Aberrant RPG - Aberrants

[MikeMc]

Well people, I just re-read the Expose' tonight and I can't

say I'm very happy.

At all.

What the hell is wrong with the people in charge of the

projects since this was released? I mean I know the Abby's

have a limited agenda as it's "us versus Utopia"

thing...but these characters did not need to get left by

the wayside!

Personally, if I had more free time to devote to such

things, I'd sit myself down and start work on a source book

for the whole damn organization instead of this 24-page

handout they gave us instead.

I'm running an Aberrant game right now, though, that will

make sure that all of my players and their characters get

to meet these people. It's just a damn shame...I mean sure

everyone talks about Kimberly Dame...but has anyone ever

used her as the novox singer that she is? Supposedly pretty

damn popular in her own right?

Or "The Living Wreck"?

I guess I'm just a bit frustrated that I see this lack and

don't have the time or (individual) skill to do something

about it. What I likely will do is try and work up an "what

are they doing now?" text and some basic character write-

ups for some of these main characters [like Ms. Dame

herself].

What has everyone else done with/got to say about them?

[CHILL]

Snr. Mal would have an interesting take on this, he's our Aberrant ST.

From my perspective I suppose that they are underused in the setting, as things slowed down for the line before they had a real chance to be involved in major events (other than the whole Slider thing of course)...

Perhaps they would have got a greater emphasis if things turned out differently for the line, who knows, they may well do so if the other books ever show up...

and Mike, come on buddy........ you can do it...... gimme our first Aberrant pdf book

Come on, you know you want to!, 'time', 'schmime' - come on, thats no excuse, huh, huh?

( and I sad and pleading enough yet? )

:animsmiley

[FredrikSvanberg]

It seemed to me like the Aberrants were created to be the typical PC organisation. No, not the politically correct organisation. I'm talking about the group which starting characters are supposed to belong to, by default.

Tomorrowites are too powerful. Terragen are too twisted. Utopia too tied up with bureaucracy. It's either the Aberrants or independency. White Wolf thought it would be a good idea to have a group of rebels and freedom fighters for new characters to belong to, sort of like a Council of Traditions against the Technocratic union of Utopia.

Since everyone hates these lame things and since STs couldn't do anything with their main plot (the Slider murder) because there was no explanation for it in the core book, they seemed just about as playable as the Inconnu.

Then they got a lame pamphlet which described them as even less interesting than anyone could possibly imagine. Not even Rousseau was any cool, despite her flashy description, because they wouldn't just straight out tell us what the hell she can do and why everyone thinks she's so cool.

Anyway... it's my personaly opinion that the Aberrants should have lasted about two weeks before they got brutally slaughtered by the combined effort of Team Tomorrow and the Terragen, and they should only have been mentioned in a sidebar in the main book as an optional allegiance for games starting two weeks earlier than the canon setting.

[FredrikSvanberg]

Regarding the characters you mentioned: Dame Edna and the Living Speck or whatever they're called. We got full write-ups for The Mole (spending a full page on telling us what abilities he has... that's great value for your money right there - I envy the creativity of that writer), The Living Wreck and the exploding girl. Wow, amazing. A bunch of sample characters similar in vein to the wonderful couple presented in the core book. Excuse me but I'm perfectly capable of creating my own PC's, now give me stats for the people you have been talking about through the entire book: Dr Worm, Rousseau, Corbin! AAAREGH! *pops some conspicious-looking pills* Urgh... I thought I had gotten over it but this just brings back nasty memories.

[MikeMc]

Admin:

Hehehe, like I hadn't thought of the idea? I'll consider it, really, but it may take me longer to put such a thing together than it is really worth.

Fred:

I agree with what you're saying to an extent, really. I think that they spent too much time on making Sophia cool without giving any indication about what her power level is. Now, all that "she's cool" is enough that I'll be able to use her in my current campaign [global conspiracy/counter-conspiracy that has little to do with Proteus] but it's not as cool as seeing her active in canon.

I don't think the Aberrants would get "slaughtered" personally, simply because of two of the three people in charge...Dr. Worm and Sophia...but I also think that losses, leaks, and intruege would have made for some great story if they'd just kept the group alive [canon-wise].

Now, I know that they came out before there was any real use for them [they were the first suppliment, and they were the "running scared" group when you didn't have to play that group...why would you have them as anything but perhaps a secret friendship or something to add flavor to a character?]. I think, however, that this is a shame.

As far as I can tell, Corbin did not get assassinated in the canon story. So what happened to the Aberrants? What was their reaction? What about the unintentional Proteus spy that was sent in who could see the future? Did Orzaiz ever make any inroads into the organization?

Proteus has gotten sloppy in some of the canon stuff. Has Dr. Worm hooked up with Duke Rollo to produce some nasty stories? Has he started a secret media campaign?

Kimbery Dame was a pretty cool NPC in my opinion not just of who she used to be but who she was now...a celebrity. What's up with that now? Sure it's possible she road her 15-minutes into the ground, but wasn't she supposed to be one of the more unique novox singers?

And, lastly, The Living Wreck was supposed to have been incredibly popular, but by the time the PG came out it was like he never existed.

Guess I'm just complaining alot, but I think I'm going to do a bit of an update to answer some of these questions if nothing else.

[Senior Mal]

lots of very interesting points guys, my little input concerning the Aberrants is this:

In the Trinity core rule book there is a transcript of the operators of the OMEN system talking when a nova attacks one of the satellites just before the exodus, the operator refers to the nova as an 'Aberrant' (Now before every one starts shouting how Trinity was written before Aberrant and they may not of known to call them Nova's, I know, but taking it as canon...) this would mean that during the war novas as a whole would become known as Aberrants. The only place this terminology could come from would be the Aberrant group, this theory therefore insinuates one of two things. 1. That, far from being destroyed, the Aberrant group actually becomes very popular and superceeds groups such as the Teragen as 'the bad guys' or 2. Utopia uses the Aberrants as scapegoats in order to turn the general public against the group (who, by the war would probably have a lot of dirt on Utopia).

Hope that little lot makes sense

 

[needle]

As per usual it also indicates a general lack of creative forsight on WW part. They create great character concepts then never flesh them out. Aberrant Expose was great teaser book that brought concepts to the public's eye & then it went nowhere at all. They did it with the entire WOD line, seems like an inhouse flaw among their designers.. :angry

[Heritage]

I agree that the Expose' book was easily the worst supplement in the Aberrant line (notice my use of the past tense - I frankly doubt we'll see more books, pdf or otherwise). The Aberrants should have gotten a book closer to the size of the Teragen book if they wanted us to take them seriously.

And I think calling the group 'the Aberrants' was a bad idea - I think they would have lasted longer than Fred does, but I do feel they'd be a short-lived movement, and assuming they'd somehow become a hugely influential group doesn't make sense to me.

[Aeon]

I agree with much of what has been said, but I must say that the faction does not lend itself too well to player characters.  I see it as one of those sort of groups that should be an integral part of a storyline rather than a faction to be chosen.

I think the problem is that they tried to take a middle road, but then failed to achieve either fo these objectives.  There is too little information for PCs to bite their teeth into, and they were never properly utilised into the metaplot.

It may be that we never truly get a good idea of what was destined for the Aberrant faction, or indeed how many different plots across the whole of the Aeon Continuum panned out.  I find that sad, because I really wish to find out more and have a steady stream of books.

Because I now own most of  the books, the most refreshing new material comes from other fans, whether speculating or in their articles.  I suppose stuff like InUn is the future of our favourite games...

... hey, thats not too bad!