.. Creole,lllllter of.......,. ...-ts
chasecl. Mtntlli!lo,t 2 lntd,g,nc• • Mental8bst (Q•PR)xlOIMlen NIA louant y., 1lewl 8 damagep,, ...«ffl
M.-.ge 2 Monopulolm • Miroge (Q.PR)x20...ten NIA C'"ontentral,on
Spe<,ai
No
v..
Creotts......,.,
Monopulole
IMgtt
·•""""
ondcontrulmo1eaM,
MoleaAarM,n,p.,1,1,on l (Vll'lll,le)• MoleaAarMonopulolm Vanable V.-..blt
p°"°" 2 Sta,,w'II • POISOf'I Toudi NIA lmtant y., p.....,., o,(ed anoth« p,,100
P......... 1oon 2 Perception• Premon1bon Vll'lll,le Spe<iai l,cene Yes Dotectdanger..- thmu
Pr«ercongn~oon l Per«j)(,on• Pretertogn,hon Sell NI" lnstanl No Forsttr.._we or view pnt ewnts
P~l..M I Pe«ept,on• Ps)'<li,cLd. (Q.Ps:,dwcLd. •Nodt)xlOOO
km NI" Spe<ul NI" Esblil...,...ntal lri< bet....n 2 or-• ch•nden
P~Sl.<ld I WA NI" p..........,1 NIA •2 successn per-doton allat~ ·:stonsnt mentalpoMN
Quantumllolt 2
3
O..tenty • QuantumBolt
Monopulolm • QuantumCOMINCI
~)xlS...ten
(Q.PR),not.,.
NIA lnstent
Ma,r,t.._.
y.,
N.o
lQaj J,(l'Rx4) ol 8 damage : ( J,(l'Rx4) ol l damage
rt~t ·c:rutwes'" or obJtcts From q.anlwn fon::t
Quant"'" Conwuct NI"
Quontumr
........... I St......,QuantumC_.._ Touch Ni" Spe<,ol y., I Q point per dol ..to stard,rd form,of -'Jr
Quantumlmpmt 3 O..ter,ty • Quantum..... int Touch NIA ~ N.o r~~onc1.wa ... ofchorctertoochtd
Q,.,.,tuml.ff<h 2 WA Toudi NIA Instant Y.. (Q. ) ..,ani ... point, tnon,i.,,.td fromto,,gel to chorocte,
Q,antumR,genet-otm
Qu,ntumV....,.-e
2
2
WA
St......• ~um Vamp,,,
Sell
Touch
NIA
NIA
Spe<ul
Spe<ul
y.,
y.,
~ I ~ to odd(Pl\x2)to
le, iied l.ttnbote o, _,.
'I';:'-:
pointsrec....,.td per hour
roo, urg,t lo chn,ct.,
SensoryShield I WA Sell NIA p- NIA Canc.12- per dot on81.ndottacksvs.charocter
Sl,apesl,,lt 3 St...... • Slupe,h,ft Stlf
-en tU" M.nl111111«1 y., Alter<Ntder', ,hapo

-·
Sm:a,d 2 O..t...;ty • Sm:a,d tPR)alS (Q,PR).Smet..- rad.us Conc-tntrallon y., c...... f,eld to limit-
~(Grow) 2 N/" N/" MainllllOnCe N/" Doubleht9'Iondmn,,: 2 Strength.•1S-.... • I -sn...d" p..- dot
0

~(Slwv-l<) 2 NI" Sell N/" y., R.d.oca1:':t;andnmsto 118nannal: ,I toalSl.aal,~ ,lclll"rutytohtdwact..-

Stn>be 2 O.,.tenty• Stn,l,e (Q.PR)dOmelon lnstent Yes OmbleI ~sensts ForI hnl perilnen

--·
N/"
S....A11ac:k 2 Dextenty. St...Attod< (Q.PR)dS met.,. N/" Instant Yes (Q.sucoesses) of damage to dazeo, MOd. N urg,t
T.W..-. 2 Oe,t...,ty• TeWune,,s (Q.PR)dOmeten Yes L.,ftand._ phy,ial objedswithoul touclw,g
Telcpothy 2 P<n:eptm , Tdepod,y '-- of ~ ... Spe<ul
NI"
NI" r_....,..,.., No Rudm.nd,.,conl..-mondsondolter-
Telepo,t 2 P..-cept.., • Telepo,t Self NI" lnsbnt No ~ ...!hoot-~ ,nt.,,,.,,,ng-•
TemponlMa,,;p,at.., 3 (Vnble) • TemponlMa,,,pulo4ion Vanable
(Q.PR)_.,.
NI" Vll'lll,le Ye, Monordot• I...,
~
Worp 3 N/" NI" No Crate~es• to poss~ ,nt.....,;r,g..,_
W,otht, Ma,,;p,alm 3 (Vwblo) • Wnthtr Ma,,;p,alion Vlriablo Vll'lll,le y., Alter .,...;pulote_...,.
 ABERRANT
Mego-Attributes: Physical Enhancements
Mega-Strength
Mego-Attributes cost Crush
three nova points per Shockwave
clotto purchase (two If Lifter
QuantumLeap
tolnted) and grant one Thunde<-clap
free enhancement. Mega-Dextenty
Adclltlonalenhance- Accuracy
EnhancedMovement
ments cost three nova fast Tasks
points to purchaM flex1b1l1ty
PhysicalProdigy
(two If tolnted). Catfooted
RaptdStrike
Mega-Sti11111na
Adaptab1hty
Durab1l1ty
Hardbody
Regeneration
Res1hency
Mental
Mega-Percephon
AnalyticTaste/Touch
811ndf1ght1ng
Bloodhound
ElectromagneticV1s1on
Ultravioletv1s1011
Infraredv1s,on
V1s1blelightattuner
High-EndElectromagnetic
Scan ------
HyperenhancedHear1119
lnfra/ultrasomchearing
Sonar
Radio scan
QuantumAttunement
Ultraper1pheral
Perception
Mega-Intelligence
AnalyzeWeakness
EideticMemory
EnhancedMemory
MathematicalProdigy
L1ngu1stic
Genius
MentalProdigy
Engineering
F1nanc,al
Investigative
Medical
Sc1ent,fic
Tactical
SpeedReading
Ta,ntRes,stance
Mega-Wits
ArtisticGen,us
Enhancedln1tialtve
LieDetector
Mult1taslung
NaturalEmpath
Quickness
Synergy
Social
Mega-Appearance
Alteralton
Appearance
Awe-Inspiring
Copycat
face of Terror
first Impression
Mr. Nobody
SeductiveLooks
Mega-Marupulahon
HypnoticGaze
Persuader
Trickster
The Voice
Mega-Charisma
CommridingPresence
DreadfulMien
NaturalAgitator
Seductive
Soothe
MEGA POWERS CHART
QualMn

..... _-
,.__...,,..
o-.....,.
p-
Abso,ption
~

8,obn-
Ma.le,y

BodyMod,f,caloon
1.-'
2
2
2
I
DaPool
Ab,«ption
Sun,;,,..
Pe<W91..,• luwoal/l'lri Moste,y
St>m.,a.~.
NIA
~
Varial>lt
Self
Varial>lt
-~-
~-
NIA
0.......,
Spo<oal
Spo<oal
P..-
10mn.ltet. ptr iuccns
t.UtlploActior. Effod
No
No
No
No
C..-t
damage/fflff'JYontoStndh

.3...i.Jdotn.BIL
anirNls
Comm.ncate/!Ulfflllln

C'h.ncter emits '9,t

ModlF.nct.xter·s bodyin vanouswa,s

,----
Moc. NIA Stll P..- NIA
Bodymor!)I, 2 St1m,na • Bodymor!)I, Soll NIA Maintenanci11 y., Takeaspech el one speaf1etype el motter/fflff'J)'
novapolnt Boost 2 ~·Boost feud, NIA V>riable y., Adck I dot per RJCC<fl lo ,po<1f1<Attnbule
Clows I NIA Stll NIA Maintemnce y., Closecan-botdamage,. letholdamage
Clone 3 St1m,na • Clone Self NIA I sc<n1 No of dund" per 111t<ess
C....t..1 .._,,.l<Ole
point/two c~
Dem.tyCcontrol
3
2
(VanabloJ•C~
V>riable
tPP.)xlO meters« Spo<itl ~ ... Spo<oal
M•mllNll<e
y.,
y.,
Corotrol a,mput.,.. ond,_.,_
..,,_or~"""'1e<"•oer,,,ty
clolstalntecl) O..on1'9'1i
... 3 Dt.<tenty • °"""-'9"(oon (Q•PP.).10.,.,.,.. NIA lmbnt No c..,,..(Q.w«o,ses) '-"" _.....ted don,oge
~ .... o..or.....
°"°""" (Q.PP.).10met....

e·•o
...
,...
2 NIA ~nlenmc:e Yn Alow>diorod.,.lo<onl"'° ond......... ._,.«($
per clot
purch••d
g::._ 2
2
lnt<log,n<e• Onn.pt
~ .... o....n.t ...
(Q.PP.).10met... NIA
NIA
~ntenMl(ie
Concerotnt..,
y.,
y.,
Reeb:.. tlfe<t,_,"
Take<orotrol
_,
J torgefs bro,,......,
ElernMtaiAn""' 3 (V...ble) • Ei.m.nbl Am"" Spo<oal v....... r.. Controlporoaw...W-e or phenomenon
L--'Two Ei.m.nblM.ste,y 3 (Vanablo)• Ei.m.nbl Ma.le,y v....... Vonol,le r.. C....te. olte<ond«ontrolv.,-, somtonceo"' ~
poww9COlt Eq,atl,,c:Mono
......... 2 V....,._(W.......,,....,od) (Q.PP.)"20meten NIA Spo<oal Yn Controlond.,...pojot, target's..,.....,.
~ M,.._ NIA NIA Sell P...........t No Pl.,...~11nefflln<Offlffll
threenova EnhopyCorotrol 3 f.::...b1el
• Entropy Ccont.-ol Vonoble Vonoble Spo<oal Yes Ccontrol ond~• entrop,cfe«H
points (or two
IIOYCllpolnts
talntecl)per
ESP
~F"oeld
~,ty Control
He,mg
2
2
2
3
3
e«ept..,.E,SP
D.xtenty•fl+t
si.,,.., • For«F",eld
(V....ble) • ~,ty Corotrol
NIA
tPP.J"20met.e,s
Self
Vonoble
Tcud,
NIA
NIA
NIA
Vanal,le
NIA
~.
M.,,,t-·
Concwnt.or1

V....ble
lmlant
No
p.,"°"""nilH
Yes
Yes
Yes
~~4).40m.ttn
~-.
Monof,Jal•
(2 per su«... J ..
gra.~y ond
1n..,.
,....,oc:
per actoon
f..id,
n. BILdom.ge
HoakI htolth 1-1 el BILdom.geper quanbm i-,1
clot,-.
chaMcl.L--'
Holo
Homunculus
Hypcnnowcmc:nt
Hypno,,,
..
2
3
2
I
M.n,pwloon• Holo
5um..,.Homuncu1us
Oc:xtenty ...Hypcnno
lnttl,g,,,ce•Hypno,,s
..,mt..c
(Q.PP.)xlOmete,s
Self
Self
(Q•PR)mete,s
(Q•PR),Smole,s
NIA
NIA
NIA ~--
Conctntnt_,

Spo<oal
No

~
y.,
c...>1.. mogn
Sop,nte port<el bodyor cro>le.....II uo>t,.... f..,.. body
1ncro..,."""""9- flyingor -- speed

--·
1hrMpoww9 Hypnolu"'"'lJOI
~ 2 O..tenty • lmmobolozo (Q•PR)xlOmete,s NIA l><onoor... ~dostroy,,d y.. R.ocden"'lJOI
.........
COit flv9 IIOYCII
polnts(or
thrNpolnts
Immolate
lntu,t,on
lnv,,,b,l,ty
............ lrty
Lud,
2
I
2
2
I
NIA
P«cept,on • lntut.>n
w... i.-bWoty
NIA
Luck
Self
Self
Self
Self
Self
NIA
NIA
NIA
NIA
NIA
Ponnonont
Concent:rahon
p.......,...,
p.......,...,
Yn
y.,
y.,
NIA
NIA
(Q.PP.)"28 dom.gel(Q.PP.)L dom.ge
He+lened
~i.an.
........... J danger
rur,ber of 51JCcess
.(, toal<per dot Y>, 'f)O<lflC
v,,.=-·,
lype oilocl,
Percept'°"
So«esses on ,ol recb:e dom.ge/,.... lad.,.....,.
talntN)per Mognot,cMa,t..y 3 (V...ble) • Mognot,c Ma.l..y Speo,,j v..... V....ble Y.. M.n,p,bte _,.t""' ond_,.toe loelds
M>ltorO--. 3 si.m.... M>lte<Cham.i.on Self NIA MoontCNOCO No D,,plo<>tepropert,es el 'f)O<•loctype, el motl«
clot put'- ~ter-Cre;ahan 3 Wits• Mitter-CrHhon (Q.PP.)met... NIA Spo<oal Yes (rules matter of vanous 1«t1
chcuecL MonulBbst 2 lnt<log,n<o • Mont,1Bbst {Q.PP.)xlO,..,.,.. NIA
NIA
ln>lont Y.. 11-!Bdon,ogep,<1'1«.,.
Mngo 2 M.n,pwloon• M""!I< {Q•PR)x20met.,. Conc.entrat.on No Cre>tesMoOn ,n "'lJOI'• m,nd
Moleculr Mon,pAat... 3 (V....ble) • Moleculr M.nopulot'°" Vonoble Vonol,le Spo<oal Yes ~- ondcontrolmoi«ule<
p......, 2 St,m..,.p..,... Touch NIA lmlant Yes Po..one<.,fodanoth«p,nan
PJ'efflOfllhon 2 PerceptllOII • Premorwhon Vonoble Spo<oal lxene y., o.t.<t danger or ttr ... ,
P..ie«ongool'°" 3 P«ceptoon• P,et...,ogn,l,on Self NIA lmbnt No Fonee futL.-eo,-v,ew p'5t nfflts
P>yd,,cln I Pe,cept,on• P')do,c l.,nk (Q.P,y<hocln•Nocle),1000 km NIA Spocoal NIA E.tablnh.......,1"-2or mo<edioroden
P>yd,1< Shoeld I NIA NIA Ponnonont NIA •2 succ..... per dot on al >llempblo,_ mental_,
Quonlum Bolt 2 D.xtenty • QuontumBolt ~,;),ISmeten NIA lmbnt y., ~QxlJ.(Pl\x4) of 8 dom.ge:[Q"2J.(Pllx4)el Ldamage
Quont,.,,Comtrvct
Quont..n
~lmpnnt
c__,,
3
I
3
Mon,p,At,on• Quant..,.Con,tn,ct {Q•PR)mete,s
Sum.... Quant..,.c-
o..tonty • Quantumlmpront
Tcuc1,
Tcud,
NIA
NIA
NIA
~--
Maintenance No
y.,
No
f"Nf.e•cre«...-es· or obJeclsfrom~
IQ poonlper dot w,tostondanllonns
Copy..ri::ondobM,esel CNr'elorI
force
'!.:;:r

=
Quont,.,,Leech 2 NIA Tcud, NIA lmbnt Y.. (Q. ) .......- poontslnMlerred fromtarget lo characte<
~ R,gc,,e,ol,on 2
~v....,... 2
NIA
- • Quant... v...,...
Self
Touch
NIA
NIA
y.,
Yn
r,:;:1 '~
,.,..1., ,nod Altnbolee< -
C':
lo odd (PR,c2)lo poonts.--.....1 p«hoi,-
target to chn<tor
S......,.Sl..id I NIA Self NIA P...........t NIA Con«!2 suc<nse. per dot on 81,ndlll>cks"" charo<te,

-·
Moo-•
Shapw,11 3 - • Sh,posl,,lt Sell NIA Yes IJle<CNreler"sshop<

-
Shroud 2 O..t..-.ty • Shroud (Q•PR)n mete<radous Conc.entnbon Yes Cre>1Hl..id1oLmo1,,;,;..,

--·
tPR)•ISmeten
5-norJ,h (Grow) 2 NIA NIA NIA Do,ble he9'I ond,_., •2 Str.n¢,. • I Stmn.. • I "lln,,,ed" per dot
5-norJ,h (Shnr-lt) 2 NIA Self NIA Yes IW..ce';';fi,ond"'""to V8"°"""' .11o•~111..,,u. •I dfmlty tohtdincler
St<obe 2 Oext..-.ty• St<obe (Q.PP.),10meten NIA v.. ~ I ~semes

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ror1un persuccff5
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~--
2 NIA lmbnt (Q.,u:.,.....)
T.........., 2 Oextenty• T.w.n.... (Q.PP.)lclOmeten NIA y., Loftond..,.. phys,c,IobJecb wilhoulloudwog
Tl!l,pathy 2 P«cept,on• Telepolhy I.no" ..;,. "'Spo<,,j NIA Concentne:ion No R.eodrntneh. scon for""""' ondolter......,..
Toloport 2 p.,.ep1,.. • Tclq,ort Self NIA lmbnt No ~ "'thoul pou,ng ~ WWO<Vfflll9'1'KO
T""'P""-Mnp,A>l,on 3 (VanabloJ.r.._..i~oon V....ble NIA V>riable Yes
c..-.,:rmes·
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W..ihe<~ion
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3
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(Vanablo)• W<>lh«Mnp,j>t,on
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 ABERRANT

Mego,Attributui Physical Emancements

Mega-Strength
Mego,Attributu cost Crush
three nova points per Shockwave
clotto purchcue(two If Lifter
QuantumLeap
tolntecl) and grant one Thunderclap
free enhancement. Mega-Dextenty
Accuracy
Aclclltlonalenhanc. EnhancedMovement
ments cost three nova FastTasks
points to purchcue Flex,b,hty
PhysicalProdigy
(two If tolntecl). Catfooted
RapidStrike
Mega-Stamina
Adaptab,l,ty
Durability
Hardbody
Regeneration
Rei1l1e«y
Mental
Mega-Perception
Analyt,cTaste/Touch
Bl1ndf1ght1ng
Bloodhound
ElectromagneticV1s1on
Ultravioletv1s1on
Infraredvision
V1s1blelightattuner_____ ~
High-EndEledromagnelicScan
Hyperenhanced
Hearn19
lnfra/ultrasornchearing
Sonar
Radioscan
QuantumAttunement
Ultraper1pheral
Perception
Mega-lntelhgence
AnalyzeWeakness
Eid he Memory
EnhancedMemOI')'
MathematicalProdigy
L1ngu1st,cGen,us
MentalProdigy
Eng1neer1ng
F,nanc1al
liweihgatr,e
Med,cal
Sc1entif1c.
Tactical
SpeedReading
TaintRei1stance
Mega-W,ts
ArtisticGenius
Enhancedlmhahve
LieDetector
Mull1taslong
NaturalEmpath
Quickness
Synergy
Social
Mega-Appearance
AppearanceAltera!,on
Awe-lnsp1r1ng
Copycat
Faceof Terror
F1~tImpression
Mr. Nobody
SeductiveLooks
Mega-Manipulation
Hypnot,cGaze
Persuader
Trickster
TheVo,ce

Commanding Preience
DreadfulMien
NaturalAgitator
Seductive
Soothe
MEGA POWERS CHART
 ABERRANT

Index
A Perception 134 DamageAdds 241
Wits 135 DamageDice 241
Aberrants 102, 130 Physical Attributes 134 Lethal 241, 253
Aberrations 151 Dexterity134 Dexterity134
High-Level Aberrations 152 Stamina 134 Dice Pool 107
Low-LevelAberrations 151 Strength 134 Difficulties 108
Medium-LevelAberrations152 SocialAttributes 135 Directive 132
Abilities 136 Appearance135
Academics 137 Charisma 135 E
Arts 138 Manipulation135
Athletics136 EmpathicManipulation 196
AutomaticSuccesses108
Awareness137 EntropyControl196
Biz 138 B Eruption 116
Brawl 136 Eufiber 141
Bureaucracy137 Backgrounds139 Examples of Rolls 110
Command139 Allies 139 Experience123
Computer137 Attunement139 Experience Costs 124
Drive 136 Backing140 ExperiencePoints 123
Endurance137 Cipher 140 ExtendedActions 109
Engineering 137 Contacts140 Extras 230
Etiquette 139 Dormancy141 Aggravated231
firearms 136 Eufiber 141 Area 231
Interrogation138 Followers142 ArmorPiercing 231
Intimidation138 Influence142 Burning 231
Intrusion137 Mentor 142 Cloud231
Investigation137 Node 143 Explosion231
Legerdemain136 Resources144 Homing231
Linguistics137 Baselines262 Impervious 231
MartialArts 136 BonusPoints 116, 121 IncreasedDuration231
Medicine 138 Botches 108 IncreasedRange 231
Melee 137 MIRV231
C Range 232
Might136
Perform 139 ReducedQuantumCost 232
CharacterConcept113
Pilot 137 Spray/Jet 232
CharacterCreation 112
Rapport 138 PhaseOne: Human113 F
Resistance137 PhaseTwo: Nova 116
Science 138 CharacterCreation Table 120 Failure 107
Stealth 137 CharacterDevelopment123
Streetwise 138 Charisma 135 G
Style 138 OoseCombatManeuversTable 250
Subterfuge138 Glossary103
CombatSummaryChart 242
Survival138 GoldenRule,the 106
CombatSystems239
Actions 106 GrenadeChart 277
ArmoredCombat250
ExtendedActions 109 OoseCombatManeuvers244 H
MultipleActions 110 CombatTums 239
ResistedActions 110 DefensiveManeuvers243 HealingBashingDamage254
Adrenocil in 281 GeneralManeuvers242 HealingDamage254
AeonSociety 102 ManeuverComplications248 HealingLethalDamage254
Allegiance113,129 PullingYourPunches241 Health252
Aberrants 130 RangedCombatManeuvers247 HealthChart 253
Corporate/Other132 SpecialNovaManeuvers246 Recovery255
Directive132 StageOne: Initiative239 HeavyWeaponsChart 276
Individualist132 StageThree: Resolution 240 Henchmen282
ProjectProteus 131 StageTwo: Attack 239
Project Utopia 130 Compulsion 145
Teragen 131
Appearance135 D Initiative116
Armor 242, 277 Intelligence135
ArmorChart 277 Damage240
Aggravated241. 253 L
Attributes 133
MentalAttributes 134 Applying Damage253
LethalSoak 254
Intelligence135 Bashing241, 253
Lifting 234
 ABERRANT
Mega-Strengthand, 234 p TemporaryTaint 149
Live-Action103 Teamwori< 111
Perception 134 Teragen 131
M PhysicalAttributes 134 Throwing236
PhysicalTasks 233 Mega-Strengthand, 236
ManeuverCharacteristics242 PoisonsandDrugs 279 Time 106
Manipulation 135 Adrenocilin 281 Trails 107, 127
MasterPower1List 181 Amphetam inesandCocaine 280 Trinity 102
MaterialStrengths 257 Depressants280 aberrantsin, 103
MaxingPowers 147 Hallucinogens 280
Mazarin-Rashoud node 143 Mite 281 V
Mega-Attributes 154 Moxinoquantamine 281
BuyingMega-Attributes154 NerveGas 280 VehicleChart 278
Enhancements15S Red7 282 Vehicle Damage279
Mega-Appearance170 Soma 281 Vehicles 278
Mega-Char isma 175 Tear Gas 280
Mega-Dexterity158 PowerUse 111
w
Mega-Intelligence164 ProjectProteus 131 Weapons274
Mega-Manipulation173 ProjectUtopia 102, 130 Grenades2n
Mega-Perception161 Prologue121 HeavyWeapons276
Mega-Stam ina 160
MeleeWeapons274
Mega-Strength 156 Q
RangedWeapons275
Mega-Wits168
Qualities 134 Willpower116, 144
TaintedMega-Attributes 154
Quantum116, 146 Recovering Willpower145
Mega-Strength 156
QuantumDetection143 UsingWillpower14S
MeleeWeaponsChart 274
MentalAttributes 134 QuantumPool 116, 146 Wits 135
MentalDisorders 1S2 RechargingQuantumPool 146
Mentalfeats 236 QuantumRecovery143
MentalPowersand Psi 180
R
Mite 281
Mitoids 283 RangedCombatManeuversTable 250
MolecularAlteration212 RangedWeaponsChart 275
Movemen t 106, 116 ResistedActions110
MultipleActions110
s
N
SecondChances111
Nature 113,127 Soak 241, 254
Analyst127 LethalSoak 240
Architect127 SocialAttributes 135
Bravo 127 SocialGraces 237
Bureaucrat127 Soma 281
Caregiver127 Sourcesof Injury 255
Conniver128 Disease255
Critic 128 Electrocution 255
Explorer128 falling 256
follower 128 fire 2S6
Gallant128 Radiation 257
Hedonist 128 SuffocationandDrowning257
Jester 128 TemperatureExtremes257
Judge 128 Vacuum257
Leader 128 SpecialManeuvers147
Martyr 128 SpecialNovaManeuvers250
Paragon128 Specialties136
Rebel 129 Stamina 134
Survivor129 Storyteller 101
Thrillseeker129 Storytelling 258
Traditionalist 129 Strength 134
Visionary129 Successes107
nova 102
NovaPoints 117 , 121 T
NovaThreats 283
ElCuchillo 283 Taint 148
Hugothe Bouncer284 Aberrations151
MarissaDunlop 284 PermanentTaint 148
 ABERRANT

Enhancements155 Quantum Powers177

Accuracy 158 Absorption182
Adaptability160 Animal/PlantMastery 182
AnalyttcTaste/Touch 162 Armor 183
B1olummescence 183
AnalyzeWeakness 165
BodyMod1ficat1on 184
AppearanceAlteration 171 Bodymorph185
ArtisticGenius 168 Boost 186
Awe-lnsp1nng171 Claws 186
Blmdf1ghtmg 162 Clone 186
Bloodhound162 Cyberkmes1s187
Catfooted 159 DensityControl 189
Commanding Presence 175 D1s1ntegrat1on190
Copycat 172 Disorient 190
Crush 157 Disrupt 190
DreadfulMien 175 Domination191
Durab1l1ty161 ElementalAmma 192
E1det1c Memory 165 ElementalMastery 194
ElectromagneticV1S1on162 ESP198
EnhancedImitative 169 Flight 198
EnhancedMemory 166 ForceField 199
EnhancedMovement158 GravityControl 199
Faceof Terror 172 Healing201
FastTasks 158 Holo 201
Homunculus202
First Impression172
Hypermovement203
Flex1b1hty159
Hypnosis203
Hardbody161 lmmob1l1ze 204
High-EndElectromagneticScan 163 Immolate204
HyperenhancedHeanng 163 lntu1t1on205
HypnoticGaze 174 205
lnv1s1b1l1ty
LieDetector 169 lnvulnerab1hty206
Lifter 157 Luck 206
LinguisticGemus 166 MagneticMastery 207
MathematicalSavant 166 MasterPowersList 181
MentalProdigy 167 Malter Chameleon209
Mr Nobody173 Matter Creation 210
Multitasking169 MentalBlasl 210
NaturalAgitator 176 Mirage 211
NaturalEmpath 169 Poison 213
Persuader 174 Premonition214
PhysicalProdigy 159 Pretercogmtion215
QuantumAttunement 164 PsychicShield 215
QuantumBolt 216
QuantumLeap 157
QuantumConstruct 216
Quickness169
QuantumConversion217
RapidStrike 150 QuantumImprint 218
Regeneration 161 QuantumLeech 218
Res1l1ency 161 QuantumRegeneration219
Seductive 176 QuantumVampire219
SeductiveLooks 173 SensoryShield 220
Shockwave157 Shapesh1ft220
Soothe 176 Shroud 221
Speed Readmg 168 S1zemorph (Grow) 222
Synergy 170 S1zemorph (Shrink) 222
TamtResistance 168 Strobe 223
The Voice 174 Stun Attack223
Thunderclap157 Telekinesis224
Trickster 174 Telepathy 225
UltrapenpheralPerceplton 164 Teleport 225
TemporalMampulat1on 226
Warp 228
WeatherManipulation229
 ABERRANT

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