Aberrant RPG - Aberrant campaign idea

[SomeDude]

So...

I have been reading comics like a fiend. My friend lent me his

Stormwatch collection and a story thread sparked my interest in a

particular idea. There was a Daemonite (sp?) invasion. Which seemed as

if it were handled in WILDCATS more however, I got the gyst. It placed

an idea in my head.

What if Aberrants are actually minions of hell. Scientists, maybe with

help, got access to an "alternate dimension" where they found a

material dubbed <<something>> and started experimenting with it. The

Galatea could have been the base of operations for this

experimentation and when it failed this material went unstable and

caused the explosion. Releasing tons of it into the atmosphere, people

started changing. The MR node is just a mutation caused by this

<<something>> and Taint is a manifestation of corruption from hell.

Once enough people are corrupted they will start armageddon.

I haven't worked out all the kinks yet... how does it sound?

Any ideas to help out?

Any and all input would be accepted and greatly appreciated.

TIA!

SomeDude

[NFVD]

Sounds like in this alternate setting those freaks from the Church of Michael Archangel are right.

IMHO...I don't like it. I think Aberrant is dark enough already without needing to turn the novas into some sort of hell-spawn. I also love the pseudo-scientific approach of the setting to the origin and nature of superpowers; I think tossing in a supernatural element spoils the game somewhat.

Sorry, just my 2 honest and humble cents. You're free to do whatever you want with your campaign. If it amuses you and the players more power to you my friend! ::smile

[Alex Green]

Welcome to the boards SOMEDUDE!!!!

[NFVD]

Welcome to the boards SOMEDUDE!!!!

Oh yeah! Were where my manners?

Welcome to the forums friend SOMEDUDE!

May your Quantum pool never run dry, your Quantum Bolts always strike true and may you never botch powermax rolls. ::happy

[metaphysician]

Sounds like in this alternate setting those freaks from the Church of Michael Archangel are right.

IMHO...I don't like it. I think Aberrant is dark enough already without needing to turn the novas into some sort of hell-spawn. I also love the pseudo-scientific approach of the setting to the origin and nature of superpowers; I think tossing in a supernatural element spoils the game somewhat.

Sorry, just my 2 honest and humble cents. You're free to do whatever you want with your campaign. If it amuses you and the players more power to you my friend! ::smile

I don't know, introducing ambiguity about science vs supernatural isn't inappropriate. The distinction between the two with regard to nova abilities is kind of thin and mostly rationalization, after all. That plus the potential for novas to do more or less anything, leads to the "Are novas gods?" debate being either one of pure semantics, or one of philosophy. Not something that can be answered in a simple factual manner.

[Blue Thunder]

Yeah, very few novas in Aberrant even understand the origin of their abilities or how they work. And a lot of novas do think their powers are divine in nature. And they can't be disproven. India is a large place, with the highest population of any nation on Earth, and a lot of novas that erupt there set themselves up as gods, and that's not the only nation. And faithful Muslims, Christians, etc. are likely to believe their powers are divine gifts as well, for different reasons and to varying degrees.

[metaphysician]

And the ones who understand the most about it, namely Divis Mal, *does* think they are a sign of divinity.

[Blue Thunder]

I've said it once, I'll say it a million times: if your boyfriend has started a cult around you, you need to end the relationship, and fast.

[SomeDude]

First, thanks to everyone for the welcome to the forums!

Here are some more campaign thoughts...

I was thinking along the lines that scientists discovered a way to open what is essentially a dimentional rift. This rift, when entered seemed devidi of inhabitants and had an abundance of this "substance". The Galatea will have been essentially a testing station for this "substance". Since my end game glad is some armageddon-type senario, I am thinking that some demonic force, maybe Satan even, is the one that allowed access to hell to gather this material and thus start N-Day and the beginning of the end. I am thinking the reason for the secrecy of using this substance is that it will be similar to ghost rock from Deadlands. The material will have tremendous power but have some scary factor to it, like blood runs from it or it wails like a banchee.

I am thinking in this alternate storyline that the Terragen are really just pawns of this demonic power. They embrace their "otherness" and somehow learn to channel their taint. Divis Mal will either be directly in league with the demonic forces or influenced by them enough to be fooled into thinking he is a god. It will have been they who taught Divis Mal the secret of the Chrysalis. In this world he will have been an N-day nova as well.

Note that becoming a nova gives no direct influence to the demonic force(s). I am thinking that the demonic force believes that humanity is a foul thing and will fall into the trap on their own with just a nudge.

There will have been no Adventure era before hand, the Galatea will have seen the first of any super powered beings on the planet.

Any advice you can offer, especially experienced Aberrant STs would help. Also critizism are good too.

To respond to Edsan: I respect your opinion. However, I will still be sticking with a pseudo-scientific storyline. The M-R node will still be the source of a Nova's power. My premise just is that no amount of mutation could ever get humans to that end. It took a supernatural manipulation to make that work. I don't think this is terribly darker than the Aberrant canon and arguably, having a defined "bad-guy" makes it a little less dark. Just my opinion. And I just wanted to do something different then every other supers game I have been in....

SomeDude

[BlueNinja]

Personally, I think the Science v. Supernatural debate is better saved for Adventure! times than Aberrant. I think it ruins the super-hero somewhat.

SomeDude, your idea makes me think of the Doom movie for some reason.

[NFVD]

Hmmmm....might I advise you to throw in some "window of salvation", heavenly hosts or whatever? If Satan is real in your game there should be a counterpart to the demonic forces.

If not then novas are just demonic-tainted humans with no hope of salvation. Kind of like VampireTM with daywalkers and superpowers.

Then again if it's exactly something like that you are aiming for, go for it.

[Ammonites]

You know i've thought of trying to set up a game where the players were "Divinely" erupted novas, and that the majority of the other novas were something demonic.

So I say go for it, its your game and all. ::biggrin

[Blue Thunder]

Personally, I think the Science v. Supernatural debate is better saved for Adventure! times than Aberrant. I think it ruins the super-hero somewhat.

SomeDude, your idea makes me think of the Doom movie for some reason.

...only elites and American novas dress and act like super-heroes, and not even all of them. You won't find any super-heroes erupting in India, China, Africa, or South America. Most novas don't think of themselves as super-heroes.

Just saying. The whole super-hero element only applies to T2M. If you're an Aberrant or a Terat or a member of almost any other faction, you're likely not prancing around in tights.

[metaphysician]

Not *just* T2M, there's also the various city-defenders. Plus arguably Elites fit into the schtick loosely.

And even then, all of those still fit into the science vs supernatural, or as its put in Ancient Aberrant occasionally, "the god debate." After all, just because Splash sees herself more as a heroine, doesn't mean that her activities aren't those of a benevolent weather goddess. . .