Professional Documents
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SAMSARA
Sol System, Undisclosed Location, Timestamp Aeon Trinity braced for the final battle.
Redacted Sitara Prahaman wasn't bothered by the lack of light,
[Message Received] really. The bioware, boxy and backpack-like, seemed more
[Encoded Input Passcodes] burdensome than the dimness. The datapod in her arms
[Code Accepted Decrypting] felt more like a baby, so much that she cradled it automat-
ically. She fought the urge to find a blanket for it, or raise it
Theseus, we need emergency alternatives and I to her breast.
mean like a week ago! Every Legionnaire, Nora killer and Even those impulses didn't trigger her grief. She'd
combat-worthy Orgotek employee is committed to the been floating in a cocoon of emptiness since she'd lost
asteroid belt and were seeing casualty rates in excess of Ramul and their two children. She wasn't the only one who
42%. Nearly one out of every pair of psions is dying or out had lost someone when the Aberrant armada surged out
of it, and our non-powered regulars are worse. Our defense of the void and overran everything in the outer systems but
in depth has only lasted this long. she'd heard them say she was the worst. Depressed, they
The Aberrants are just... too much. Too powerful, too called it. She called it dead. Even amidst all the hell and
many and those we take down just burn themselves out horror, her mental state was a particular concern to her kin
with Taint forces to return ten times the interest. Were in the ISRA psi order. There were whispers she might do
preparing for a retreat, but we cant get to Mars and break something drastic.
contact and we cant just leave it to the freak titans. I should have been there, she thought again, cradling
If something doesnt ward them off or shift the bal- the datapod. She'd thought it before, many times. She'd
ance.... Ill leave it there. been on Earth, seeking a promotion when the monsters
One more thing. Ive told them its absurd, but had come out of the dark. She'd once had the cold comfort
between you and me... did they get him? Max Mercer. No, of knowing that her husband had fought to protect his
no. We need him. Hes #*%(@$>................... family and system; that her children had merely been in the
@*%**%)#@$ wrong place. Her handlers had told her it was so mean-
Dammit, fall back and cover the Final Perimeter--- ingless, not that they realized it. Ramul's death had meant
2r481848!E nothing. Her children had been victims for no reason. Not
[Message Ends] that they were going to admit it out loud, much less in
public. The handlers and technicians couldn't lie to her
perceptions, no matter what their mouths said.
The Colony was going to kill or convert every last
on Trinity Secure Covert Facility, human being in the Solar System.
Location Classified, Such a threat bred the desperation measures used
here. Time travel. Was that really possible? she won-
2128.03.15 dered without any true curiosity. The Trinity said it was,
but according to her briefer, whatever proof they had did
The power and lighting had been reduced down to not equate to surety in the bioware assigned her. She
the minimum required for operation in this area. With Earth suspected that was why they had specified her for this
itself under attack from advance infiltrators of the Aberrant operation. A powerful telesthesiac, with the ennui she had
invasion, sabotage had crippled much of the infrastruc- developed after her loss; a person who would take risks
ture on the planet. Every bit of power was being diverted that even the most dedicated Legionnaires might not,
towards the essential defense and support systems as the because she couldn't care.
SAMSARA 1
ABERRANT
They were wrong. She cared, because if she suc- aura of authority aided by the business suit he wore. Every-
ceeded, Ramul, Jiaan and Warun would be alive. She could thing about him said he was a competent professional, a
have her family back, and that hope sustained her through man used to getting his way.
this insanity. That was why she stood in the black circle, Sitara Prahaman? he asked in French-accented
painted crudely on the floor in haste. This was her only words. More interesting was his warm, genial voice, one
hope and she was crazy enough to take it. that was inclined to make the listener like him. She could
Traveler in position, a voice came across the speak- hear the odd vibrations in his tone that induced changes
ers. Traveler, attune in 5... 4... in her brain, encouraging endorphins to rise and serotonin
Sitara spread her mind and touched the bioware, to fall. She allowed herself to relax externally, knowing that
drawing it in. Her arms clutched tighter, and she thought was what he wanted her to do.
of Warun's warm weight in her arms when she fed him. Narrowing her eyes, Sitara said, Yes, I am. How did
Soon, darling, she promised as she closed her eyes, and all you know that?
sensation ceased. We found your picture in the datapod. He smiled
The sudden loss of her senses sent panic surging slightly. I am Claude Lefort.
through her. After a heartbeat of fear, she realized she A very French name but not a very French face. He
could still feel her fingers digging into the bioware. Tactile wasn't being forthcoming, and Sitara saw he was waiting
senses remained, but she was in a void bereft of all else, for something. You didn't answer me.
feeling shaken about like a leaf in a monsoon. There was His smile widened. I'm waiting for the right question.
no stability, no security. Or questions.
Then her acute mind somehow sensed a presence He had remarkably good control over his facial fea-
across the emptiness, beautiful and as familiar as her own. tures, but she could perceive the tremble in the muscles
Ramul! It was her lost beloved, somehow screaming across that denoted anticipation. She gathered all the intel she'd
the abyss. Sitara, help! been absorbing--
She reached for him and lost her hold on the bioware. --the scent of heat and tropical life when the door
The datapod was ripped from her grasp and everything opened--
dissolved into stillness. --his obvious grace suggested martial training--
--the spice in the foods in the kitchen--
--the Paphinia cristata pollen clinging to his shoes--
--his wrists were too fine, even for an effeminate man,
French Guiana, Cayenne, and he had no adam's apple--
Petit Maharashtracha, --his accent wasn't perfectly French; she could hear
subtle Creole influences, Haitian or possibly French
2030.07.29 Guiana--
--the scent of copper -- a badge on him, somewhere--
Sitara blinked, trying to focus on the round lights --the scraps of bark caught in his cuff had the unique
overhead. Her eyes didn't want to focus; but her ears were smell of Tabebuia serratifolia--
giving her the distant murmur of voices, something beating Why am I in northern South America? Do you have
on wood, and an odd sizzling sound. She could smell an orchids around your house or your workplace? she asked,
overwhelming cacophony of spices: turmeric, cardamom, turning her burnt umber eyes on him. Why is a transman
cumin, oregano and more. The floor under her fingers was in a position of authority currently withholding information
smooth, paint over concrete she thought. from me? Why do you drink Yellow Lapacho tea? Who do
A door opened and the sounds became louder, while you work for?
the smell of cooking food filled her nose. She heard a gasp His smile became a grin, and Sitara knew she'd passed
and the clatter of a metal bowl hitting the floor, then the a test. Now if were done with tests, can I please get
door slammed shut. some actual, useful information?
Groaning, Sitara sat up, keeping her eyes shut against Yes, but please allow my friend, Basil, to prepare you
the stupid lights. Her mind raced as she determined her a meal, Lefort answered smoothly.
next step: find out where she was, so that she could locate I dont have time for a meal, she snapped, I have-
the datapod. That was the priority. She stopped short as she caught a faint, familiar vibration
The door opened again, and Sitara's gaze snapped in the air. Her skin crawled at the sensation. Youre an
up. A slight man with sienna skin entered the room, easing aberrant, she hissed, drawing away from him.
the door shut behind him. He was confident and calm, his Yes, I am a nova. I was disguised as a baseline so as
2 SAMSARA
ABERRANT
not to distress you, he said, his voice pitched to trigger determine what the payment for this feast would be, and
the release of ghrelin, a hormone that reduced stress. I whether Im willing to pay it.
dont intend to deceive you, either. Lefort sighed and glanced at the chef, who shrugged.
I dont have time for this, she growled, standing up The file said she was stubborn, the man said with a Cock-
despite the vertigo. ney accent. Im glad youre the one who has to explain it
We have the datapod, Lefort said, the tone of his to her, and I just get to make the food.
voice still mitigating her hormones and forcing her to feel Thanks, Basil, Lefort snorted.
better. Weve had it for decades. Now, will you come out Explain what? Sitara asked sharply, and Basil bowed
into the restaurant and let me explain everything? and quietly left.
Sitara weighed her options. She was no match for an Your situation, the transman answered, sympathy
aberrant, physically, and if they had the datapod anyway, tinging his professional demeanour. Allow me to tell you
then all was lost. If they knew about it, then they had what happened with the datapod.
already abused the information within it. All is lost, and Do I have a choice? she queried irritably, wishing
none of this matters. hed start the torture or whatever horrors they had planned
Okay, she agreed, rising smoothly to her feet. She for her.
should be planning to escape, but she had no interest. The Yes. There was no dishonesty or prevarication in his
mission was lost, and with it, all her hopes. voice or eyes; the latter were locked onto hers with all the
Lefort took her out through a kitchen; the gleaming intensity of a quantum-powered personality. I asked out of
space was empty of people, though Sitara could smell the courtesy, and I meant it. If you dont wish to hear, well sit
dozen or so that regularly worked there. Deeper in the here in silence, until the end.
room, out of sight but not out of range of her enhanced Her gut clenched and she couldnt hide her dread.
perceptions, she heard someone breathing and moving. The end of what?
I wonder if that is Basil or an attacker. Again, the thought Lefort leaned forward, his gaze entreating. Let me
didnt move her. tell you gently, please. She nodded and he drew a breath.
The dining area of the restaurant was welcoming, with The datapod arrived twenty years ago. It was found by a
bright, warm reds and oranges. Sitara felt her body react to young scientist who knew immediately that he held some-
the colors, combining with the smell of food and signaling thing of value. He took it to friends of his at his university,
her brain that she should eat. and together they determined how to access the data.
Lefort guided her to a table and held out a chair for When they read what it contained, the group voted to
her. She sat listlessly, wondering when they would kill her. release the data onto the OpNet.
Her host sat across from her and folded his hands. Im sure It created a media firestorm the likes of which had
you have questions, he started. never been seen before. The citizens of the world rose
No, she said, catching the muscle twitches that indi- as one in their outrage, demanding answers and justice,
cated surprise. You have the datapod. Lefort continued. Many political figures and businessfolk
And you believe that were playing with you until we saw their careers and freedom end with the revelation of
kill you. Lefort sighed and sat back in the chair. Sitara, I their hidden crimes. Divis Mal and his Teragen left this
would never harm you. Its long been a dream of mine to universe rather than tear Earth apart, and the Taint-mad
meet you. You have changed our world. novas were taken along with them. The man who wouldve
She frowned. I dont understand. become the Colony was killed in a... traffic accident...
The information on your datapod. He leaned for- before he ever erupted. The guilty among the Aeon
ward as a man exited the kitchen, balancing two trays. As Council, along with those pulling its strings, were tried and
he approached, she again felt that horrid vibration: the chef convicted of crimes against humanity at the Hague. Your
was no man, but another hidden monster. datapod was the ruin of them all.
The chef was tall and lean; with broad African features, Lefort gave her a ghost of a smile. The remaining
soft ochre skin and neatly restrained braids. He smiled novas have largely left Earth for the human colony worlds,
proudly as he set the trays down with a flourish. Naan though a few of us stayed. We work under the auspices of
bread with garlic and fried red and green chilli chutney, the United Nations, covertly of course. We are here to find,
kavathachi chutney, and cilantro mint coconut chutney. help, and evacuate any new eruptees before they disrupt
Sitara considered the food, and Lefort laughed. this old worlds fragile balance. Theres a global recession
Here. He took pieces of bread and tried all of the chut- from the colonizations, but there will be no Aberrant War.
neys, one by one, eating them with delight. No poison. It worked? Sitara breathed, unsure if she should trust
I know, she said. I can smell poisons. I was trying to him. Her senses told him that he was being honest, but his
SAMSARA 3
ABERRANT
words were too good to be true. Whats the catch? With pared to do any-
aberrants, there was always a catch. No, she said softly. Not unless you can assure me
Not without a price. Her dinner companion swal- that Ramul, Jiaan, and Warun would be there.
lowed tightly and said, Youre a global hero, Sitara. Your I cant do that, not without lying to you. Lefort
name was given to thousands of baby girls on Earth and dropped the piece of naan bread, his appetite lost. You
the colony worlds last year. But the future you knew is cant know that youll be reunited with your family.
gone. It has been replaced by ours. When I was in the timestream and became separated
That was the point, she said sharply as Basil came from the datapod, I heard my husband. Sitara understood
out again, bearing glasses of Lassi for them to drink. now; Ramul was out in the temporal void, seeking her and
Sitaras eyebrows rose when she sipped it: the blended the children. She would go to him, and bring her family
yogurt drink had been whipped to a perfect foam, and she together again.
could taste the cumin. To erase the nightmare we lived in Lefort rubbed his eyes, forcing back a hint of tears. I
and replace it with something better. had hoped we could save you, but that is your choice to
That future never existed, Sitara. Lefort took a single make. What do you need in the meantime?
drink and set his glass aside. You are a temporal phan- Nothing, she told him. She studied him for a
tom. Now that weve made those changes, you shouldnt moment before smiling. Thank you. I needed to know that
be here, and neither should the datapod. In the case of my mission was a success. Thats all I need before I - what,
the datapod, we have the information from it, but- He cut pass on?
himself off and pressed his hands together, gathering his Aside from our copies of the information from the
composure. You are not a thing to be copied. We will lose datapod, it will be as if you never existed, Lefort said.
you unless we take precautions. Oblivion. Are you sure?
Precautions? Sitara repeated dumbly, her head I am, she said. Basil came out from the kitchen, his
swirling with the dire information. The scientists had talked tray loaded with Bharli Vangi and a side of Aamti. Did you
about this and told her it might happen, but theyd assured intentionally pick foods from my homeland? she asked the
her that shed have time to root herself in the new world. chef.
The timeline here - it crystallized already? No, I grew up in Mumbai. He grinned. Just like
Lefort nodded. Yes, he said softly, it did. We can you, Mrs. Prahaman.
do a number of things for you: create a new body, use You are very good, she assured him. As he dipped
nova powers to protect you, or move you to an alternate his head in acknowledgement, she added, I couldnt have
timeline that is in the process of crystallizing. Were pre- asked for a better last meal.
4 SAMSARA
INTRODUCTION
Here Be Dragons the novas own larger than life status - so too have the
potential gains and threats they offer. Faced with all those
From the earliest days of human exploration, this
endless possibilities, only one thing is certain: wherever or
saying has (supposedly) been used in travelers tales and
whenever novas go, there will be conflict.
on sailors maps to denote places where literally anything
could happen, for good or ill. There fortunes could be
made, treasures were to be had, mysteries were to be What is Aberrant: Nexus?
found - sometimes also solved - and new discoveries could This RPG Post fanbook for Aberrant is the guide to
be made. It was also in those places where explorers couldexpanding the reach of your Aberrant chronicle to cover
easily lose their wealth, their freedom and their very lives
the rest of the Aeon Continuum game settings and beyond.
due to their own bad judgment or simple misfortune. The overall metaplot of the Aeon Continuum timelines
Likewise, the various activities of explorers have often had
is presented. The possibilities and dangers of both time
remarkable consequences for their own loved ones and travel and crosstime travel are examined, along with the
their homelands. Wealth reaped from foreign lands enrichednature of the multiple timeline clusters which make up the
families and regimes alike, while new lands could be traded
Aeon Continuum. Those singular figures whose actions
with, colonized and/or conquered if the local regime was have shaped the entire Aeon Continuum are given a closer
willing and able to do so. The loss of wealth used to fundlook. Crossover mechanics for Adventure! and Trinity
failed voyages of exploration imperiled many explorers are established, allowing Aberrant characters to directly
families and the regimes that supported them. Also, travels
experience all the wonders, horrors and strangeness of
into unknown territories carried the risk of explorers running
the Inspiration and Noetic Eras for themselves. Advice and
into cultures more advanced and just as rapacious - if guidelines for playing and Storytelling in high-powered
not more so - than their own, making it possible for theirAberrant chronicles are provided. New ways for the
homelands to be conquered and colonized by a hostile Storyteller to challenge players in such chronicles are also
foreign culture. Explorers could also imperil their homelands
discussed. The lesser-known effects of unfocused Telluric
directly by inadvertently acting as vectors to spread exotic
energy on the environment are looked over. New capabilities
new diseases and vermin, possibly leading to the deaths ofand options of use to novas traveling in time and/or the
millions of people, innocent and otherwise. Omniverse are offered for your perusal. A brief overlook
This state of affairs has changed only little in the Nova
of what Aberrant players and Storytellers can expect to
Age, as the definition of unknown territories - for novas, at
encounter in chronicles involving extrasolar and noetic
least - has merely shifted to indicate extrasolar space, other
space are laid out. And finally, we give a close examination
time periods and alternate universes instead of the remoteof what may prove to be one of the most potent alien threats
regions of Earth. And as the range of unknown territories for
to humankind in the entire Aeon Continuum: the Doyen.
novas to explore has increased exponentially - as if to match The doors have been revealed
and are ready to be opened. The
Passage, immediate passage! The blood burns in my veins! choice of whether or not to open a
Away, O soul! Hoist instantly the anchor! door and take that first, fatal step is
Cut the hawsers haul out shake out every sail! up to the players. Exactly where that
Have we not stood here like trees in the ground long enough? step will lead their characters is up
Have we not groveled here long enough, eating and drinking like mere brutes? to the Storyteller. The possibilities -
Have we not darkened and dazed ourselves with books long enough? both for good and ill - are limitless.
-- excerpt from Passage to India, by Walt Whitman
INTRODUCTION 5
ABERRANT
Lexicon Astromanipulation quantum power at the highest rating
or as an accidental byproduct of a collision with a zoetic
Aeon Continuum (in-game): The specific Multiverse
universe. Doing the reverse and turning a zoetic universe
where the three static cosms and the infinite number of
into a dead universe requires either use of the Universe
associated universes (read: the canon settings and all of
Destruction quantum power or for an extremely rare natural
their possible variants) for the first editions of Adventure!,
disaster to arise in the subquantum medium.
Aberrant and Trinity are located.
Exile: Any being from a formerly zoetic universe who
Alternate Universes: All universes other than that
has managed to escape being destroyed along with it.
of ones origin. Also known as parallel realities and
Interface: A point in the spacetime of one universe
alternate timelines, depending on ones preferences for
where (and when) it comes into contact with another.
either time travel or crosstime travel.
Can be created either by the collision of a dead universe
Backup: A standard cosm that is a time-delayed and
with the affected zoetic universe or through use of the
near-perfect reflection of another one for all practical
Interface Manipulation quantum power or an equivalent
purposes. Very much sought after as an emigration
hypertechnology.
destination by refugees from dystopian universes and future
Intruder: Any time traveler or crosstime traveler in times
times.
or universes other than his or her own.
Dead Universe: A universe that cannot support any
Mirage: One of the many possible future timeline
form of life - Terran-descended or otherwise - for varied
branches that exist beyond a given timelines nexus. These
and different reasons. These universes are typically far
potential eras are highly unstable and prone to being greatly
more numerous, fragile, malleable and short-lived than
altered or even wiped out of their already tenuous existence
the zoetic universes, and often act as protective buffers for
by events taking place during or prior to their timelines
them against multi-universal collisions and similar hazards
nexus.
found in the subquantum stratum. Dead universes can be
Multiverse: A static cosm and its associated standard
transformed into zoetic universes either through use of the
6 INTRODUCTION
ABERRANT
cosms. There is no limit to the number of standard cosms a Static Cosm: The inflexible support structure of
static cosm may have attached to it. a group of related standard cosms. Almost a true zoetic
Nexus: The general point in a timeline where the future universe in its own right, except that the course of history in
has not yet crystallized out of quantum probability. Beyond it cannot be changed by any means and in that it endlessly
a given timelines nexus, the future is highly amenable to repeats only a single portion of its timeline. The inhabitants
being changed. Prior to the timelines nexus, the future is are pre-programmed robots following a script instead
highly resistant to change and tends to reassert itself against of free-willed sapients. Static cosms cannot be entered,
any attempted changes. A nexus advances into the future although they can be viewed from outside of them with the
along with the ordinary passage of time in a given timeline. appropriate means. Their inhabitants can be summoned -
The Omniverse: The totality of the subquantum or more accurately, copied - from a static cosm with certain
medium and all of its resident multiverses, including the quantum powers. A static cosm cannot be destroyed by
Aeon Continuum. Rough estimates place the Omniverse anything, up to and including the most potent of quantum
outside of the Aeon Continuum and Trinity Continuum (see powers and subquantum disturbances.
below) as comprising at least 99.9999999% of the total Terran Continuum: The range of Zoetic Universes in
area of the subquantum medium as a whole. Most of its which some recognizable version of Earth exists, has existed
universes are the dead universes, which although short-lived or will exist, depending on said universes individual timeline
are continually being created. nexii. These universes may or may not contain some version
Phantom: Any item or being hailing from a mirage, often of humanity and/or human civilization. As a subsection of the
encountered through use of time travel past a timelines Omniverse, the Terran Continuum is of indeterminate size
nexus. They are very likely to be altered considerably or and has been known to fluctuate rapidly.
vanish into nonexistence if the circumstances supporting Timeline: Any alternate universe when seen from the
their history are altered. These entities are known to have perspective of a time traveler.
achieved permanent existence by two methods: either Trinity Continuum (in-game): a currently inchoate,
emigrating to alternate universes other than those of their unstable and inaccessible funhouse mirror image of the
origin and residing there for an extended length of time, or Aeon Continuum. It is speculated that in due time, travel
through having certain quantum powers used on them. Also between the Trinity and Aeon Continua will be possible once
called zero-time ghosts. the universes comprising the Trinity Continuum stabilize
Standard Cosm: Any zoetic univese that has budded themselves. A.K.A. the upcoming Adventure!, Aberrant
off from a supporting static cosm. These universes can be and Aeon gamelines to be published by Onyx Path.
entered, their sapient inhabitants possess free will and their Zoetic Universe: Any universe capable of supporting
timelines progress normally. lifeforms, Terran-descended or otherwise. Considered to be
the default variety of alternate universe by the uninformed.
Zoetic universes can and do reproduce themselves naturally
by budding off new daughter zoetic universes from a
parent universes black holes.
INTRODUCTION 7
A B E R R A N T
Margaret Mercer Personal Log
8
A B E R R A N T
Internal on Society Missive
Arena: on Council
Status: Restricted
Author: Dr. Cosette Hebert, PhD
Subject: on Council, current disposition and recommendations
Minimum Security Rating: [REDACTED]
Final Summation: Mr. Styles, on has strayed so far from the ideals set forth by Maxwell Mercer that it has become a
twisted mockery of its former self. The only consolation that I can offer you is that the corruption engendered by the new
guard of the on Council is far from complete. I expect you know those noble holdouts better than I do, so I wont discuss
them further. Instead, I offer my recommendations on what must be done to remedy the situation. Put simply, the current
on Council and their supporters must be purged and driven out of power by any means necessary. Nothing less will suffice
to end the threat they pose to humanity as a whole.
As to the root cause of ons ongoing dilemma? After going over the files you so kindly provided, I am forced to posit
the culprit as being none other than Max Mercer himself. The cause you asked me to identify is his unfortunate tendency to
view other people through the proverbial rose-colored glasses. From what I can tell, Mr. Mercer always preferred to see the
potential for goodness in those around him instead of taking a realistic view of them. This failing negatively affected his life
in three ways, detailed below.
1- While Mercer encouraged people to attain their potential - such as the both of us did - others failed to do so and
disappointed him. Mercer also never realized that most who failed to reach that potential saw him as a constant reminder
of their failure and apparent lesser worth as human beings. This led in turn to those people developing a burning hatred of
Mercer and all he stood for, which was usually concealed behind a veneer of politeness.
2- Mercers rose-colored viewpoint also led him to be overly merciful toward his foes, the great majority of whom did
not merit any such consideration. Taking advantage of his vain hopes of rehabilitating or reforming them, many of these
miscreants went on to inflict much unwarranted suffering on the public at large.
3- Finally and perhaps most damning, Mercers viewpoint caused him to misjudge the character of people that he
should not ever have trusted with anything. He picked the wrong people to carry on his work, and they repaid his trust by
perverting his organization.
On a final note, there is one horrid little lagniappe to point out. Having looked over the transcripts of your discussions
with Mercer, there is no indication whatsoever that he ever understood this failing of his in the slightest degree. Mercer may
not even be truly capable of ever making that mental breakthrough. If he does somehow return as youve hinted in our pri-
vate discussions, it is imperative that Mercer not be allowed unfettered control over ons affairs should he regain control of
the organization. He will have to have equals on hand to correct the errors caused by his unique viewpoint. Blindly trusting
in his apparent wisdom will only cause on and humanity as a whole much uncalled for troubles.
9
Chapter One:
The Aeon Continuum
Chapter Three: Storytelling
What follows is a best attempt at outlining the
overarching metaplot - the structure that supports and
scientific
short, thisunderstanding
That
comprehending
game is a tool for your theirtheworld.
imagination, not other
it would eventually lead to the sparking of new modern
way around.
So, think youre smart enough to handle some of the
links all three of the Aeon Continuum game settings - as myths and legends is just another historical irony.
smartest people the world has ever seen? No matter how
a coherent whole instead of the disjointed conglomerate it Theme
smart you are, there are some challenges to incorporating Theme is what the overall story is about, the mean-
resembles at first to the casual reader. Whether or not the
the full potential of Mega-Mental Attributes into your Aber-
metaplot is adhered to, only used as a general indication
The Hammersmith
ing it imparts. Event
The major theme Aberrant explores is one of
rant chronicle. This chapter looks at them and ways you can powerThanks
and whatto people
the recklessness of Doctor
do with it, summed up inSir the Calvin
tagline
of what may happen without positive actions on the player
handle them without making your players regret those nova Hammersmith, the global state of Inspired
What would you do with the power of a god? Mega-Men- affairs was
characters part or simply tossed out the window has been st, 1922. A select group of
points they spent on giving their characters Mega-Intelli- changed forever on July 21
tal characters offer the opportunity to explore this and many
left to the individual Storytellers and players in an Aberrant
gence or Mega-Perception. Well also consider the possibil- witnesses
other themes. to the activation of the Hammersmith Engine
chronicle.
ity of chronicles based on novas with primarily Mega-Mental were inadvertently empowered, becoming powerful
Attributes rather than the traditional kick-ass quantum Responsibility
Inspired beings. Two of these augmented humans merit
The Pre-Hammersmith Epoch
powers. Its an
special mention.
responsibility.
old lineFirst,but
Perhaps
the with
geniusgreat
more than
prodigy
any
power
Donighal underwent eruption into a full nova, although his
Michael
other
comes
novas,
great
Daemon
those
Any PriorMoreto the Bright Ideas? of Doctor Sir Calvin
pivotal experiment
with Mega-Mental
capabilities abilities
at that time were have the potential
nothing too special to transform
by Nova
Hammersmith
Odds are, on after 21st, 1922;
Julyreading this book,Inspiredyoullactivity
have yourwas
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actions often have tremendous consequences.
of humanity. Both the younger and elder Mercers falsely Weve
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Login: Mathematician
Login: Scripture
Scripture: I take it all has gone well with the missions, then?
Synapse: Looks that way. Santiago here has all the details, but I can tell you that absolutely no one has tumbled to what
we were doing. Ive kept a close watch over Utopia, Aeon and the Directive for the past two years like you asked. Not only
do they have no clue what the missions were supposed to accomplish, they had no idea that they even took place.
Mathematician: By telling our agents they were performing nonviolent reconnaissance, we were able to complete all
five missions according to the script. Going by the numbers, Mission Alpha saw our agent in rural Vietnam timeslipped back
to 1969 for about six minutes. Given the war that was going on at that time, its fortunate no soldiers decided to shoot at
her. Mission Beta had two of our agents in southern Brazil timeslipped to 1954. The brothers encountered two local women,
who only saw them in their alternate forms from a distance. As per their orders, they took back to the skies right after that
for the duration of the timeslip. Mission Gamma required the only non-flying agent to visit an abandoned mine in Argen-
tina, where she was timeslipped to 1953 for a full thirty minutes. Mission Delta is the most interesting, as our agent was
timeslipped twice in the same event over New York City. The first timeslip while he was flying over Brooklyn at night sent
him back to 1877 for eight minutes during the daytime. After returning to the present, he entered another timeslip over
Coney Island that threw him back into 1880 for ten minutes, again during the daylight hours. He reported that many people
saw him during both timeslips, although he always kept his altitude slightly above a thousand feet.
Scripture: Thats all very good news, especially concerning Mission Delta. We were hoping that the public exposure
during those two timeslips would prove to have more effect than the others. Even so, was it truly necessary to send our
people in without any information beyond the pittance we gave them? Young Leticia is still moping about being turned
down by that fellow she encountered in that Argentinian mine in 1953.
Mathematician: The operation was successful, and thats all that matters. Sending in our agents blind with only a simple
script of orders may have seemed counterintuitive, but they are Terats. The stakes were far too high to allow for any random
impulses - hormonal or otherwise - to interfere with carrying out their orders.
Scripture: Points made and taken, Pedro. How did your new toys hold up in the acid test?
Mathematician: My sensors performed excellently, as I expected. They were all able to record the scientific data from
the events, with emphasis on the chronometrics. Preliminary analysis appears to confirm the hypothesis you forwarded to
my private laboratory. We finally have hard evidence of natural temporal shifting... Its a pity well have to keep such a tight
lid on all this.
Scripture: As you said before, the stakes were far too high. Ensuring the safety of the movement takes precedence over
scientific curiosity, my friend.
Synapse: Were good to go on the data security aspects of this operation. Ive established a covert enclave for our
agents and a few of their closest friends so they can decompress safely without breaching secrecy. All the data we received
has been entrusted to Santiagos safekeeping. I understand that they will all be joining the group we selected for the extra-
solar colonization effort weve been planning?
23
A B E R R A N T
Teragen File
Scripture: Theyre actually looking forward to becoming homesteaders in space, believe it or not. Thanks to your
intelligence networks we were able to recruit them before anyone else got to them, so they wont ever need Bountys help
outside of attending her parenting classes. If things go sour here on Earth, their new homeworld will become the seed of
the new nova nation weve been talking about for years.
Synapse: So were fine on that score. Im still having trouble wrapping my head around the hypothesis behind this
operation, though. Are we really up against someone thats capable of time travel? Ive seen Santiagos hypothesis on how
powerful a nova would have to be to do that, and Im damn sure that you both know the data on it a lot better than I do. Id
think that any nova that powerful would at least be somewhat sympathetic to the movement. What am I missing here?
Mathematician: I told you hed figure it out sooner or later, Jeremiah.
Scripture: Yes, you were right... So be it. Alex, our foe is indeed capable of travelling in time. Unfortunately for us, he
is not a nova and remains aligned with the interests of baseline humanity. Hence, our operation to use natural timeslips to
create the potential for paradoxes in the timeline. Best case scenario, we have literally made it too difficult for our foe to
erase the Teragen from existence. Worst case, weve only made it somewhat more difficult for him to do so.
Synapse: And since you and Mal have known about him for I dont know how long, youve developed more plans on
how to deal with him? Im really hoping here that youll say yes and mean it. Im afraid that everything I know about time
travel is what I learned from watching old Doctor Who shows as a kid.
Login: Divis Mal
Divis Mal: Fear not, young Alex. The one you speak of has yet to make any substantial moves against us. Instead, we
have faced only the inept stratagems of his errant underlings, who have failed in their roles as his understudies. The old man
will have to rein in his would-be followers and break them like wild horses before he can make his opening moves. Thats
when things shall truly begin to get interesting...
Scripture: Michael, are you seriously considering a man-to-man conflict against him?
Mathematician: The probability figures I came up with havent changed, if thats what youre thinking. Go up against
him directly, and the consequences could reach far beyond this mudball were all sitting on. Id rather not see Sidney Cole-
mans observation about Alan Guths inflationary universe theory put into action, thank you very much.
Synapse: Coleman and Guth? Werent they the ones who... oh, crap. Phase transition to a lower energy vacuum state.
Mathematician: Exactly. The destruction of not only the Earth, but the Solar System and the rest of our universe as well.
No matter where we fled to in the universe, it would only be a matter of time before we met the same end as Earth and the
baselines.
Divis Mal: Fortunately, my old friend knows this as well. He will not sacrifice the baselines civilization and the rest of the
universe to spite us. He loves this world and life too much for that to work, even as a bluff.
Synapse: Well, if I can help with whatever you three are planning, Im in.
24
A B E R R A N T
Daedelus League File
As you requested, heres a summary of all our ongoing activities in support of Operation Dandelion. Everyone involved
on my end has done an impressive job of keeping their mouths shut, as we have no wish for the spotlight to come anywhere
near us. Your idea of arranging the League in this way is paying off in spades. Even so, you guys need to do something
big and flashy to distract the factions soon. Both PU and some Terats have had undercover agents sniffing around our shell
companies of late. Theyve found nothing yet, but they all need to be derailed before they come too close and draw the
Directives eyes in our direction. Is there some way we could make them get in each others way and leave us alone?
Operation Blossom: From what AfriStar tells me, you & your lot of fellow extroverts have been doing the same old,
same old - working with the ESA & NASA while doing your own public expeditions around the Solar System for the PR
value. And oh yes, telling all those recruiters from PU, the Directive & the Teragen to GFT again. Honestly, theyre worse
than spammers! Doing something big & flashy would give you breathing room, though you might not want to lead that
expedition personally. Be especially wary of the Directive. Sources I wont identify told both Telstar and Meridian that the
spooks have had super-stealthy agents tracking your personal movements in Antarctica and elsewhere. Its time to get your
loved ones - and ours - safely out of the Solar System ASAP before those bastards try to use them as leverage against us,
yes? The Prime colonization group is set to go, the details are below.
Operation Leaf: Pretty good news on this front, Fortes plan to buy out that vacation cruise line company was an
especially smart move. Combined with our shipping vessels, we have a ready-made transport fleet that our major warpers
can send to any of our colonies where weve got a port city built. Hexagon and Zhongxing are pleased as punch with their
prefab facilities and port equipment theyve set up on World #1. Arirang, Ekran and Molniya had a lot of fun shaping the
piers and basic infrastructure from the native rock. They also had a blast constructing the port city, although the blend of
architectural styles is a bit jarring. Classic Russian building styles - onion domes and all! - mixes oddly with Hong Kong-
style feng shui architecture and buildings carved directly out of solid stone like the ancient city of Petra. Everything is very
functional of course; the building styles are well-suited to the climate and not using all that solid rock cliff by the chosen site
wouldve been a stupid waste. Everythings also been built with Geotails anti-groundquake (cant call them earth quakes,
right?) subdesigns just in case. I dont know about the benefits feng shui architecture is supposed to give, but since Arirang
swears by it Ill give it a shot. All the native rock was transformed into silicon nanofiber matrix like Marisat proposed before it
was used in construction, so itll be a lot stronger than any natural stone could be. Theyre leaving the colors up to whoever
winds up living in them, which they certainly will do - silicon nanofiber matrix is a great building material, but it looks like a
warm grey basalt with no visual appeal at all. Well have to talk with Marisat about veneers or pigments or something.
Operation Stem: The news from Argon & Nimiq hasnt changed much. Aside from the usual reports of outside recruit-
ers attempting - and thankfully failing - to subvert League members, weve had spies from the Teragen & PU sniffing around
some of our shell companies as I mentioned earlier. The Directive is also trying to sniff out what were doing out of what
appears to be institutional paranoia. Aside from setting the PU guys and Terats against each other, my only suggestion is to
move our vital operations out of any Directive member countries. Threat estimations of the other factions dont appear to
have changed according to Nimiq. Argon says likewise regarding the baseline governments & corporations.
25
A B E R R A N T
Daedelus League File
Our own recruitment plans are going well, if slowly. The Protectors idea of only recruiting college graduates and their
loved ones is fine as far as it goes, but Zircon has qualified that with her own standards for colonists. The college diploma
requirement has been waived in favor of authentic competence in their area of expertise, weeding out those who graduated
from the diploma mills or those religious fundamentalist universities. Instead, shes more stringent with the psychology
tests. People who are sociopaths, narcissists, borderline personalities and megalomaniacs are automatically dropped from
consideration, no matter how well theyve been socialized. The same goes for folks with impulse control disorder and other
disorders that could result in antisocial behavior. Invaders covert scans of potential recruits may seem unduly intrusive, but
they will give all of our colonies a much better shot at surviving in the long term.
Operation Root: Good news from the deep-cover guys; no ones picked up on their operations AFA Amazonas can
determine. Our long-term supply depots are all secure for the immediate future. Our restrictions against storing any kind of
weaponry is paying off, as everyone whod be investigating the depots is looking for things like old Soviet nukes or illegal
shipments from Kuro-Tek. Samos and his group have got us all covered on the financial end - whatever fundage well need,
he promises well have. Its best not to ask questions where the money will come from, though. Trumpets group is ready
and waiting for the rest of us to leave when the night comes. They will be in place for all Earthside operations - recruiting &
funding mainly, as well still be handling the warps - as the situation here degrades over the next two decades. She will have
orders to not be as picky on the educational requirements, as anyone willing to leave by then will be smart and sane enough
to get out while the gettings still good. Ofeq and Yantar are good to go with their Grand Archive - their label, not mine! -
which will be carefully updated as circumstances permit. Your comparison of these two to Christian monks right before the
Dark Ages isnt totally apt - they seem more like a comedy duo than anything else - but they do get the job done and done
well.
Operation Seed: Some more good news from this bunch - they have discovered two more extrasolar systems with
near-Terran quality exoplanets. This brings our complete tally to five worlds so far. Both of the new worlds have compatible
biochemistries and climates for Terran life and are somewhat primitive in their development. In local evolutionary terms
World #4 is comparable to Earths Devonian Period - theres some dangerous native life here, but its all strictly aquatic.
So beach resorts will be forbidden and fishing will be like something from those old Jaws movies. What animal-equivalent
life is found on land is comprised mostly of ground-crawling analogs of primitive insects and other small life-forms. World
#4 is also significant in that the local taxonomic kingdoms differ from Earths. There are no local animals or plants here as
Terran biologists know them. Instead, the pseudo-animals have a mixture of animal and plant traits. Likewise, the pseu-
do-plants have a mixture of plant and fungal traits. According to Lanyard and Gorizont, none of the local macro-lifeforms
pose any real threat to baseline human life as long as they stay out of the water. Their threat potential for other Terran
lifeforms is still being assessed. They will send updates our way as new data is discovered.
In contrast, World #5 appears to have had a mass extinction due to vulcanism in the last thousand Terran years or so.
Only some of the microlife - 5% of what it used to be - has survived and poses no threat to Terran life of any kind as far as
Yaogan and Teledesic can determine. All other kingdoms on this exoplanet have gone extinct. This is the mother lode, boss:
a world where we can import Terran lifeforms wholesale and have them flourish like wildfire. I suggest we make this our next
extrasolar colony ASAP. We could transplant entire regional biomes mostly wholesale (barring things like redback spiders,
king brown snakes and Ebola) with only minor difficulties. We will be needing this place very soon, I fear.
As far as your Standing Order #1, still no results, which is something I am personally thankful for. Corona will hate me
for saying this, but to hell with SETI right now! We need some new planets to call home first! That old sot can go looking for
E.T. after our colonies are firmly established, and not a second before! First Contact is a headache that neither me nor my
people need right now.
26
A B E R R A N T
Daedelus League File
Operation Runner: Aside from the Protectors, our de facto covert external relations group has had little success in
stoking much interest among the other reputable nova groups. Sad to say, most of them have little to nothing in the way
of accurate foresight in regards to the coming global conflict. Most of the Aberrants are too wrapped up in their crusade
against Utopia to think of the long-term consequences of the global situation. The same can be also said of the Queer Nova
Alliance and Greenwar. The Gestalt is too tightly interwoven into Terran society to even consider our offer. Project Utopia
and the national groups were never contacted due to their ties to the oppressive geopolitical power structure. Likewise for
the DeVries Agency and the Teragen - theyre already helping to make Earth nonviable in the long run, so why would we
tell them about the extrasolar human colony worlds were working to establish? Theyd only ruin those worlds like theyre
ruining Earth.
There is some hope, though. First off, while the Aberrants arent interested in colonization en masse, they have already
started sending many quality colonists - both baseline and nova - our way. These people are good folks who have suffered
ill fortune due to conflict with Terran social hierarchies, be it political, social or economic. The only difference from historical
reasons for emigration is the distance theyll be traveling to their new homes. The nova colonists are interesting in that many
are breeder novas, sometimes with children who were born novas in tow. I dont know how much you know about these
kids, but they may be our best long-term hope to defend ourselves against hostile Terrans, nova or otherwise. Ask Euro-
bird and Spaceway for the details, and youll see what I mean pretty quick. On that note, we should see about establishing
breeder nova couples among our own ranks where feasible.
The other spot of good news is this: we have established covert contact with several dissident groups across the globe
including Israel. The dissidents are non-objectionable, have met our requirements and wish to relocate off Earth to find the
freedom and prosperity they currently cant achieve in the Terran socioeconomic structure. They will provide much needed
genetic and cultural diversity for our colony worlds. Symphonie and Thaicom are in charge of handling them. We also have
Satellites screening them for sleeper agents working on behalf of the Terran factions. We are not going to allow any Terran
governments or corporations to subvert our colonies, thanks very much!
The Israelis are different in that they are offering covert support in return for our aid in establishing a Jewish enclave
on one of our extrasolar colony worlds. Theyre mostly what you Americans know as Reform Jews - with some Conservative
Jews thrown in - and wish to emigrate for several reasons. First off, theyre sick of the social conflict between them and the
right-wing extremists that have dominated the Knesset for the past couple of decades. Theyve decided to go the Amer-
ican route of keeping government completely secular and separate from religion and have cut all ties with the Jewish State.
Second, they feel that the Jewish State will not survive to see the 22nd Century. Israel is already surrounded by hostile Arab
states, many of whom have nova soldiers and elites on their payrolls, so no surprises there. Finally, theyre apparently seeing
too many historical parallels to the current global situation and want to get off-planet while they still can. Theyre already
recruiting as many viable colonists as possible from both Israel and the Jewish Diaspora worldwide. Thats a lot of people,
but they have their own novas working to screen out any Mossad agents & the like. They have also agreed to abide by our
recruiting strictures.
All in all, things are looking up for us. With enough discretion and smart work, well have fully operational colony worlds
to live on no matter what those idiots do here on Earth.
27
Chapter Two:
Sojourns in Spacetime
Baggage Handling
The old woman awoke as she was tossed onto
the floor, letting out a light gasp from the collision.
Aching, she tried to get up, but a hand shoved her
down like a steel restraint before she could rise
to any posture above kneeling. The elderly lady,
known only to a privileged few as Director Thetis,
tried to kickstart her memory into action as she
instinctively surveyed the scene.
The wooden panel floor was clean, and so was
the rest of the dimly-lit room, which was about the
best that could be said for it. Sterile metal walls,
lengthy but claustrophobic, far different than the
comforts of her headquarters-cum-home. It had
comforts enough given the needs of dealing with
her advanced age...
...it all came back to her now, as Thetis
remembered what had happened with a jet of fear.
The security breach of her home. The red-haired,
grim-faced man who came into her panic room
first. Chiraben had moved to intercept him, but
I allowed Proteus to exist to handle the matters that
the red-haired intruder had shot Chirabens eyes out... with
Utopia cannot touch, for the sake of legitimacy. This... waste
a military-grade shotgun... one handed... her recollections
of time and money... is a pointless comic-book villains plot!
trailed off.
Your excesses... are ending.
The lights went up, just enough to illuminate the elegant
Thetis opened her mouth once more, but it penetrated
wooden chair and its occupant. The stern and wise founder
that Mercer was really talking to her, not with her.
of the Aeon Society himself: Maxwell Mercer.
To make a better world means having dirty hands,
Mercer! Thetis burst out, finally finding enough focus
but now I wash them of you. The polymath leader of Aeon
to speak. What the hell have you done?
made a chopping motion - and Thetis had the brief intuition
I might say the same to you, Mercer replied coldly,
that the redhead was behind her.
one leg crossed above the other. Jennifer Landers?
A swift calloused fist struck her neck, which snapped.
She was a security threat! She knew...
The red-haired man nodded to Mercer and scooped up the
And you created that threat! Mercer snapped, Slider
already cooling corpse for disposal. Mercer rose up and
might have just been left to have no one to believe her. When
stretched.
there was a body - her own dead body - people believed her
Hed already removed Ozaki and had determined
quite well, thank you. But that just pales in comparison to
Chirabens fate. Some proper lunatic had to be placed in the
the... sterilization program.
view of the world as Sliders killer. Who better than Chiraben
Thetis worked up her mind to start her desperate
himself, especially since he was the actual killer in the first
debate. The rate of nova population growth has been
place?
accelerating...
Humanity Disclaimer
No matter which version of Max Mercer appears in your Aberrant chronicle - or Divis Mal, for that matter - it remains
vitally important to point out that they are and still remain human men, Mals Taint and Chrysalis notwithstanding. Both Mercer
and Mal are subject to personal limitations, bias and foibles. Both still make mistakes, and they cannot be everywhere at
once. If there are similarly great men and women in an Aberrant chronicle; it follows that they can, have and likely will make
equally great mistakes. All of this also applies to most high-caliber novas, though certain ones may have developed in ways to
ameliorate some of those flaws...
Noetic Massminds
One unique potential hazard to crosstime travelers are the noetic massminds, conglomerate entities composed of
the collective noetic templates of the different species of deceased sapients. The noetic massmind of humanity can be
thought of as the species collective unconsciousness. Typically found resting just beyond the outer wall of their resident
standard cosms, noetic massminds spend their time passively absorbing the noetic templates from deceased members
of their associated species. Noetic templates that the massmind finds pleasing will be assmilated into its mindspace intact;
those which are displeasing are consumed, destroyed and recycled. Provided that a noetic massmind still has specimens
of its species living within its zoetic universe, it is for all purposes sessile as it will not abandon its food source. Only
when its associated species goes extinct will a noetic massmind gain mobility and begin its endless journey throughout the
omniverse.
This only becomes a problem when a noetic massmind encounters living specimens of its associated species - or
close analogues from other universes - traveling between universes, as its inclination will be to devour those beings noetic
templates. As a result of this attack, such beings appear to have either died for no apparent medical reason or are reduced
to mindless vegetables. Its probably for the best that noetic massminds cannot enter any kind of universe.
Fortunately for novas, their noetic templates are more or less permanently fused with their quantum matrices, making
novas immune to this form of attack. Unfortunately, noetic massminds are themselves also the functional noetic equivalents
of high-powered novas in the omniverse, and will automatically attack eximorphic members of their associated species in
an attempt to get at their noetic templates. There is a silver lining to this cloud though - noetic massminds are by definition
sapient. The trick for novas is to somehow draw the attacking noetic massminds attention to themselves, and get it to
establish control over its own automatic body functions long enough for them to establish communication. Whether the
communication with said noetic massmind proves fruitful or not depends on the player characters efforts.
The nature of any particular noetic massmind is left to the Storyteller to determine according to how she would
interpret the nature and personality of such an entity. The possibilities for the former include but are not limited to
eternal extraordinarily fun party, mass simulated reality and horrific enslavement to the massmind. The latter is
basically whatever the Storyteller considers appropriate.
Seeds of Adventure!
As indicated by its location, Paradise Meridian can be inserted within the prehistory of any Adventure! chronicle
with little trouble. Doing so can provide the Storyteller with a literal treasure trove of plot hooks, ancient mysteries
and dangerous artifacts to introduce to her players in the best pulp magazine tradition. Discovering and exploring any
surviving Lemurian ruins can even become the main focus of a thrilling Adventure! chronicle that could have come
straight out of the Indiana Jones film franchise.
For those Storytellers wishing to run an Adventure! chronicle in less modern times, the diaspora of the surviving
Lemurian novas provides that opportunity. Now that they are no longer effectively self-quarantined on the former
Lemurian continent, the quantum energies produced by those novas can cause some of the baselines they settle near
to become Inspired. Most of those ancient Inspired will be daredevils, effectively becoming the equivalent of the
heroes seen in mythology. Others will become mesmerists, and would be seen as oracles, witches and sorcerers. A very
rare few will become stalwarts, and be seen as minor demigods. With the upcoming conflict between the Lemurian
exile tribes acting as a backdrop, a skilled Storyteller can fashion a highly entertaining if offbeat chronicle.
Dr. Silbermann-
As of yesterday, my bosses - and yours - have requested a full update on the activites your section has been pursuing
of late. Please whip up a secure folder on that ASAP. Enclosed is a message for you alone, Doctor. Theyre getting antsy
over something, so please give me some good news to relay to them if you can. If nothing else, itll help the bad news go
down better with them.
Director Laragione-
Ive read over your last memo regarding Utopias space operations, and I cant say that Im at all surprised at the heat
youre getting from our bosses. Theyre sounding more desperate by the day, which isnt good for any of us. Ive been
getting daily reminders about Utopias need for some positive PR, as which space exploration apparently still qualifies. Im
afraid the news I have for you is mixed at best. The relevant files have all been sent to you via our secure courier, but I can
give you a brief overview here and now. The truth, straight, no chaser.
First off, the unalloyed good news. Our continuing operations in placing satellites of all sorts in Earth orbit are going as
strong as ever, cementing our support from the global business community and certain governments. Our ongoing support
of the EOHS also brings us some goodwill in return.
Second, the mixed news. Our relationships with the major space agencies remain cool and distant. Some of this is the
influence of their associated governments - namely the U.S., Japan and China - and is to be expected. In the case of the
ESA, this is due to their close working relationship with the Daedelus League. Apparently the ESA and NASA both appreci-
ate the League novas for their human-caliber egos as opposed to the personalities that some of Utopias space-capable
novas exhibit. Their words, not mine Director - no need to go shooting the messenger. Ive already reassigned our egoists to
duties where they wont grate on others sensibilities so much.
65
A B E R R A N T
Project Utopia File
Third, the bad news. Despite the repeated best efforts of our Recruiting section, all novas associated with the Daede-
lus League continue to reject our attempts to bring them in line with Utopia and my section. As far as they are concerned,
Utopians might as well be pariahs. Their responses to our efforts are getting increasingly more exasperated and angry. They
no longer talk to our agents, they command them to leave them and their loved ones alone in no uncertain terms, some-
times with legal action backing them up. Ive already had to pull out one agent from a Florida State prison for violating a
restraining order against him. Our Legal section was only just able to get him released on the provision that he leave the
United States immediately and never return. I dont know who had put the word out on that agent, but they succeeded in
making a nasty example out of him. Our Medical section says that hell recover full use of his arms, left leg and jaw in time
with therapy. The mental injuries he suffered in that prison may never heal. Someone high up in Washington DC would be
my prime suspect, but I leave such speculation to our political heavyweights. Our chances of sucessfully recruiting any of the
League are now officially nil, and you can tell our bosses that yourself. Fortunately, that bad news does have a silver lining.
The Daedelus League has been shunning both the Teragen and the Directive just as much as they have Utopia. So thats two
less things for us to worry about.
Thanks for that, Silbermann. Id hoped for better news about the League, but that bridge seems beyond our ability
to construct. If all goes well, Ill take you and your wife out to lunch at that kosher deli your cousin owns. Will get back to
you soonest if the bosses have any more orders for you.
66
Chapter Three:
Storytelling
If youve managed to make it this far, the odds are to become slaves - or worse - deserves condemnation.
good that youre a Storyteller thats serious about using Things get even more troublesome when dealing with alien
the contents of this book in your Aberrant chronicle. Along sapients, as the novas society will likely imprison them as
with the usual focus on relevant themes and conflicts for involuntary research subjects. Even something as seemingly
chronicles using Aberrant: Nexus, we have also provided benign as reintroducing recently-extinct species into the
some basic guidelines so that you can open up the potential novas home ecosystem must be weighed carefully. Then
scope of your chronicle to cover the entire Aeon Continuum. there is the lovely quandary of introducing new strains of
microlife into environments that have no evolved defenses
against them.
Theme The third facet of responsibility for nova spacetime
When dealing with historical tales of travel, certain travelers is that of preserving both the places they visit - if
themes are always found at their heart. Matters are no warranted - and the places that they inhabit. This can be as
different where Aberrant chronicles involving space travel, simple as defending ones homeworld from alien invasion
time travel or crosstime travel are concerned. While power and preventing others from taking undue advantage of their
and how humans use it remains a central theme of Aberrant, travel-related quantum powers. It can also be as complex
the following themes should always be present. as preventing others from making detrimental changes to
their worlds timelines or preventing the destruction - or
Responsibility attempting to, at the very least - of the universe that they
Gifted with immense quantum power, all novas must inhabit.
inevitably deal with the issue of responsibility. When Finally, the fourth way responsibility shows itself for nova
novas gain the capabilities of unaided space travel, time spacetime travelers is that of representation. By traveling
travel or crosstime travel, this theme only becomes even to times and/or places where novas or even humans do
more emphasized. The first way this becomes apparent is not exist, such novas become de facto representatives of
when - never if - they make discoveries of world-changing novakind and/or Humanity to any locals that become aware
magnitudes. Those novas then are faced with two simple of their existence. Whatever said locals come to know the
questions. First, do they share news of their discovery travelers by depends on the novas themselves. Will they be
with those they left behind back home, or do they keep it remembered as heroic explorers, essentially benign - until
to themselves? Second, what will be the consequences of provoked - in their dealings with the realms they visit? Or
doing so in either case? Would sharing their new knowledge will they be reviled as vicious marauders such as the Spanish
with their society actually improve conditions back home, conquistadores of the 16th Century are today?
or would it make things worse? Would keeping the new
information to themselves prevent it from being abused by Isolation
unethical people back home, or would doing so perpetuate Humans are for the most part highly social creatures, so
a problem that could otherwise be easily solved? it should not be any surprise that most novas - save those
The second way that responsibility becomes apparent with the Autonomous enhancement - are the same way.
is when they address the question of bringing back This makes for uncomfortable circumstances when they are
anything other than simple information back home with isolated from human society for long periods of time. This
them from their travels. Taking a human away from his or theme has different faces depending on which form of travel
her home can be a good or bad thing, depending on said the novas are using.
humans circumstances. Saving people from life-threatening For space travelers, the isolation they face is quite
situations or enslavement is laudable, but kidnapping people obvious. When making space voyages lasting months
The Movement Question concert. The enhancements in question can also be used
Astute readers of the various core books will notice to detect Innovations created by stalwarts or mesmerists
that unlike Aberrant and Trinity, which state that characters respectively, as those devices utilize Inspiration to operate
share a base walking speed of five meters, Adventure! has much like quantum gadgets use quantum energies.
them moving at (Dexterity + 2) meters per turn. As there As far as affecting Inspiration, there are only a few
are no other differences in the base movement rates, we facts that novas must be aware of. First off, the temporary
suggest that you use the formula from Adventure! to Inspiration points possessed by the Inspired can be affected
recalculate the base walking speeds of characters from the by certain quantum powers at a 1:1 ratio. As they are
Aberrant and Trinity settings. There simply is no reason for essentially proto-novas, the temporary Inspiration points of
characters from the later eras to be slower on the hoof than stalwarts are equivalent to novas quantum points and can
their forebears. be affected by the relevant quantum powers. The temporary
Inspiration points of daredevils are harder to affect as they
Novas In Adventure! are comprised of a blend of low-power quantum and noetic
Aside from noting the lesser amounts of power the energies. All attempts to affect a daredevils temporary
typical Inspired has to work with, the main problem facing Inspiration points are rolled at a +3 difficulty penalty. The
the Storyteller when using the Inspired is how to deal with temporary Inspiration points of mesmerists depend on
Inspiration itself. According to the Adventure! core book, the noetic energy and cannot be affected unless a nova has
energy labeled Inspiration, Telluric energy or Z-Rays the Additional Energy Type Extra affecting noetic energy
in the 1920s is actually an admixture of very low levels of both (found on p. 112 of this book) for the relevant quantum
quantum and noetic energies. At this low level of strength, powers. For this purpose, certain quantum powers
these energies do not disrupt one another and can work include Disrupt, Quantum Conversion, Quantum Leech and
together with relative ease. Mega-Perceptive novas with the Quantum Vampire.
Quantum Attunement enhancement will be able to detect From the point of view of the Inspired, nova travelers
Stalwarts and the use of Dynamic knacks. Those same novas will be glaringly obvious as extraordinary Inspired beings
with the Psi Sensitivity enhancement (from the Aberrant of unthinkable power. Unless they have some sort of means
Compendium, and reprinted in Chapter Four of this book for of masking their quantum capabilities, nova travelers with
your convenience) will be able to sense Mesmerists and the Quantum Traits of 6 or higher can be automatically detected
use of Psychic knacks. In order to sense Daredevils and the use by use of the Telluric Awareness knack and equivalent
of Heroic knacks, novas will need to have Mega-Perception devices. Novas with lower Quantum Trait ratings may be
and use both of the aforementioned enhancements in detected with a standard roll. The reason for this is that
Elder Mesmerists
As with the stalwarts, mesmerists must make a choice
of whether to let themselves plateau or to keep pushing
Interdiction
Dice Pool: Intelligence + Crosstime Interface
Limbo
Dice Pool: Wits + Crosstime Interface
Range: (Quantum + power rating) x 10,000 km
Range: (Quantum + power rating) x 10,000 km
Area: Variable
Area: One target, variable mass
Duration: Variable
Duration: Permanent
By creating an incompatibility between a target and the
The nova can create a miniature interface around a
interface of its current universe, the nova can prevent that
single chosen target, which has the effect of making it a
target from traveling to one or more alternate universes by
harmless exile from its current universe. The maximum
any means, be it the Crosstime Travel power or equivalent
allowable mass of the target depends on the novas power
technology. The number of targets affected and the number
rating, which is treated as Mega-Strengths deadlift capacity
of restricted universes the target will be barred from
for this purpose. Depending on the novas power rating,
depends on the novas Quantum Trait. At Quantum 8, the
he could affect anything from a single being to large
nova can affect only one being and prevent him/her/it from
vehicles with full complements of crew and passengers.
traveling to one alternate universe (typically the novas home
Targets in such a state are immaterial phantoms, unable
universe). At Quantum 9, the nova can affect one specified
to interact with their current universe in any physical sense
group of beings (such as an organization, civilization or an
and trapped in what they perceive to be an endless gray
entire species) and bar them from travelling to a specified
void. Even novas with five or more dots of Density Control
group of alternate universes (such as all universes where
- Decrease cannot physically interact with the target. This
humans exist). At Quantum 10, the nova can affect all the
is a handy way to dispose of inconvenient things such as
inhabitants of the subject universe and prevent them from
thermonuclear warheads, large-scale bioweapon dispersal
travelling to any of the alternate universes altogether. This
warheads, out of control power reactors and other such
can be a very handy means of disposing of one or more
dangerous technology. After a certain period of existing in
Successes Effects
One Mundane items (equivalent to the novas home universes current or past technology), 1 dot
Devices (or any Devices based on reputation), or items equiv. to lvl. 1 quantum powers.
Two Items from Hypertech 1 technologies (as judged by the novas home universe), 2 dot Devices,
items providing the equivalent to lvl. 2 quantum powers.
Three Items from Hypertech 2 technologies, 3 dot Devices, items providing the equivalent to lvl. 3
quantum powers.
Four Items from Hypertech 3 technologies, 4 dot Devices, items providing the equivalent to lvl. 3
quantum powers with an Extra.
Five Items from Hypertech 4 technologies, 5 dot Devices.
SIx Items from Hypertech 5 technologies, 5 dot Devices w/ Artifact Background Enhancement.
Seven Items from Hypertech 5 technologies with the S.A.T. Background Enhancement.
Shielded Reality
Level: 6
Quantum Minimum: 10
Dice Pool: Intelligence + Shielded Reality
Range: N/A
Area: One universe
Duration: Maintenance
Effect: Provides target universe with +3 cosmological
soak per dot in Shielded Reality.
Multiple Actions: Yes
Description: With sufficiently powerful novas having the
capability to both destroy existing universes and create new
Diversify
Range: Global
Area: Global
Duration: Permanent
This technique alters the genetics of a target population
just enough to increase its genetic diversity to optimal
levels. This has mainly been used to offset the effects of
inbreeding among small, isolated populations. There is
a darker use for this, however - the nova can spend one
success from his power roll to decrease the genetic diversity
of a target population instead, paving the way for all sorts
of inherited deformities to appear among any offspring the
target population may have in the future. With two or more
successes, the gender ratio of a population can be altered
in lieu of increasing general genetic diversity. The uses of
this latter application range from the beneficial (saving an
isolated population from dying out) to malicious (creating
a same-sex environment where extinction is assured) to the
downright mischievous (transforming everyone in a selected
group of people that the nova doesnt like into members of
the opposite sex)!
Successes Results
One The nova creates an ecosphere that can sustain human life, but with some discomfort. For an
archaeological example, think of prehistoric Earth during the one of the Ice Ages. All created
species are of the hardy survivor varieties, will have no instinctual fear of humans at all and are
not particularly well-suited for domestication. If climatic conditions improve these species will
explode out into the ecosphere, diversifying and speciating in a mad rush to colonize as much
of the freed-up territory and any available ecological niches they can grab hold of. Set up the
greenhouses.
Two The nova creates an ecosphere comparable to that of prehistoric Earth - Its clean, its very
comfortable, and there are many diverse species of Terran life out there; but there are none
of the domesticated (and formerly-domesticated) species of plants and animals. As an added
frustration, the local animals have no instinctual fear of humans. Hope that the settlers brought
their own seedlings and livestock. Otherwise, hope that they like foraging for wild plants and
hunting for game meat.
Three The nova creates an ecosphere thats almost a carbon-copy of Earths. While the domesticated
species dont exist here, there are plenty of formerly domesticated species out there to be
tamed, if the settlers are into that sort of thing. Also, the local animals all have that useful,
instinctual fear of humans. The temperate, subtropical, and tropical landmass regions are prime
real estate and farmland.
Four The nova creates an ecosphere thats a bit better than Earths ever was - for one thing, the local
versions of some of the more annoying species of vermin, parasites, and pests will avoid humans
and their settlements like the plague. The climates are better for agriculture as well: bumper
crops can be expected on a regular basis.
Five The nova creates an ecosphere that could be called a paradise, if it wasnt all wilderness. Local
versions of many Terran food species taste better and are healthier for humans to eat than their
Earthly counterparts. Few if any parasites and pests feed on humans, and those are easily kept
away with safe, naturally occuring plant-based repellents. The weather is a bit less dangerous
than Earths. Everything on the planet seems to have been optimized for its aesthetic appeal
to humans. Congratulations, youve just created what could become one of the Galaxys most
popular vacation planets in the centuries to come!
131
A B E R R A N T
Directive File
Why exactly has my career gone off the rails so badly? My service record at the FSB was spotless, with two commendations for service above and beyond the
call of duty and three promotions. Being invited to join the Directive seemed like such a godsend at the time. Now I find myself riding herd on a team composed
of what must be the agencys screwups and charged with a mission thats nothing short of punishment detail. Whose ass do I have to kiss or shoot to get myself
reassigned to a less nerve-wracking position?
Enough with the bitching, Fyodor Pashkevich. Time to start reporting on the latest shitloads of lunacy that our unwitting stalking horse has uncovered for us.
At least this nova also has the unerring power to find the best restaurants in his vicinity for us. Small comfort, but Ill take whatever I can get at this point.
Mission Report: 7 July, 2012, 0437 hours. Taproot has uncovered a dangerous gentlemens club for the aristocracy operating out of Bristol,
England. In addition to planning to subvert the British government, they were also engaging in the kidnapping and cannibalization of lower-class college students.
We tipped off MI-6 to the threat, which has since been neutralized. The investigation has also revealed an entrenched corrupt element within New Scotland Yard,
which has also been purged as of this writing. Also notable were the unexplained rain of small living squid at 4 May, 1104 hours and the Mayor of Bristol suffering
from a psychotic break while attending a Bristol City Council meeting at 1440 hours that same day.
Mission Report: 18 August, 2012, 1542 hours. Were in Seattle this time. While shadowing Taproot, we had what the Americans call a close encoun-
ter of the second kind. My team has made photographic and audiovisual recordings of the UFO in question, and also acquired samples of some local foliage
damaged by the object. All such evidence was sent to Omsk via the Directives current nova courier as per our standing orders. Our later encounter and subse-
quent dispute with a pair of Men in Black was also recorded and sent to Omsk. This is going to be a jurisdictional nightmare, and Im glad to have no further
part of it. Also, Taproot encountered some kind of unknown animal at one of the nearby national forests. My current forensics agent has recovered anomalous hair
samples from the scene for analysis at Omsk.
Mission Report: 5 September, 2012, 0034 hours. And now were in Boston. Taproot is beginning to show signs of weariness and stress - whatever it
is that Anna DeVries has him looking for, hes clearly having no luck finding as of yet. Our own interrogation of one of Taproots local passing acquaintances went
just as badly, as the man was suffering from what I can only describe as demonic possession. Aside from exhibiting psychotic behavior completely at odds with
his personality profile, the man manifested several dangerous and disturbing powers - most notably pyrokinesis - in his attempts to harm my agents. The subject
has no detectable M-R node or other aspects of nova physiology, and so has been remanded to CIA custody via Director Harris contacts. An explanation of this
incident would be welcome, but Im not optimistic.
Mission Report: 22 October, 2012, 1355 hours. Its good to be back in Russia, even if St. Petersburg is a far cry from my hometown of Vladivostok.
Taproot is visibly despondent and has been overheard muttering about being on a snipe hunt more than once. His errands in the city apparently have turned
up nothing once again. Would that my team were so lucky! At 0928 hours we noticed what appeared to be a bar of light crossing the sky, similar to the scanning
lights used in photocopiers. My team and I found the city around us transformed into a scene from the 16th Century; complete with wooden buildings, medieval
squalor and archaically-dressed townsfolk. Even worse, the roads were unpaved and muddy as it seemed we were now in the middle of the rasputitsa. We ducked
into a convenient alley hoping to avoid notice, only to encounter what I swear was an honest to God Oprichnik and his personal gang of hired thugs. Our weapons
allowed us to dispose of the thugs and capture the nobleman with minimal trouble. The man - whose name was David Pakovlev - stated that the year was 1565
after some quick and dirty interrogation. Then we noticed the bar of light crossing the sky again, causing our surroundings to revert back to the modern city of
the 21st Century. We found ourselves in the middle of a closed-down clothing store. The thugs had disappeared with the rest of 16th Century, yet Pakovlev had
somehow accompanied us back to the present. His now dead body had become a dessicated mummy, yet his personal effects and regalia - including the real sev-
ered dogs head that the Oprichniki carried as a badge of office - were still in pristine condition. All the evidence has once again been shipped to Omsk for further
analysis. For myself, Im planning on buying a bottle of the best vodka I can find and getting blind stupid drunk tonight.
Overall, this ongoing assignment to discover whatever Taproots mission may be has been a fools errand. The man himself isnt finding whatever Anna
DeVries had hoped he would find, and no longer cares to hide that fact. I am sure that Taproot will be taken off his own assignment soon. I would ask that the
same happen to me and my team. Watching this sort of weirdness on a television show like The X-Files is all well and good, but actually living it is nothing short of
a drunkards nightmare. My only consolations are that we will have learned something from all this madness, and that it will go away when Taproot does.
132
Appendix #2:
Telluric Weirdness
In Aberrant and Trinity, much is made of the Inspired a slight advantage as they might be able to perceive the
capabilities of novas and the various psionic beings. What mingled quantum and noetic energies directly or through
they failed to mention is that Inspired effects can manifest Inspired sensor technology. Fortean events occur without
in the natural environment without any actions by Inspired the aid of any guiding consciousness - they merely happen,
beings to act as a catalyst. While such effects were brought with any beneficial or detrimental consequences being
to the attention of the Aeon Society and others in the after- entirely coincidental. As they also depend on environmental
math of Hammersmiths Telluric Vortex in 1922, they had conditions in order to manifest, certain areas can be identi-
always been happening long before and ever since that fied as regions ripe for Fortean events to occur. Geological
time. Popularly referred to as Fortean events, these are a factors such as tectonic plate faults, latitude and local geo-
great way for the Storyteller to inject a little natural mystery magnetic fields are often - but not always - good indicators
into her Aberrant chronicle. of where such regions will tend to be. Otherwise, they can
only be discovered by witnesses of the Fortean event surviv-
ing the experience and having their tales recorded for later
The Basic Nature Of Weirdness analysis instead of being dismissed as mere tall tales.
At its core, a Fortean event is a natural phenomenon
not too dissimilar from thunderstorms, ocean tides or earth
tremors. The only differences are that Telluric energies are Strange Attractors
more directly involved in their creation, and that the main- These are what can only be called weirdness mag-
stream scientific establishment of the Nova Age still hasnt nets; passive foci of the ambient Telluric energies in the
any clue at all about them. Inspired researchers will have environment which spawn Fortean events. There are three
categories of weirdness magnets: places, objects and living
sapient creatures. Places are locally considered accursed
Chronicler Of The Damned sites in Fortean circles. The largest ones include the
In 1919, the North American writer and researcher
famous Bermuda Triangle, the Dragons Triangle near Japan,
Charles H. Fort (August 6, 1874 May 3, 1932) wrote
Germanys Black Forest and the Zone of Silence in Mexico.
The Book of the Damned, which was his first collection of
Smaller sites of this nature can be created - or destroyed -
accounts of anomalous events. As those accounts dealt with
by natural Telluric forces or the actions of sapient beings.
phenomena that the science of his time could not find any
Objects with passive Telluric foci are also thought to be
serious explanations, they were rejected and/or ignored
cursed, and usually affect anyone and everything in their
by the scientific establishment and thus damned. Fort
immediate vicinity. The only difference with sapient passive
worked throughout the 1920s, writing three more books
Telluric foci is that they cannot ever have or develop any
- New Lands (1923), Lo! (1931) and Wild Talents (1932) -
control whatsoever over this effect. One last thing: weird-
before his death. His final work was a posthumous printing.
ness mangets can and will either attract - or in some cases
Aside from providing inspiration - pun intended - for
repel - one another much as natural magnets will. When two
Storytellers to use Fortean events in their Aberrant and
or more weirdness mangets reinforce each other, the weird-
Trinity chronicles, those running Adventure! chronicles have
ness that they attract will increase accordingly. Exactly how
the option of using Charles Fort as a background Storyteller
weird things can get is left up to the Storyteller and what
character. The man was quite colorful, maintained regular
her players will tolerate.
contact with a wide range of people researching anomalous
For those who are interested, a listing for Weirdness
events and was a one-man clearinghouse of such informa-
Magnet as both a Flaw and a nova aberration is presented
tion. All of this allows him to fit in seamlessly into an Adven-
at the end of this appendix.
ture! chronicle as a non-Inspired yet still remarkable figure.
Arena: on Council
Status: Archive
Author: Kimball Mastersson
Subject: The Aguateca Relic, final disposition of
Minimum Security Rating: Epsilon
Now that all the ruckus has finally died down, Ive been chosen to present a final accounting of this mess of greed,
nepotism and blatant stupidity in the hopes that it will not be repeated in ons ranks in the future. It should also serve
as a warning to all those whose worldviews are limited to what society deems to be factual and true. Humans have never
known as much as we think we do, and we ignore the dangers of the unknown at our peril. Two men have just died as a
result of ignoring this truism. They are not to be mourned, instead they are clear examples for future on operatives of
what not to emulate in their endeavors.
The affair started with a Mayan sacrificial obsidian knife uncovered by an on archeological expedition exploring
the Aguateca site in Guatemala in 1925. The relic was discovered to have an oddly malignant Telluric aura (as claimed by
the late Professor Levitz) which alerted them to the presence of a hostile Telluric entity that was connected to it. After a
drawn-out battle with the Aguateca entity, Professor Levitz managed to defeat it using his own mesmeric capabilities to
send it into a state of indefinite dormancy. Afterwards the relic was sealed in a lead case, welded shut and was archived in
one of our most secure vaults for safekeeping. Further analysis by Professor Levitz and other on mesmerists was incon-
clusive. The relic would remain untouched and dormant for the next thirty-four years.
138
A B E R R A N T
Internal on Society Missive
139
Appendix #3:
The Discarnate
In Adventure!, the existence of ghosts and other be called "none of the above". This results in an environ-
"spiritual" entities was established (Adventure! core book, ment of infinite "sub-realms" that resembles something
p. 75) but no rules for introducing such entities into an best described as one of Jack Kirby's epic fever-dreams,
Aeon Continuum chronicle were ever given. That changes provided that he had ever overdosed on a drug cocktail of
now. What follows is our best attempt at a set of rough LSD, peyote, ayahuasca and absinthe. A small fraction of
guidelines for Storytellers to use to create all sorts of noetic this environment is a funhouse mirror-image of the noetic
entities with which to challenge and perplex their players. space's standard cosm, complete with functional ecologies
on the noetic templates of life-bearing planets.
Aside from the noetic templates that comprise most
Things That Go Bump In The Night of noetic space there are also the memetic entities, literally
For as long as Humankind has been sapient, they have
ideas that have taken on lives of their own. Most of these
been influenced by the belief that they were surrounded by
are little more than analogs of simple animals and plants,
spirits of all sorts. The intangible remainders of deceased
which serve as prey for the noetic templates of living (and
humans always watched the living - sometimes to pro-
formerly living) things. A small fraction of the memetic
tect, sometimes to attack, sometimes just from curiousity.
entities are the equivalent of advanced animals, with a
Entities that were never human were also known, some
percentage of those being fully sapient. Of the sapient
of which were usually best avoided when possible. Ideas
entities, they can be benevolent, malevolent or just plain
and dreams that took on lives of their own and followed
indifferent in regards to humanity and other sapients. That
their own alien logic. All of these "spirits" literally haunted
said, it's always best to be wary of such beings. Many of
the world since time immemorial. However, as science
them are just as capable of engaging in deception as any
advanced and ancient beliefs were disproven, the belief
human, which leads to problems for the living...
in spirits was likewise considered to be the combined
product of overactive imaginations and a lack of proper
education. In most universes where Humanity exists, that The Noetic Menagerie
is true enough. The universes of the Aeon Continuum are The inhabitants of noetic space can be broken down
not "most universes". There, the existence of spirits is - for into the following categories, determined by their eco-
good or ill - a documented if little known fact. logical niche, degree of sapience and inclinations towards
living sapients. Given that the sapient types of these enti-
ties can change their appearance at will, the living simply
The Flipside Of Reality cannot judge them that way. Those foolish enough to do so
To understand a being, one must first understand
should not expect to survive an encounter with them.
its natural environment. In the case of noetic entities,
Ghosts are the surviving noetic templates of deceased
that would be the interior of the psion particle crust that
sapients that have resisted the calling of their species'
covers a standard cosm, hereafter referred to as "noetic
respective noetic massminds. On Earth, most such enti-
space". Nearly everything within noetic space is a "psi
ties are of baseline human origins. As deceased people
form" of one sort or another, patterns of information itself.
- with all that implies - the personalities and motivations
This isn't too different from the objects within a standard
of ghosts can and will vary wildly. Some stay in order to
cosm, which can be thought of as patterns of subatomic
complete some unfinished business from their lives, while
particles and energy. Most of these patterns are the noetic
others don't even realize they've died and carry on with
templates of everything that has ever has, does or could
the routines they followed in life. There are just as many
exist in the associated standard cosm of the noetic space
ghosts who stay on Earth to watch over their loved ones
in question - along with even more things that can only
as there are those who remain to carry on with the type
Untold Origins
We have chosen to keep many details about the Doyens origins as vague as possible for one specific reason:
to give the Storytellers as much free rein as possible when using them in their own versions of the Aeon Continuum.
As far as their impact on your chronicle is concerned, knowing exactly which star system and biosphere the primitive
Doyen evolved in simply does not matter very much. Keep in mind that both as a species and a civilization, the
Doyen have existed for five billion years, which is impossibly old by human standards. Likewise, while they are not a
true intergalactic civilization, the Doyen have had the entire Milky Way Galaxy and its associated dwarf galaxies to
explore and exploit for quite some time. Within that huge region, the Doyen can be wherever the Storyteller wants
them to be. This also applies to the Doyens evolutionary origins. They are or were naturally psionic, products of
an alien evolution, carbon-based organic lifeforms and had genetic material that is somewhat compatible (through
genetic engineering) with that of Humanity. Aside from that, there are no constraints as to what the Doyen could
have been like before they transformed themselves into noetic energy beings.
Taboo Technologies
Despite being part of a highly advanced technological civilization, the Doyen Scientific Order has refused to develop
certain technologies for various reasons, as described below. Not even the most radical Doyen scientist will dare explore these
fields, as their cultural abhorrence of them is far too great. Breaking these taboos is grounds for a Doyen scientist to be sum-
marily mindwiped and exiled upon exposure.
Gravitic Technology: Ever since their mass transcendence event, the Doyen have felt an instinctual revulsion for any grav-
ity-controlling technology more advanced than their own equivalent of Trinity Era pseudo-gravity. This is due to the conflict
between gravity (one of the four quantum forces) and noetic energy, which the Doyen can sense on a deeply visceral level.
Artificial Intelligence: As paranoid xenophobes with few equals, Doyen scientists have long recognized - and feared - the
possibility that careless tinkering with computer technology might cause it to develop some degree of actual sapience. It is for
this reason that all Doyen computer systems are regularly inspected for signs of spontaneous self-awareness. Theyve only had
one incident of such - about 200 million years ago - but that was one instance too many as far as the Scientific Order is con-
cerned. As a result all Doyen computer technology lacks any capacity for self-direction and is incapable of becoming sapient.
Dry Nanotechnology: Doyen scientists have no trouble with wet nanotechnology, which can only operate in special-
ized vats and requires premade chemical feedstocks in order to function. Such technology is very easy to closely control in a
large variety of ways. As dry nanotechnology requires none of that in order to function, Doyen scientists consider it a disaster
waiting to happen. No Doyen scientist to date has ever been desperate enough to defy the edict against this form of nano-
technology.
Hardtech: The pride the Doyen take in having achieved their transcended state has caused them to place undue cul-
tural significance on noetic biotechnology. While they did possess hard technology of their own in the past, the use of it soon
became unfashionable in the extreme. Using such devices is now equated with heresy against the Doyen belief of psionic
supremacy.
Credits Page:
The cover art was designed and created by Jessica pp. 111-116, Q Mng
JessiLaurn Orsini.
combat style listing
Prerequisites: A character does not have to use his
p. 84, Combat Styles Martial Arts specialities for learning Q Mng. Instead, spe-
Novas with the right Mega-Attributes can learn an cialties from his Meditation Ability may be used. Q Mng
Inspired Combat Style much faster than other Inspired stylists who also practice Tai Chi Chuan will have an easier
students. The learning time required to gain a specialty time mastering Q Mng, as the two Combat Styles have
is reduced by 50% for associated Mega-Attribute a nova several Advanced Techniques in common.
student possesses, down to a minimum of three months.
Potentially, a beginning nova student with the right Purge Temporary Taint Advanced Technique
Mega-Attributes could completely master an Inspired Instead of imposing an experience point cost, the Sto-
Combat Style within nine months. This does nothing to ryteller may choose to have the Q Mng stylist spend an
reduce the experience point cost, however! If the player of additional 24 hour period at the reduced strength level for
the nova student does not have enough experience points each point of temporary Taint the stylist wishes to purge.
saved to buy the specialty and any associated Advanced The Wits + Meditation roll is still required.
Techniques, the training will be a waste of good gaming
time. Node Reconfiguration Advanced Technique
Example: Felipe Vasquez is an independent nova and In addition to being useless for 2nd generation novas,
Tai Chi Chuan stylist from LA who has managed to find a this technique is also of no use for novas with the N-Stage
mentor willing to train him in Q Mng. Ordinarily, gaining Node Background Enhancement (Node) at a high enough
his first Q Mng specialty would take two years of intense dot rating that they no longer suffer from Node-derived
training. Fortunately for him, Felipe has Mega-Dexterity Taint.
3, Mega-Stamina 4 and Mega-Wits 5, of which the base
Attributes of all three are associated with Q Mng. With Pressure Secret: MR Coil Disruption Strike Advanced
Felipes player having stored up sufficient experience points Technique
to pay for it beforehand, Felipe gains his first Q Mng Only stylists who have achieved the third Q Mng
specialty after only three months of game time spent in specialty can learn this Pressure Secret.
training. Felipes player could have chosen to extend the
training period and get Felipe a second Q Mng specialty,
but instead decided to start gaining more experience New Advanced Technique
points to save for raising the required Abilities of his new Quantum Balance (3 experience points Associated
Combat Style. Only)
Novas can learn non-Inspired Combat Styles even Prerequisites: 2nd Q Mng specialty.
faster, with the required training time being reduced by 1/2 Q Mng stylists as a rule are wary of maxing their
Samsara 1
Introduction 5
Chapter One: The Aeon Continuum 10
Chapter Two: Sojourns In Spacetime 28
Chapter Three: Storytelling 67
Chapter Four: New Items 82
Appendix #1: Mega-Willpower 120
Appendix #2: Telluric Weirdness 133
Appendix #3: The Discarnate 140
Appendix #4: The Doyen 165
Table Of Contents 189
Credits 190
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190 CREDITS
NEXUS
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