Aberrant RPG - What's your character like?

[Hugin]

Just a question, how the hell did you get through Chrysalis? Did you and your ST deal with acquiring taint as more of a story concept as opposed to actual botched roles? Its just that the math of Chrysalis has always struck me as a "We created this for cannon NPCs, good goddamn luck in actually getting it to work in game."

Besides that, my first suggestion would be:

TAINT!!!!! Sweet scrumptuous beautiful cream filled taint!! Bring on those aberrations baby! Thats what makes this damn game so much fruity tooty right 'n rooty fun!!!

Oh, that and go for Q8 as soon as possible. Get Consciousness Supremacy and teach that ST the true pitfalls to mass exp.

[Jager]

Damn James. Go crazy why don't ya? Taint is bad. It makes Prodigy go off and do things like start World War III. Bad super-genius, bad.

[Apep]

Aquiring taint? Well, other than being a particularly bad roller, most of it did come from the ST throwing it at us in one fashion or another. Sometimes it works as it's probably meant to though. I think we have a particularaly fucked up campaign. Great storyteller though, makes it work, but damn those god-slayer taint bullets.

Aberrations can be a lot of fun, but I agree with Jager too. There have been times I really didn't want to go into rage and kill that npc I liked so much. I think Apep's got enough tain already, and that's not counting all she got rid of when she went through chrysalis.

[Hugin]

Ok, ok, ok, I need to make a few things clear.

1. Prodigy did not start WWIII. Due to some precogs and Utopian efforts about 60-70% of Prodigy's efforts were thwarted (damn!). The resulting chaos did spread horror and terror but did not ignite a war.

2. It was not aberrations that led Prodigy to blowing up the Dome of the Rock. It was a heartfelt belief that baselines had forgotten about the horrors of war. That and he was mildly ticked about his best friend, his girlfriend, and a trusted confidant being killed all within the space of about a week.

3. Aberrations are the most fun when the ST decides to make something up as opposed to picking something from the books.

4. And lastly, Prodigy was in the process of going from Portent to Monster. So there. Nyah. Well, ok thats kind of stupid since he didn't even know how to do Chrysalis, but it was a good excuse at the time.

Hokay, we all on da same page? Good.

Taint Crispies, breakfast of champions.

[The Ranger]

Apep, you could go for some extra health levels to simulate the reptilian ability to absorb damage? Speaking of absorbtion how about absorbtion:Light (lasers etc)? Shroud might be a cool option too.

Also how about density reduction to simulate turning into shadow? The clinging Body Modification would be cool too. Or a tail? How about a medusa hair thing...like disintegration but turns you to stone?

So many ideas bursting out of my head!!!

[Guest]

Hey, all. I have STed three Aberrant chronicles, and I am finally PLAYING!!! Our ST is taking a different approach, I think. The year is 1958, and we are (so we were told by Mr. Maxwell Mercer last session, also first session) the only 6 "meta-humans" on the planet. As such, my character is built on 6 nova points. His name is John Alexander. Last week he was given the code name "Titan", but I don't think that it is a name he will associate with very much. He has a dot of M-Str(M-Leap) and a dot of M-Stam(Adaptability)

Things that set him apart, character-wise: He studies Aerspace Engineering at Cal-Tech. He was the Silver Medalist in the 100m freestyle (Swimming) in the 1954 Olympics. His father and brother are both dead(WWII).

It is hard for me to divorce myself from Storytelling. I can see where we are going with it, and I am actively helping. My ST plans for us to be the heavy hitters in 2008, when we get there. He's setting me up to be the "Caestus Pax" of the world, and that's cool with me. I may call the team 'The Titans' rather than Team Tomorrow...

[Guest]

heh heh heh! Can you hear the sound of applause James? Bomb the place to teach people to respect the terrors of bombing, I do like it.

There is nothing like taint inflicted reasoning to liven a up a campaign.

[The Ranger]

I like the idea Paxamericana. I love low level campaigns and the idea of starting with minimum points is very appealing to me. I particularly like the idea of characters who have "lived" a bit. I am thinking of playing a baseline born in 1900 who was de-aged by a temporal manipulator and remembers fighting in WWI. I think he would be a great character to have.

[Hugin]

Hey Wizard!

What's up baby? Just a quick request, since the other people involved in the story/postings have already posted their characters, how bout you do the same? I would hate to make some ill informed assumptions.

Oh yah! That goes for Tesseract too.

[Guest]

Sorry Prodigy, I can't really post him/her right now. Statistally the character is in flux at the moment. Concept wise, Tesseract is a biologically engineered nova assassin with the ability to manipulate space and time. She can fly, teleport herself, teleport objects in this dimension to her, open warps, and manipulate the fabric of space itself. With her spatial manipulation abilities she has mastered the ripple shield and askew techniques, but is not afraid to "push the envelope" and use other techniques as nessissary. She has a budding control of time as well and has so far demonstrated the ability to freeze people in a moment of time. As for Mega stats, Tesseract has a dot in str, dex, sta, per, and wits. Her enhancements are as follows; Irrisistable Force, Perfect Balance, Adaptability, Quantum Attunement, And Quickness.

Due to the events in the first storyline with Wizard and Jager, Tesseract's gender has switched from male to female. As for her abberations, I have detailed them in the current storyline. (her conversation with Jacob Webb)

Backgrounds; Attunement 5, Cypher 5, Dormancy 2, Eufiber and Node (scores not percicely pinned down yet)

Merits and Flaws; Ambidextrous and level 3 Eufiber attunement as merrits and Bad Vibe, Overconfidence, and Uneducated as flaws (Almost every skill and ability she knows was artifically implanted in her consciousness while she was growing. She's never been to anthing that could resemble a school.)

Tess has a few other suprises up her sleeve, however, I would prefer to reserve those for the storyline.

Does that help you at all?

[Apep]

Yeah Wizard, let's see her. She's definately one of the more interesting characters that I've come across.

Just wanted to say also, I've enjoyed reading everyones story so far. it's been fun. You even mentioned me.

[Wizard]

Yeah, Atwight's been after me as well (off line) to post her. I have it on my to-do list but I have two problems that are delaying me. The first is RL stuff that's dropped my board time from 1-2 hours down to 10 minutes or so every night. I'm slowly gathering up the pieces but it will take a couple more days.

The second problem, is that Wizard is the personification of two house rules. The first is an expansion of the Quantum perception enhancement which upgrades it to a full power and skirts intuition and the various forms of 'cog as you increase in proficiency and power. The second was a form of Cross-Time Travel (called Quantum Potential in our game) that was developed before the PG was published and is quite heretical from the canon viewpoint. When I upgraded these two related powers to the basis for a mastery... Well, let's just say it's been a fun exercise trying to convert her into PG canon.

I'm getting there but I'm stumped at a particular problem since my parallel universe power was developed for level 3 and canon insists it's level 4.

[Wizard]

Thanks to all of those that expressed kind inquiries about Wizard. Because I have a number of things taking up my time at the moment, and some of this is a little involved, I'll be posting Wizards stuff in three or four sections. The first, this one, is generic information and provides some insight into the campaign world which she was a part of. It also touches on her philosophies. Please feel free to comment or question as you see fit.

A couple of notes regarding Wizard and her philosophies:

Wizard attempts to live her life in accordance with the statement, "I undertake the rule of training to refrain from:

- Destroying life. This is not a code against killing, though in many ways it encompasses more than refraining from the taking of a life.

- Taking that which is not given to me freely.

- Engaging in harmful relationships.

- Giving false speech.

- Indulging in that which causes heedlessness."

,,

Quote:

A quote from Wizard responding to Shrapnel's advocating the philosophy of Teras:

"Everything is subject to cause and effect. It is the creation of the causes which preceded it and is, in turn, a cause of future effects. There is in existence, therefore, no unchanging condition of being, only an ever becoming state of flux. A state of impermanence. Those unable to recognize or unwilling to accept this as a tenant of existence will, in this delusion, create for themselves a belief in a permanent self. There is, I must confess, a certain novelty to giving this belief in a permanent self evocative names like marvel, monster, or portent. How long will novelty attract those that claim adherence to Teras? And how will you sway me with words or actions when you fail to see the bars you craft for your cell? Why can I see your prison so clearly?"

Paradoxically, she has a fear of misplacing herself amid the sheer volume of information she perceives. She also worries about others far more than herself. On general principle she acts as though she's living on borrowed time with no idea when the clock is actually going to stop. We all have problems living up to our ideals.

Someone asked if she, much like Jager, is a quantum singularity. The answer is no. She has alternates but surprisingly most of these alternates are either very baseline or very extreme personalities. The events which led to Wizard erupting in her particular way at the time and place she did were extremely low probability. Even a ten minute change in her schedule leads to cascading differences which vary from remaining baseline to becoming a six armed psycho named Kali that even the primacy and NV is scared of. Such is life.

Campaign notes:

Surprisingly, the campaign which generated Wizard was relatively 'canon' in structure. Having said that, I have to admit that canon was merely a starting point. There is more than a little inconsistency in the meta-plot and certain baseless assumptions upon which the canon world turns. A world not unlike Trinity is in our future but the road that leads there is longer and harder than canon dreams of.

It is a given of our world that pre-Galatea proto-nova's existed despite the nascent project re-write's best efforts. Where information cannot be ascertained it is generally assumed we are looking in the wrong place or failing to see the critical information. It is unknown what factors led to the burst of extreme actualized eruptions currently being experienced in the world. The working theories believe that each erupting nova provides an additional impetus for the next set to erupt. In other words, each nova that does erupt increases the probability of additional novas erupting. No one can account for the initial spate of eruptions.

It is generally unknown that Divis Mal is the instigator of the quantum eruption cycle. A working assumption at the ST level is that Mal began the machination to increase the number of humans consciously or unconsciously using quantum in the mid seventies and there was a general trend of proto-novas actualizing throughout the world as the twentieth century drew to a close. When Mal entered chrysalis prior to 1998, his single failing of imagination was to account for the effect his machinations would have even on him. Like so many intelligent men of the quantum age, his actual view was unconsciously Newtonian. The predisposition for quantum affected him as well as the rest of the planet and in the chrysalis pushed him to levels he had never dreamt of. It was his completion of chrysalis that drastically altered the paradigm. No longer were certain humans predisposed to quantum use by the formation of farahcytes in their nervous system. Rather, massive farahcytes growth was being triggered leading to the development of the MR node. His playing with the quantum signature of the race actually caused several detrimental effects to take place. The first was pushing his own development faster and farther than would have otherwise been true. The second was that those humans that did develop quantum abilities did so as the farahcyte growths formed in a tumorous fashion rather than being distributed uniformly through the brain. This second failing is self-correcting in second generation novas that are more resistant to Mal's artificially skewed quantum tinkering. It is unknown what effect this will have on Mal in the long run but one thing is known. There is no going back.

House rules:

I'm going to keep this short and sweet, although in Wizard's write up (posted tomorrow), I will go into detail where required.

1. Enhancements can be shifted to any stat the PC can justify. Some of the enhancement relationships with the parent attribute are counter-intuitive. Originally, there was an effort by the ST to re-write the entire list, then it was realized that there will always be exceptions and special cases. So he left the list alone and simply let it be known that if a character concept could justify it, the enhancements could be shifted to different attributes.

2. Enhancements as powers. I understand that the PG did something similar here but in a schizophrenic manner so I'll concentrate on how we did it. Any enhancement can be taken as a level one power. On general principle you still had to purchase at least a single dot in the mega-attribute but this was not a hard rule. Why the rule? Now enhancements had extras.

3. Quantum attunement (a perception enhancement) was upgrade to a level one power with multiple dots available. At one dot it is exactly as written. At two dots, you don't make a medicine roll to figure out what a nova is doing with his power and you gain the equivalent of intuition as your perceptions increase to include the greater probabilities beyond the immediate moment. At three dots you've learned the trick of discerning the future and the past from quantum potentials though you're limited to a time span equal to (perception x quantum) of hours. The actual number of hours seen is determined by the number of your success. Yes, the 'cog powers will give you greater effect. At four dots you are beginning recognize that the variations in probabilities are dynamic and are actually quantum parallels. At five dots, you are capable of isolating specific trends in parallel universes by the quantum potential. Note here that this doesn't mean you can see infinity, rather variations of your current parallel. How much can you justify under the word variation? ST call. At high levels this is not a power to allow in games chaired by a weak ST.

4. Quantum Potentials: Our version of cross-time travel with techniques. We'll save this for Wizards write-up. I still trying to figure out how to shoehorn it into what the PG has done.

Well, this is it for an introduction. I hope to have her stat sheet up by tomorrow.

[This message has been edited by Wizard (edited 06-17-2001).]

[Guest]

Over all, things look pretty good. In my personal opinion I would make enhancement based powers level 2 rather than level 1, but thats just me.

My only reason is one of balance. for 3 points, a character can buy an enhancement power at 3 dots, which would make the power 2 to 3 times as effective as the normal enhancement, which costs 3 points in and of itself.

The only way I can see to rectify this is to reduce the power per dot for enhancement powers. This way, the enhancement and the power version of it are only equal when the power reaches 3 dots. Or make the power a level 2 power so that nova point costs of both are uniform.

Again, that is my personal prefrence and not a judment on your game in any way. This idea has actually opened up more possibilities for me and made me rethink some of my NPC character designs. Just when I think I've hit the games limits.......

[Wizard]

Quote:

In my personal opinion I would make enhancement based powers level 2 rather than level 1, but thats just me.

I passed your comments along to my ST, easy enough since we work at the same place at the moment, and paraphrasing his rambling rely is as follows:

"Originally, I based the upgrade on the quantum expenditure to achieve an effect. For this reason the enhancements became level 1 powers mostly. There are some level 2 enhancements / powers but thus far they've not come into play. Have you taken into account that enhancements upgraded to powers are now vulnerable to disrupt effects and that this makes them less versatile?"

If he would get his own email account he could talk directly instead of presuming on my good nature

Personally, I just want to see where this girl talk goes with Tesseract. Wizard's never met a biologically engineered assassin before.

[Wizard]

Quote:

For those of you that kindly expressed an interest, may I present Ms. Elizabeth Janet Dowling...

Now that the crises in my life have abated to a managable level, I've reviewed the character post for Wizard and realized I put up an incomplete and earlier draft. Please forgive my stupidity.

[This message has been edited by Wizard (edited 06-20-2001).]

[Father Ryan]

I like the character. Very playable with set parameters on powers along with agreement with the ST on what certain powers allow. I would imagine that Wixard is great fun to play.

It's nice to see that you aren't just another mindless variant of the "I am the all powerful Pax kicking Mal chewing Nova who has been mystically around for over 80 years and has wisdom far beyond my age" theme etc.

What kind of campaign are you playing in? Strictly cannon, or are you allowed to create your own future, my personal favoured option?

[Wizard]

Quote:

I would imagine that Wixard is great fun to play.

Thank you for the kind comments, she really is fun to play. In our campaign, Jane is the one character that can work with both primary groups on general principle. Or in a mixed group she acts as the glue to hold them together

There's an entry a little further up the page with some campaign notes and comments, but the starting place was canon. Luckily, we have a decent ST that feels it's "our" world vice "his" world. We believe we're creating our own future but at the moment that future isn't all that different from the metaplot. Or perhaps it is, none of us really know for sure and the ST isn't talking. Once you allow parallel realities into the game you can never be absolutely certain of the outcome of powers like time travel or the various 'cogs.

[Wizard]

I have returned and am mortified that I posted the wrong file on Wizard. Corrections are in progress.

[This message has been edited by Wizard (edited 06-20-2001).]

[Apep]

Sounds great Wizard. I love it when people get creative with their characters. And a campaign without some weirdness, is just plain boring.

Anyhow, I finally spent a little of that experience I've been hording. I went with esp, since Apep is pretty perceptive, she's learned to see things through the shadows she's so familiar with.

My problem however is comming up with some techniques to go with her brand spankin new power of Shadow mastery. Although the world she comes from is pretty supernatural in nature, I hadn't really wanted to go with anything too abnoxiously mystical, dealing with an element like shadow, it's pretty easy to do that. So I thought I'd ask you people who seem to be a little more scientifically minded than myself what you thought.

[Hugin]

How about lethal blast? Since shadow is actually the absence (or just the lessening of) of light work it out like this. When activating the blast you take all of the light in the area and focus it into a single beam between you and the target. So, the entire area is cloaked in shadow, making it look like the shadow pushes all of the light into the specified area.

[Guest]

Hi everyone. Just thought I'd post my characters stats. He's been played about once every week for about half a year now. He started as a standard 30pt nova and has been given fairly average xp.

Name: Trauma, Dave Henderson

Eruption: Accident

Affliation:None/EMT, Detroit

Stats:

Str 3, Dex 3, Sta 4, Int 3, Wit 4, Per 2, Cha 3, Man 3, App 2.

Skills:

Medicine 3

Science 3

Rapport 4

Streetwise 4

Athletics 4

Martial Arts 1

Drive 3

Might 3

Resistance 4

Endurance 4

Backgrounds: Resources 3, Node 2, Allies 3.

Willpower: 5

Quantum: 5

Taint: 1

Powers: Flight 1, Healing 5

Capsule: Dave Handerson was a pretty average EMT medic until a year ago. Dave's team were the first on the scene at a burning tenement building. Everyone was out except an elderly man who lived on the fifth floor. The fire wasn't spreading quickly so Henderson attempted to get up to the old man to help him out.

Henderson reached the man with time to spare and began to help him down the stairs. As they passed a landing window the fire hit the buildings gas supply and predictably there was a massive explosion.

Henderson and the old man were thrown through the window by the blast which shreded the crowd below with burning matter and shards of glass. Dave erupted in mid air, halting his fall and that of the elderly man. As Henderson slowly decended to the ground his wounds, and those of the old man he carried closed leaving trails of light as they sealed them selves.

Henderson's mind flew to his job and he began attending the injuries of the crowd. Everyone he touched was healed in a glimmer of white light. And so was born Trauma, an EMT member to this day in Detroit.

Trauma spends his life tired, as there is always someone who needs healing. He has made and given away several fortunes over the past year and earned the friendship of Kikjak, Detroit's urban defender. Trauma experiances deep feelings of alienation from baselines as he never feels like "part of the gang" as he did before his eruption. Still he is a happy sort with a happy disposition and finds it hard to be depressed for long.

Comments anyone?

[Wizard]

A nicely written character still firmly in the human portion of the human to god cycle. I had been half nervous when I was asked to post mine because she so onbviously wasn't intended for Nova on Nova combat. Nice to see another character that was written in a manner not intended to create a combat monster.

What do you call average experience?

IC; has Trauma ever thought of going on contract with Detroit in a manner similiar to that of Kikjak? As it is, the city is getting his services at a pittance.

[Hugin]

Wizard, I would have had no business ripping you for your character's non-combat nature. It's not like mine was some combat freak either. I happened, for the first time really, to have had a lot of fun running a non combat oriented character.

Trauma, I don't know how bright and sunny you are going to be running your character because he seems like a prime candidate for becoming a bitter and resentful son of a gun. Perfect makings for a good Terat. Cool concept though. Another player in the game I was in, The Saint, had a boatload of fun having the healing power. He loved to max it out and add in the Area extra. Coupla times he healed an entire hospital.

[Wizard]

This is the file I meant to originally post, along with some notes drawn from my ST at gunpoint over the last couple of days. I hope there is still some interest. - J

Birth Name: Elizabeth Janet Dowling alias Bets, Bethany, Jane, Janie, Liz...

Nova name: None / various, currently Wizard

Concept: Saint (people are forever mistaking Jane for the Artist or Protector concepts. Not all lessons are nice.)

Nature: Bodhisattva

Allegiance: Independent

Attributes

Strength 2, Dexterity 4 (nimble), Stamina 3, Perception 5 (Intuitive), Intelligence 3, Wits 4 (Creative), Appearance 2, Manipulation 3, Charisma 4

Abilities

Arts 5: Composition, Drawing, Sculpture

Athletics 4: Acrobatics

Awareness 4

Endurance 3

Etiquette 3

Firearms 3

Linguistics 3: Arabic, English, French, Japanese

Martial Arts 4: Multiple opponents

Meditation 3

Perform 4: Dance, Instrument (woodwinds)

Rapport 4: Discern Motivation

Resistance 4: Ignore pain

Stealth 4

Subterfuge 2

Tradecraft 2

Backgrounds

Attunement 5, Cipher 3,

Willpower 8

Quantum 5 (6) An ongoing issue which will be explored when the game resumes from hiatus. All I can tell you is that it happened after the quantum spire incident but before the Parasite chase in Egypt and there is more than a simple expenditure of experience involved.

Quantum Pool 28

Taint 1 (2) As noted above, something evil is in the mind of my ST.

Willpower 8

Initiative note: Jane's initiative is -5 when attacking, unchanged when defending. This is a function of personality, philosophy and my preference. While it's not conducive to any character's life span to limit attack ability it does make for an interesting roleplaying experience. Some details; launching a pre-emptive stike even when you know that your wicked opponent is about unleash all the forces of hell if he finishes his preparations is an attack. A back-flipping dodge is not. A leg sweep (intended to be successful not diversionary) is an attack. Dis-arming an assailant by taking his gun away is not. A good rule of thumb is that any action which will intrinsically and overtly cause damage is an attack. Other actions (usually) are not. Using a quantum disrupter on the parasite in Egypt WAS an attack. It may be of interest to note that the reason for this last example being an attack is not because of the combat value of what she was doing, rather she perceived what she was doing as an attack therefore it was.

Mega Attributes

Mega Dexterity 2 (Accuracy, Physical Prodigy)

Mega Stamina 1 (Adaptability)

Mega Perception 4 (Quantum Attunement; CopyCat*)

Copycat: In essence, she creates a mental snapshot of the mind of an individual using her quantum attunement as a sense mitigated by a perception roll. When Jane says she understands, it means she understands. Because it's a significant element of the current story arc, I'm not going to go into greater detail here.

Mega Intelligence 1 (Eidetic Memory)

Mega Wits 2(Artistic Genius, Synergy)

Mega Charisma 1 (Soothe*)

In the campaign a house rule was invoked which allows an enhancement to be taken as a power. Jane took this enhancement as a level 1 power with the extra: reduced quantum which allows it to be used at zero quantum cost. It also goes along way to explaining why she was the one person that was equally trusted as an ally by both Teragen and Utopians.

Boost (Extra: range) How did you think Jager matched wits with Prodigy

Data manipulation: A level two, touch variation of the Alter data technique of Cyberkinesis. Originally, I intended to use this to allow her to map some unusual artwork into computer memory but in actual play I found the eidetic memory enhancement to be more versatile. This has been gathering dust but it does get used once in a while.

ESP 1: stipulated to be an extension of her quantum attunement abilities.

The following sets of powers were incorporated into a significant re-write of the quantum attunement perception enhancement. For clarity and in pursuit of the elusive beast called canon I have split it apart into the base components with notes to reflect it's use.

Intuition

Premonition 2 - In our campaign this power would tell you what the danger was... to an extent. For example; you would know that you're about to be shot in the back of the head without knowing, by virtue of the power, where the shooter actually is. This is an important distinction as, using the preceeding example, Jane would know she's about to be shot in back of the head and can therefore eliminate other directions as locations for the attacker. Other than that, he could be the guy walking towards her with his hands in his pockets or a sniper in the bell tower across the park.

Pretercognition 2: This could be used into the past strictly at the behest of the ST in the form of a very interesting (to me) effect. To Jane, retrocognition is seeing/speaking with the spirits of the deceased. For the uneasy dead she's the court of last resort. In our campaign one famous deceased NPC contacted her and was working towards the goal of exposing the proteans when the ghost was forcibly drawn away in mid-sentence. After our game resumes, Jane will be working towards solving what happened.

To peer into the future up to an 30 minutes was (mostly) safe. Beyond that point people tended to get really screwed up in parallel worlds and quantum potentials... Our ST felt the same way about 'cog powers that Bagman feels about telepaths.

Psychic shield: a side effect of the unusual copycat enhancement Jane possesses.

Psionic Link: Originally a very restrictive form of telepathy which disallowed most aspects of scanning and all aspects of memory tampering, this was one of the few power descriptions I was whole-heartedly glad to see in the PG.

Parallel Quantum Potential 5

[This message has been edited by Wizard (edited 06-24-2001).]

[Father Ryan]

I am impressed Trauma. Another character that is not hugely imbalanced. You have a nicely rounded character, I do love the fly power there, always one to add that super hero feel to a game. I see you must have put most of your xp into healing.

Good.

At last a beneficial power with practical use!

To answer the question on xp from my own experience (har har!). I have been playing Father Ryan for about a year now, about once a week, and consider 3 xp per game to be a good haul. 4 is what we get when we have done particularly well.

I would put Father Ryan up but I could not compete on the "wow" scale of the rest of you, so I'll just return to my church and pray for the redemption of your nova-tainted souls!

God bless all here.

[Jager]

Interesting, interesting.

,,

Wizard, let me know what happens when the game starts up again.

Trauma, I played a character like that a while back (Marvel system) and had a blast. What ideas do you have for advancing his powers. As for his personality, your in a tough situation, because you come so close to playing god.

[Wizard]

Actually, there isn't a 'wow' competition going on here. If there had been I would never have posted Wizard to be held up to possible ridicule and just stuck with the story arcs.

Stories are good. They allow the opportunity to play the role in a way that no other opportunity does. Not a LARP or even a game with a tight group (I count my blessing here, although the ST is evil, evil, evil!) can campare with just telling the story and following the simple of rules of show don't tell...

If I may presume to offer advice, post Father Ryan to give us a background to see his potentials. Then tell his story. Make it part of the current arc and there will be an opportunity to interact with the current troupe. After all, that story has already ranged from San Fransisco to Seattle, Chicago to Tokyo and will probably be going off planet along the way.

Jane is a nova and can do what 99.99% of the human race cannot do. But in reality she is farther down the scale from godhood than most novas. What makes her unique is not the powers but rather her perception and philosophies. Ten thousand players have 'cog powers but I am fairly certain she is unique in her perceptions. At least half of those ten thousand have some form of matter control, matter creation or quantum construct abilities but no one appears to have thought about the parallels of reality and what they mean if they provably exist. As something other than plot devices I mean.

Ryan has talked to us. Now show us Ryan as he thinks, feels and responds to others. Imagine the possiblities of Jane arguing the impermanence of conditioned things and the delusion which leads to the belief in self while Ryan counter-argues the his faith.

Can you see the possiblities?

[Guest]

I was wondering if a beginning player might post a few character ideas and have them evaluated. Mainly to receive some (friendly and constructive) critique. Just some help, if that is alright.

I've just started into Aberrant, and would appreciate some experienced players' and ST's ideas and stuff.

If there is another forum or another place to request this, or if it isn't possible in any case, I am sorry.

Thank you!

neXus

[Wizard]

Quote:

Originally posted by Nexus:
I was wondering if a beginning player might post a few character ideas and have them evaluated

Personally, I would love to see your work as I've only been gaming this for about a year. In reference to your question, this thread originally started as a "What is your in character character from the OPNET Board like?"

If you are unsure of whether to post to a particular thread, just register with NPRIME and create you own thread. In any given four day period we'll all read the post.

Of particular note are the Opnet Board forums. They are strictly IC (in character) while the rest happens here. Please enjoy your stay, I do.

- J

[Father Ryan]

My dear Wizard, you mistake my meaning, I enjoy reading the characters that are posted here, there are many good ideas and some interesting backgrounds.

I am not the quite the same maniac that posts on opposing views, or the opnet board. Here I am not in character and may therefore interact with you with out fanatical abuse etc.

My comment was simply this, we have seen many high powered characters on this board. It is nice to see the other end of the spectrum also. They have so far been under representated.

As for posting Father Ryan, I may do so in a while. I am quite simply a baseline character. Tremble at my coming!

God bless all here.

[Jager]

Nexus, either post here or post in a "New Character" section I am about to post up. I am sure we will offer advice if we can. Please include possible histories, if you can.

[Guest]

Hi Guys. In reply to the question, average XP was about 2-3 per session. As for power development I am a little stumped there, might have Trauma got to med-school and increase his medicine skill, also maybe increasing quantum pool to allow him to continue to heal for longer.

I'd picture Trauma eventually giving in to his guilt and maybe doing some World Health Organisation work. He doesn't really value money much, but is trying to stay in touch with his humanity...could have a breakdown eventually.

[Jager]

Trauma,

An option would be to jack your quantum stat to a six (a mere 40 xp) and then getting the mastery extra for healing (all five levels for 11 xp). Okay, it is very, very expensive, but it does allow you to double the effectiveness of your healing (every quantum spent counts for two).

The Quantum stat of six could also allow you to pick up Bio-Manipulation and/or Disease Authority.

Picking up Mega-Int and Medical Prodigy, maybe in line.

Have you ever thought about Elemental Mastery Health? I could see the use of:

Enhance/Diminish, but have it relate to Healing rates and the like and have the duration be a scene or a day, or something like that.

Imprison (using someones biochemistry to lock them up)

Shield (by preparing your body to take damage, you 'instantly' heal it as it comes in aka extra soak)

Bio-Entropy Storm out of Entropy Control seems natural enough

Age Alteration out of Temmporal Manipulation

From a personal perspective, your in a tough way. Not only are you heroic, you are seen as heroic. That is a tough situation made worse. My advice is to find him some like minded novas to be his support group, if possible.

There are going to be things that, as a nova, he is going to confront that baseline humans have a hard time understanding. He is a nova and he must accept it. It isn't the end of his old live, though, but it does complicate matters. THat's one of the things that makes the game fun.

[Guest]

I was thinking about a whole "nervous breakdown" thing as a part of an ongoing storyline but I am not sure about that. The character might end up trying to form some kind of Nova aid organisation with humanitarian goals similar to Utopia's but without the nasty edge.

[NeoVid]

It occured to me that I have never told anyone that I used to play an OppViews character. Plus, since I haven't really had a chance to RP this guy in a game, I might as well post him here. Keep in mind that this is him as a beginning chara... later he'll likely look a lot like Prodigy, statwise, though with more emphasis on the megasocials...

That also reminds me, I've been wondering what Prodigy was like when he started out. Anyway...

_________

Calvin "The Cipherman" Baird

Eruption: Stress

Nature: Architect

Allegiance: None yet...

Attributes: Str 3, Dex 4(precise), Sta 4(tireless), App 3, Man 5(pushy), Cha 5(convincing), Per 5(analytical), Int 5(creative), Wit 5(quick)

Megastats: Manipulation 1(trickster), Int 1(Strategic prodigy), Per 1(Insight. I forget where I found this one... it allows more time to process information, so you get more detail...), Cha 1(commanding presence), Wits 1(lie detector)

Abilities: Might 1, Drive 1, Firearms 2, Martial arts 2, Melee 1, Stealth 1, Awareness 1, Investigation 3, Academics 1, Bureaucracy 1, Computer 3, Engineering 3, Intrusion 2, Linguistics 1, Medicine 1, Science 1, Survival 1, Biz 2, Rapport 2, Intimidation 2, Interrogation 2, Streetwise 2, Subterfuge 3, Command 2, Etiquette 1

[Note: I've heard that it's best to start specialized, and diversify with experience. I know that it's a good idea, but it didn't really go with the idea I had for him, so his ability points got spread out a lot...]

Backgrounds: Resources 4, Influence 2, Cipher 3, Contacts 4, Dormancy 4, Allies 2

Willpower 4

Taint 3

Quantum 3

Q-pool 26

Powers: Warp 1, Invulnerability 1(mental influence)

History: Calvin Baird was a police officer, and a dedicated one. Dedicated didn't mean effective, though. He was often in over his head when he was made to do actual police work instead of walking the beat. His flaws came to the fore when he was put in charge of an investigation against a major drug ring. They had managed to apprehend one major suspect, and if they could get him to talk, they could bust open most of the organization. But the guy had such a solid alibi that everyone knew he was going to get off, and take their leverage with him. Baird spent nearly an entire week going over all the records they had confiscated, the tapes of the suspect's interrogations... then in a flash of insight, he had it... there was one hole in the guy's story that brought it all crashing down, letting them convict him, and get warrants against several of the higher-ups in the organiztion.

Baird didn't want publicity about his eruption getting around, but a police officer becoming a nova didn't stay out of the news for long. Because attention was the last thing he wanted, Baird resigned from the force, and dropped out of sight.

In the year since then, the Cipherman has become a player in finance and technology, as Calvin set up his own little untouchable fortress of resources. Whether he intends to use them for something is anyone's guess...

___________

Cipherman's meant to be a character who helps get things done, not do them himself. I'm planning for his powers to be entirely mental in nature (Domination, Telekinesis...) and once I decide to start raising his Taint, his unsympathetic personality will go right over the edge to being an aberration: Emotional Detachment. I don't want this guy to be all that likable.

[Guest]

Unfortunately, I'm a GM only... so most of my NPCs don't have the depth and history to them. But, here are a couple that I just like the concept behind.

David Branch was a fairly normal guy, an EMT. Like most EMTs he was very dedicated to his job, and beginning to become burned out (I obviously thought of this guy after seeing Bringing Out the Dead).

He erupted due to the trauma of losing someone he was working very hard on. Someone that he knew the odds were against, but that he thought he had a chance at.

His eruption have him superhuman levels of dexterity and wits, mainly in regards to saving the lives of others (Fast Tasks, Enhanced Init and Quickness). His intelligence, or general medical ability did not increase; however, he gained very minor ability in Pretercognition (only able to determine what happen to the person he was working on. A kind of nova-powered diagnosis for dummies. He also obviously got Healing...

However, this is were it gets (hopefully) interesting.

His eruption was very hard on him, due to the emotional nature. He developed a good amount of starting taint.

Whenever anyone injured touches his bare skin (or his attuned clothing, or eufiber for that matter), he heals them. Any injury, even if less than one bashing level. Got a stubbed toe? Stiff neck? Paper cut? He is forced to heal all of these injuries. Once he runs out of quantum, he begins cannabilizing his body for quantum.

Several times, he has almost died, his body nearly destroying itself to get rid of a nasty rash. In the worst of these states, emergency care and medical attention is necessary, and necessarily hamstringed. People must act with a methodical deliberateness, avoiding touching him, for fear of making it worse. During medical care, full medical asepsis must be practiced at all times. His nurses must wear surgical scrubs, gloves (obviously), and hair nets.

He has joined an American Nova agency, having been presented with the dangling carrot of controlling his powers; however, so far, no government research as worked.

He is becoming somewhat bitter, having had his life risked so often. In public, he wears heavy, layered clothing and gloves, in order to keep from touching people. On five seperate occassions, people have *staged* injuries near him, just so they could be healed by him. The sheer pathetic horror of this terrifies him.

Recently, much to his dismay, his bitterness has taken a physical form. He recently, accidently learned how to cause cellular necrosis, and disassociate cellular bonds, killing one of the odd grupies that injure themselves to be healed by him.

His guilt and horror are matched only by his relief that the "accident" was able to be covered up by the agency he works for.

*****

James Worthey Larson (named after his father's favorite basketball player), was good at everything. An expert surfer, computer programmer, businessman, doctor and scientist.

James has above human abilities at almost EVERYTHING. Only his strength and appearance could be considered within the realm of human norms, and even then, they are at very extremes of human ability.

His ability is matched by a hunger knowledge, and a desire to succeed. He has no TRUE ambition; however. Doing well is its one reward. For James, the journey is more important than the destination.

After his eruption, he went to school, studying several programs at once. He became a psychiatrist, neurosurgeon, lawyer (Business, First Amendement and Criminal), computer engineer, philosopher, pianist, painter, and janitor (yes, you read right... he finds something pure in the menial labor).

When he becomes interested in something, he learns about it.. usually becoming an expert in the field. While he is usually not one of the knowledgible novas in a field, is knowledge if very accessible. He has a gift for putting advanced concepts into easier to understand terms. He even teaches at the UC Berkley... sometimes.

One thing he lacks; however, is common sense. More accurately, he HAS common sense. He just doesn't use it. He has made millions in the stock market, only to then risk it all surefire misses, such as comapnies that sell bizarre fetish gear, and gourmet crackers. He again made millions, starting a film production company (and even directing a couple, winning several awards in the process). He then *gave* this production company away as a prize in a contest.

He currently owns two businesses, both in on the fringes of genetic science.

One is Exotic Things, a pet store, which sells genetically altered animals, both domestic animals, such as dogs and birds, and less domestic animals, with genetic safeguards, such as tigers and even odder things, such as giant platypi (oh yes.. there is a market). He doesn't even want to consider whose buying the slender, softer-furred ferrets.

His other business, is the Impossible Diner, a restaurant chain which features genetically altered food, such as five-pound shrimp, boneless fi

[Kirby1024]

In case anyone hadn't figured it out by now, my character on the Opnet board is Alex McKenzie. His stats are on this page:

http://kirby1024.tripod.com/rpgaming/photon.html

Yes, Alex is a Follower of Sidney. He just seemed slightly more interesting to play, especially with what I have planned for him...

1. Eventually (I'm not sure when), I'm going to turn him into a Psiad. When he does, the following gets added to his stats:

Psi 2, Telekinesis 1, Force Field 1, Intuition 1*

*This he already has to a lesser extent. He has the downright spooky ability to sense not only when someone is around, but if he knows them, and who they are if he does. At the moment, he attributes this to his childhood ("I was a master at Hide and Seek, it's not a skill you lose...").

2. Alex won't be the first in his family to have gained these abilities. His Great-grandfather "Unlockable" Lachlan McKenzie had abilities quite similar in the 20's...

[ 12-18-2001: Message edited by: Kirby1024 ]

[Ashnod]

When this character's tabletop story officially ended, this is what her stats looked like. It's also a pretty good reflection of how I play her here, so have fun peeking behind the scenes at Ashnod.

Nature: Visionary

Archetype: Portent[second stage]

Str: 3, Dex 4, Stamina 4

Per: 3, Int 4, Wit 2

App: 4, Man 2, Cha: 2

Athletics 3 (Acrobatics), Awareness 3, Endurance 3, Rapport 1, Resistance 3, Subterfuge 1, Command 1, Drive 1, Etiquette 1, Firearms 1, Martial Arts 2, Melee 4 (that's a long story), Perform 4 (Dancing), Style 2, Pilot 2, Academics 3, Bureacracy 1, Computer 1, Law 1, Linguistics 2, Medicine 1, Science 2 (Physics and Biology)

M-Str: 2 (Quantum Leap)

M-Dex: 2 (Accuracy)

M-Sta: 2 (Adaptability, Hardbody, Regeneration, Resiliancy X 2)

M-Int: 1 (Analyze Weakness, Linguistic Genius, Taint Resistance)

M-Wit: 1 (Quickness)

M-App: 2 (Appearance Alteration, Awe-Inspiring, Copy Cat, Face of Terror)

M-Cha: 1 (Soothe)

Quantum 6, Taint 3, Willpower 7

Quantum Pool 46

Attunement 2, Dormancy 4, Node 3

Temporal Manipulation 5 w/Mastery Extra

Spatial Manipulation 4 (Shockwave, Warp, Askew, Warp Body)

Molecular Manipulation 3 (Shape Alteration, Molecular Alteration, Destruction)

Disrupt 3 w/Mastery Extra

Force Field 2 w/Impervious and Mastery Extras

Psychic Shield 2

BioManipulation 1 w/Mastery and Affect Microbes Extras (Body Manipulation)

Telepathy 1

Aberrations:

Aberrant Eyes: Ashnod's eyes glow blood red, if such a color can actually glow. The light eminates from the orbs themselves, so it's impossible to distinguish the pupil or iris from the rest of it. They also leak red quantum energy out horizontally (never vertically). This effect is accentuated when she moves, giving a tracer effect that hangs in the air for about 5 seconds before dissapating.

Forked Lightning: She has a bolt of similarly colored forking lightning that stretches down the right side of her body from forehead, face, neck, shoulder, breast, belly, thigh, calf, ankle, and foot. It glows the same red as her eyes, though it doesn't give off energy in the same fashion her eyes do.

Anima Banner: Again, the same color red in a coruscanting halo effect around her body. The halo looks liquid upon close inspection, like a stormy sea violently cascading over itself. I originally envisioned this to look similar to the sonic blast that Arden Lyn executes in MASTERS OF TERAS KASI, but I eventually decided that's what her Force Field looked like when it was impacted. Still, it should give you the basic idea of how it appears.

Her hair is technically an aberration as well, though only a minor one. She was born with Irish auburn locks, but after coming out of Chrysalis, it had altered so it was completely black minus a dark red streak that began where the lightning bolt reached her hairline.

[Hugin]

Kewl, thanx for the peekee. Gotta ask though, how long did you play before you finally earned enough botches to get Chrysalis? I'm curious simply because it looked like a suckers bet in the Teragen book.