Rules of the Game (CharGen & House Rules)

[Ante]

Click to reveal.. (A Glimpse Behind the Curtain...)

• On November 6th, 1977, a document is entered into Aeon's Babel Dossier with a "Minimum Security Rating" of "Epsilon". The document mentions, amongst other things, something called "Proteus", referring to its proposed activities as "wet works".
  
  The Galatea incident will not occur for another twenty-two years. The so-called "Thetis Proposal" will not be submitted for another twenty-three.
  
  On July 9th, 1998, another document is entered into Aeon's Babel Dossier with a Security Rating of "Theta". This document specifically mentions Project Utopia one month before the Project is officially unveiled to the world, further mentioning two other Projects - Tantalus and Pandora - each of which, it is claimed, focus on "possible offshoots of Homo Sapiens".
  
  No mention of these projects, or the evolved superhumans the document claims they are studying, has ever been made in the public press.
  
  "Theta" is only the eighth of twenty-four characters in the Greek alphabet, implying that there are another sixteen levels of Security above this, presumably containing records considered even more sensitive than that listed above.
  
  What these records might be remains unknown.

• On July 4th, 1997, the Mars Pathfinder mission successfully reaches Mars and deposits a probe on the planet’s surface. In the years since, eight other missions have been launched with the goal of landing probes on Mars.
  
  None of them have succeeded.
  
  All but two of them have been reported “lost” in transit, while the remaining two crashed upon reaching the planet’s orbit.

• On March 23rd, 1998, the Galatea explodes in orbit over the Earth. It is reported that its rapidly decaying orbit dumps massive amounts of radioactive material into the jetstream, leading to increased levels of radioactivity reported throughout the world over the next few days. Though it is initially thought that this event is what triggers the concurrent appearance of novas throughout the world, this theory later comes under much scrutiny and is now considered unlikely.
  
  To date, no satisfactory explanation for the research satellite’s explosion has ever been given. Neither has it ever been explained what, exactly, the Galatea was supposed to be researching.
  
  To date, no reports have come in from any quarter of the world of radiation-related illnesses, birth defects, or crop deaths/mutations that can be reliably traced back to the Galatea. Initial reports of elevated radiation levels following the Galatea’s explosion and descent into Earth’s atmosphere can no longer be found, except as second-hand copies, usually within the archives of local newspaper companies.

• On February 18th, 1999, Boris Yeltsin dies. The ensuing chaos within Russia causes a domino effect to cascade through the world’s financial markets, leading to the biggest economic crash in human history. By July of 2000, the UN is reporting a financial upswing, and each quarter thereafter it is reported that the global economy continues to steadily recover. By 2008, the “Moscow Crash” is considered a thing of the past.
  
  In September of 2009, it is reported that a “ghost fleet” of merchant vessels, larger than the British and United States Navies combined and the largest gathering of ships in maritime history, has gathered to the east of the island nation of Singapore. The fleet has no crew, no cargo, and no known destination. The initial report is immediately suppressed and no other news agencies are allowed near it, nor allowed to photograph it.
  
  No official reasons have been given by anyone, anywhere, to explain why more than twelve percent of the world’s mercantile shipping force sits inactive if the world's economy is, in truth, "recovering".

• On September 25th, 2003, a bomb is set off in downtown Sao Paulo, leveling over 30 city blocks in the process. Official news reports claim that “a terrorist” organization detonated the bomb, saying it was a “primitive fusion” weapon of some kind.
  
  No terrorist organization has ever stepped forward claiming responsibility for the Sao Paulo bombing.
  
  Within eight months, the UN grants Project Utopia’s Science and Technology Department authority to monitor, regulate and approve of all scientific developments around the world.
  
  Within a year, the Bahrain Rashoud Facility is opened for the housing of novas with “excessive quantum build-up”. No reports of such novas can be found, anywhere, before September 25th, 2003.
  
  To date, no groups or individuals have been officially charged with the Sao Paulo bombing.

On the Nature of Project Prometheus and The Argonauts
The Aeon Society for Gentleman that Maxwell Anderson Mercer originally founded in 1924 has gone through many changes over the decades, especially in those decades since Mr. Mercer’s disappearance. The Aeon Society of today has dropped the “for Gentleman” portion of its title (which was, admittedly, for the best), and has grown into something more closely resembling a large corporation than a close knit family of like-minded individuals. It is also a conflicted organization.

Originally founded on the principles of openness and trust, the Aeon Society of today is largely a closed book to the general public. Today’s common man (and woman) only ever hears about the charitable donations and disaster aid work the Aeon Society gives out to those in need, but almost never about any of the Society’s other pursuits. This fact does not sit well with everyone on Aeon’s Board of Directors, however, nor even with all of those who are not on the Board, but are in positions of authority or responsibility that might allow them to help steer the course of the increasingly unwieldy philanthropic organization. The result is an Aeon Society that is very nearly divided between those who would pursue their objectives clandestinely “for humanity’s own good”, and those who would return to a more open policy of sharing knowledge and information with anyone who would take the initiative to request it of them.

And this shows in the “special projects” that Aeon oversees. Of them, only Project Utopia has been revealed to the general public, while the remainder (whose total number is a mystery to all but a tiny handful – and they aren’t talking) have remained veiled in deepest secrecy. Even Project Utopia, the one project that has been brought out into the public’s eye, was partnered almost immediately with the ultra-black Project Proteus. Meanwhile, Project Pandora hovers on the edge of public exposure – never quite leaving the shadows, however – and the mysterious Projects Tantalus, Cyclops, Artemis, and others whose very names or total number are only rumors, remain deeply buried in layers of secrecy so black that even Proteus’ Director Thetis has trouble seeing them.

And it is out of this conflicted, secretive environment that Project Prometheus has arisen.

Ironically, considering its ultimate objective, Project Prometheus is perhaps the most secretive of all Aeon’s current projects. This is because, like the Greek Titan for whom it is named, Project Prometheus’ stated objective is to “level the playing field”, so to speak, and to take back all of those hidden fires that those in power in the modern world are hoarding, and to put them to use aiding humanity as a whole instead of the privileged minority. Project Prometheus’ founders know that this objective will frequently pit it against some of its own sister organizations, particularly Project Proteus, but even the more benevolent Project Utopia will occasionally fall within the crosshairs of the Prometheans. You see, the world is a much more marvelous – and mysterious – place than most have been led to believe, and those in charge of Prometheus know it, and they aim to share that knowledge with everyone.

The full extent and scope of Project Prometheus is impossible for even someone like Director Thetis to discern (in fact, she’s heard little more than vague rumors at this point), let alone the average citizen of the world of Aberrant in the year 2010, and so even its own operatives rarely know what is happening within the Project outside of their own area of operation. So while it can be implied that there are Prometheans hacking into the classified files of Utopia’s Science and Technology Department, searching for technology that should be making the world a better place but that has been hidden away out of fear, or that there are Prometheans working on a way to redirect all of those misdirected funds in the world that were meant to aid developing nations but have instead been used to pad the pockets of the wealthy, you wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?

Because you’re an Argonaut, a member of the only field team within Project Prometheus (that you know of, at least). You and your squad are all the best of the best, equal parts Sherlock Holmes, Indiana Jones and James Bond. And rightly or wrongly, you believe yourself to be a part of the most elite band of field agents in any organization anywhere.

And honestly? You’re probably right.

Unlike most of Project Prometheus, The Argonauts don’t simply limit themselves to taking back what’s been stolen from the world at large. They also move to discover – or rediscover, as the case may be – anything that might aid (or harm, for that matter) humanity as a whole before it can be hidden away by those who would hoard it for their own uses. Like the Argonauts of myth, you and your fellow agents are intrepid explorers and adventurers, in search of the metaphorical Golden Fleece – that one thing – or perhaps many things – that will put an end to the wrongful tyranny under which this world suffers. Along the way, you will encounter marvels, mysteries, impossibilities, and monsters, and if you’re lucky, you’ll live to see the end of the journey.

Welcome aboard.

Click to reveal.. (Some Thoughts on Character Backgrounds)

I’ve only seen a few proposed character concepts thus far, and for the most part they’ve been fine. Even so, it occurred to me that I should probably put something up here to give you guys a better idea of what I’m looking for in your characters. So here are some thoughts and suggestions that I hope will aid you guys in creating your characters for this game.

Firstly, consider what Project Prometheus and the Argonauts are not: They are not Project Utopia, Project Proteus, The Directive, the CIA, the FBI, Interpol, or any other such organization. They are not an official peace-keeping, law-enforcing organization, nor are they a ruthless black ops group dedicated to doing “whatever is necessary” to maintain the status quo. Prometheans and - more importantly to you all – Argonauts are not cops, assassins, or thugs, of any pedigree. They might have been one or more of these things at some point in the past, but that is not what they are now.

Now let’s take a look at what Project Prometheus (and the Argonauts) are. Not only are they an organization that is so secretive that even Project Proteus and The Directive can’t draw a solid bead on them, they are also an organization that brazenly goes in and investigates the sorts of strange phenomena, individuals, places, and cases that frankly scares most other organizations to death – including the big dogs like Proteus and The Directive. Put in simplest terms, when they are at their best they are treasure hunters and detectives – at worst, they are salvagers and scavengers. As Argonauts, your characters will be expected to solve some of the greatest mysteries, and to hunt down and discover (and return with) some of the most wondrous or terrible artifacts of the Modern Era.

Needless to say, the Argonauts are not your average novas, psiads, or daredevils. They are expected to track down what others consider unfindable, solve cases others declared unsolvable, and accomplish what everyone said was impossible. Compared to an Argonaut, the average Proteus operative is just a thug with superpowers and the average Directive agent is just a beat cop with a fancier badge and too much authority.

In short, your characters need to be professionals.

Just because your daredevil is handy with a gun and happens to be a great pilot as well, or your psiad has a maxed-out Iatrosis rating and Psi rating of 10, or your nova has a really unique power set and isn’t afraid to use it, that doesn’t mean that they suddenly qualify for a place in the Argonauts. The daredevil could probably get work in any of a dozen other professions, the psiad sounds like they definitely qualify for a place in Project Pandora, and the nova should probably consider putting in an application with Project Utopia or DeVries. These characters all sound impressive enough in their own right, but there’s really nothing that recommends them over any of a dozen other individuals with equally impressive credentials.

So what I’d like you guys to consider as you think up your characters, is what makes them stand out? Why was it them - and not the nova or psiad or whoever standing next to them – who got the job as an Argonaut? Do they have a skill set or resume that are just that impressive? Do they have a powerset that really is that unique and useful to the Prometheans? Perhaps they’ve already been getting themselves into trouble sticking their nose where it doesn’t belong and doing a particularly good job of it? Or is it maybe that they had already had run-ins with the strange and unknown before Prometheus ever found them?

Your characters can be of any age (within reason), of any background (again, within reason – an alien love-child, Princess of Atlantis, or Hitler-clone will only make me hate you), and from pretty much anywhere in the world and of any ethnicity. Neither are they limited to an “Inspiration” that took place post-Galatea, though, in the year 2010, that’s probably the most likely scenario. Jokes about Hitler-clones aside, a bit of weirdness in your PC’s background is perfectly acceptable, and maybe even appropriate (especially for you psiads and daredevils).

Daredevils, bear in mind that probably not even you yourselves realize that you are anything other than highly skilled, or just damned lucky, baseline humans. Aeon is the only organization on earth (that we know about...) that is even aware of the existence of “paramorphs”, and their Project Tantalus has only tentatively identified one of them. Having said that, you effectively are paramorphs, and even if you aren’t as cosmically powerful as Max Mercer, you’re still magnets for the exciting, the amazing and the weird. As Doctor Primoris (aka Divis Mal) put it, in an entry to his journal in 1924, “The impossible does not generally follow these people as it does those my ilk, but the improbable is their constant bedfellow”.

Psiads, bear in mind that you may well believe yourself to be a nova, but that this isn’t necessarily so. Project Pandora is alive and kicking in 2010, and there is every possibility that Project Prometheus has recruited you from within its ranks. Another possibility is the Gestalt, outlined in the APG. And of course, you may not have ever belonged to any of these organizations and have simply spent the last however-many-years not quite knowing what you are. Just to be clear, though, once you start working for Aeon, they will tell you. They are fully aware of the existence of “psychomorphs”, and will know one when he or she is standing right in front of them.

Novas, for all of the advantages that your kind possesses, in a lot of ways you’re the mundane ones in this group. Everyone knows about novas, and while they’re certainly incredible and amazing in their own right, they aren’t nearly as strange or mysterious as the “psychomorphs”, nor are they likely to be able to share in the brash, underdog heroism of the those strange baseline “daredevils”. Still, the tradeoff is that you guys can do anything, so there is that…

That’s all I’ve got for now, guys, have fun whipping up characters. I’ll try to get some NPCs, locations, and other IC-related stuff up for your perusal soon. And of course, try to remember that this game won’t officially get started until late next month!

For Starters:
Choose your character class: you may play a nova, a psiad (aka a proto-psion or psychomorph), or a Daredevil. Once you have made your choice, create your character, using the applicable creation rules and starting point values for your chosen class (i.e. if you’ve chosen to play a psiad you do not get the starting Quantum or Inspiration score of 1 – refer instead to the rules for starting Psi).

A Special Note for Psiads:
We are using the rules for “proto-psions” (or psiads) presented in the Aberrant Player’s Guide, pg. 61, with some modifications, as outlined below. In general, if you find something in the CharGen rules listed below that are different than those found in either the Trinity Core book, or in the APG on pg. 61, consider the rules listed below to be the ones we are using.

Here is the quick and dirty version of how psiads work (in this game):

• Psiads are not limited to a single Aptitude. Instead, they have access to Primary and Secondary Aptitudes, which are determined by choosing one of three sub-categories for your psiad’s Primary Aptitudes. These sub-categories are: Cognitive (Clairsentience & Telepathy), Biological (Biokinesis & Vitakinesis), and Energetic (Electrokinesis & Psychokinesis). Choose one of these categories; the two Aptitudes it covers are now your Primary Aptitudes and all others are considered Secondary Aptitudes. Teleportation is always a Secondary Aptitude. Quantakinesis is not available at all (the canonical reason given for this is that psiad genes simply aren’t evolved enough yet to make use of this Aptitude).
• Starting Psi may be at any level that you can manage to afford (to a max of 10, of course).
• Psiads are, by default, limited to no more than three dots in any Aptitude’s Mode (it doesn’t matter whether it’s a Primary or Secondary Aptitude). Psiad’s with a Psi rating of 9 or 10 may purchase a fourth dot in their Primary Aptitude Modes, but are still limited to 3 dots in their Secondaries. Psiad characters who have the Natural Aptitude merit (a fan-created merit, listed below) may be able to learn the fifth dot in as many as four different Modes within their Primary Aptitudes.

[Ante]

Character Creation:

Attributes: 7/5/3

Abilities: 23 (none higher than 3 at before BP or NP are spent)

Backgrounds: 7

Initial Willpower (novas/daredevils/psiads): 3/3/5

Starting Quantum: 1

Starting Quantum Pool: ([Final Quantum x 2] + 20)

Starting Inspiration: 1

Starting Inspiration Pool = Final Inspiration Score

Starting Psi: ([stamina + Wits + Charisma]/2, rounded up)

Starting Psi Pool: (Final Psi + 10)

Initiative: Dexterity + Wits

Bonus Points: 15

Nova Points: 40

Psi Points: 45

Transformation Points: 28

Bonus Point Costs:

Attribute: 5

Ability: 2

Specialty: 1 (max of 3 per Ability)

Background: 1

Willpower: 2

Quantum: 7

Psi: 5

Primary Aptitude: 4

Secondary Aptitude: 5

Initiative: 1

Nova Point Costs:

Mega-Attribute: 3

Enhancement: 3

Quantum: 5 (max of 5 at this time)

L1 Power: 1

L2 Power: 3

L3 Power: 5

2 Quantum Points (Pool): 1 (no limit)

3 Attribute Dots: 1

6 Ability Dots: 1

Ability Mastery: 1 (max 3 Abilities, total)

5 Background Dots: 1

Background Enhancement: 2

Willpower Dot: 1

Psi Point Costs:

2 Attribute Dots: 1

5 Ability Dots: 1

Ability Mastery: 1 (max 3 Abilities, total)

4 Background Dots: 1

Background Enhancement: 2

Primary Aptitudes: 2

Secondary Aptitudes: 3

Psi: 5

2 Psi Points (Pool): 1 (no limit)

Willpower Dot: 1

Transformation Point Costs:

3 Attribute Dots: 1

6 Ability Dots: 1

Ability Mastery: 1 (max 3 Abilities, total)

5 Background Dots: 1

Background Enhancement: 2

2 Willpower Dots: 1

Inspiration Dot: 1

3 Inspiration Points to Pool: 1 (no limit)

Knack, Heroic: 2

Requirement:

Minimum Backing: 3 (Project Prometheus)

Unified Experience Chart:

Experience Point Costs:

Attribute: current x 4

Ability: current x 2

Background: current x 2

Mega-Attribute: current x 5

L1 Power: current x 3

L2 Power: current x 5

L3 Power: current x 7

Primary Aptitude: current x 5

Secondary Aptitude: current x 7

Willpower: current rating

Inspiration: current x 6

Quantum: current x 8

Psi: current x 6

Inspiration: 2 per dot

Quantum Pool: 3 per dot

Psi Pool: 3 per dot

Initiative: current rating

New Ability: 3

Specialty: 1 (max 3 per ability)

Ability Mastery: 12 (max 3, total)

New Background: 2

Background Enhancement: 12

Knack, Heroic: 10

Enhancement: 5

New Mega-Attribute: 6

New L1 Power: 3

New L2 Power: 6

New L3 Power: 9

Primary Aptitude: 6

Secondary Aptitude: 9

[Ante]

Master Abilities List:

Strength

Might

Dexterity

Athletics

Archery (APG, pg.87)

Brawl*

Firearms

Legerdemain

Melee

Stealth

Stamina

Endurance

Resistance

Channeling*

Perception

Awareness

Investigation

Navigation

Intelligence

Academics

Analysis (Aberrant: The Directive, pg.55)

Bureaucracy

Computer

Demolitions

Engineering

Gambling (APG, pg.88)

Intrusion

Linguistics

Medicine

Military Science

Science

Survival

Tradecraft (Aberrant: The Directive, pg.55)

Wits

Arts

Biz

Drive (Adventure!, pg.141)

Meditation (novas use the APG, pg.88, psiads, Trinity, pg.137)

Pilot (Adventure!, pg. 142)

Rapport

Shadowing (Aberrant: The Directive, pg.55)

Tactics

Weave (APG, pg.82)

Appearance

Disguise

Intimidation

Style

Manipulation

Animal Handling (Adventure!, pg.142)

Diplomacy

Interrogation

Savvy/Streetwise (Adventure!, pg.142-143)

Subterfuge

Charisma

Command

Etiquette

Perform

Instruction (APG, pg.90)

Special

Thought Discipline (Aberrant: The Directive, pg.55)

---------------------------------------

New Skills:

Brawl (Dexterity): This is a unified version of Martial Arts and Brawl. It covers all aspects of hand-to-hand fighting, from boxing to kung fu. I leave it up to you to describe exactly what sort of fighting style your character knows. We will not be using any of the rules for the various fighting styles presented in the Trinity setting.

Channeling (Stamina/Perception): This Ability represents the nova's increased comprehension of the workings of her M-R node, which is her link to the quantum world. A nova with Channeling has taken the time and put in the effort to understand her M-R node and maximize its potential, increasing both its versatility and effectiveness as a whole. As such the nova is capable of safely channeling larger-than-normal amounts of quantum energy through her node and using it safely. At its highest levels, Channeling actually represents a physical change to the node itself as it is reshaped to maximize its potential while reducing or eliminating the harmful side effects that normally accompany the later stages of M-R node development. The nova's skill with Channeling grants her a "buffer" against the harmful effects of rapid recovery of quantum energy, lets her temporarily increase the maximum number of quantum points that she can spend in a turn, increases her node's sensitivity to sources of quantum energy, and grants some protection against quantum-generated brain damage and the resulting mental Taint. Please note that this Ability has no effect on the number of quantum points the nova can naturally recover in a turn. Also, a nova must have the Node Background in order to develop this ability in the first place, and is limited to (Node rating + 1) or 5 dots in Channeling as her maximum rating, whichever is lowest. The four advantages of Channeling are described in detail below.

Rapid Recovery Buffer (Stamina): A nova with Channeling may add her rating in this Ability to rolls for rapid recovery. With the increase to her dice pool, the nova has a better chance of succeeding on her roll and reducing the possibility of acquiring temporary Taint. Additionally when standing next to a particularly powerful source of quantum energy (such as the sun) a nova may add each dot of Channeling above 3 to her Node rating to determine the number of quantum points absorbed. The nova will still roll against the standard difficulties and will still acquire temporary Taint on a failure or botch as listed in the Aberrant core book (on p.150).

Increased Quantum Output (Stamina): A nova with Channeling can temporarily increase the power output of her node, allowing her to spend more quantum points in a turn than her Node rating would normally allow. To do this she spends 1 temporary Willpower point and rolls Stamina + Channeling as an automatic action. If the roll is successful, then on the following turn the nova may spend quantum up to her normal maximum plus a number of extra points equal to her successes on the Stamina + Channeling roll. Failure means the nova acquires one point of temporary Taint. If the nova botches the roll, the nova acquires two points of temporary Taint. The effects listed above last for one turn, and the nova may attempt this only once per scene.

Increased Node Sensitivity (Perception): The nova can add her Perception + Channeling dice to her Node rating for sensing sources of Quantum, with each success narrowing down the source's location and granting the nova a greater than average ability to home in on these sources. Additionally, at the Storyteller's discretion once a nova has determined the location of the target (either through a node "ping" or through use of another sense) extra successes on the Perception + Channeling roll can be used to determine the nature of the source's power (i.e. a nuclear power plant vs. the sun). If the target is another nova and the character has already determined the nova's location, extra successes may be used to determine the relative Quantum, Node and Taint traits possessed by the target (one success for each trait). Any further successes achieved allow the nova to guess at the other nova's Mega-Attributes and quantum powers as per the Quantum Attunement enhancement.

Mental Taint Reduction: Each dot in Channeling cancels one dot of Taint when determining the nova's Willpower dice pool for resisting mental aberrations. In no other circumstances will Channeling have any effect on Taint or the resulting aberrations.

Like Weave, this Ability is very rare, with the Storyteller having the final say on whether or not a character can have Channeling.

Specialties: Increased Node Sensitivity, Increased Quantum Output, Rapid Recovery Buffer

[Ante]

Backgrounds:

Allies (found in all three)

Attunement (Aberrant, novas only)

Cipher (found in all three)

Clearance (Trinity PG, pg. 125)

Contacts (found in all three)

Dormancy (Aberrant, novas only)

Devices/Equipment (Trinity, pg. 188, Aberrant: The Directive, pg. 53-54)

Eufiber (Aberrant, novas only)

Followers (found in all three)

Gadget (Adventure!, pg. 146)

Identity (Trinity PG, pg. 125)

Influence (found in all three)

Menagerie (Adventure!, pg. 147)

Mentor (found in all three)

Nemesis (Adventure!, pg. 148)

Node (Aberrant, novas only)

Reputation (Adventure!, pg. 148)

Resources (found in all three - but use the Aberrant system)

Sanctum (Adventure!, pg. 149)

Status/Backing (found in all three)

Background Enhancements:

Artifact (Adventure!, pg.149-150)

Enigma (Adventure!, pg. 150)

In Charge (Adventure!, pg.150)

Kingpin (Adventure!, pg. 150)

Legions (Adventure!, pg. 150)

Renown (Adventure!, pg.150-151)

Sanctum Sanctorum (Adventure!, pg.151)

Wealth Beyond Avarice (Adventure!, pg.151)

Fan-created Background Enhancements:

Skeleton Key (Clearance) – There’s not a database in the world that you can’t get into, and anything written in 1s and 0s might as well be on audio tape. Anything on a computer, or any kind of computer media, is available to your character with a successful Computer roll. Feel free to explain it away with convenient technobabble.

Bag of Holding (Devices/Equipment) – When it comes to the fun toys, you’ve got access to virtually anything. Need a suitcase nuke or a stealth jet, no questions asked? No problem. Custom-built quantum gadgetry? As long as it was already finished before it was asked for. With an opposed Devices vs Gadget roll, you can even ‘borrow’ someone else’s equipment and use it as your own.

Masks (Identity) – Call you the Stainless Steel Rat. Your identity is more real than your ‘real’ face. Not only do you get four dots to divide between Influence and Status for your false identity, but you also have two dots in Resources for your assumed name to cover those incidental expenses. If your cover identity does ever get discovered, you can roll Identity at a +1 difficulty to recycle it into a new one (which takes at least one month of game time).

[Ante]

New Merits/Flaws:

Quantum Integrity [5 point Merit]

The nova's quantum signature resists outside tampering. The nova may spend a Willpower point to add 3 successes to any attempt to resist powers that alter the character on a quantum level (Disrupt, Disimmunize, Quantum Leech etc.). The nova must have a Node rating of 2 or more to take this Merit.

Runner [2 point Merit]

When it comes to running, you excel more than others. Your Dexterity is doubled for determining your Run, and your Sprint is Dexterity x 4. Additionally, you gain +2 on all Endurance or Athletics rolls that involve running.

Frail [3 point Flaw]

The character has a weak constitution. The character loses the "Bruised" Health Level and all Stamina related rolls are made with a + 1 difficulty penalty. Novas with this Flaw aren't barred from having Mega-Stamina, although it's very rare.

Inefficient Quantum [3 point Flaw]

The nova has trouble using her energies to their highest potential. As a result, the most quantum points she can spend per turn is 4. This may be modified by the Node Background, but only at half value (1 extra quantum point per turn / per point of Node.)

Poor Recharge [1, 3, or 5 point Flaw]

Most novas just have to kick back for a little while to recharge their Quantum Pools. Novas with this Flaw aren't so fortunate. For 1 point, the nova can only recover quantum points every 2 hours. For 3 points, the nova can only recover quantum points every 4 hours. For 5 points, the nova can only only recover quantum points after he wakes up from a full night (or day!) of sleep. In all these cases, the Meditation Ability can no longer be used to aid in recharging the nova's Quantum Pool.

Disfigured (1 point Merit / 1 point Flaw)

Something about your appearance is way out of normal. If taking this as a one point Merit, you've got some outstanding feature, like Cyrano's nose, that is noticable. While you suffer a +1 difficulty to Stealth rolls, you can lower the difficulty of rolls like Legerdemain, Style, Subterfuge, and Perform, by using this feature to your advantage. How much this lowers the difficulty is up to the Storyteller, but it should be at least one point. If you are taking this as a one point Flaw, your features are the sort that inspire terror and loathing. You suffer a +1 difficulty to all Social rolls, Stealth, Legerdemain, and Intrusion. The only exception is Intimidation; anyone trying to resist your intimidation rolls their Willpower at a +1 difficulty.

Thinker (5 point Merit)

No matter what, you're the type that sits down and mulls over every possible outcome. Your Reflective facet starts at one higher dot after character creation (meaning that your total facet dots are one higher than your total Inspiration). This cannot raise your Reflective facet above five dots, however. This merit cannot be taken in conjuction with Smasher and Reactive merits.

Smasher (5 point Merit)

You have a tendancy to destroy everything you touch, even when you don't mean to. Your Destructive facet starts at one higher dot after character creation. This cannot raise your Destructive facet above five dots. This merit cannot be taken in conjuction with Thinker and Reactive merits.

Reactive (5 point Merit)

You're the first person to react in any encounter. Your Intuitive facet starts at one higher dot after character creation. This cannot raise your Intuitive facet above five dots. This merit cannot be taken in conjuction with Thinker and Smasher merits.

Master of All Trades (3 point Merit)

Your skill and knowledge are second to none. By taking this Merit, you can have four Ability Masteries instead of just three. Taking this Merit requires an Intelligence of 4 and a Wits of 3.

Natural Aptitude (5pt Merit / 11pt Merit)

Psiads with this can match their artificially-created brethren. For five points, the Psiad picks two Modes from one of their primary Aptitudes. At normal costs, the Psiad can buy those Modes up to 5 dots, gaining access to the most powerful psionic abilities. For the eleven point merit, the Psiad picks two Modes from each of their primary Aptitudes that have the option to be raised up to 5 dots. Only the most powerful Psiads are capable of reaching these levels of ability, requiring a Psi of 9 or 10.

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Knacks:

Heroic Knack - Relentless

"Unh...Hey...Where do you......think you're going...Unh...This fight isn't over...yet."

Maybe you've got the tenacity of a bulldog, or maybe you've got the constitution of a prizefighter or a psychopath. Either way, it's very hard to put you down for the count.

System: you gain 2 bashing soak and 1 lethal soak. In addition, you never have to roll to see whether you are stunned in combat. For the cost of 1 inspiration you may also ignore wound penalties all the way down to incapacitated for the rest of the scene. However you may only initiate this expenditure after you have been damaged. This goes equally well for combat as it does for fending off frostbite.

Prerequisite: The character must have a Willpower of 6 or better.

Heroic Knack - What's at Hand

"Lookout! He’s got a pushbroom!"

When you really think about it, the world is full of potential weapons. Chairs, tables, farm tools, fire hoses, typewriters, dinnerware- the list goes on and on. While nearly all adventurers wind up using improvised weapons of a sort at some point or another, daredevils with this knack are even more adept at kicking ass with an unusual object in their hands.

System: Once per scene, the player may declare one ‘prop’ in the scene as a weapon. The player may add their intuitive facet to all of their attack rolls when using this ‘weapon’ against his or her opponents. However, the player may not carry the same weapon from scene to scene- no fair carrying ladders around! As with any knack, the ST should use discretion with this knack- furthermore, they also should encourage creative uses of the knack aside from “I whack the guy with the shovel”. This knack can also be taken separately for thrown objects.

NOTE THE CHANGE IN REQUIREMENT, BELOW:

Prerequisite: The daredevil must have a Melee of 4 or better in order to take this knack.

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House Rules for Psiads:

• This is not the middle of the 22nd Century, and as such, for novas with a Quantum rating lower than 5, only a nova's actual Taint rating applies when determining any penalties applied against the use of Psi techniques. (Novas with Quantum ratings higher than 6 are a different story...)
• Psi and Quantum don't play well together. High levels of out-of-control Quantum (read: taint) can impede a Psiad's ability to use her own powers, and focused use of Psi can wreak havoc on a nova's ability to call upon her powers at a critical moment.
• Psiads may add their Psi score as a Soak rating against damaging quantum-based attacks.
• All psi-based attacks (except for Disrupt, see below) are considered Piercing when used against novas (but not when used against baselines or daredevils).
• By focusing all of their psionic energies on a nova in range, a Psiad may disrupt that nova's use of quantum. Spend 2 Psi points and roll your permanent Psi rating. Novas may resist with a Quantum + Node roll. The effect has a Duration of (Psi Rating) turns. In all other respects, this works exactly as the Disrupt power described on pg. 190-191 of the Aberrant source book.
• When a Psiad rolls dice to determine the effects of any Mode's techniques, she may add her dots in that Mode to her permanent Psi rating. Moreover, any Mode dice that come up as a 10 count as two successes. (Clarification: Vitakinesis is an Aptitude, Iatrosis is a Mode, and Mending is one of its Techniques. A Psiad's dots in Iatrosis would add to her Psi rating when rolling to determine the effects of her attempt to use Mending on a teammate, and any Iatrosis dice that come up 10's are counted twice.)

House Rules for Freeform Use of Psi:

((OOC Note: There will almost certainly be more of these added to this list as time goes by. I’ll try to post notices in the OOC thread to this effect, but if you’re playing a psiad keep an eye on this sucker, alright?))

• Psiads in this game are not limited to rolling only Psi when attempting to use an improvised effect using the freeform rules and can instead roll Psi + (Relevant Mode). When attempting to generate an improvised effect that combines different Modes within a given Aptitude, the character rolls Psi + (the lowest of the (Relevant Modes)). So if your character is attempting an improvised effect that combines techniques from both Technokinesis and Photokinesis, and your character has 3 dots in Technokinesis but only 1 dot in Photokinesis, you may roll your character’s Psi + 1. Do note that, as when rolling for determining the results of a standard technique, Mode dice that turn up 10’s count as two successes, not one.
• So long as the psiad character rolls at least one success when attempting a freeform technique, he or she may spend temporary Psi to improve the results. However, due to psiads in this game having so much more temporary Psi than ordinary psions do within the default game system, each point of Psi so spent counts as one additional success, not two.
• Psiads are subject to the same limitations as psions when attempting to “boost the effect level” of a freeform technique (Trinity: Player’s Guide, pgs. 162-163), as well as when attempting to “cover a Mode” that they don’t have with another that they do (Trinity: Player’s Guide, pg. 163).
• Because of this, psiads cannot use freeform techniques to exceed four-dot effects for any of their primary Aptitudes unless they also have the ‘Natural Aptitude’ merit (shown here), and even then they may only do so for techniques within the Aptitude(s) affected by this merit.
• In the same way, psiads cannot exceed third-dot effects for any of the secondary Aptitudes, as they are naturally limited to no more than three dots within these Modes to begin with (Aberrant: Player’s Guide, gray sidebar, pg. 61).
• Unlike psions, however, psiads do get to treat non-primary Aptitudes as ‘secondary’, not ‘auxiliary’, and so they are not subject to the limitations placed on psions regarding the combining of Mode techniques to generate improvised effects (Trinity: Player’s Guide, gray sidebar, pg. 163). Psiads may combine secondary Modes in whatever ways are appropriate, with the only caveat being that doing so imposes an additional +1 difficulty, after determining the appropriate effect level and applying any modifiers.

House Rules for Daredevils:

• Daredevils do not choose a Virtue and a Vice. They choose a Nature just like the other two playable types (Psiads and Novas).
• Players do not need to choose an 'Origin' for their Daredevils, and the extra Background dot they would otherwise have received from doing so is already included in their Starting Points.
• Dramatic Entrance grants 3 automatic successes, not three extra dice. Otherwise, it works as described.
• Enhanced Impact inflicts an extra die of damage (Bashing, usually) for every two meters that its effects hurl a victim. "Inspired" targets (i.e. Novas, Psiads, and other Daredevils) may not negate this Knack's effects with the expenditure of a nova/psi/inspiration point. Otherwise, this Knack works as described.
• Fists of Stone is never subject to the Puny Human rule (meaning that the daredevil always gets to at least roll Ping damage, at the least). Otherwise, this Knack works as described.
• Indomitable Will provides 2 soak against damaging mental powers, in addition to the standard difficulty penalty applied against any attempted use of mental powers on the daredevil. Additionally, this Knack may be taken a second time, causing any directed mental attacks against the daredevil to suffer a +4 difficulty penalty, and providing 4 soak against any damage that does get through.
• Lightning Reflexes allows a daredevil to roll a number of dice equal to her Intuitive facet, when rolling for initiative, and choose the preferred result (usually the highest). Note that the daredevil still receives the normal benefit to her initiative for each dot in her Intuitive facet.
• Universally Deadly grants 3 extra dice to attack rolls with all weapons, and the psiad is incapable of botching on rolls made with melee weapons or firearms. Otherwise, this Knack works as described.

General House Rules:

• When fighting against Multiple Opponents, characters suffer a cumulative +1 penalty to Defensive rolls, up to a maximum of +4. These are the rules used in the Adventure! system.

General Mechanics:

• Time: As Aberrant
• Actions: As Aberrant
• Movement: As Adventure!:
  • Walk: Dexterity + 2m
  • Run: Dexterity + 12m
  • Sprint: (3 x Dexterity) + 20m
• Trait Ratings: Normally rated one through five. High-powered aberrant can exceed this maximum for Attributes, going all the way up to ten. Anyone can take Mastery in any Ability (maximum of 3 total), with costs as given in Adventure!
• Rolling Dice and Dice Pools: As Aberrant
• Default Traits: As Aberrant; use the parent Attribute as the dice pool, no inherent penalty for this.
• Personality Traits: Each work as designated in the game system from which they originate.
• Success and Failure: As Aberrant
• Complications: As Aberrant
• Botches: As Trinity (total number of 1’s rolled on a Botch affect degree of botch in the same way as total successes affect degree of success)
• Automatic Success: Standard; a dice pool totaling 7 or larger automatically succeeds at standard tasks outside of stressful situations, such as combat
• Difficulty: As Aberrant
• Extended Actions: As Aberrant
• Multiple Actions: As Aberrant
• Resisted Actions: As Aberrant
• Teamwork: As Aberrant
• Second Chances: As Aberrant

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